Drink

[Captain Kong]

I was 3rd Mate on watch on a 260,000 VLCC, it was just after the EXXON VALDES disaster, all bars and alcohol had been removed off all our companies ships.
A seven month trip not one drop. We were running from Ras Tannurah in the Gulf tp Ain Sukhna in Suez Bay around a dozen trips
One morning the Mate came on the Bridge, " The Old Man wants you in his cabin".
Me , "What for?" " Don't know, I` ll take over your watch while you go down."
I went to his cabin, Captain sat at his desk, [ he was a bit of a nutter ]
"Sit down Mate " I sat down, these are the very words he said to me,
" Last night you committed the most Despicable act an Officer can ever commit." I said " What was that???
He says, "You were observed drinking Lemonade after midnight."
I nearly fell off his chair,
We still had the Bar, but only soft drinks in the fridge. and he still kept Bar hours, closing at 10 pm.
So I after my 8 to 12 watch on a very hot night in the Red Sea, called in the bar and got a can of Lemonade. Someone reported me. sat on my own with a Lemonade.
I laughed got up and said , "I am going back on the Bridge".
"Sit down Mate , I haven't finished with you",
I said , "I am going, your Mad and might attack me,
" I dived through his door and up the steps to the Wheelhouse and told the Mate what he said, Unbelievable, he says.
I never heard anything off him after that.
Brian,
.

[j.sabourn]

He was probably going to ask you for the 10p Brian. JS

[John Pruden]

still got my 50 year old single malt whiskey in the box unopened with all the labels and little note book with it? jp

[Des Taff Jenkins]

HI Brian.
What he meant to have said was, beware the demon drink.
Des

[John Gill]

still got my 50 year old single malt whiskey in the box unopened with all the labels and little note book with it? jp

That's got to be past it's best now John. I'll take it off your hands and risk it. Keep the notebook, something to read in lockdown.
Gilly.

[Captain Kong]

The wife didn't know I drank until she found me Sober one day

[John Pruden]

gilly have you still got that electric ciggy i gave you in the pen and wig? jp

[j.sabourn]

Hope it was the real scrumpy, if was it had to have a piece of meat in it during fermentation, it was usual to throw a dead rat into the barrel.
Somerset is where the real stuff was made.
JS

[Keith at Tregenna]

Rats were certainly found in traditional Somerset Scrumpy, but sadly modern health and safety regulations mean that only official Somerset Rat Farm rats are allowed to be added to the vats during the first twenty days of fermentation. After that the only things allowed are the things that "just happen" to fall into the open vats, which is difficult seeing that the vats are closed.

Best not tell anyone in case they are vegan.

Traditionally and anecdotally the very best scrumpy contains at least one dead rat ?

They found the pig in the vat. It was good scrumpy that year... https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news...mpy-that-year/

[Colin Wood]

When up for 2nd mates,on saturday between 2 we would get a 1/2 gallon jar of Church farm cider, it had been matured in sherry barrels and a bottle of rum to take the party. One saturday there was a new fellow serving atthe off licence, turns our he was a director. He could not understand why they were selling so much cider and so took a bottle up to the proprietors flat when they closed. They suddenly realised it was very potent so the director ordered that in future it was small bottles only. Soon found another outlet so they lost a lot of custom.