It’s not just the boiling process. The alcohol in beer is anti-bacterial which allows the water to remain safer to drink for longer.
It wasn’t beer in many cases. Grog is basically rum, water, and limes/citrus which help sailors prevent scurvy whilst also protecting them from bacterial infections. I don’t believe they boiled the water at all in that case. I believe it was just mixed all together.
Is that proven about the alcohol level being antibacterial? Beer is pretty low on alcohol, even if they did strong beers back then, it would land around 10-12% or so. I am not sure that is enough to do anything to bacteria. Rum or other strong spirits, definitely yes.
It’s not just the boiling process. The alcohol in beer is anti-bacterial which allows the water to remain safer to drink for longer.
It wasn’t beer in many cases. Grog is basically rum, water, and limes/citrus which help sailors prevent scurvy whilst also protecting them from bacterial infections. I don’t believe they boiled the water at all in that case. I believe it was just mixed all together.
Is that proven about the alcohol level being antibacterial? Beer is pretty low on alcohol, even if they did strong beers back then, it would land around 10-12% or so. I am not sure that is enough to do anything to bacteria. Rum or other strong spirits, definitely yes.
Yes. Beer kills things in the brewing process.