# Did people used to drink bay rum? Is it safe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 21, 2013, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-people-used-to-drink-bay-rum-is-it-safe/666793 "2013-08-21T11:45:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-people-used-to-drink-bay-rum-is-it-safe/666793/1 "2013-08-21T11:45:20Z")
> **[Bay rum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_rum)** > > Bay rum is a type of cologne and aftershave lotion. > Other uses include as under-arm deodorant and as a fragrance for shaving soap, as well as a general astringent. > It is a distillate that was originally made in Saint Thomas "and probably other West Indian islands" from rum and the leaves and/or berries of the West Indian bay tree, Pimenta racemosa. > John Maisch identified the leaf in the herbarium at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, collected in Saint Croix, "by the late Dr. Griffit... It makes a nice and cheap cologne, smells great! I’ve seen several references to this being nothing more than a prohibition era wink wink nudge nudge way to obtain legal booze. Was this actually common? It seems too easy, why go to speakeasy if you could get sloshed for cheap legally. It is also the drink of choice for homeless people in the West Indies, not that says much about its taste or safety. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-people-used-to-drink-bay-rum-is-it-safe/666793/2 "2013-08-21T13:01:02Z")
Apparently, yes and yes. [Bay rum - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_rum) ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-people-used-to-drink-bay-rum-is-it-safe/666793/3 "2013-08-21T13:11:21Z")
I believe that current bay rum sold as an aftershave or cologne uses denatured alcohol, that is, there is acetone or something similar added to make it undrinkable.