The 66 days the Pilgrims spent traveling across the Atlantic is only documented in two paragraphs, written by William Bradford. As Nathanial Philbrick, author of Mayflower puts it, “The physical and psychological punishment endured by the passengers in the dark and dripping ‘tween decks was compounded by the terrifying lack of information they possessed concerning their ultimate destination.
We do know that Mayflower carried 102 passengers; 50 adult men, 19 adult women, and 33 children (although these numbers are estimates, as some of the passengers’ dates of birth are unknown.
So what did the Pilgrims eat and drink while on their journey to the New World? They most likely had dried meat and fish, cheese, dried fruit, biscuits, grains, flour, and dried beans and peas. When their water supply became unfit to drink, the Pilgrims drank beer. In fact, in the seventeenth century, many people always chose beer over water, as the latter was often contaminated.
Speaking of beer, we’re teaming up with Mayflower Brewing Company of Plymouth this November to bring you Plymouth 400 commemorative pint glasses during our annual Illuminate event on November 21st! Stop by a participating restaurant and receive a free Plymouth 400 pint glass when you order any Mayflower brew!
Fun Fact: Mayflower Brewing Company was founded by a tenth great-grandson of John Alden himself!
