The science of Monkey Island: can grog dissolve a metal mug that fast?

A researcher at the University of Groningen analyzes the video game *The Secret of Monkey Island* to determine what chemical properties grog—a fictional pirate beverage—would need to possess to realistically dissolve metal mugs as depicted in the game. Using corrosion science and treating the game's observations as an inverse problem, the study estimates the proton supply and chemical characteristics required for grog to behave as shown in the puzzle where it dissolves a pewter mug and a prison lock.