Prepping for both short and long-term emergencies is important. When the electricity goes out, there’s flooding, or there’s a natural disaster, you’re really going to want to have been prepared. But you’ll also want to be prepared in the case of a long-term crisis: like in the case of large-scale social and/or economic collapse.
When it comes to prepping for these long-term SHTF situations, you’re going to want to remember that trading and bartering will become very important to your everyday life. Without stores to go out and purchase what you need, if you happen to run low on something, you’re going to have to propose an exchange to your peers. Typically if you have something good to trade – something that they want – they’ll give you what you want in return.
Under social collapse, we as a species have always bartered, traded, and formed cohesive micro-societies. So don’t think that just because the SHTF, everything will suddenly change and every person you encounter will be an isolationist. Even in war zones, having the perfect items to trade – something other than simply ammo and food – can make a good friend out of an enemy. That perfect item is more times than not alcohol. But why alcohol? Well…
Why Should I Bother to Stockpile Alcohol?
1. Alcohol is often used as an economic baseline.
To put it simply, alcohol is a commodity that everyone understands the value of. Its worth is inherent, both in its immediate effects as a pick me up/environmental painkiller, and for the more serious uses that in general alcohol (though especially spirits) can be used for. These two reasons make alcohol an absolutely fantastic commodity to trade with.
Relative worth is easier to ascertain when you’re trading in bottles of booze. It’s much easier to use a bottle of whiskey as the baseline currency, as opposed to a bag of apples, or 20 caplets of painkillers. Why? Well the apples gain value the hungrier you are, and pain killers gain value the more pain you are in. Alcohol is like ammo – its value can be ascertained accurately without being dependent on a time frame or state of mind.
2. Alcohol is a social lubricant.
In times of strife, we have to cut down – way down. It’s hard to do this, and just because we cut down, that of course doesn’t mean we cease to be humans. As social beings, we occasionally want to feel normal, even when our environment is anything but normal.
Selco from SHTF School discussed in length why and how people seek normalcy whilst living in a war zone:
When you are inside your head in complete chaos, so many different emotions, using drugs to get away from everything to get one feeling that you know, even if feeling is not real and just you taking something, it is relief. It feels like you get to place you are familiar with in world that is full of chaos and suffering.
From tobacco to whiskey, we all have our vices, and as TEOTWAWKI or some pretty severe SHTF situations become our new normal, we will gravitate towards those vices as something to help cope with life.
And for celebrating special occasions in a post-crisis world: alcohol is a huge help. Don’t forget that life goes on even during a crisis. Though you might find it hard to imagine what, psychologically, things will feel like – you can teach yourself through reading about other people’s experiences. For the sake of this post, however, just knowing that, if not you, many of those around you will want alcohol to help cope and celebrate is enough – because it means that having alcohol around to trade is very useful since many others will want it.
3. Alcohol has utility and first aid applications.
These are absolutely important in a post-crisis world. The obvious example here is that alcohol can be used as an effective disinfectant. That being said, it of course has many more extremely valuable applications as well. It can be used not only as a way of keeping wounds free from infection, but for keeping nausea at bay, or for making dental work more bearable for the patient.
Its historical value in the field of medicine is rich, and it still continues to be used heavily in first aid applications in more recent SHTF events. During the Balkan wars and the Argentinian economic collapse, alcohol was commonly used as an alternative to more “modern” medical supplies because it was much easier, and less expensive, to get a hold of. Don’t underestimate the value of a spirit when it comes to SHTF first aid!
So Which Alcohol Should I Be Stockpiling?
Okay, so now that we’ve cemented your understanding of some of the different ways that booze can be helpful in a SHTF situation, we’ll show you exactly which types are the best to stockpile.
Traditionally, when discussing which booze one should hoard, focus tends to lie exclusively on spirits like vodka or whiskey. There’s really very good reason for this, which we’ll delve into further a little later, but there are actually a few other alcohols that would make the cut if you’re interested in some variety with regards to your stockpile. That being said, if you’re not a variety kind of person, it’s safe to say that sticking to purchasing a few crates of rum, whisky, and vodka will certainly be enough to do you worlds of good.
To show you (instead of just telling you) which alcohols are best for stockpiling, I’ve created a nice table for visual reference that’s good for comparing different alcohols across the charts when it comes to most important factors to help you determine which alcohols are best to stockpile: average alcohol percentage, average proof, and expiry date.
Here’s what you should be looking out for…
Alcohol Percentage
- Anything above 60% can be used as surgical alcohol.
- Anything above 40% can be used to disinfect wounds for first aid purposes.
Alcohol Proof
Alcohol proof is another way of measuring the percentage of alcohol in each beverage. I’ve included it in the chart because sometimes proofs are included on labels rather than percentages. To get the percentage of alcohol from the alcohol proof, simply divide by 2. Vice versa is also true (double the alcohol percentage to get the alcohol proof).
- Anything above 120° can be used as surgical alcohol.
- Anything above 80° can be used to disinfect wounds for first aid purposes.
Expiry
Obviously, the longer the alcohol will last without expiring the better. Just as a heads up, the higher the alcohol percentage and proof, the further away the expiry of the alcohol tends to be. Also, while wines and beers, for instance, need to be closed in order to keep their shelf life, spirits and moonshine/Everclear can be opened and still last indefinitely.
One disclaimer before I get to the chart. Please note that I’m using the average alcohol content and shelf life. I feel pretty confident that some smart ass will pop over to quip that a Belgium lambic beer can be stored for over a decade with no detriment, but that is an anomaly, not the rule. Beers and wines typically do not last anywhere near that long, and if you don’t believe me, snap up a cheap Zinfandel and open in 10 years – it’ll basically be vinegar.
| Type | Average Alcohol % | Average Proof | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine | 9-18% | 18-36° | Yes (unopened, lives 1 year to decades) |
| Beer | 3-10% | 6-20° | Yes (unopened, lives 6 months to 2 years) |
| Liquors | 15-45% | 30-90° | Varies considerably |
| Spirits | 20-55% | 40-110° | Never |
| Coolers | 2-15% | 4-30° | Yes |
| Moonshine/Everclear | 70-90% | 140-180° | Never |
Now for a much more in-depth breakdown (and for those who don’t much like charts…)
Types of Alcohol Assessed by Overall Stockpile Value
1. Wines
Wine is not traditionally considered stockpile-worthy booze due to its relatively high cost and its limited versatility. Its alcohol content is not high enough to serve as an anti-septic, and when looking at pure ABV (alcohol by volume), its bang to buck ratio is pretty dismal.
They’re also not the best alcohol when it comes to their expiry dates – typically their smack jab in the middle; not so bad as beer, but not anywhere near as good as spirits. I’ve mentioned this before, but they also only keep if they’re closed (whereas spirits keep even if they’re open).
It should be noted that some wines do consistently go up in value, so for investment purposes, fine wines do have their place. With that said, the market for fine wines is not as established as the market for precious metals or other more common commodities, so I would personally hesitate with regards to recommending wine as a solid hedge against economic woes. A possibility, however, if it’s something you’d like to look into further.
Some red wines do benefit greatly from being stored in cool, dark environments (cellars basically). White wines do not normally last more than 1-2 years past the expiry date on the bottle, so not very good for long-term stockpiling, but if you know what you’re doing when it comes to properly storing the red wines, then by all means hoard some of your favourite red stuff.
2. Beers
For much the same reasons as wine, beer is also not quite ideal for stockpiling purposes.
Beer has quite a high cost relative to its number of uses, and unfortunately its shelf life is not even near as long as the shelf life of wine.
Resell value for investment purposes is negligible compared to wine as well. Even the far more versatile spirits have more potential when it comes to investment/hedging against inflation.
I love beer, but I have to admit, it’s not the best prepper commodity. I’m not even sure it deserves to be considered a prepper commodity at all.
3. Liquors
Liquors (or liqueurs) are very similar to spirits, except for the added sugar and the lack of hard-set rules about the alcohol being above 20% ABV. This level of flexibility inherent to liquors makes them unpredictable with regards to viability for medical purposes or with ascertaining shelf life. Grand Marnier, Cointreau, and Schnapps are examples of what a liquor is, and shelf life will vary pretty considerably amongst them.
Some liquors even have cream added to them, Baileys for instance. According to the manufacturer, they recommend storing these types of liquors at 41-95 degrees Fahrenheit (5-35 degrees Centigrade) for a shelf life of up to 2 years. Again, as with beer, not exactly an ideal prepper commodity. I’d typically pass on the liquors for a stockpile.
4. Spirits
And of course as we all know by now, spirits are the de facto option for hoarding. This has to do with a lot of positive factors; most that ultimately stem from how high the alcohol percentage is when it comes to spirits.
Shelf life is generally extremely long (they basically never expire) as fermentation, which leads to the degradation of alcohol over time, comes to a standstill past 20%. Yes, they can still live forever even if you’ve opened them to have a sip, but you should still make sure the containers your spirits are kept in are air tight. Mason jars are actually quite good for these purposes, so if the original container isn’t available anymore *say the lid broke or something along those lines), store ’em there and you shouldn’t have any surprises.
20%+ alcohol is always useful in long-term SHTF situations, both for first aid and for trading. I think pretty much everyone knows what whisky/rum/vodka is, whilst not everyone knows what a Tia Maria (a liquor) tastes like, which should make it a little bit easier for trading, though I’m sure the Tia Maria will be gone, too, if you’ve got it.
I personally favour stockpiling decent whisky for my own consumption as well as cheap(ish) vodka for emergency uses. Of course I do often drink through my stock and have to replenish, but that’s not because it’s expiring anytime soon!
In my relatively short life, the cost of alcohol has never gone down, so I would say it’s a decent investment if you’re looking at things purely from an economical standpoint. In terms of bang-for-buck, it’s second only to moonshine/Everclear, but has the added benefit of actually being drinkable ;). My opinion only, moonshine-lovers!
5. Coolers
Coolers are those fruity vodka-infused, pre-made cocktails. Bacardi Breezers are an example. They’ve been in vogue for the past decade or so amongst the hipster crowd. I don’t expect you to care for stockpiling them, and I personally don’t see the point in them myself. Just included them in to be as thorough as possible.
They don’t have a good shelf life, don’t have high alcohol proof, and they’re typically pretty expensive for what you’re getting. Basically, they’re the bottom of the barrel for prepper-use, so I would strongly suggest you stay away from stockpiling these.
If you’re a fan of their taste, and really think they’d be nice to have in a crisis, stick to buying spirits and make your own cocktails with them post-crisis. When you buy coolers, you end up paying beer-level prices for what is essentially sparkling water with a splash of vodka + some additional flavoring (can you tell I’m not a fan?). Make that yourself with a spirit for a fraction of the cost and an infinite shelf life!
6. Moonshines/Everclear
Moonshine and distilled grain spirits like Everclear are the final category. Strictly/technically speaking, they are also spirits, but the sheer strength (especially of the 90%/180 proof Everclear!!) of them puts them in a different league from common spirits.
I would personally rather assemble a still and make my own distilled spirits as opposed to buying this type of booze. Everclear is basically undrinkable, as your body treats anything in the 90% alcohol range as basically being a poison. You have to mix it with another beverage to drink it, and even then it’s really not too tasty.
In terms of sheer bang-for-buck, Everclear reigns supreme. I had one of my friends bring me back a bottle from the States (it’s literally not sold anywhere in Canada) and a whole 1 litre bottle only set me back 20 bucks or so. That being said, back to the taste – just not paletable at all. There’s is a reason hobos don’t drink this stuff, and if you take one sip, you’ll understand for yourself why that is. I would still keep a bottle around purely for medical uses, and it would surely come in handy if it were the last alcohol around to be consumed/traded, but I’m one of those people for whom alcohol does not keep long (not an alcoholic, just enjoy a good drink!), and yet that bottle of Everclear has remained in my pantry for years.
If you want to stockpile moonshine (strong moonshine, not the weak mass-produced stuff you see sometimes) go for it. Just be aware that its bartering value will not match vodka when taking into account the cost and utility of moonshine vs vodka will be almost the same.
So there we have it. Spirits certainly take the win, though if you have a thing for fine red wine and want to test your luck in keeping it for investment purposes, that’s definitely an option as well. Everclear takes the win for the best bang-for-buck alcohol you could stockpile, though you should probably stick to using it for the medical/first aid applications, and although you could stockpile moonshine easily because of its long shelf life, it’s not as easily traded as spirits are in a TEOTWAWKI situation. It’d be a great benefit to have at least a small still to make your own moonshine with, so if you can learn that – huge asset to you.
Other than that, obviously there are many different kinds of drinks you could stockpile within the realm of good alcohol for stockpiling. When it comes to spirits alone, you can hoard whisky, rum, gin, vodka, tequila, brandy, or all of the above. If you’d just like to stockpile a few, I’d recommend sticking to spirits like whiskey, vodka, and rum for maximum bang-for-buck and potential uses, both medically and socially.
Any suggestions for storing Corked Bottled Spirits ?
You can always poor wax over the top to make sure it doesn’t ever leak air into the bottle, traditionally that was very common and we can still buy bottles from 100 years ago with no tangible damage.
Vodka hands down, and it does not need to be the hoity toity expensive stuff. Lasts forever.
For some weird reason, cheap vodka & cheap whisky are the same price where I am, with sales you can get single malts for a pittance.
Again, Which Booze is Best for a Prepper Stockpile??
I keep a case of red wine in my preps.. i have read it can keep your thyroid healthy if you are exposed to radiation or fall out.
Thank you for the post I don’t know much about alcahol and wanted to get some for prepping so I went into the state store and the guy asked me what I was looking for I said I’m not sure I’m a prepped and want the best one that will work for a variety of things bartering wound cleaning medication and burning He told me it sounds like I’m talking about grain alcahol and handed me a fifth of 150 proof ever clear I also took a pint of Jack I’m gonna get more and start stocking them when the grid Gos down the first thing they do is shut state stores and business down and with all the acholics that’s a bad situation if they can’t get the alcahol they need so I’m gonna start buying pints to barter with and fifths fr personal besides ever clear can you recommend any other good ones to have on hand ?
In the comments, I read about the virtues of plastic booze bottles and I agree to some extent. I live on the high desert in CA and the summers are really hot and the winters are freezing. I buy the mini bottles of booze and store them in ammo boxes. The smaller bottles cost more but in trading, the smaller denomination might be preferable. After a couple of years in a storage shed the plastic bottles all leaked, no glass ones did. I only buy the mini bottles in glass now and I seal each one in a plastic bag just in case. The past five years there have been no leaks. Oh, the leaking plastics bottles, I had to drink them so as not to be a wasteful person. ; )
Aye, longterm storage I also agree that glass is superior. Its worked for hundreds of years. ;)
On that note, my sympathies for being forced to drink. The sheer horror of it all. ;)
Had to drink them so they wouldn’t go to waste?.. What a burden that must have been. I can’t even imagine! But, tough times call for tough solutions. Glad you were thinking on your feet. LOL ;)
Thanks for linking to this article in, ‘It’s Strangely Satisfying That What I’ve Stockpiled Has Never Gone to Waste’. I’ve made some improved changes as a result of reading this. Recently, I’ve been learning about all types of hiking alcohol stoves, but mostly the kind you can d.i.y. out of an aluminum pop can, or a low cost type such as a brass Esbit. I’ve read that spirits can be used as a fuel in them as long as it’s 91 percent proof or above. Spirits are comparatively an expensive fuel, but in a pinch, a bottle of spirits and a hikers alcohol stove sitting in a kitchen cabinet might have greater value than a just a bottle by itself. Perhaps apartment dwellers and such pressed for space might find such a combo useful and even more valuable?
Very good point Helot and yes, one does have to consider the difference between financially optimal within the limitations of space. Elise and I did hoard some expensive solutions when we lived in an apartment that we wouldn’t do today in a House. Its all about your options!
Like vodka, minimal flavor, can mix with lots of things to improve our survival situation.
Maybe celebrate starting an old generator. Haven’t tried with gatorade powder but I bet not too bad. Peppermint Schnapps would likely perk up hot chocolate, or creme de menthe on the rocks or maybe with some snow if really cold outside. If you read “Alone on Guadacanal” a great prepper story really, by Martin Clemens. The great treat was sipping bourbon “neat” with General Vandergrift. Martin once got a radio message inquiring from one of his fellow coastwatchers if there was any spirits left on the whole island? Some were found and the celebration contributed much to their determination to survive the Japanese opposition, of course fueled by sake!
Sounds like a great book- i’ll look into it! Vodka is definitely a versatile spirit but I confess I am not a fan of messing around with my drink- I want to pop open my bottle of scotch and be sipping within 30 seconds- cocktails/mixers/infusions etc. are just not my thing.
So, in my neck of the woods, redneck central, some of those posh brand names would be completely unrecognizable. Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, and Crown Royal on the high end probably would command the most in a barter situation. So you would have to know your audience I guess. About shine and everclear, one up side would be to possibly run it as fuel in that old pre 80’s car that you saved because of emp’s. Just switch out the necessary fuel jets and you could run it on good ole grain alchohol. So my plan is to grow corn for chickens, corn meal, and moonshine, and fuel.
Good plans mate, I agree that knowing your demographic is the most valuable advice.
While I agree that most beer and wine isn’t suitable for stockpiling I would recommend preppers learn how to make them and knowing which local ingredients can be used
I made booze myself once, got it to 18%- tasted it and decided that whilst it was a good experience, until the SHTF hits- I will be buying my alcohol. ;)
Bourbon.
You could have just used one word to write this article. :) Though I guess that would be boring. And I share your appreciation for good scotch and that would be a close second.
And maybe some hearty stouts that can keep several years.
Anything else I may only hang on to for other guests/bartering tools.
Just discovered your blog and I’m really enjoying it. Thank you for posting all the useful info and engaging with your audience (vs the typical “these are the exact things you need because I know better than you” attitude).
Thanks for the support Kris, I always try to respond to all comments- I figure if people take the time out to talk to me, I should respond in kind. ;)
And no, Scotch>Bourbon all day, every day.
Everclear is basically a vodka, just higher proof. Mix with approximately 2-parts distilled water, and voila! It’s no longer “rocket fuel.” Your understanding of the world of distillation is lacking, you might consider doing more research and less opinion.
Fully aware of that Chuck, as I wrote (and I quote);
“Everclear is basically undrinkable, as your body treats anything in the 90% alcohol range as basically being a poison. You have to mix it with another beverage to drink it, and even then it’s really not too tasty.”
As a sidenote, I’ll scribble whatever I damn well please on my own blog. Thanks ;)
I have been stocking up on vodka. I also stock up on Evan Williams Extra Aged bourbon.. (5 yr old) I prefer sobieski vodka. It’s Polish and of good quality for the price. It’s a good sipping alcohol also. Evan Williams is also a good sipping bourbon. Both offer decent quality for the dollar. Nothing beats two fingers of bourbon after a shitty day….
Replace that Bourbon with Single Malt Scotch and I would have to agree with you ;) Nothing beats it as a pick me up.
Does the chinese maotai can go through these?
I see no reason why not, sounds like a spirit to me and i would treat it as such.
Prepping alcohol. Used to represent a vintner. Price is not always determinate of quality. Company produced three lines of vodka. Same production cost, just different flavors.
1. most people cannot tell the difference between quality and non quality alcohol products. So, very cheap wines/campaigns stored for parties. Quality wines for intra family consumption.
2. essentially whisky,scotch, vodka, gin,rum don’t go bad. Gallons of the cheap stuff for trade/first aid. Good stuff for the family.
3. one of the ways to assure that alcohol is available, family-wide, is to gift it. So, I wait for sales. Wild Turkey 101 to a couple of male relatives today. They received Red Label Scotch for their birthdays. Last year it was a bottle each of quality scotch.
4. At the end of the year, the wines/campaigns that would otherwise start to go bad are given to the gardeners/cleaning lady instead of cash gifts.
5. surgical quality drinking alcohol is not available here. Bought 90% non drinking alcohol for surgical purposes.
Very true Brian, I have given people aged single malts and then blended scotch from the supermarket and they couldn’t guess which was which.
You can’t get everclear in your neck of the woods?
By the federal constitution, each state does regulation. Cannot get the higher % in CA.
Other ideas:
1. glass breaks. plastic does not. buy clear plastic pint size containers off eBay if you ever intend to repackage/trade liquids;
I have free mailing labels from FedX if I ever want to repackage – and the liquids do not have to be booze;
2. for fun. Save a 1 gallon wine container. Briefly research how to make wine from concentrated grape fruit juice. All it takes is a large balloon, a rubber band, some common yeast, water, sugar and a defrosted can of concentrated fruit juice, and 3 weeks. The stuff is passable. Not state and federal taxes.
3. (depends upon the state). I buy in two fashions:
a. any liquor distributor will be happy to sell to you by the case with a substantial discount. If I had to do it over and wanted factory labeled spirits, I would order by the case in clear plastic pint containers. I have an unopened case of regular sized bottles of Old Grand Dad in the garage.
b. shop the sales. Last St. Patrick’s Day time, the Irish distillers were kind and had substantial discounts to push product. The distillers also have price wars. So, pick your favorite spirit – say Jack Daniels or Jim Beam in 1.5 liter bottle. Watch the prices during the year and between retail distributors. When a bottle of the same booze goes from $42 plus tax to $27 plus tax (different spirit that also battles the foregoing two), the price savings are enormous.
Some excellent suggestions there BDC! I always find it so interesting how various states handle various issues so differently (tax, firearms etc.). Do you ever worry about storing alcohol in plastic in terms of long term impact?
Everclear is almost 100% alcohol so it burns too. Maybe keep you warm at night if your not reckless with it. No gasoline, it will run in your car too. Rather expensive but in a Mad Max scenario and you just have to escape somewhere …….
Just for the record ever clear is sold in Alberta for sure… and I think it can be ordered at the lcbo … not 100% about that but do know for a fact it can be gotten in Alberta… it’s where I bought my 4 bottles if the stuff
I have never seen it at the LCBO :(
Xavier, you can also get Everclear in Edmonton (100% and 40% alcoholic content).
I am back in the UK now, I wish I knew that when I lived in Toronto. :( Thanks for sharing Mike!
You can buy ever clear in Canada.
Where? In Ontario we can only purchase spirits from LCBO unfortunately so we are limited in terms of selection! :(
We have a daughter that is heavy into tinctures and extracts, she requests we stockpile, EverClear and Vodka. Been a little difficult since no one in our family drinks alcohol, but, I do see a serious need for having highly distilled spirits on hand for a variety of uses. We do have some EverClear and Vodka and will be storing more.(no temptation to make them disappear for social use either!)
Definitely useful for all sorts of purposes, I would also recommend Brandy or Whiskey for their medicinal uses as a pick me up. Nothing better than a hot toddy when you have a cold!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_toddy
Good tip for you Thomas… You can take the cheapest booze you can buy…. Get yourself a Brita water filter pitcher. Then run the booze through it a couple of times for a much smoother drink. This works especially well with the cheaper vodkas and if you have a home still (for personal consumption of course)
I have done this before! Definitely a noticeably improvement with Vodka in terms of after taste and smoothness.
Thanks for dropping by Don!
Pinterest is a pretty good place to find all kinds of information. It is how I stumbled across your website, and where I found this: http://www.shtfpreparedness.com/make-vodka/
There are several different recipes for alcohol on that site, along with some videos showing you the process. For a small investment of time and money, you could brew your own alcohol, which would be an invaluable skill to have post-collapse. They make stills as small as one gallon, and if you had your own garden, you could grow virtually everything you needed to make vodka. I have even heard that store-bought yeast is unnecessary, you could allow naturally occurring yeast in the air to colonize your mash.
Thank you for writing all these amazing articles, I am glad I found your site. Have a nice day.
Pinterest has an incredible prepper community using and sharing to it – super helpful, especially for the DIY stuff like making your own alcohol. Thanks for the suggestion & you’re 100% right.
Glad to have you here and hope to see you back, Drew! :)
Great Post..
For me vodka has to be #1 as a neutral spirit, solvent and disinfectant.
There are more ways to use a neutral spirit because one may see the benefit from it in more ways than just drinking it. Further medicinals can be created by preserving botanicals with it. Gin is already packaged with this original purpose in mind.
For trading, to me, nothing beats a bottle of Crown Royal or Jack Daniels. Good as Gold.
Like vodka, it will not freeze and break the bottle if the Winter get’s at it..
There is a Canadian Beer that has won many awards. Belgian Triple, made by Unibroue out of Quebec. Commonly available in Western Canada, it is 9% alcohol and 750ml dark bottle..under 8 bucks. Beauty of this is that it has a champagne cork to hold in contents from a live culture. Best after 3.5 years and then slowly diminishes in quality to 5 years.
It is rich and is called “La fin du Monde”. Now that will be worth something for awhile if protected from freezing…and of course, temptation.
Again, keep up the great work
Thats some great info Dan, I will look into La Fin du Monde- sounds awesome!
+ Infinity on the La Fin du Monde recommendation!
Another thing, and it surprises me that no prepper websites ever seem to mention it, small amounts of alcohol can kill most bacteria in water. As I recall, soldiers used to do this instead of boiling water (or when they did not have time to do so) and I believe the ratio was 1 part alcohol (often wine) to 5 or 6 parts water. I have added cheap wine (one step up from prison wine in terms of quality) to boiled water and not only did it improve the taste of the wine, it made the water better too since boiled water tends to have a flat flavor.
Some interesting points William, eventually I might do a compendium of “alternative” water treatment options,
Just came to say La Fin du Monde, and Terrible (same brewery) are my two favorite beers on this planet (so far). If our caravans ever meet out in the wasteland, you’ll have some serious leverage over me :D
Good post! I’d like to offer a couple things, more from a booze guy perspective than a prepper perspective but hopefully still helpful:
-Beer pretty much never improves in quality from the moment it is bottled or canned; it is all downhill from there. I’ve had bottled beers that were a couple years old, and they were a huge disappointment, flat and cardboardy-tasting. You can stretch the lifespan of beer a little by choosing beer with a higher alcohol content and keeping it in a cool dark place, but it’s still never going to be as good as it was the day you bought it, so I agree with you on its prepper potential.
-Make sure your containers are really airtight and designed for long-term storage, and check them regularly! That’s just good general advice for stockpiles, I guess, but alcohol is volatile. I once had a few of those plastic nip bottles of vodka sitting around for a couple years: when I looked at them again, I was surprised to see that they had lost about 1/3 of their volume despite never having been opened.
Howdy JD- it depends on the beer. As a baseline you are correct however some craft beers do age with complimentary notes developing- mostly Belgium in origin though.
I have never tried storing vodka in those lil’ plastic bottles and now I am glad I didn’t, I am surprised it lost so much volume taking into account its (apparent) air-tight attributes.
Food for thought.