[ForestBeekeeper]

I make beer, wine, cider, and whiskey. I have also been making herbal tinctures and I recently got into making essential oils. I think these are very good hobbies to be invested into. They all make for wonderful trade goods.

 

[PurpleKitty]

I have made tinctures.

I couldn't get anyone to use them, they smelled so bad! LOL

 

[Neut Anderson]

Vodka is always going to be worth a lot more than cash in a real melt down. Here in TX 1.75L of Heaven Hill Vodka (the best inexpensive Vodka, IMO) costs $10.00 on sale. $500 worth of Heaven Hill bought now would probably be worth more than 10k in cash after an EMP attack.

 

[bilmac]

I have thought about using everclear to preserve some of my fruit juices. If I ferment my apple juice to make cider for instance, I am using/wasting some of the sugar in the juice. I've wondered why I couldn't add just the minimal amount of everclear to preserve it.

I have pasturized my juice, but that is pretty precision work, too hot and I destroy vitamins, too cool and the juice goes bad. I wish I could find some information about how to do this, but so far never have run into anything. Experimenting to find out for myself could take years, and I don't think we have years left to tinker.

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

I have thought about using everclear to preserve some of my fruit juices. If I ferment my apple juice to make cider for instance, I am using/wasting some of the sugar in the juice. I've wondered why I couldn't add just the minimal amount of everclear to preserve it.

I have pasturized my juice, but that is pretty precision work, too hot and I destroy vitamins, too cool and the juice goes bad. I wish I could find some information about how to do this, but so far never have run into anything. Experimenting to find out for myself could take years, and I don't think we have years left to tinker.

It is easier to just add everclear to apple juice. I have had issues fermenting cider. Too much pectin and it all turns into a solid glob.

 

[shdwlkr]

get maybe 6 bottles of the highest proof whisky you can afford. These can be used for medical issues that will come up after shtf. Think cleaning bad wounds, cough medicine( 1tablespoon of whisky, honey and lemon), think to take the edge of really painful things.
Most of the old timers kept a bottle around not so much to drink but for medical uses, remember doctors were far and few back in those days

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

get maybe 6 bottles of the highest proof whisky you can afford.

The structuring of alcohol taxes is interesting. Alcoholic beverages are not taxed by proof. Instead they are taxed by volume.

Before I really got into local made liquors, I did a price comparison. If you look at alcohol prices by proof, you will often see that lower proof alcohols are more expensive than higher proof alcohols.

750ml of 190 proof everclear is available here in the store for $35. [that is a 95% alcohol solution, it has 712ml of pure alcohol in it].

Compared to 80proof whiskeys you pay a lot more for the alcohol in those.

Plus with most commercial grade whiskeys they have included all of the other 'spirits' [Acetone, Methanol, acetates, Propanols, Butanol, and Amyl alcohol] in it for 'flavor'. It is these other spirits that give you a hangover. If you get a chance to drink pure ethanol with all other spirits removed, you can not get a hangover from it. Because the 'bad' alcohols have been removed.

 

[vfo]

There's been a few threads on this topic.

I drink, but have decided not to stockpile. Don't want to deal with people who "have to have" it. As a non-drinker, I would be afraid of being accused of trying to take advantage of them in a crisis situation. Many have concluded.... not the best investment of your prepping dollars.

I think that the longer the shelf life of an item the better. My father used to get bottles of liquor as gifts every Christmas. I opened more that a few bottles of 10 and 15 year old scotch that he had kept in his closet for over 35 years and they tasted fine. Don't forget that vodka can also be used as a preservative.

 

[gman4q2]

You might be better off going to the local Indian Reservation and buying a couple of cartons of cigaretts, vaccuume packing them and storing them. Smokers are much better clientele than alchoholics if you intend to use for bartering purposes.

 

[spundj]

what would you barter for?
1 bottle of booze for ?

 

[TxHannah]

FWIW, I have used alcohol in the past as a cough suppressant. So not technically 'drinking', but it will help suppress a hacking cough for a few hours, long enough to let you get some rest.

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

what would you barter for?
1 bottle of booze for ?

After a big snow storm anyone will plow out a driveway for a pint.

 

[81eagle]

I myself am a beer drinker, a couple in the evenings most nights.

I do however love the taste of Everclear and water. You have to mix it VERY lean, like 15:1 but it does have a nice flavor and at $15 for a 750ml it is great value. And as stated before many uses.

 

[Steve_In_29]

I drink a bit but don't "need" it. We have put some away as part of our preps. Could come in handy as barter or for a bribe.

 

[rio nueces]

You might be better off going to the local Indian Reservation and buying a couple of cartons of cigaretts, vaccuume packing them and storing them. Smokers are much better clientele than alchoholics if you intend to use for bartering purposes.

Very good point. But cigarettes don't store well. Hard stuff like vodka stores indefinitely.

 

[sixtus]

Like anything humans use it can come in handy sometime. But I put it at lowest priority of anything consumable, too lower to bother with in my case.

 

[AlphaSierraCharlie]

I think using it as a barter item only is kind of short sighted. Sharing a drink is a bonding thing. Drinking together can encourage group cohesion, especially when two or more separate groups are working toward mutual goals. Not necessarily sloppy drunk, but a few fingers of good whiskey or rum.

 

[Karaya1]

Practicle use for Alcohol

Two words. Molotov Cocktails!

 

[MS45]

I fall into the "make it yourself" camp. It's not that difficult and the costs arent too terribly bad.

In the basement is probably the best way to store any alcoholic beverage long term. Away from sunlight and in a cool stable temperature.

Hard liqueurs will outlast you. Whiskeys, vodka, rum, etc.

Beer varies, but usually has the shortest shelf life. IPAs taste like pine needles but will probably last a little longer than others.

Wine usually depends on the grape (other fruit) that's used to make it. Ice wines won't last as long a cab.

 

[Kraka069]

what would you barter for?
1 bottle of booze for ?

i got a box of ammo for ya..