I'm mainly a bourbon guy and I have quite a bit of it. It has never been for long term storage but keeping a stockpile of anything I use is always in the back of my head. And I would be fine for quite awhile should supply dissappear. It is definitely something I recommend stocking for pleasure, currency and even medical use if high enough proof but only if you have food/water/ammo/etc covered first.

That being said, bourbon and most other liquors do well over time. I collect old Jim beam decanters. I have around 200 of them. I have a dozen or so of them that are still sealed. They were bottled in the 70-80s. The key to their integrity is the seal. Beam used both regular corks and plasctic style corks over the years. Some of the corks deteriorate over time, decades in this case, and some hold up. Oxygen, just like in food storage, is what ruins the booze. And when I say ruin, it is still alcohol but bourbon tends to get a varnishy taste. The old beam bottles are hit or miss when I crack them open. I then transfer them to a new glass bottle with good top for drinking.

So.... if you plan to store for long term, most modern day lids will keep sealed for a very long time. You can always dip them in wax if concerned. This is an age old method for sealing bottles just like makers mark and others do to this day. You also want to keep them out of sunlight and in a semi stable climate.

As far as mixers, like already posted, these will be more difficult. Best bet IMO would be storing fruit juice/lemonade powders for mixing with vodka. Carbonated beverages can last a couple years in my experience but that's about it. And that's as long as kept in stable temp as well and not freezing.

Whew, long one. I'll add a pic of my shelf which isn't all of it. I might have a small problem. [emoji1787]

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I'm mainly a bourbon guy and I have quite a bit of it. It has never been for long term storage but keeping a stockpile of anything I use is always in the back of my head. And I would be fine for quite awhile should supply dissappear. It is definitely something I recommend stocking for pleasure, currency and even medical use if high enough proof but only if you have food/water/ammo/etc covered first.

That being said, bourbon and most other liquors do well over time. I collect old Jim beam decanters. I have around 200 of them. I have a dozen or so of them that are still sealed. They were bottled in the 70-80s. The key to their integrity is the seal. Beam used both regular corks and plasctic style corks over the years. Some of the corks deteriorate over time, decades in this case, and some hold up. Oxygen, just like in food storage, is what ruins the booze. And when I say ruin, it is still alcohol but bourbon tends to get a varnishy taste. The old beam bottles are hit or miss when I crack them open. I then transfer them to a new glass bottle with good top for drinking.

So.... if you plan to store for long term, most modern day lids will keep sealed for a very long time. You can always dip them in wax if concerned. This is an age old method for sealing bottles just like makers mark and others do to this day. You also want to keep them out of sunlight and in a semi stable climate.

As far as mixers, like already posted, these will be more difficult. Best bet IMO would be storing fruit juice/lemonade powders for mixing with vodka. Carbonated beverages can last a couple years in my experience but that's about it. And that's as long as kept in stable temp as well and not freezing.

Whew, long one. I'll add a pic of my shelf which isn't all of it. I might have a small problem. [emoji1787]

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If you had a problem they’d be empty.

 

Storing booze is really hard

 

is anybody storing booze ? If so what kinds ? Storage tips ?

I store 190-proof everclear.

It is clear, odorless, tasteless and does not cause hangovers.

In my country, alcohol is taxed and priced in a goofy method. It is not taxed according to proof, instead it is taxed by volume. A gallon of everclear can be cut with water into two gallons of vodka.

If you look at hard liquor simply by its ethanol content, You can basically stock-up for half price.

Also there are dozens of liquor 'essences' that allow me to duplicate any commercial hard liquor on the market [without the added Acetone and Methanol, which causes hangovers].

In the case of most whiskeys, after they make the 'cuts' to remove the Acetone and Methanol, then they 'blend' them back in, claiming they are essential to the flavor of the whiskey. With everclear the stilling is done to make ethanol as pure as is possible, no Acetone or Methanol.

So you get a much better hard liquor at a lower price point.

 

Also there are dozens of liquor 'essences' that allow me to duplicate any commercial hard liquor on the market [without the added Acetone and Methanol, which causes hangovers].

Can you explain further? You have my full attention.

Whew, long one. I'll add a pic of my shelf which isn't all of it. I might have a small problem.

I'm here to help. Just kidding. Nice collection. I have tried storing whiskey and it just disappears. Pretty amazing really. But I haven't drank any hard liquor in 3 months now. I may buy some later. I do drink a couple of beers at night to hopefully help me sleep. I like the idea of having some cheap booze to trade or use for sanitizer.

The Everclear trick of cutting it in half with water is interesting. I bought one half pint of that stuff once and thought it was horrible tasting. A friend got hooked on it and got rot gut. It nearly cost him his life. I like whiskey but haven't missed not drinking it. And the savings on money is good.

I have tried making Hard Cider 3 times and it was never good. The first batch was just OK and really had a kick to it. But the other two batches just got poured out. I think my yeast was bad or I put in too much. I have sort of given up on the idea of making it. I do like the Carlo Rossi Wine ever so often. It comes in glass and may store OK.

 

Everclear 190. Medicinal uses and a couple drops in your drink to get tipsy.

 

I don’t drink a lot. However booze has a lot of advantages post shtf. Medicinal , barter , and of course to help fight the boredom of waiting out a disaster with reduced stress.

is anybody storing booze ? If so what kinds ? Storage tips ?

i just added booze to my preps. I’m storing cheap vodka mostly. I won’t be tempted to drink it during normal times , since I usually buy the good stuff. I am thinking 25-50 liter bottles. Maybe more. It’s small and not damaged by weather.

I figure that’s several years supply for me. Also distilled spirits has been used as currency in the past.

are plastic bottles as issue ?

what kinds of mixes could be stored long term?
How long does tonic water keep? Can I make it from a mix ?

I've been clean and sober for over 25 years. But I have stockpile of Jack Daniels, cigarettes and candy for barter. After a serious SHTF event, they will be very sought after.

 

I'd stick to glass bottles for long term storage.

Mixers are an issue because they are usually stored as liquids and carbonated liquids. Those don't usually fare too well over time. I'd suggest powdered stuff you can reconstitute: iced tea mix, lemonade mix, etc.

Personally, I store only what I like to drink when it comes to spirits. I'm a very experienced homebrewer and meadmaker, so mostly I make what I drink. I suppose if things get froggy, I will be a real popular guy.

 

i usually drink expensive rum/vodka/ tequila and single malt scotch. Plus mead ( Vikings blood or odens skull) and wine.

i figure post shtf cheap vodka in a mixed drink won’t be too bad. Unlike cheap scotch or tequila budget vodka is palatable in a mixed drink.

i am trying to think of good powdered mixes.

how well does tonic water store ?

 

I store vodka in a dark cool cabinet. It has many purposes beyond the good one 😁

 

The missus and I drink every evening (moderately of course We have put away a lot of booze, from vodka to whiskey and even a good bit of beer which gets rotated. If the S is gonna HTF, then I'm gonna have some relaxation available. Not for barter, they can get their own, for us to get a little relax going in the evenings after a hard day of shooting zombies.
I recommend glass only and stock up while ya can...!

 

I have lots of ice 6 months out of the year 👍

 

Just because someone is seeking booze does not justify assumptions about them.

They may be trying to trade with a third party who wants the booze.

They may need to bribe someone who booze will work for.

They may need it for medicinal purposes.

It can be used for cooking purposes.

It can be used as a gift or in celebration. Heck, maybe (even though its EOTWAWKI) someone is getting married.


In human culture, let alone post-SHTF cultures, alcohol will serve lots of roles beside satisfying addiction or irresponsible use.

 

Booze doesn't store well in plastic bottles.

 

ok so I’ll switch to glass only. It wi

Tonic water is acidic and carbonated in an aluminum can. I think you have a year or so with that.

you can buy it in glass bottles.Can it be made ?

 

I buy those motel room mini's for a buck.
Probably have 50.
Good barter item, and I could care less if they lose any "booze component". It's an unbroken seal!

Rather trade those than ammo! Can't be used against you.

 

I buy those motel room mini's for a buck.
Probably have 50.
Good barter item, and I could care less if they lose any "booze component". It's an unbroken seal!

Rather trade those than ammo! Can't be used against you.

You can take 10 on the airplane

 

Another non-drinker here (sober 26 years) that stores some alcohol for barter and medicinal use. But not a huge amount.

My business has a collaborative, co-branding arrangement with a couple distillers and a vintner so those items I get at low to no cost.

Aside from that I keep mostly vodka that I have bought on sale. It seems like one of the most multipurpose alcohols after pure grain. I've looked at those but they have been too pricey for me.

I have joked that if the big giant asteroid comes, maybe I will tie on one last royal bender as I watch it approach. But probably not. I owe the many blessings in my life to having been given the ability to get and stay sober. No sense in thumbing my nose at it in the end.

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Another non-drinker here (sober 26 years) that stores some alcohol for barter and medicinal use. But not a huge amount.

My business has a collaborative, co-branding arrangement with a couple distillers and a vintner so those items I get at low to no cost.

Aside from that I keep mostly vodka that I have bought on sale. It seems like one of the most multipurpose alcohols after pure grain. I've looked at those but they have been too pricey for me.

I have joked that if the big giant asteroid comes, maybe I will tie on one last royal bender as I watch it approach. But probably not. I owe the many blessings in my life to having been given the ability to get and stay sober. No sense in thumbing my nose at it in the end.

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Pure grain is pricey. ? Here it’s a little more than cheap vodka.

 

I am not so sure about the plastic bottle situation when doing trades. It seems to me that if there is not much other way or place to get the booze, a really desperate drinker would be more than a little upset if the booze he/she just traded for was a bit short in the bottle, or tasted really, really bad, especially if it was not very good to start with. And might just come back to get either their trade goods back or, more likely, get some revenge and take everything they can. Foisting off bad goods of any kind at any time seldom works out well for the person with those goods. I get into that in the trade goods article I attach to posts like this if anyone wants to read more about things like this.

As to the fact of trading booze anyway, which I forgot to address, one of the reasons to never do any trading from home is to prevent anyone that has a serious addiction and cannot get booze regularly or one that tends to be a mean drunk from coming back and causing trouble.

Of course, that is true of any trading. Always do it somewhere else than at your home place.

And especially with the sin trade goods, even if trading away from home, in the open or at an agreed-upon community trading post, never have more than just a handful of any given item showing. Never let other people know just what you have and in what quantities. Underplay it significantly. And if you do trade away all the times of a kind during one trading session, be very careful about putting more of that type of item out afterward, which is essentially telling anyone paying the least bit of attention that you had it all along, and if you had what you put out at first, and then put out more a short time later, you probably have a bunch more with you. Not good.

Also, as with the bad booze, anyone that thinks that trading away food, ammunition, or anything else that is not what the person is expecting, especially if they have been assured that whatever it is will be okay, will not suffer some serious consequences, thinking: "What are they going to do? They cannot find it anywhere else, anyway." is going to find out that the other person may not be able to find whatever it is anywhere else; but if it makes them, or especially their spouse, especially if the spouse is a pregnant woman, or it is their children sick; or the bad ammunition prevents them from getting the game they need to feed their family; or if they wind up suffering withdrawal symptoms; they will go to extreme measures to take it out of the person's hide that traded it to them. Perhaps fatally. Bad faith trades always result in serious problems.

It might seem like there will not be consequences to actions just because there is no rule of law, but there will be. Because there will be rule of law, even if it is simply the law of the jungle, an-eye-for-an-eye, or taking the law into one's own hands.

Just my opinion.

 

Yes they work fine.^^^^^

 

Awesome, thank you

 

If you buy your booze at the store, you can reuse those bottles...clean and sanitize and you're good to go. Also, you can buy empty beer and wine bottles...glass ones...online and reuse those. Buy a supply of corks for the wine bottles, caps for the beer bottles.

If nothing else, a piece of fruit...or anything with sugar in it...a piece of bread, and some water...prison hooch at it's "finest."

When I was a young guy people used to buy gallon bottles of water, pour part of it out, put in one of those Koolaid packs with the sugar in it, add a packet of bread yeast, top off with the water you poured out, then attack a balloon to the top of it with rubber bands...making sure to poke a few holes in the balloon. In a month or so you had Koolaid flavored hooch.

 

I don’t drink a lot. However booze has a lot of advantages post shtf. Medicinal , barter , and of course to help fight the boredom of waiting out a disaster with reduced stress.

is anybody storing booze ? If so what kinds ? Storage tips ?

i just added booze to my preps. I’m storing cheap vodka mostly. I won’t be tempted to drink it during normal times , since I usually buy the good stuff. I am thinking 25-50 liter bottles. Maybe more. It’s small and not damaged by weather.

I figure that’s several years supply for me. Also distilled spirits has been used as currency in the past.

are plastic bottles as issue ?

what kinds of mixes could be stored long term?
How long does tonic water keep? Can I make it from a mix ?

i have a large sized bankers box loaded w mini bottles of all kinds of booze, clear, brown, creamy, hi end to low end...

I have the box lined w a 3mil plastic lawn bag in the event of leakage, it will just evaporate..

it sits on wire rack in insulated and conditioned garage turned into yoga studio...

 

I agree with the make your own crowd. Only wine and beer of course. Moonshine would be illegal to make without a license.

 

Biggest problem with stored booze is someone else drinking it...ask how I know...

 

I don't store large amounts of booze, but I do store large amounts of sugar in coolers. I know how to make booze, no need to store it in it's finished and most expensive state.
Lean inventory is smart inventory.

 

I don't store large amounts of booze, but I do store large amounts of sugar in coolers. I know how to make booze, no need to store it in it's finished and most expensive state.
Lean inventory is smart inventory.

Quite true, and kilju has its uses. However, getting that booze into a concentrated state requires deep freezing and into a very concentrated state requires a still, not just sugar fermentation, and stills require fuel as well as a location away from habitation for safety's sake.

It all depends on what you are after. For food preservation, one of the things I want alcohol for, you need at least 160 proof. And of course, space is always at a prepper premium, so the less space needed for your alcohol stash the better.

 

Due to the medications I am on for the rest of my life I cannot drink alcohol. Which I do not, for the most part. I have found, that like everything else, a little bit every once in a while is not going to cause me any problems. At least not now. In the future, as my health gets worse, who knows.

Anyway, I do store the liquors and liqueurs that I used to drink occasionally. Once I was making a reasonable amount of money I graduated to the premiums of both types, as well as top-shelf wines. In addition to these, which are for me for the occasional use and for sharing with specific people. I also plan to store long-term-packaged high-grade tobaccos, kept in carefully controlled humidors, with cigarette rolling equipment, cigar rolling equipment, and a large selection of pipes. Also seeds for two to three types of tobacco plus a couple suitable for cigar rolling leaves. If I can, I will have a greenhouse where I can grow coffee beans and cacao beans for chocolate, to supplement canned green coffee beans and plenty of cocoa.

For general trade use, I store Everclear 151 PGA (pure grain alcohol).

The PGA is for medical use, as a disinfectant if nothing else is available, and to make hot toddies when I, or someone else that does not object to having a bit of alcohol. Usually hot lemonade, honey, and a teaspoon or so of the Everclear. Taken with a peppermint disk I find the combination to be very effective in clearing my sinuses and helping me sleep.

And it is a trade good, as well. I have not found it in the 50ml 'airplane' bottles, even plastic ones. So, for trading the Everclear, or any other alcohol I might have or run across, I will transfer it from the 750ml bottles I usually get, to glass 50ml bottles I get on Amazon now. I do try to get the Everclear in glass bottles, but if I cannot find it in glass I go ahead and transfer it from the plastic bottle into the 50ml bottles and seal the caps with wax.

I use 4-ounce to 8-ounce stainless steel flasks for the Everclear I keep in medical kits.

I have found that, while a few high-grade plastic bottles that some bottlers use do not taint the alcohol, not allow for migration through the plastic very quickly, the cheap bottles do. Either one is a deal killer for me. If I cannot get something an original glass bottle I always transfer it to glass and seal the regular cap with wax.

I do not stock much in the way of wines, though I do try to keep a few splits of good Champagne. I can no longer afford vintage Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne, I will occasionally get a split or two of Dom Perignon to have for major celebrations. I also will get Korbel in splits for longer storage since if I cannot have the really good stuff, I do not drink much at all, even when there are reasonable reasons to have something like Champagne.

For beer, wine, and a few other spirits as well as some soft drinks, I plan to acquire the equipment and supplies to make them myself. I am fairly certain there will be plenty of people distilling hard liquor so I do not worry about it overly much.

If I was able to stock in-depth the things I would drink they would be the following:

Root beer making kit using flip-top Virgil’s Root Beer bottles w/spare rings
Beer/stout making kit using flip-top Drake’s Imperial Stout bottles w/spare rings
Mead making kit using Viking Blod Mead bottles w/spare corks
Winemaking kit using various wine bottles w/spare corks
ISI seltzer maker w/several cases of cartridges

22 ounce flip-top bottles Virgil’s Root Beer (bottles refilled with homemade root beer)
500ml flip-top bottles Drake’s Imperial Stout (bottles refilled with homemade stout)
Louis Roederer Cristal 1999 Champagne
Viking Blod Mead (bottles refilled w/homemade mead)
Rochioli Chardonnay 2007 (refilled with homemade wine)
Amareto DiSarrano
Frangelico
Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
DeKuyber Crème de Menthe, green
Yellow Chartreuse VEP
Irish Mist
Galliano
DeKuyber Butterscotch Schnapps
Rumpleminz Peppermint Schnapps
Barcardi coco rum
Jack Daniels Single Barrel Whiskey
Hirsch Selection 28-year bourbon
Hennessy Paradis Extra Cognac
El Dorado 25-year special reserve rum
Taylor Porto 40-year Tawny Port
Bailey’s Irish Cream

Just my opinion.

 

If I was able to stock in-depth the things I would drink they would be the following:

Root beer making kit using flip-top Virgil’s Root Beer bottles w/spare rings
Beer/stout making kit using flip-top Drake’s Imperial Stout bottles w/spare rings
Mead making kit using Viking Blod Mead bottles w/spare corks
Winemaking kit using various wine bottles w/spare corks
ISI seltzer maker w/several cases of cartridges

22 ounce flip-top bottles Virgil’s Root Beer (bottles refilled with homemade root beer)
500ml flip-top bottles Drake’s Imperial Stout (bottles refilled with homemade stout)
Louis Roederer Cristal 1999 Champagne
Viking Blod Mead (bottles refilled w/homemade mead)
Rochioli Chardonnay 2007 (refilled with homemade wine)
Amareto DiSarrano
Frangelico
Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
DeKuyber Crème de Menthe, green
Yellow Chartreuse VEP
Irish Mist
Galliano
DeKuyber Butterscotch Schnapps
Rumpleminz Peppermint Schnapps
Barcardi coco rum
Jack Daniels Single Barrel Whiskey
Hirsch Selection 28-year bourbon
Hennessy Paradis Extra Cognac
El Dorado 25-year special reserve rum
Taylor Porto 40-year Tawny Port
Bailey’s Irish Cream

Just my opinion.

And once again sir, you hit the Very-Very-Useful-Post thing right out of the park! Thank you! Saved this for followup (esp. but not only the mead...).

 

I store everclear for several prepping uses and have a healthy supply of good bourbons. Several in my group enjoy a good taste on occasion but we’re not into having anyone with any dependency issues.

Tonight I am experimenting storing Jefferson’s Small Batch over in a glass with an ice cube. The first scientific study indicated that it doesn’t work for either short-term or long-term storage compared to not opening the bottle. I am going to replicate the test but without the ice to see if it stores any longer, in the name of science of course. That’s all the science I will want for a little while.

 

Been buying cases of Whiskey, Vodka and Tequila for the past several years. I have the belief that it will be one of the most popular barter items, once we hit one-world, digital currency and/or SHTF. Might even be better than bullets. When people are miserable, they want to drink.

I store them cool and dry and out of light.


..............

 

Been buying cases of Whiskey, Vodka and Tequila for the past several years. I have the belief that it will be one of the most popular barter items, once we hit one-world, digital currency and/or SHTF. Might even be better than bullets. When people are miserable, they want to drink.

I store them cool and dry and out of light.


..............

You might be right but the problem is booze and beer and wine is SOOOO easy to DIY so only the most inept drunkards will trade for it, and what do they have that you want to trade for...probably nothing other than a BJ from a toothless drunk guy. No thanks.

 

I like jim beam just the regular stuff , I grabbed 18 hoops the other day
it was cheaper then it’s been for a few years .
The stuff just seams to dry up in the bottle here , dosent last long .

 

I store dry yeast and the components for booze. I'm currently on an extended break from booze but I love to cook and brewing, cidering and distilling is just another form of that. I would like to learn beekeeping. A friend taught me how to maker a vicios quickmead and I broke the secret of molasses without the metal aftertaste (splenda).

Winters are 5 months long here. I can cobble togeethor a continuous still. Its easy.