# Prepping with alcohol?



## Hears The Water (Aug 2, 2002)

I have thought about getting some drinking alcohol to put up. I think that there are several ways that it could be useful. The first few that come right to mind is for coughs, to sterilize in a pinch, to anesthetize in a pinch, and to trade. 

Now keep in mind that I haven't bought any booze in almost 20 years, when I got sober. I'm not worried about being tempted, but I do wonder if there is some that is better than others. Should one have a variety, or just the cheap stuff? Is the really good stuff the way to go. What do y'all think? :buds:
God bless you and yours
Deb


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

A couple of years ago, I bought alcohol for the very first time. I was so embarrassed, and I was 50-ish at the time. I just found some kids in the booze aisle at WM, and they helped me by explaining things to me. I ended up buying a seven dollar bottle of vodka and sneaking through the checkout as quickly as possible, praying that I saw nobody from church.
Since that time, I have purchased alcohol several times. I have discovered that vodka is clear, whiskey is kind of amber/brown, and wine comes in different colors. It all tastes awful, but you can use wine in making spaghetti sauce which makes it pretty good. The other two are used for tinctures and cough syrups that are taken with a dropper. They really do have medicinal qualities. And that is my total knowledge base of alcohol.
You can make wine at home, but it will turn to vinegar if you do it wrong after a few years. I tried that too. I do use the vinegar to wash counters and stuff with though.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

you can use cheap vodka for making mouthwash....its used a lot in wildcrafting.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I have read that vodka and put vanilla beans in it to make true vanilla extract for cooking.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

151 proof Everclear would be the best to get for your purposes. I think you may be able to get the 151 proof Everclear in Missouri. You probably won't be able to get the 190 proof anywhere without some kind of medical license.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_(alcohol)

If you can't get Everclear then just get the highest proof vodka you can find.

.


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## Hears The Water (Aug 2, 2002)

Oh, I am sure that I can get Everclear, since my late husband used to drink 151 rum. If I can't get it here in MO, I KNOW I can get it in OK, since part of my wild mis-spent youth was spent in OK, and we used to drink Cowboy Kool-Aid and it was made with Everclear. In fact, I just started getting nauseous as soon as I read the name. LOL Good to know that I react that way to just thinking about it. 


I take it that I want the higher alcohol content?

God bless you and yours
Deb


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Get the vodka (= neutral spirits). The cheap stuff is what I'd get for the use you are speaking of. It's just ethanol and water. In a pinch, the cheap stuff and high dollar stuff would essentially have the same value. If you can get 151, or 190, get it. To sell or trade for drinking you can double the 190 with clean water ( a little less with 151). You can flavor it in various ways.
ETA
I thought I'd add a link for info on ethyl alcohol. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Get as much of the cheepest vodka you can. It won't go bad. If everything goes to Hades in a handbasket you'll be able to get a new cadillac for a pint of vodka.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

We are a "dry" household by choice here, but I keep quality vodka for tinctures (needs to be the high proof stuff to work correctly) and Whiskey for coughs. We do use the tinctures now but the whiskey is for SHTF. Although I have fond memories of whiskey soaked sugar from my childhood, lol. That's what dad would give me when my chest was so congested I couldn't breath....it worked.


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## CottageLife (Jul 20, 2009)

AngieM2 said:


> I have read that vodka and put vanilla beans in it to make true vanilla extract for cooking.


Brandy also works for this. Fill a small bottle (pint sized) with brandy or vodka, and a full vanilla bean. Let it sit for 6 weeks. Shake it up a couple of times during those 6 weeks and voila! Vanilla! I just finished my first batch and need to try it out. I used brandy as the woman at the herb booth told me that was her favorite.


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## Chickensittin (Mar 26, 2012)

As others have mentioned, stock up on Vodka, Whiskey, & Brandy. This year, I have made blackberry & raspberry Vodka & Brandied cherries. Whiskey made into a hot toddy is just the ticket for a winter cold.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

CottageLife said:


> Brandy also works for this. Fill a small bottle (pint sized) with brandy or vodka, and a full vanilla bean. Let it sit for 6 weeks. Shake it up a couple of times during those 6 weeks and voila! Vanilla! I just finished my first batch and need to try it out. I used brandy as the woman at the herb booth told me that was her favorite.


I use either vodka or rum to make vanilla for my household. Here is a blogpost that I wrote about it, earlier in the year:

Not Just Plain Vanilla


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## oth47 (Jan 11, 2008)

I use whisky,horehound candy,lemon juice and honey for cough syrup.Couple of spoonfuls works well.Drink a cupful,you won't care if you're coughing..


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## A.T. Hagan (May 1, 2002)

Hears The Water said:


> Now keep in mind that I haven't bought any booze in almost 20 years, when I got sober.


 In your situation I would not buy any.

My opinion.


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

...and now I find out there are medicinal aspects to booze!!
How ))hiccup(( nice.
Maybe tomorrow I'll look into this some more.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

TheMartianChick said:


> I use either vodka or rum to make vanilla for my household. Here is a blogpost that I wrote about it, earlier in the year:
> 
> Not Just Plain Vanilla


I noticed you used good Polish vodka...I approve :buds:


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2012)

A.T. Hagan said:


> In your situation I would not buy any.
> 
> My opinion.


t's been 20 years or even more since i quit. And i have alchohol in the house. I am quite able to use it medicinally. The whole idea of causing a hang over is not acceptable to me. So i use it only as needed, no problem.


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## belladulcinea (Jun 21, 2006)

I bought the best vodka I could afford for my tintures. We also keep whiskey, gin and sherry/wine for cooking purposes.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

CottageLife said:


> Brandy also works for this.


What exactly is brandy? Is it a form of whiskey. Those boozy kids I got advice from in the WM liquor aisle said bourbon was just a type of whiskey, so I kind of thought maybe brandy was too? Just curious. I know it works for hot toddys and cough medicine.


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## CottageLife (Jul 20, 2009)

mekasmom said:


> What exactly is brandy? Is it a form of whiskey. Those boozy kids I got advice from in the WM liquor aisle said bourbon was just a type of whiskey, so I kind of thought maybe brandy was too? Just curious. I know it works for hot toddys and cough medicine.


Not a clue  Google tells me it is a distilled wine. I don't know that I've ever had brandy before. I'll have to try out the vanilla and see how it is though.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

yep...brandy is made with grapes


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## Mikedero (Jul 19, 2012)

Wow all I can say is Wow, I mean that by the fact that so many people have no idea about booze. now that i got that out of the way. 

If things get that bad that prepping will be needed any booze will be worth more then gold. I keep about 10 gallons of stuff, some examples, Scotch, Brandy, Whiskey, Vodka, Wine, and I plan on buying more stuff worse case is when I have my parties I will just use the fifo method. Also lets not forget that besides what is said above the higher proof stuff is also good with starting fires. 

My basement has turned into a little grocery store and I rotate everything. as I buy it and use it. my goal is a full years worth of everything in there but trade items, Razors, booze, silver and gold, Ammo guns I buy as much as I can when I can


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

if I stock any alcohol at all, it will be for our family's own use. having liquor around just invites trouble. I can make my own wine whenever I want, so, other than a bottle of everclear for wound disinfection and a bottle of whiskey to enjoy for dh and I. I dont want any drunk hooligans casing my place.


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## Mikedero (Jul 19, 2012)

NO one will case your place if no one knows what you have. the biggest thing with preppers is NOT to let people know what you have. 

My basement has false walls for this purpose, I show family and friends the stuff I get from extreme couponing, but everything else is hidden. If you broadcast what you have then it is no longer a secret. 

I buy the cheap stuff for everything if I ever need to trade it, then that means there are no more out there or stores are no longer open. trust me when I say you will be shocked to see what it would be worth.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

Mikedero said:


> NO one will case your place if no one knows what you have.


I think if you traded some booze ..word might get out you had it. and if the stuff hits, I think the hoardes will case anyplace at all to get what they need, esp alcohol and drugs.


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2012)

Mikedero said:


> NO one will case your place if no one knows what you have. the biggest thing with preppers is NOT to let people know what you have.
> 
> My basement has false walls for this purpose, I show family and friends the stuff I get from extreme couponing, but everything else is hidden. If you broadcast what you have then it is no longer a secret.
> 
> I buy the cheap stuff for everything if I ever need to trade it, then that means there are no more out there or stores are no longer open. trust me when I say you will be shocked to see what it would be worth.


Better to buy what you can use to start with. No trading.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

naturelover said:


> 151 proof Everclear would be the best to get for your purposes. I think you may be able to get the 151 proof Everclear in Missouri. You probably won't be able to get the 190 proof anywhere without some kind of medical license.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_(alcohol)
> 
> ...


I've still got a case of gallon jugs of high test Everclear I put away for y2k.


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## rags57078 (Jun 11, 2011)

you live in sw mo and your going to the store ?? I would bet there is some fine distillers in your area


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## farmerstac (Mar 16, 2005)

Yes they are sprinkled around


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

I think prepping with booze for trade purposes has been flogged to death, in every forum I've ever visited (and that's a lot). People who drink it, should stock it, better yet, get a still and do it now, so you'll 'know how' later on. But trading it??? For Pete's sake, what would you trade it for... and what bum would have anything that you could think of of value? Buy now what you'd 'trade' for later... cheaper. And, you'd be guaranteed to have it when you need it. Start trading vodka or whatever to some alky and you'll end up either adopting them or shooting them... like a lost dog, they'll camp out on your place, until you have nothing left. Most alky's I know are pretty worthless when they're soused, and that's anytime they can get a bottle or case.

Five years or so, after all the golden horde has died off, along with those with addictions, then might be a good time to start carrying a vintage bottle of Jim Beam or other sealed name brand bottles... as well as fruit jars of hours old rotgut. It'd be the only time I'd want to barter alcohol. And I'd be SOL if a relative survived, cause he's got a still up and running already...


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## Hears The Water (Aug 2, 2002)

So, if I do decide to do this, how long is booze good for? I know that wines get better with age but does grain alcohol. And yes, I don't know the answer to this because back when I was drinking there was never any around long enough for me to know. 
God bless you and yours
Deb


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## wogglebug (May 22, 2004)

Wine doesn't improve indefinitely with age. After a while it detoriates, and if you have a cork top then it can even turn to vinegar.

YOUR INTEREST: bottled spirits (airtight) do not improve with age after they're bottled. All the age they advertise for them (e.g. 8 or 12 years)was in casks, before they were bottled.

Like everything, store in a cool dry dark place. Won't matter as much for clear spirits (vodka, Everclear, gin, white rum, even white lightning), but coloured spirits (whiskey, brandy,etc.) need a little care.

For someone who had an alcoholism problem, it may be worth looking into whether rubbing, medicinal or even wood alcohol can do what you want. I can't advise you there.


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## meanwhile (Dec 13, 2007)

Not all wine gets better with age. In fact, most wines will turn to vinegar. Those movie scenes where people open a zillion year old bottle of wine are just that: a movie scene! 

If I had someone in the house who might ever be tempted to drink the alcohol and they really should not, then I personally would choose not to keep any drinking type alcohol around. We had that challenge a few years back when a nephew who was a recovering alcoholic lived with us for a while. He was still very early in the process of recovery. We got all alcohol out and kept it out while he was here.

In any case: we keep very cheap vodka for a long term storage item. And a couple of years back someone gave us a few bottles of brown-liquor. I do not even know what it is since I don't like the brown alcohol. But, we just stored it on the shelf for "just in case" we need it.

The vodka can be used to make many different types of things and yes, it could be used for barter in necessary. Just keep cool, dry and just like any root cellar or long term pantry item.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

If you get it, keep it well hidden. Either your own kids or their friends who frequent the house could give in to temptation and partake. And kids aren't the only ones. My parents built a beautiful bar in their basement, and stocked it with all the booze they had accumulated over the years. This was after we had grown up and moved out. They had a handyman come stay with them while he did work for them. He drank all the booze and filled the bottles with colored water. Mom & Dad don't drink much, so it took them a while to figure it out.


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