Survival and Emergency Preparedness

alcohol - medicinal - 90-91%

alcohol - basis for sanitation products - 70% isopropyl. $17 a gallon at the institutional store vs. $56 a gallon for hand sanitizer which is the same plus some soap. You can order through a beauty salon. Poisonous. Do not drink I spray surfaces like switches, mice, keyboards, door handles, phones, knobs, handles, refrigerator doors, latches micro wave push button every week.

alcohol - wine. continues to ferment after bottling. do not store near heat or in light or in kitchen or you will have vinegar.

alcohol - beer. will go bad after 6 months.

alcohol - booze. before you argue, I was associated with a distillery for a while.
1. three lines of vodka - same price for the ingredients - three flavors - three prices.
2. does not go bad. I store even in the attic.
3. to avoid breakage, I try to buy in plastic. Bought 5 1.5 liter plastic bottles for $7 each today plus tax. You can pay $40 for the fancy bottle or the flavor you want. This is for shtf trading goods. I have empty and full plastic 1 pint bottles as well.
4. The good stuff does go on sale. Costco does not always have the best prices. Grocery chains will give you unpublished discounts. They do carry liquor which is not in the store. Buy by the case if you can.
5. If you want Jack Daniels, Bullit, or name brands, I have it, but I bought it all on sale and I give it as gifts to family.
6. As a volunteer bartender, nothing is more silly to see than a pretend connoisseur sniffing a bottle of cheap wine some one has brought to a bring your own bottle party. If you have a favorite wine, bring it, tell the bartender to put it under the counter and he will serve it to you and have a glass himself. I had an uncle who would take a bottle of his favorite whiskey to a family party and tell the host to save it for him for the next party. I had a friend/neighbor who realized his mother-in-law was poor and could not offer him a drink when he visited so he would take a bottle with him when he visited her. Think people. Take a bottle of your favorite with you when you visit relatives. I also buy cheap stuff for the neighbors at holiday time. They know nothing and live in million dollar homes

I keep a bunch of little plastic bottles on hand. Vodka, Gin, Rum, Jack, Beam.

I stock up a few bottles based on what I drink and also about 8 large bottles Everclear 190 pf...

During the year I make NY Moonshine with the Everclear in Apple pie and in summer Lemon Ice tea shine

As mentioned they don't go bad and the high proof of Everclear allows mixing to almost anything ( even medicinal )

For the stacking of Alcohol, I recommend getting the Costco Vodka for 13 bucks for a half gallon stack it in the back for storage and not worry about it.

Everclear and a few of the other high proof spirits are good to have for your own stash as well, The small singles also are great to have if you have the space to keep quite a few (Great idea Bob). In times of need they are tradable sized and like Cigarettes and other Vices they can be at times, when they are not around more valuable than anything else you can trade for. Be wary whom you open yourself up to for trading, you may invite unwanted attention.

For cleaning go with white vinegar, it is a great cleaner and is far more versatile that people think. Plus it will not evaporate like Bleach, Hydrogen peroxide, or Alcohol. Good stuff to have a half dozen bottles of in the pantry. You can also mix with Baking Soda for better cleaning if needed. It is not as good as household cleaners over the counter now, but a far site better than plain water when cleaners are all gone.

I do like Tom's Idea of learning how to make your own if you have the resources. One issue I can see is sugar to kick off the fermentation after things become scarce. The equipment may also be prohibitive in costs.

All I know is that since the virus started last year it's hard to keep booze in stock. I drink scotch and bourbon. A fifth of each used to last 9 -12 months. Now about a month. I dont know where it goes.

Not to mention "steak and wine friday". We started getting get Butcher Box steaks delivered last year during the shutdown . And we have a local wine shop we're trying to help out. Kind of evolved into SAWF!

Except no SAWF this week. I'm up working on the new house. My wife is home.

1. 70% isopropyl alcohol. The minimum needed to kill viruses. Spray every Sunday in the house and car. On surfaces that people touch.
Vinegar will not do it.
2. Vinegar. 10% white vinegar with 90% water yields a non streak window cleaner. Tired of streaks on the house and car windows?

Google is your friend.

Forget television advertisements, totally. Forget youtube advertising and informercials.
1. do the research and learn the combination of chemicals to get white socks clean.
2. do the research and learn that you don't put soap in every clothes wash and run hot water.
3. do the research and learn that you don't use chemicals and dry clean suits every time you have them pressed.
4. learn how to clean sneakers without running them through the washer and dryer.
5. if you don't know how to clean your dryer system hire someone (the source of many house fires).
6. if you have allergies and don't know how to clean your air ducts, hire someone.
7. if you have a gutter system and are over 70, either hire someone to clean it (my dad fell off the roof and had brain surgery) or research modifying the system commercially so you never have to go on the roof again.

Not to mention "steak and wine friday". We started getting get Butcher Box steaks delivered last year during the shutdown . And we have a local wine shop we're trying to help out. Kind of evolved into SAWF!

Love it...did same tho on Weds... not only got steaks delivered here but also some really good prices on wine shipped to house.
Found one of my favorite reds online for $14 less per bottle I could buy local. ( $35 here, $20 shipped with $1 per bottle shipping )
at placed called www.b-21.com based in Fl.

Made it much easier to go thru all this crap.

tom mac wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:06 am Not to mention "steak and wine friday". We started getting get Butcher Box steaks delivered last year during the shutdown . And we have a local wine shop we're trying to help out. Kind of evolved into SAWF!

Love it...did same tho on Weds... not only got steaks delivered here but also some really good prices on wine shipped to house.
Found one of my favorite reds online for $14 less per bottle I could buy local. ( $35 here, $20 shipped with $1 per bottle shipping )
at placed called www.b-21.com based in Fl.

Made it much easier to go thru all this crap.

Amen!

We like to support local businesses. The wine shop is a local place we've been going to for 20 years. When the virus shutdown happened we stared buying wine by the case to help keep them in business. Result? They are still around and we are drinking a lot more wine.LOL

Agree, I try to buy at Local... and I do when able. A case at local only saves me 10% or $3.5 a bottle
But for buying a case or two of wine at the savings of $165 per over 42 per local , online won out.

tom mac wrote: ↑Sun Apr 18, 2021 8:51 am Agree, I try to buy at Local... and I do when able. A case at local only saves me 10% or $3.5 a bottle
But for buying a case or two of wine at the savings of $165 per over 42 per local , online won out.

I agree. Will have to look into buying online