Alcohol Prepping

[Patchouli]

Nice bump of an old(er) thread.

I totally relate to what you're saying. Same goes for the others here.

BTW though... forego the cannabis. It's so dang available.... and generally speaking is not a crowd you want to have anything to do with.

Not across the board, I'm sure there are a few here who partake of cannabis. There may be in my real life people who drink alcohol that I wouldn't want to have anything to do with. No hard feelings and I understand why you might feel that way.

 

[Peanut]

Alcohol is indispensable when it comes to plant medicine. Sterilization sure, but more importantly as a preservative and a solvent. Water and alcohol are both great solvents, both a critical necessity.

With some plant species making a tea with water is the best way to extract it's medicinal properties. Others, alcohol is best, those with tars, some volatile oils. Most need a combination of water and alcohol. I make tinctures ranging from 30% - 90% alcohol, depending on plant species.

Simple plant medicines can be stored many years in an alcohol/water solution. I have effective tinctures made 10yrs ago. They're readily available when needed, easy to transport and simple to use. A few plant species i dry each year but the rest are in tincture form. I keep several gallons of vodka and some brandy on hand just for making tinctures. But I'm equipped to make alcohol if i need to.

Funny though, don't really drink. Think I've had 2 drinks in 3 years. Once there was a shot left in a big bottle after making couple quarts of tincture. I didn't want to put it back in the shelf! So i had a shot of vodka. Then this past new yrs eve, unfortunately still up. Happened to open the cabinet that contained the Vsop. So i had a glass before bed. Brandy is good medicine!!!

 

[OldSchool]

Not across the board, I'm sure there are a few here who partake of cannabis. There may be in my real life people who drink alcohol that I wouldn't want to have anything to do with. No hard feelings and I understand why you might feel that way.

I understand, it's kind of a gift to understand. I've been there in my younger years - partaking as you could say. It just doesn't suit me well, unless I just want to chill at home and say FTW.

Alcohol.... I've known people that literally can not drink because it turns them into.... the Mr Hyde of Doctor Jekyll.

 

[Sourdough]

Wow......so many non-drinkers, you are all making me nervous. I drink a lot of alcohol. It is not easy, but someone has to compensate for all of you non-drinkers.

 

[Supervisor42]

Wow......so many non-drinkers, you are all making me nervous. I drink a lot of alcohol. It is not easy, but someone has to compensate for all of you non-drinkers.

Many of us are keeping our head down because we don't want to get the book thrown at us .
I mentioned in your barter thread that alcohol would be a better item to trade than gold if SHTF.

 

[Patchouli]

@Peanut at least one of the formulas from the School of Natural Healing's founder, John R. Christopher, uses brandy as the carrier for the hawthorn berry tincture. I've used it, only taking a teaspoon to half a teaspoon once or twice a day for the heart. I agree that brandy is a good carrier. I had never had it until I used that tincture.
Alcohol has many uses, I wouldn't argue that, bartering included.

I wouldn't be here if I had continued to drink.

 

[Peanut]

Yes, brandy is a good carrier for certain herbs. And it's pretty good with honey when you have the flu!

I got a surprise years ago researching alcohol uses. (PubMed data base is a wealth of info)

Anyway, alcohol is used to make dozens of processed food items at a market. For instance, it's used to make ice cream. Yes indeed! It's a solvent... say folks at Breyers make a giant container of strawberry ice cream.

They make the ice cream then add strawberry syrup. then add a bit of alcohol, a solvent. The alcohol dissolves, helps disperse the strawberry flavor into every bite you take.

Same process in tinctures.

 

[Frodo]

I think if you are going to store it then store it in an oak barrel. Make it more difficult to pick up and walk away
I store in glass gallln jugs


Sojer, I do not know if this works for you but I have sent SillyDog all over the country with out using a bottle that is extra weight
Use your vacuum sealer to seal only then for safety drop that sealed bag into another bag and vacuum seal it

 

[Jen]

Also ..not a drinker.. but did keep a small amount of vodka and ever clear on hand to make homemade vanilla extract and other flavoring extracts with..

I'm not a drinker. When I was able to cook I did cook a tequila chicken and a whiskey ham on occasion and I will drink a margarita if someone will make it for me and bring it to me. I drink a little Bailey's over the holidays and I will have a good wine - it must be a good one though (good probably meaning expensive). I won't drink box wine.

I really lost my taste for drinking on a regular basis and I do not like the buzz so if I do drink I stop short of that.

So if we end up with no liquor in the pantry..........I wouldn't notice.

 

[Jen]

Yes, brandy is a good carrier for certain herbs. And it's pretty good with honey when you have the flu!

I got a surprise years ago researching alcohol uses. (PubMed data base is a wealth of info)

Anyway, alcohol is used to make dozens of processed food items at a market. For instance, it's used to make ice cream. Yes indeed! It's a solvent... say folks at Breyers make a giant container of strawberry ice cream.

They make the ice cream then add strawberry syrup. then add a bit of alcohol, a solvent. The alcohol dissolves, helps disperse the strawberry flavor into every bite you take.

Same process in tinctures.

Now that all sounds delicious.

I have a fruit topping that is excellent - Greek yogurt (plain), a little vanilla, a small jar of lemon curd, and a shot of lemoncello. It is so good. I usually make it without the lemoncello though.

 

[Frodo]

If any of you are into distilling "water "
I would suggest upgrading from a open flame source to electric
Why?
It can be done inside away from prying eyes. And your equipment is not in the open to be stolen
The third and most important reason
It is safer than an open flame. With a burner or flame a leak can trigger a fire
Using an element you remove the source of ignition

 

[dademoss]

Grid up is electric, Grid down is Other

 

[old tex]

I am not a drinker but I do stock alcohol for barter and sale. Last year at this time it was all stolen. Even my 24 year old bottle of unopened Chivas Regal scotch. I had over 300 bottles of various alcohol, all gone.
I started looking to replace some stock so, I tried researching the most drank alcohol and ran across this article.
The top 10 most popular spirits in the US - The Spirits Business
I had the ability to distill a LOT of alcohol and had studied the different types and flavoures since my early 20's. Of course $40,000 worth of equipment was stolen and probably scrapped last year. I will never be able to replace it due to cost but I am going to try and build a small fraction of what I had to produce enough to keep me in money and trade goods. Mostly meat.
I am trying to find my states and counties sales, which is public record but, the like to keep that quiet and buried because of how much this state makes off of alcohol. An ENOURMOUSE amount in profit and taxes. I'm going to keep searching so I may do an update.

If your stocking alcohol for barter if/when the country goes to hell, I would think that even the cheap stuff would become very tradeable. For someone who likes to drink, even bad liquor is better than no alcohol.

 

[randyt]

I stock pretty much for tinctures although if it was produced in a sustainable method there are achohol lamps available or use to be

 

[randyt]

Here s a boo about alcohol lamps

https://imperiallightingco.com/prod...he-non-electric-lighting-series-by-ron-brown/

 

[dademoss]

Been known to sample a jar or two, and a bit of advice on the side. Might say it's a family tradition.