by JPL » Fri 16 Mar 2007, 20:43:24
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ShinyOldLady', 'I') understand that in past ages, people drank so much mead, beer and wine because the water was crappy. Is it safer? Any home brewers out there want to share their experiences?
I've stockpiled (that's pretty heavy duty work for my small stock) of single malt whiskey, tequila and apple brandy. Any other recommendations for barter items? I also have a few bottle of everclear for making herbal tinctures, but that stuff is vile and hard to come by.
In a cool/temperate climate, alcohol is an (almost) essential chemical for survival. It provides both a sterile drinking substance (beer) and the vinegar essential for pickling & preserving through the winter.
It also has an entertainment value which is useful in a social sense (grin). Also, in a cold winter, the social cohesion that a few beers & a bit of music generates can't be under-estimated (grin).
To make the 'basic' stuff is quite easy, but to make it in large quantities you need either grapes (in a hot climate) or apples (in a temperate one). Then you can make either wine or cider, by basically letteing the crushed juice ferment and then straining & decanting it.
That's it, basically! (You CAN destill either product but it is a complicated process, and best left to the experts.)
JPL