If things went to S#!x

[Grossy]

Centuries before the thermometer, hydrometer or even sanitary procedures people made beer. So do you really need any of those items to make beer? No, does it make the same beer you know today? No but it is still beer and over time without those items you will perfect your process just the same.

I am aware that people made beer in just pots and open fermented it.

But I want a Pale Ale, an IPA, a Stout.

 

[Nightshade]

I am aware that people made beer in just pots and open fermented it.

But I want a Pale Ale, an IPA, a Stout.

Well this isn't saying that there won't be basic equipment around to use. I am sure there will be hydrometers and thermometers left unbroken, you can just walk down to the local brewery and take what you need if we are talking full on dystopia.

The downfall to these kinds of topics though are the degree to which things went to ****. Is it just a simple economic collapse with some civil unrest, full on civil war, invasion from foreign countries, complete collapse of civilization as we know it or full scale nuclear fallout scenario?

Once those parameters are set this subject becomes easier to answer. If it were full on collapse of society then I would scavenge what I need in any way I could to keep myself and my family alive and damn those who come between me and my goal. If it were civil unrest then I would be a lot more reasonable about how I went about things.

 

[littletommy]

The subject of this thread is one that has interested me for several years now. Yes, I love my beer, hell, I'm drinking one now, but in a SHTF scenario, I have decided that I will most likely do without, at least short term. I actually buy and store away cheapo Vodka and Rum. I don't even know how many bottles of Dark Eyes I have stashed away, but I will have enough if I ever need to get into it.

 

[Nightshade]

The subject of this thread is one that has interested me for several years now. Yes, I love my beer, hell, I'm drinking one now, but in a SHTF scenario, I have decided that I will most likely do without, at least short term. I actually buy and store away cheapo Vodka and Rum. I don't even know how many bottles of Dark Eyes I have stashed away, but I will have enough if I ever need to get into it.

Vodka, Whiskey, Everclear all are useable as both common trade items as well as for medical purposes. I would put Rum right up there with Whiskey in this scenario.

The key when something like this happens is to minimize the number of things you have to carry with you in your bug out bag. Assume that fuel will be very limited so packing it in your car/truck/wheeling rig may not be a realistic option. I built my bugout bag based on what I can carry and maintain a moving average of 20 miles a day on foot, anything over that becomes a liability.

 

[amfukuda]

I'd think that if it came down to it makin moonshine would be a better option then beer

 

[littletommy]

Vodka, Whiskey, Everclear all are useable as both common trade items as well as for medical purposes. I would put Rum right up there with Whiskey in this scenario.

The key when something like this happens is to minimize the number of things you have to carry with you in your bug out bag. Assume that fuel will be very limited so packing it in your car/truck/wheeling rig may not be a realistic option. I built my bugout bag based on what I can carry and maintain a moving average of 20 miles a day on foot, anything over that becomes a liability.

Oh I absolutely agree! I guess it's the optimist in me that makes me stockpile the things that I would consider to be luxury items. Having to bug out is a whole nuther ballgame.

We had a wind storm here several years back, craziest thing I'd seen around here in my 40 something years, and there was widespread power outages for up to 3 weeks in some areas (we were without power for 9 days), but due to planning ahead, and some dumb luck, we never even had to attempt a visit to a store for anything. It was a great learning experience, and really opened my eyes as to what all was involved in being prepared for an emergency, so now, naturally, I go way overboard with being prepared.

 

[ObsidianJester]

I think as others have pointed out the making drinking water safe is a moot point. We know that the making of beer in centuries past killed the bacteria. Making beer to kill bacteria is not needed. Storing water? Its easy enough to boil up some water to make it safe. Sanitation is always going to be interesting after all for all those bottles.

What about bottle caps? You could make some form of cork I suppose but then we are back to sanitation right? And sealing the bottles?

Yeast is going to be interesting too. Most of us may have yeast banks that are held up by refrigeration. Yes, I'm well aware of wild yeast fermentation but the controlling of that starts to get stretched.

The grain may be the biggest issue however. Its one thing to have access to amber waves of grain and all that but to actually process it? Some of us can malt the stuff but I suspect that if that was feasible we would return to the 1500s to the 1800s for malt issues, IE lots of brown malt.

This does not even go in to the growing of the malt, and getting it to the point of harvesting it.

It is an interesting topic but I think that you would see more mead, spirits or wines being produced with out the easy access to grains that we all enjoy today if we have a SHTF scenario of a zombie type of apocalypse. A less than total civilization collapse then grain becomes more available.

Question is for those of you that are confident in producing your own product, do you know how to grow barley, oats, wheat, and rice?
And do you know how much of that it will take to feed a single person for a year? How much to plant to make up for crop losses?

Not cutting at anyone but there is a lot more to this than most think.

 

[Grossy]

I think as others have pointed out the making drinking water safe is a moot point. We know that the making of beer in centuries past killed the bacteria. Making beer to kill bacteria is not needed. Storing water? Its easy enough to boil up some water to make it safe. Sanitation is always going to be interesting after all for all those bottles.

What about bottle caps? You could make some form of cork I suppose but then we are back to sanitation right? And sealing the bottles?

Yeast is going to be interesting too. Most of us may have yeast banks that are held up by refrigeration. Yes, I'm well aware of wild yeast fermentation but the controlling of that starts to get stretched.

The grain may be the biggest issue however. Its one thing to have access to amber waves of grain and all that but to actually process it? Some of us can malt the stuff but I suspect that if that was feasible we would return to the 1500s to the 1800s for malt issues, IE lots of brown malt.

This does not even go in to the growing of the malt, and getting it to the point of harvesting it.

It is an interesting topic but I think that you would see more mead, spirits or wines being produced with out the easy access to grains that we all enjoy today if we have a SHTF scenario of a zombie type of apocalypse. A less than total civilization collapse then grain becomes more available.

Question is for those of you that are confident in producing your own product, do you know how to grow barley, oats, wheat, and rice?
And do you know how much of that it will take to feed a single person for a year? How much to plant to make up for crop losses?

Not cutting at anyone but there is a lot more to this than most think.

In my post-apocalypse universe it's more of a "putting-things back together scenario". Not I am all alone, and have to make beer to survive.

So in that event, perhaps a village, and they are thirsty..

Village chief: "Who knows how to make beer?"
Grossy: "I know how to make beer!!!"
Village chief: "Ok, you get the job, what do you need."
Village chief: "Who knows how to make a kegerator?"
Village chief: "Damn!"