Wine for the end of the world as we know it

[puttster]

In preparing for a dystopian future, I'm thinking a reasonable survival plan is to be an alcohol producer, maybe a couple quarts a day that I can take down to barter at the market. I have 100-200 one-liter bottles but don't want to make everything in advance because 1.) TEOTWAWKI may never come, so why bother and 2.) if it does come, some gang will just take all the bottles and kill me. Better to produce bottles over time, a reason to be kept alive.

So, given that crazy scenario, I have stashed 100 lbs of sugar and some grape Kool-Aid packets with a plan to make sugar wash, maybe a gallon a day if the need arises. Looking here for ideas for how to be successful. I've seen youtube plans but those are not always from straight-shooters.

What would be the most foolproof, most efficient recipe, fermenting and bottling procedures? I'm thinking a 12.5% abv, targeting alcohol content above taste, but I guess you never know what the problems might be or what your customers will want.

 

[fatjay]

Switch to mead. You can have your own bees, which consistently produce honey, so you don't need to worry about stockpiling sugar. You can also grow grapevine, strawberries, cantaloupe, and various other fruits in your garden, which will allow you to flavor your mead with fruit.

And be able to defend your homestead.

 

[An Ankoù]

This is the sort of common sense thread I like. Just reading an article in The Guardian about all EU households being advised to stockpile essentials in the face of the imminent coming of Ragnarök.
I've got enough brewing supplies in for about 5 years as I need very little excuse.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-eu-tells-citizens?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

 

[lumpher]

I have 14 new fruit trees and 5 blueberry plants that will all start producing this year. I keep plenty of dry wine yeast, too. I also have a garden every spring and fall, with watermelons, tomatoes, etc. I have a Tiki bar in my back yard. If something bad happens, I'll be ready and this is self-sustainable. If not, it's pretty tasty anyway. Defending it? Let's just say I'm in Texas, too...

In answer to your question, what about yeast? Wild yeast is pretty hit or miss for flavor. You might want to start a frozen yeast bank or stash some dry yeast and rotate it out as you use it.

 

[Alta Robinson]

A basic sugar wash with yeast nutrient should work well. Turbo yeast can speed things up and good sanitation is key.

 

[An Ankoù]

In the kind of scenario I imagined from the OP, there wouldn't be any regular electricity supply. As for stocking sugar and turbo yeast, Armageddon some of that, too.

 

[fatjay]

In the kind of scenario I imagined from the OP, there wouldn't be any regular electricity supply. As for stocking sugar and turbo yeast, Armageddon some of that, too.

This is why off-grid solar comes in very handy. There's a ton of variation in systems from just your fridge and freezer to your whole house. Producing my own booze is one of the last steps in off-gridding for me.

 

[Broken Crow]

In the kind of scenario I imagined from the OP, there wouldn't be any regular electricity supply. As for stocking sugar and turbo yeast, Armageddon some of that, too.

This is why off-grid solar comes in very handy. There's a ton of variation in systems from just your fridge and freezer to your whole house. Producing my own booze is one of the last steps in off-gridding for me.

Don't forget Nuclear Winter and EMPs! I brought this up in another thread about software:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/which-software-to-pay-for.732209/#post-10368608

 

[Agent]

I'd lean towards hooch like whiskey or bourbon. Grain grows pretty much everywhere. And feeding/running a still takes both equipment and know-how to do decently well.

 

[smcinco]

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you...

 

[smcinco]

I believe I have the makings of a decent start right here, 10kg! In case of the end of the world I will have people at my knees for yeast, bwahahahahaha!:

 

[Broken Crow]

That's great it starts with a pot-still, grains and yeast...

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel drunk

 

[MaxStout]

Look into EdWort's Apfelwein. Just store-bought apple juice, a bunch of sugar and a packet of wine yeast.

 

[fatjay]

Don't forget Nuclear Winter and EMPs! I brought this up in another thread about software:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/which-software-to-pay-for.732209/#post-10368608

I'm good on emp's, but nuclear winter will certainly put a hamper on solar production and growing season. With full overcast I still make some decent power though with enough panels. Not enough for a luxury lifestyle, but enough for emergency mode.

 

[puttster]

In answer to your question, what about yeast? Wild yeast is pretty hit or miss for flavor. You might want to start a frozen yeast bank or stash some dry yeast and rotate it out as you use it.

Yes I was thinking of keeping a 10 pack of wine yeast (in the freezer?) and rotating it out every three years or so. I guess I should practice with a couple of bottles first. That's why I was asking for a suitable recipe.
Sugar, yeast, crushed cereal(?) and ..

 

[Broken Crow]

Freezer? ...You said: "

Wine for the end of the world as we know it"​

Throw out your software too and keep a good paper notebook! (BTW: Hoard paper) and learn this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/setting-up-a-yeast-lab.695690/

 

[fatjay]

Or you could get a wine barrel and that will give you 240+ bottles, which will easily last a few months. Why make wine after the doom when you can make it before the doom and just enjoy it after the doom.

 

[An Ankoù]

. Why make wine after the doom when you can make it before the doom and just enjoy it after the doom.

The OP said he was going to make it and take it to the local market to barter for other stuff.
Sounds like a splendid idea to me, half a gallon of my hooch for a couple of your chickens and a pack of Lucky Strike.

 

[fluketamer]

even if the robots dont find you, there will still be no one left to sell it too.

 

[lumpher]

And feeding/running a still takes both equipment and know-how to do decently well.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

This is the sort of common sense thread I like. Just reading an article in The Guardian about all EU households being advised to stockpile essentials in the face of the imminent coming of Ragnarök.
I've got enough brewing supplies in for about 5 years as I need very little excuse.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-eu-tells-citizens?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

72 hours, I could live for 72 days or more on the food in our freezer.

In all seriousness having an emergency plan is something everyone should have. It's different than planning for the end of the world though.

 

[An Ankoù]

72 hours, I could live for 72 days or more on the food in our freezer.

In all seriousness having an emergency plan is something everyone should have. It's different than planning for the end of the world though.

Joking aside, I think those who live in more isolated areas tend to shop and stock up, while those who live in the city can pop down to the shops or the marketplace twice a day if they want to. Just been looking at the reports of the catastrophe in Burma and Bangkok; everything has changed for them in an instant- with no warning and who knows when availability of supplies and services is going to get back to normal.

 

[smcinco]

Joking aside, I think those who live in more isolated areas tend to shop and stock up, while those who live in the city can pop down to the shops or the marketplace twice a day if they want to. Just been looking at the reports of the catastrophe in Burma and Bangkok; everything has changed for them in an instant- with no warning and who knows when availability of supplies and services is going to get back to normal.

Yah that’s a terrible tragedy. Over here given the way people hoarded TP and eggs, they would porbably stock up on dog sh#t if one told them there was going to be a shortage. Really sad commentary on this country.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Joking aside, I think those who live in more isolated areas tend to shop and stock up, while those who live in the city can pop down to the shops or the marketplace twice a day if they want to. Just been looking at the reports of the catastrophe in Burma and Bangkok; everything has changed for them in an instant- with no warning and who knows when availability of supplies and services is going to get back to normal.

I'm in a rural area, in the country but I stockup because that's how I was brought up. My parents had a large garden, canned lots and kept the cupboard and freezer full.

I just had beers with a friend who lives in Thailand. He's here but his wife, still there said their house shook but no damage. Scary situation. I'm glad I live in Wisconsin. Snow and cold winters but no devastating events like that. Tragic times.

 

[seatazzz]

Reading these brings me back to the kerfluffle before Y2K. Some of yall might be a bit too young to remember it. My then-boyfriend dragged me to a 'survivalist' fair kinda thing where there were many things for purchase that would enable one to survive off the grid for at least a few months, when the apocalypse of all the computers in the world going plotz would happen. I wasn't brewing back then, so I don't remember if there was anything of the sort available; but all kinds of canned crap, MREs, freeze-dried food, and gadgets. Said then-boyfriend was convinced that everything was going to go to hell.

On the night of 12/31/99 I was in a bar with my bestie waiting for the inevitable; nothing happened other than a lot of tequila shots that I vaguely remember. Somewhere in a box I still have the 1/1/2000 Seattle Times newspaper, that might someday be worth some money.

 

[madscientist451]

Barter wine? ….meh, all the likker will be consumed/stores ransacked when the zombie apocalypse occurs. Get a small still you can run with wood heat. You’ll be everyone’s favorite vendor at the market.

 

[MaxStout]

I think it's prudent to plan for some emergencies or outages. The pandemic taught us to stock up (not hoard) non-perishable food, clean water, medications, first aid kit, etc. I still keep to that and the two of us could probably do OK for a month or so. I live in a suburban area, but that doesn't mean services can't fail. In recent years we've had two interruptions in our water supply, requiring boil orders for a couple days. Glad I keep jugs of RO water for brewing. It was nice to have 20 gallons for drinking, cooking, bathing, etc. Services we take for granted can and do fail.

If we lost gas and/or electric, I have propane heaters I can use to keep the pipes (and us) from freezing in winter. I can cook on a camp stove if need be. We never let our vehicles' gas tanks get below 1/2 full. If we need to bug out we have a small camper trailer, and a bag of supplies we can throw in and go.

Preppers get a bad rap. They're not all crazy conspiracy theorists; in fact, few of them are. They are people who just want to keep their families safe if services are interrupted. A lot of it's just common sense and a little foresight.

 

[mashdar]

I always figure ~100lbs of grain and ~25 gallons of beer and RO water double as emergency stock.

You'll know things are bad if we start eating the roasted barley.

 

[day_trippr]

I was in the truck a couple weeks ago when the notion of wine tariffs was mentioned and the reaction was it'd put stress on domestic wines as well. I'm not much of a wine drinker any longer but The Spousal Unit still digs wine with dinner (and before and after ) so I dropped into the local packy and stocked up on some "fine box wine" for her

Cheers! (Scored serious points with that )

 

[seatazzz]

I actually prefer box wine to bottles; I don't buy the fancy stuff anyway except for an occasional really good moscato for the husband. Read somewhere that the box wine is este...;tsthett...esthetically better because the bag keeps oxygen away from it. I just like it because I don't have to drink a whole bottle in one sitting (not that I've ever done that) (well maybe a few times) (last week at dinner).