Hurricane Preparedness from Bite and Booze

With Isaac coming quickly, I wanted to make sure to reinforce the essential hurricane preparedness tactics for those of you who might be trying to bunker down during and after the storm.  Please follow these steps if you are not evacuating.  Obviously, if you are in the evacuation zone, I don't recommend following this.  Turn your computer off and get the heck out.

1) Beer

Beer is essential to survive any hurricane.  For centuries it was safer to drink than water, and will be again during a hurricane.  Back in the day, beers like Guinness were seen as being extremely healthy as they provided essential nutrients.  Grab a six pack of something good because you don't want to be drinking bad beer during the hurricane.  I've got a mixed six pack of Left Hand Milk Stout and Milk Stout Nitro in the fridge!

2) Gas and Ice

If you're lucky enough to have a generator, you'll need extra gas for it as well.  That's a nice thing to have.  Even if you aren't powering a window unit on gasoline, having some extra for your car can't hurt.  Also, if your power goes out your refrigerator will stop working.  Better have some ice on hand for that beer!

3) More Beer

Since you got an ice chest with some ice, you might as well get some more beer.  There's no reason to let the ice go to waste.  Again grab something tasty that you can drink a lot of... you may be hunkered down for a while.  I picked up a couple flats of locally brewed Tin Roof Perfect Tin Amber Ale.  And I already drank a couple.  Oops.

4) Whiskey

You'll be glad to have some whiskey during a hurricane as well.  If you don't have a fridge and all your ice melts, you probably won't want to drink hot beer.  However, if you have a decent whiskey collection, you can always just pour a glass and drink it neat.  Whiskey also helps you forget that it's storming much faster.  Fortunately for me, I have a pretty decent stash already.

5) Charcoal

When there's no electricity in your house and your freezer isn't running, the only logical thing to do with everything that's thawing is to cook it before it spoils.  But you can't cook inside, so fire up the grill and have a party.  I have about 60 pounds of Kingsford at the house.  That'll run my Big Green Egg for several days!

6) A Whole Pig

While you're at it... you might as well pull that whole wild piglet out of the freezer and let it thaw faster.  You've already been drinking and now you have the coals lit.  The pig will feed all the people you have coming over.  Plus, what's better in a post-hurricane environment than to feast on a little cochon de lait?!

7) Screw It... Kegs of Beer

Now you're having a good old hurricane party and grilling for the neighborhood while cooking a suckling pig and cleaning out everyone's freezers... you'll need more beer!  Good thing you thought ahead and bought a couple kegs! I prefer drinking local yet again.  A keg of Tin Roof Bandit Blonde and Parish Canebrake ought to do the trick!
  

Seriously though, be safe out there.  Best of luck to everyone with Isaac.