Hoarding coffee for a post-collapse society
In the comedy film Airplane II: The Sequel, Peter Graves plays a flight captain who very calmly takes the news that two of his crew have perished after being sucked out of an airlock. But when a flight attendant then tells him that they’ve run out of coffee, he goes ballistic and reminds everyone about how many times he’s asked for extra coffee to be stored onboard.
While humorous, that movie scene brings up a valid point. Do you really want to live in a world without coffee? I know I wouldn’t! If a disaster strikes, coffee will be one of the things many people will wish they had stockpiled, not just for the enjoyment of the taste, but also to help them stay alert in night watch situations and to use as a bartering tool. But coffee storage is not as simple as stockpiling most types of canned foods. Once a coffee bean is roasted, it will go stale quickly regardless of how it’s stored.
I discovered some great information on this subject in the article below. The author not only explains clearly how and why roasted beans don’t last long, but also provides a workable and cost-effective solution before demonstrating how to roast beans and brew coffee without electricity. Meet you on the other side!
http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/04/coffee_in_a_post-collapse_soci.html
Is coffee important enough to you to include in your emergency food supply, or do you look at it as more of a luxury item? If coffee is a “must” for you, what have you done so far to make it part of your disaster stockpile? Do you have the items you’ll need – including a hand-operated coffee grinder – to prepare coffee in the event of a long-term power outage? I’d love to hear from you about this subject.
True, coffee is a major priority, and I already have your pack. When pissible, I will purchase more. Your products bring peace to one’s mind, and I am eternally grateful to have made contact with your company. Never stop posting survival points of interest.
Sorry, but I don’t understand what the sources are for choline. Too many words in () for my mind to grasp the message. So, what are your sources for choline and how do you ad it to your intake so you don’t deplete natual reserves? Thanks.
I keep lots of coffee in reserve, both bean/ground and instant/freeze dried. The former for current use or barter if needed, and the latter so I won’t have to worry about being without in the long run or try to load up on it later when prices rocket up and suppliesare low.
I WOULD HAVE JUMPED INTO THE LARGE BOX OF COFFEE YOU OFFERED , HOWEVER AT 81 YEARS OLD AND MONEY BEING STOLEN BY OBAMA EVERY CHANCE HE CAN, WE JUST COULD NOT TAKE THE BIGGER STEP. EVERYTHING YOU SAID HAS TRUE MERIT AND MY 2 ORDER IS ALL WE COULD DO, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT FIRST CUP TO WISH I COULD AFFORD THE MORE.
In a grid-down, survival scenario, roasted (barley+rye+chicory) tastes a lot like coffee when brewed…not quite the same thing, but…
Also caffeine gives you that “boost” by facilitating the release of acetyl-choline (a chemical stored in the brain and fatty tissue around nerves throughout the body), which along with phosphatidyl-choline is used to bridge neurons, and subsequently make your brain function…better). In doing so, frequent consumption of caffeine depletes your reserves of Acetyl-Choline, which gives you that “downer” come later.
However, it is possible to take supplements of the two natural choline-containing chemicals, even enhanced with herbs (eg: ashwagandha, bacopa monnieri, ginseng, siberian eleuthero) and vitamins (B12 (methylcobalamin) and D3), to give you a bigger, better natural boost to give your chicory/rye/barley coffee that zing you’ve come to need….and without any sleepy feeling later. This would be a great aid, ESPECIALLY in a survival environment, when you have the graveyard watch.
Hope this helps!
I have a small camper with a 3 burner propane stove, 2 burner external. I keep 3 of the large tanks of propane. I have a tenting box with everything I need including a 2 burner Sears propane stove. I keep 6 of the small propane canisters. I have a backpacking bag (no longer used), with Sterno cans. The common thread is that I use the Mellita cone drip system 1 cup & 4 cup. I always grind as much coffee as I will need ahead. The hand grinder is a good suggestion if I could find one small enough. Although, I have a 150 watt inverter that I could use on my car battery for my electric grinder. As an aside I reminded Frank that a good home defense product for those afraid or unschooled in the use of guns, keep a can of wasp spray handy. I will temporarily blind and cause confusion. I know that although most state & federal parks forbid using firearms, I’m wondering if critters such a rattle snakes are affected by the spray? Going to pack a can in my bug out kit just in case!
We used to visit Costa Rica about twice a year, I’ve been hoarding coffee beans in bags for years, but I put them in the freezer, is that better or not, Would appreciate input. Thanks
I haven’t really done a taste test, but I would think that storage of green coffee beans should follow the same rules as any seed storage. Cold and dry is best. Colder and dry is better.
I dated a lady who owned a string of drive up coffee places and I asked her that specific question, is it ok to freeze my coffee beans to keep fresh? No! She said, it drys out the oils in and on the beans. Its better to just store in a cool dry place, air tight If possible
Dry can the coffee beans. Put them in regular Ball/Mason hot glass jars with DRY lids. You can dry can in an oven or pressure can at 5 lbs pressure for 10 minutes. Your coffee beans will be airtight and good for several years. You can also pressure can nuts and other dry goods like this.
I have non hybrid seeds for corn, okra, tomatoes, beans and tobacco in storage in addition to the ones I bought on the Power4 site. I have the small Delaware bush tobacco. It was used by tribes as medicine. Not to be smoked but once a moon and for ceremonies.
we are using coffee stored 3 plus years .with no problem stoed in orginial package,plactic.protect from moisture that all.still good tasting
With the # of people who are addicted to pain killers caused by money hungry doctors (including me) coffee would be a secondary worry any one know of any alternatives to help with that withdrawal
use the half and half coffee for a month or two and then switch to decaf or better to herbal teas that are surprisingly good for you.
Passionflower extract, Valerian root extract and GHB are all helpful in withdrawal from opiate and pain killers that work with the same pain nerve receptors.
As an interesting aside, the active ingredient in cayenne pepper (capsaicin), which is used in herbal medicine for both pain relief and to boost the effects of other herbs, works with the same nerve channels (ie: type of nerve receptors) as opium and morphine, and has been found to be even magnitudes more effective than morphine for pain. Oil of Oregano and clove oil also work similarly on these same receptors. Cayenne pepper, oil of oregano and clove oil all feel very hot when applied, and can result in “burns” and nerve damage as a result of the body’s immuno-response to them (especially the first two).
These natural herbs can be formulated to effectively replace pain killers, and in fact, drug companies are doing research on capsaicin in attempts to formulate patentable drugs for use as more effective drugs than morphine.
Wild opium lettuce. You might experiment with it now and see how it works for your pain. It is not addictive and is legal to grow anywhere in the US. Look it up on google search. You might just be surprised that is is already growing in your yard. Many sites out there show you how to identify it and to process it on your own. Very simple to do. Many herbalists offer it for sale on the Internet already processed and ready to consume. It has been used by many cultures to relieve pain and many would compare it’s effectiveness to opium/morphine itself. The seeds can be bought online as well.
Coffee is a must have. One of my major weaknesses
When camping, I use a stainless perculator coffee pot to make drip coffee. The coffee is put in the stainless steel basket, but I boil the water in a separate container and then slowly pour it over the basket in the perculator. The result is very similar to automatic drip coffee-makers.
can someone tell me what is the most important things to store?
I store a lot of coffee in cans,I have had the opportunity to use some of this coffee stored over 2 years, it seemed just fine to me. I make sure I get the coffee in real cans not cardboard shaped like cans, seems to me vacuum sealed bags of coffee should do just as well if not better. I always get dark roast, so I cannot comment on any other type. I put canned cow and stevia in my coffee, so gourmet coffee and cheap coffee taste about the same to me. One might also consider freeze dried instant coffee, made from different beans, not a great taste, but any coffee is better than no coffee.
i must be made of strong stuff i am not a coffee drinker. but saving coffee is a good idea. not only for trading but i know that just smelling it will help an asthmatic person breathe better. and soaking the beans in water will allow you to spray it on plants to be rid of insects.
Joyce……try growing those lil red peppers and soaking those peppers in water w/seeds then drain water into any kind of spray bottle and spray anywhere on plants and veggies to keep the bugs away it won’t burn or harm the plants or veggies my Daddy taught me and my lil brother this when we were just kids. I have since used this method instead of pesticides who would want to use pesticides anyway? that’s nothing but poison anyway! This method works very well I use it often myself!
I like to go to a place in Missoula, MT to get a cup of coffee when I’m there. They have the bags of fresh beans and roast right there. Even the fresh roasted coffee has a bit of a bitter tast so I add cream.
Old restaurant trick to sell cheaper more bitter coffee is to add acouple pinches of salt to the ground coffee before brewing. Works great! I still do it today to get by with buying cheaper brands. Every penny counts!
I’ve gone from12 cups a day to 2 a week. It was hard ’cause I love the drink. Thanks for your helps in my survival techniques. Tim…( I will need a trombone to survive)( I use it to scare bears)
Thanks for the excellent article about hoarding coffee!!!! I don’t know what my hubby & I would do without our coffee!!! Maybe have to end up killing something, someone, whatever!!!! Imagine my surprise when one of the recommended sites for products was Honeville Grain, which is only a few miles from me (approx 20 miles). Looks like they could be a good site for lots of food storage. Of course, I live in Mormonville, so, I should be an expert on food storage, although, I’m not one! This has been an enlightening article, and I learned some new ideas, to put to work with some of my other knowledge!
Thanks again!
Thank you for all the info. As a young (46) grandparent, I would like info on storing instant baby foods. Long term we will grow our own, but that can take a while to establish, pending situations and staying beneath the radar so-to-speak I also have 2- 90 yr olds to look after, so we will not be traveling unless we absolutely had to. My daughter thinks I’m a bit eccentric now but she’ll learn, always better to have and not need than need and not have. Depression era folks have taught me well, my household was “reusable green” long before the trends-even for Seattle. I don’t do much coffee anymore but good for bartering and flavoring. Thanks again
Even though it was long before our big life change, my wife and I rarely purchased baby food. We had a cheap blender and a hand crank baby food mill.
I have a 3year old and have been storing food for him for 3 years now. One thing to remember, the instant baby food is packed with preservatives that are not good for babies. You would be better off getting freezedried foods and just cook it well then mash it up really good. That is what I have done. Babies can eat almost everything adults do, just no honey until after 1yr old! And if you have ever tasted the baby food, it is plain. Babies do not need any seasonings. Hope this gives some ideas!
I have never thought of this…although as a dedicated coffee drinker…ok…addict..I do have five or six cans of coffee around here at all times…good information
Hi there, thank you for these emails, they are great. Sooooo helpful. I was just thinking though that tea is easier to store, and holds about the same amount of caffeine as coffee. :)
Also tea. We don’t grow it in North America…we could if we’d planned for it, but you know how we are with large-scale planning when it doesn’t involve TAKING from all of us…
FYI – Tea is still grown in north america,There is a tea plantation in Charleston, South Carolina
Coffee is a good item to keep on hand (as well as sugar and alcohol and cigarettes) to barter with. Coffee drinkers love a perfect cup of good coffee, but if there is no coffee available, the 10 year old stale coffee will be a dream come true. In light of this, I have stockpiled coffee grounds in vacuum cans (not cardboard or bags) and try to rotate. When it’s not around anymore, my coffee will be GREAT!
You know what they say- you don’t miss it until it’s gone. That’s why it’s not necessary to look for exotic items for barter. Coffee, tea, condiments, peanut butter, jelly, honey-basically any edible thing-if you can find a practical way to store it for extended periods, do it. For you and for trade.
In my opinion, you should ignore people who tell you not to bother because we’re dead meat. Cause if they’re wrong, you’ll wish you had.
God be with you all.
I know I could not go without my coffee so yes its important to me. So how do we store coffee I would like to have this info. I’m just starting out and don’t have alot of extra cash to store items so its scary to even think about all this.
I would suggest vacuum packed whole beans if you have a hand grinder for them. You may be without electricity so a hand cranked grinder is great. Also keeping them in the whole bean form keeps more of the aromatic oils intact for a much longer period of time. Can you tell, I love coffee too?
When my girls were just preschoolers we bought a hand grinder. The girls would take turns each morning grinding beans for Mommy’s coffee. They loved being able to help mom and my wife sure loved the fresh-ground beans. Now that the girls are older, they tend to use the electric grinder to make their own cups but we have that hand grinder for both nostalgia and just in case.
The FEMA detention camps set up all over America are well stocked with coffins and body bags
in antisipation of the coming economic disaster. The homeland security forces have been well equiped with more than enough bullets to handle the mobs. Don’t forget that Martial law is ruled by “Shoot first,ask questions latter”. When the dollar collapses it will be too late to prepare.
WAKE UP !!!!!!!!!!
The writing has been on the wall for a long time now.
America can never pay off it’s debt
Obama wants complete control and the quickest way to complete control is to bankrupt the nation,which will cause a total breakdown of society. When that happens the bankers and the rich people will demand that Martial law be declared. As an ordinary citizen you will be subject to Martial law.You will no longer have your constitutional rights. You will do what you are told or else. Where do you see yourself when the economy collapses? Ask an islamic beleiver what their ultimate goal is and they will tell you they want to see the day when only beleivers of islam remain on earth. Who do you think is behind a lot of the economic problems ? I pity those people who choose to ignore the facts about the economy. They will probably fall prey to the mobs when people no longer are able to feed themselves or their families.
Coffee is the least of the things to worry about when the economy goes down. If you can’t store ground coffee for any length of time, why bother? A week without coffee will teach self control. If you need coffee that bad, that you can’t seem to do without it, then you are an addict. What else are you addicted to ? If you have to leave your area on foot, you will have to leave your stockpile behind and only take what you need in a lightweight pack. There are a lot more important items other than coffee to pack. For that matter,when the economy goes down and Martia law is declared,your stockpile will probably be confiscated anyway. Think more about how you are going to remain undetected when the security forces are trying to round everybody up to take to the FEMA detention camps. Guns will probably be banned during Martial law,and possession may mean execution if you are caught with one.America has been living in a disney fantasy for way too long. The world is a dangerous place for the majority of humans.
Most Americans are hoping third world conditions could never happen in America.In the fantasy the good times never end and everyone lives happily ever after. When the shit hits the fan and you have to leave on foot you will only be able to take what you can carry.That pack needs to be light and compact. Surveilance is everywhere so you need to know how to avoid detection and you need to know how to use your surroundings to your advantage. SO don’t worry about coffee.
Anything can be used as a weapon when needed. I just hope you don’t have to be caring for children when things get ugly. People on wall street are so far into the fantasy that they will probably be the first to fall victim to the mobs of the crises that is coming. Remember that America is in debt way over it’s head,with no hope of paying off it’s debt, so it is just a matter of time before the economy collapses.Sooner than most people want to admit. I am not going to say good luck because relying on luck is for fools.Either take this seriously or put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye. Don’t gamble with fate. Don’t forget your coffee today. It may be your last !
I will most likely hoard Bourbon or Crown Royal Black before I think of coffee. A friend gave me a great recipe for Kahlua tho so a good substitute in a major crisis!;-)
Would you mind sharing your Kahlua recipe? I lost track of mine a long time ago and haven’t been able to find one since.
To senior,
Thank you so much for your article. People are living in a bubble. I really appreciate your honesty about what’s going on. I work and live in a desert. Not to fond of any big cities.
Barb
I am caring for a child. I am a 61 year old grandmother raising a 10 year old granddaughter. She knows her way around a Winchester long rifle and as soon as she’s strong enough to pull the carriage back on my S&W Bodyguard, I will teach her how to use that. I don’t think she’ll be ready for the Remington 12 gauge any time soon. I was 12 before I could shoot that without being knocked flat on my back. She’s outdoor savy, her daddy and granddaddy are both Eagle scouts who have done lots of survival training in the woods. Teach them as much as you can then let God handle the rest.
Your So Very Right On All Aspects….I Just Wished I Could Get My Family On Board With Me….And Not Think I’m Over reacting….Rox in FL
tragedy is, Rox, most people go with “It can’t happen here” mentality. HUH! it can and the ovomit WANTS it to happen here. We have to be prepared, which I am not to survive. We have a sworn enemy, DHS is our enemy, they are the gestapo of ovomit. We have to be prepared to DEAL with them.
Hey Senior that’s the best advice I’ve heard yet. What are some suggestions to avoid detection from surveillance? any tips?
Down deep I have a funny feeling how things will be but you actually put it into words
Mr. Senior, you sound like the neighbor nextdoor from Me. His life is over at the age of 78 he thinks. So he says the same thing you say. “Why bother?” What you seniors are not thinking about is the future of your grandkids. If you think your life is over and why bother then you are the one to stick your head between your legs, but the youger folks have years to live and need their survival food to carry your genology forward. I am past the age of child bearing but i want the future generations to survive. ME TOO!
You do what you can and prepare for any senerio that may occure. walk or ride it does not matter you can carry rations or drive with your supplies. You can find a safe place or just give up. these are your choices. I told my 78 year old who is a sceptic don’t ask me to help you after you critisize me when a disaster does happen. We live in tonatoe alley. Anything can happen.
My heater went out on the coldest day 2 weeks ago. I had no heat from my A/C. My neighbor criticized me for buying a karosene heater in Sept. 80 degree temps and getting 18 gal of karosene. I piulled out my karosene heater and my house was toasty warm. It took the A/c people a week to replace the A/C. My husband has DEmentia and is 78 years old and we I kept him safe. he too critsized me for getting emergency supplies but was warm and happy when i opened it up and turned it on. So go head and critisize those that prepare. I was in the Navy and learned Frank Bates is helping others to survive.
In re-reading Senior’s comments, I see that Senior DID say to take preparing seriously.
Hey, congratulations on the purchase of your kerosene heater. I bought one of those and it worked wonderfully!
A French press is wonderful-no electricity needed, just hot water. A manual grinder and I am having coffee in the am! Caffeine does not affect me so coffee is just a relaxing morning ritual for me.
i do not drink coffee but you are right, it could be a great bartering tool.
I’m not sure but cant you use Chicory if you run out of coffee?
chicory is an aquired taste, however old timers used it to stretch their coffee. they also in really hard times roasted the chicory root along with dandelion roots and made “coffee” that way. better to use things for tea like strawberry, blackberry leaves as well as sassaffras root. get a book called edible plants and go to your local farm extension and see what they have on useful edible plants. also a book called medicinal plants is a great little book to have on hand. here in the far south we can buy chicory coffee and there is enough interest in it still to warrant their making and selling.
Chicory coffee is the VERY BEST coffee! Try RT, CDM or Community. We live in So. LA. and spend time at a retreat in central MS. We always have a couple of extra bags of coffee. The closes store is 10 miles away and all they have is plane bland coffee. We have an old porcelain drip pot from before we were married 42 years ago. We also have an electric drip pot when we have a group at the retreat; but when the power goes we bless God for a gas stove; and just boil more water and drip in through the then ‘non’ electric coffee maker.
About 3 times a year we send family in CO. and CALIF. Chicory coffee and gumbo file. DEPENDING o where you life this this something that hould be in your spice cabnet.
I also have a regular gas stove…. But I’m sure you know you cannot depend on that for very long if /when the worst happens. That’s why I have a portable single burner propane stove w/ backup propane.
You have to be kidding-Have you tried that stuff?
I believe you are right about coffee. I feel the same way, and if I don:t get coffee, I take a caffeine pill.
Buy instant, it has a great shelf life and does not require brewing
You have to keep instant coffee VERY AIR WELL CLOSED once opened or you will find your instant coffee harder than a brick.; the same goes forr dry cream.
My favorite method for producing a really good tasting cup of coffee is one of the simplest methods that you could use. This is not my idea, but based upon the “Toddy” method. I use either drip grind (Columbian) ground coffee, or grind the beans myself. The ground beans are then placed in a clean glass jar halfway to the top. Then, plain cold water added until it covers the coffee and makes a thick slush. Leave the mixture in the jar overnight, and then, in the morning, pour it through a coarse filter into a smaller jar.. I use a screen filter from an old coffee maker. Cheesecloth will also work well. What you then have is a cold water concentrate that you keep refrigerated (or in a cool place) until needed. A mixture of approximately one part concentrate to three parts boiling water makes a wonderful fresh cup. Using this technique, the aroma and flavor are released at the time of pouring the cup, and not ‘boiled out’ during the normal brewing process. The fact that the extract is waiting for you, requiring no more bother than adding hot water, is another appealing factor.
excellent article on coffee. Nothing like a great cup of Java!!
How long does canned cofffee last?
Thanks for your pertinent information keep up your necessary work, you are a valuable asset to ALL survivors.
Thankfully, my grandmother gave me her old coffee grinder. For storage, I buy a brand that comes in a can still, and that store neatly. You can also vacuum seal coffee and store away from light and heat and will keep a long time if you don’t grind it first. If push comes to shove, you can just eat the coffee beans.
Thanks so much for this information on coffee!
Well I read all this and agree, some of us need the coffee fix and others can take the advise of the very well informed rain lady and shove it! Oh boy hot coffee a Star Butts special. Also a better alternative for keeping the health up would be Green Tea a much better choice for general health maintenance. I suggest just drinking it, the benefit becomes obvious very soon. But the need for our comforts are also very important. I do believe we are in for some very bad times and we are far from prepared for what cachous will follow the shut down of our government controlled system. I tend to wonder if digging a hole in the ground and building a bunker will work as hungry mobs could be a horrible threat to anyone armed or not, people are dangerous when they are in a survival mode. Old Hugh
I have been a conservationist all my life (why wd l want to give my precious resources – or waste them- on an energy company?) So everything I do is with conservation in mind and being judicious in the use of resources. I don’t support organizations that have other hidden agendas or otherwise. Just smart, balanced, fair, thoughtful living and applying the golden rule, which is a part of every faith – tho many do not apply it esp those that treat women malevolently or other members of their culture and society.
How about some information on tea
Coffee was traded for gold in olden times. After WWII coffee was rationed, and a valuable black market item after the war. A couple of hundred pounds of beans if properly packaged will be worth there weight in gold during hard times.
and so was salt
Interesting comments about WW II rationing. I still have my sugar ration card with its tear-off tickets for sugar. Being newborn then my family got extra rations of sugar for a newborn. Do you know that ration cards were personalized with your name, address, etc.?
I have my mother’s ration cards from 1941 or 1942. Some haven’t been used. So cool!
I guess I just am not a “purist” when it comes to coffee. I drink a lot of
instant coffee… mostly Nescafe but occasionally “stoop” to Taster’s Choice :-)
I do keep several jars ahead. Would you expect storage of this product to
present the problems of which you speak? I do keep my extra stash in the
freezer until time to open/use it.
Coffee has the most health befits if used in enemas. The Gearson Therapy uses coffee enemas to cure cancer and many other health issues. Just have to read about it and decide for yourself. This medical practice has been traced clear back to the Egyptians. So if you do not like drinking it down the hatch….Try it the other direction. LOL It stimulates the liver to dump toxins. When there are not doctors to run to…Pull out the bean and get going. Literally. So perhaps Wayne can examine the coffee bean from another perspective. No butts about it. It is used to cure cancer. Bottoms UP!
I got coffee stored but I don;t what the 37 items are, as I never saw them listed. So if you could help me with those that would help me a whole lot, if you could send me a E-mail of what they are, I want to thank you in advance. Marion
TY, gd to know
One drop of pure caffeine injected into your body will kill you. That’s how strong a poison it is. Thus a cup of coffee will stop your immune system from its normal maintenance work of getting rid of starting cancers, germs, and viruses. I’ve never been a coffee drinker, though all my folks were.
Consider yourself very fortunate, David Black. Back in 2000, I was ordered by a physician to avoid coffee for a few weeks. He described horrible effects of withdrawal. I did not believe him, thinking he was just some health nut that avoided caffeine. He was correct! I had a terrible headache all day, until I opened a Mt Dew late in the afternoon. I tried his diet for 2 weeks. I had “irregularity” problems, too. Overall, my head hurt, my stomach hurt and I developed piles. We do stockpile canned coffee with our emergency preparedness items. We have several months worth of smokes as well. These items are not for barter! I recommend the purchase of caffeine gum for your long term supplies. It does not take up much space. It will work to avoid withdrawal symptoms. It also gets into your system faster than drinking caffeine beverages. It is ideal for long road trips, when you don’t want to stop every hour to use the restroom. I buy cases of JOLT directly from the factory. Good Luck!
In addition to whole beans, I’ve included a large quantity of instant coffee. I would recommend avoiding the flavored ones like “International Coffees” because the other ingredients will degrade and go stale faster. The jars of instant are not air-tight, so they will still need sealing if put away for LTS/barter. Individual packets and “Coffee Singles” might be best for barter.
Is it so hard to realize that less than 200 years ago we lived in an era where this would be crazy talk, on what to stockpile or horde. If you grew up in the country, more than likely you were dirt poor, relying on the soil beneath your feet to give you sustenance, and the livestock in the pens or coops to do the same. Stop being so worried about how to stockpile, but learn to how MAKE things for yourselves… and learn how to protect yourselves. If you know how to make it, then there is nothing for anyone to steal from you. If you can defend yourself, then nobody will be able to take what you do have. If you can make it on your own, then you are always going to be good to go, regardless of what the world turns into. I’d rather live in the dark ages than what we live in now anyhow.
I have large jars of Instant coffee plus a couple of jars (slightly larger than traditional sized spices) of. “Stevia” sweetener (natural sugar substitute 370 tiny teaspoons per bottle)-I order on- line. I am the only coffee drinker in my home – so I drink instant. I have a tea kettle for heating up water fast for my patriot mylar-bagged food and coffee and hot tea(I also have flavored individual cup tea bags)..I have a one-burner propane stove w/ 16 quart bottles plus a 20 lb propane tank w/ a converter hose …
(I wonder if that is enough).
I do rotate the coffee & tea when I buy more.
Coffee is not important to me, even as a luxury item. I am sure I am in the minority, but coffee, like tobacco and alcohol, is something I have never acquired a taste for. If I need to wake up, I find that a cool glass of water and a brisk walk are much more to my liking.
I know there is something to be said for having some barter items on hand, but I personally prefer items that are actually required for survival. If I stock up on coffee and then no one wants to trade it for something else that I actually want, I am stuck with a lot of something that I will not use. As always, to each his own.
Well, I am one of those who doesn’t want to be without my coffee. In fact I am one of those who drinks it all day and night. I recently found that if I stop drinking it “cold turkey” there were no withdrawal effects though, so that is good. Another item that I have long thought to be an item to be stocked up on is cigarettes and other tobacco products–whether you use tobacco or not. This does have withdrawal effects and in my opinion would be the #2 bartering commodity second only to food and for some #1 with food second. A word of caution, it would also be #1 or #2 items that if some people knew you had a stockpile would make you the target of robbery and violence.
Yes, coffee is a priority for me. I need it at least twice a day, but not necessarily all night and all day. So far, I have a large jar of instant coffee in case SHTF. It’s sealed so it should last a while.