There have to be some perks for all the sacrifices and prepping we do. Here are some useful vegetables, fruits and grain you can use to make your own alcohol!

Potatoes– One of David’s Top Ten Survival Foods You Should Grow is the potato — which can be used to make vodka and schnapps. The starches in potatoes will be converted to sugar (using added enzymes), which will then be converted to alcohol. Unlike most root crops where you plant them and wait, potatoes may need to have dirt mounded over them periodically — especially if you’re growing them in containers.

Berries– You can make wine and brandy from different berries — raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries. The high sugar content in berries will lend to a sweeter flavor, or if left to ferment longer, could mean a higher proof alcohol. Blackberries and raspberries, once established, require little to no tending for them to flourish from season to season. If you’ve ever seen them growing wild, you will understand. Blueberries, on the other hand, require a little more attention.

Rice– Sake is a traditional Japanese alcohol made from fermented rice, and has been traced as far back as the 8th century! While not a common crop for most home gardeners or small-scale farmers, rice is relatively simple to grow, so long as the plants stay wet.

Corn– Who doesn’t like a fresh ear of corn grilled up at a barbecue? You can also use that corn to make whiskey — also known as “moonshine”, “mountain dew”, and “white lightning” amongst other nicknames. Corn is the traditional grain that had been used to produce distilled spirits in the United States since the Revolutionary war!

Dandelion– I know what you’re thinking — “the dandelion weed”?! The answer is YES, dandelions can even be made into wine. Their flower heads are used in conjunction with citrus fruits, ginger and sugar… and yes, people are actually cultivating dandelions intentionally nowadays.

Sugar– If you know anything at all about the production of alcohol, you will know that sugar is the catalyst from which the alcohol is actually made. Some spirits do not need added sugar, some do. The ones that don’t can actually have sugar added to increase the production and the proof of the alcohol. If you grow your own sugar cane, you will be light years ahead of those folks that have to buy sugar in 50 lb bags.

Hops– Most everyone knows hops are used in the beer brewing process. Most people do not, however, know how easy they are to grow at home! You can plant hops rhizomes (part of the root system that closely resembles a grape vine) in an area that gets full sun, and where you have ample vertical growing space — hops are easy to train to grow up trellises.

There are definitely more foods you can grow to make alcohol, including apples and grapes, but the above can certainly get you started! You can read more about other home grown foods to make into spirits at The Prepper Project.

If you decide to undertake this effort, be certain to check with your local and state laws before continuing. No point in doing all this prepping if you have to spend a few months in jail!