Adult Beverages On Trail

Have a favorite trail recipe or technique you'd like to share? Please do! We also like reviews of various trail food products out there. The Backcountry Food Topix forum is the place to discuss all things related to food and nourishment while in the Sierra wilderness (as well as favorite trail head eateries).
User avatar
Lumbergh21
Topix Expert
Posts: 629
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 10:11 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Adult Beverages On Trail

Post by Lumbergh21 »

Can a bear smell unscented grain alcohols like vodka, rum, tequila, etc? And does that hip flask of vodka, therefore, need to stay out of the tent and in the bear canister?
:partyman:
Last edited by Lumbergh21 on Mon Mar 18, 2019 7:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: Adult Beverages On Trail

Post by rlown »

151 stays out of the tent. Bear hasn't touched it in 40 years.
User avatar
longri
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1082
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2012 9:13 am
Experience: N/A

Re: Adult Beverages On Trail

Post by longri »

Some rums have a sweet character so you might be cautious with those. I sometimes take a 151 Demerara rum that has a sugary smell. Gin is pretty aromatic as well and that might attract a bear. I talked to a guy whose Jeep was broken into by a bear. He said it didn't eat his eggs but did eat an entire 5lb can of coffee. Weird, huh? So a bit of gin? I wouldn't assume a bear would pass that up.

Otherwise, vodka/tequila/whisky/whiskey/Bacardi 151 are really not that different than fuel for alcohol stoves and not likely of interest to a bear. It would be interesting to hear what rangers say. Ethanol has a pretty decent caloric value so the rangers might take the tack that it's "food" so it must be secured. But if that's true then denatured alcohol is also food, albeit slightly poisonous food. A bear could probably metabolize a bit of methanol, isopropanol, acetone, etc. and still be okay. On that note, I've always wondered if I could get drunk on vanilla extract (it's 80 proof) or if I'd end up puking first.

All that said, I've always kept the whisky/rum/whatever in the bear canister just because it's so valuable. I've heard stories of bears biting into all sorts of containers, including propane fuel canisters, presumably in the hope that they contained food. And if the whisky were lost somehow I'd have to abort my trip and hike out early!
User avatar
longri
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1082
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2012 9:13 am
Experience: N/A

Re: Adult Beverages On Trail

Post by longri »

By the way, what are all those web widget link things at the end of your posts. Do you make money by posting on forums?
User avatar
Lumbergh21
Topix Expert
Posts: 629
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 10:11 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: Adult Beverages On Trail

Post by Lumbergh21 »

longri wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:34 pm By the way, what are all those web widget link things at the end of your posts. Do you make money by posting on forums?
The only thing I add to my posts are the smiles available on here. I never see anything else when looking at my posts later.
User avatar
bobby49
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1225
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:17 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Adult Beverages On Trail

Post by bobby49 »

A buddy of mine took a six pack of beer on a trip. At nightfall, he stored it submerged in a cold stream. The next morning, each of the cans had been punctured and sampled by bear claws and teeth. That's a shame, because it was good beer.
User avatar
giantbrookie
Founding Member & Forums Moderator
Founding Member & Forums Moderator
Posts: 3580
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:22 am
Experience: N/A
Location: Fresno
Contact:

Re: Adult Beverages On Trail

Post by giantbrookie »

bobby49 wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:58 pm A buddy of mine took a six pack of beer on a trip. At nightfall, he stored it submerged in a cold stream. The next morning, each of the cans had been punctured and sampled by bear claws and teeth. That's a shame, because it was good beer.
Wow, that's pretty tragic. I sort of imagine cans of Hop Bullet, Torpedo, Track7, etc. getting ruined and I can only imagine how bummed I'd be.
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
bobby49
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1225
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:17 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Adult Beverages On Trail

Post by bobby49 »

It was especially tragic because the bear didn't finish any of it, and each punctured can was diluted by stream water.
User avatar
oldranger
Topix Addict
Posts: 2861
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:18 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Bend, Oregon

Re: Adult Beverages On Trail

Post by oldranger »

I've posted this before but I,too, have had a bear find a beer stashed in a creek and drink same. Never had an issue with my 151 though.
Mike

Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: Adult Beverages On Trail

Post by rlown »

Sure would be interesting to see a bear drink a whole poly bottle of 151.. I'd fire up the GoPro for that video..
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests