If you’ve spent any time as a survivalist, you know that the Swiss are the closest thing to a country that has institutionalized preparedness (the Israelis probably get runner-up). Their ‘secret’ bunkers that litter the countryside are famous…as was their mandate about new home construction including shelter space. Add into the mix the long-standing (though that may be changing) access to military arms for its citizenry and you have a recipe for nation that could be said to have made preparedness a national platform.
And…apparently….coffee was part of that preparedness plan.
In just about every classic piece of survivalist fiction (“Alas Babylon” springs to mind) there is always a little section about how the lack of coffee is greatly lamented by survivors (with cigarettes and alcohol coming in a close second). The Swiss, apparently, hedged their bets and stockpiled some java to get everyone started when they wake up in the morning.
I don’t drink coffee, but I do keep some freeze dried coffee around. I am told by aficionados that although freeze dried coffee is regarded rather poorly, it is magnitudes of order better than no coffee at all.
My own personal addiction is CocaCola. I can go without if I have to, but I won’t be happy about it. I find that my cravings for the sugar and caffeine can be met with long-term-storage-friendly drink mixes such as powdered ice tea mix. However, for the folks that smoke or have a less-than-healthy relationship with alcohol, well, I don’t envy them.
Part of me is a bit disappointed that the Swiss are slowly dismantling the policies and practices that made them a beacon of preparedness. For a while they were a great example of ‘civil defense’ to point to when discussing national policies on the subject.
But, in the end, the only person responsible for your safety and security is you. It’s nice when governments make it easier with things like tax breaks, flexible building codes, and free ammo, but you always need to operate as if it’s going to be just whatever you can do for yourself… which is often how it actually goes.
Gots to have coffee!
Worst “hangover” I’ve ever experienced is when I had to go without coffee for 2 days.
Never again. Maybe the Swiss will sell all that stored coffee on eBay?
Used to go skiing in Switzerland. The older native Swiss were dour and industrious but many of their young people had a drug problem from hell. Needles everywhere in their big city parks. One of the primary reasons I heard as a causality – Boredom… They have some massive airbases blasted into the Alps though. Amazing engineering.
Coffee is the one thing I would really have a hard time doing without – I don’t smoke, toke, use wacky pills, and don’t drink hard alcohol. Coffee on the other hand (just two cups in the morning) is a real weakness. I keep as much on hand as I can use in couple of years because it does go bad. Despite what the package date is – usually about a year, I find it can go up to 3 years before it gets too bitter if it’s the vacuum packed in nitrogen cubes.
Whole roasted bean lasts about 8 months and regular canned coffee will last about 2 years. The green beans last the longest. Freeze dried is my long term emergency stash. That can go for years despite being a poor substitute for fresh brewed. However, if that’s all I got then I’ll be damned grateful to have it.
Regards
Thanks for the info, I figured it would last forever if stored in a fridge.
These days, people only see the good life and all the things that are available. They don’t think there will ever be hard times….wrong…
The alcohol fans have it the easiest, brewing or distilling is far easier than making soda or growing coffee in non native climates.
You nailed it. With the proper equipment, acohol can be made from about any starch, in nearly any climate. Tobacco, tea, and coffee will be far harder to come by once the supply chains collapse.
How hard, though, would it be to make soda with *some* kind of sweetener, assuming it did not have to contain caffeine? I’m thinking of the guy who invented the original Fanta in Germany? I dunno.
How about root beer? It can be mildly alcoholic or non-alcoholic.
Freeze-dried coffee… The Tec-9 of the coffee world. 🤣
The Swiss as a culture are doomed. Anyone that rejects coffee, claiming it is not vital for human health, is a communist. Proof is in the pudding. China, communist, tea drinkers. Britain, communists, tea drinkers. Russia, communists, tea drinkers. Ex wife #2, Spawn Of Lucifer, hated coffee. Need I say more?
CZ a Commie?
Who knew.
And Yes please say more.
I’m sorry, I don’t make the rules. Close on to 2 billion people who don’t drink coffee are communists. I see that as a pretty solid rule. Although to be fair, every person here who doesn’t drink coffee is a slight decrease in price for me, so I can’t fault them too much for their politics.
Just another fine, government sponsored reason for self-preparedness. Don’t count on FEMA to have any to share!
Starbucks Via is a decent (albeit not perfect) replacement for real coffee. It’s also sold in individual serving packets, and thus makes a handy product for small value barter.
Biggest drawback is coffee plants will not grow just anywhere in any climate, and it’s difficult to reasonably consume space in a greenhouse for coffee growth, but not impossible. Is it necessary for survival, not really but it does make survival survivable….
Buy a sack of green coffee beans, they last forever if stored properly and can be roasted as needed.
I’m a Canadian and I drink Coffee and Tea so does that make me a “Pinko”?
If you say so!!!! lol
just finished a #10 can of 4 year old coffee, tasted great. we store in root cellar, so temp swings no more than 25 degrees the whole year.