I recently commented that the way we as militia might obtain certain items of military hardware would be to bribe enemy supply officers and the people who have access to essential equipment, often with booze, or other comforts.

When I was in ROTC, we frowned on anybody bringing even a single beer into the field. But the reality is, in a garrison town, there will be an NCOs mess, an officers mess, and plenty of booze flowing around when troops are in the rear.

Do traditional brands (Jack, Johnny Red, Patron, Absolut, Grey Goose, Jim, Baileys, etc really fetch a premium to troops who have access to lessor "company" brands in the rear. Would that Mexican supply depot private really see enough difference between a bottle of Patron or a six pack of premium beer to the point that they'd let a dozen AK mags go missing in exchange for the Patron? For those of you who've served abroad, do you generally get stuck with substandard local brands or are mainstream brands available in garrison.

What I'm wondering is, are the cases of liquor sitting in my basement worth keeping, or should I gradually use them up and not replace them. I have a great deal of speciality items like Polish vodkas, French brandy, bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey, Scotch and fancy tequilas. I don't know how to make shine, nor my own wine, and I suspect the enemy can do that as well as I.

Now I'm not suggesting we just give out booze to the enemy, hoping for favors. But what brands will "dry up" in supply in a time of conflict, and what brands will float around in the enemy's officers mess.

I know old men who've died with cases of Johnny Walker Red in their basement, left over from thirty years ago. Their widows frequently had no idea that they had a thousand dollars worth of Scotch in the basement, when they were living off cat food and day old bread.

What liquors will be valuable, and what will be still available in a crunch?