Fermentation

[Whyherro123 2283]

Ah, alcohol. The reason for the development of human civilization, the cause and solution to all of life's problems. Long thought of as symbolic, symbolic of fire, of light, of blood, and even of life itself. From the very beginning of our ascent as man, to the modern day, alcohol drives us, from the gamut of beverages to the biodiesel that powers our vehicles and cities. Humanity wouldn't be as it is without the magical liquid.

 

...... I'm sorry, I might be tearing up

 

-ahem- So, asides from the poetic soliloquy above, what could alcohol, and the means for making it, mean for Day Z? Many things. Alcohol could be the very impetus for civilization to make its return, in all seriousness. Alcohol, in its varying concentrations, can be used as a water "purifier", as a medical disinfectant, as a solvent for industrial processes, as a fuel, for lanterns and vehicles, or even as a currency.  Clans could gather in a base, not to stock up ammunition and firearms, but instead to distill out ethanol for their vehicles. Traders could carry gallons of hard cider instead of bullets, as a medium of exchange. The possibilities are literally endless.

 

So, let us discuss the possible means to make alcohol in-game. I will divide these into two broad categories, dependent on the amount of effort and time it takes for each. (note: the methods are simplified from real life)

 

• -Fermentation :This is by far the oldest method of producing alcohol known to man, dating back to the Neolithic period, easily further (9000 years +), and is remarkably simple, for its effects. Simply take any fruit that contains a decent amount of sugar (berries, grapes, apples, etc), mash them up, strain out the chunky bits, and set the juice aside in an airproof container for several weeks. Over the mouth of the container, insert an airlock, or even a balloon with a hole pricked in it, to let the gases escape and oxygen to stay out. Neolithic peoples used pottery, modern peoples use glass, or you could even use a large plastic jug, like a gallon milk jug. After a couple of weeks, depending on the temperature, the primary fermentation will be done, and you can either drink as-is, or transfer to another container to clarify.  The fermentation results from the natural "wild" yeasts that live on the surfaces of fruits. Fermented beverages are solely for drinking. Below, let us discuss the three "major types" of fermented beverage that we could make, with only the things we see in-game.
  • -grapes: Now, I know that we don't have actual grapes in-game, but that doesn't mean that they couldn't be inserted at a later date. They don't even have to be Vitus. In New England, which is a temperate deciduous forest, much like Chernarus, we have what are called "Concord Grapes" native to the region (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concord_(grape). They are actually used to make wines, and can be found growing wild in great long vines in certain areas of Massachusetts
  • -apples: yes, cider! I personally make hard cider at home using little more than a plastic milk jug, unpasteurized cider, and a balloon. Comes out excellent. You essentially cut apples up very small, mash them up, strain the juice, then proceed to follow the general fermentation steps as outlined above. With the amount of apple orchards you can see in South Zagoria, I am rather surprised that there isn't (er, wasn't) a cider-making tradition in the region. Anyway, there are plenty of apples and it wouldn't be that hard to gather them.
  • -berries: generally, any berry that is safe to eat will have at least a decent amount of sugar in them. Elderberries are actually renowned for making a good "fruit wine", and I personally am currently making a wine from mashed "Autumn Olive" berries.

 

• -Distillation :This is the more complex method, which is done after fermentation. Essentially, fermentation will only result in an alcoholic solution that is roughly 10-20 proof, or 5 -10% ABV. Distillation raises the ABV by removing water. This is accomplished by taking the fermented mixture and heating it to boiling in a closed system. The alcohol boils out of the solution earlier than water, and then travels into a tube (which is usually surrounded/suspended in cold water), and then into a different container. This distillate is pure alcohol. This pure alcohol can be burned in lanterns/stoves or in vehicles, used as a disinfectant for water or medical operations, or mixed ("cut") with water so that it can be safely consumed.
  • -corn (read: moonshine): Come on, who doesn't know about moonshine?!
• 

 

• -Supplies: So, while we could feasibly rely on what Gaia provides for fermentation, we could require some supplies for distillation, or even if we want to make the fermentation process even easier
  • containers: on our travels, we could find some glass jugs/jars/what-have-you, that we could use to hold the solutions. 
  • airlocks: we could find a "real" airlock, or just some spare, tight-weave cloth or a balloon to use in place
  • tubing: to direct the travel of the distillate gas
  • brewers yeast: add this to the fermentation mixture to "kick-start" the whole process, and have a more even product when done.

 

What does everyone think?

Edited October 21, 2015 by Whyherro123

[BeefBacon 1185]

Hey, if a bunch of redneck yanks can make moonshine in bathtubs I see no reason why people shouldn't be able to make vodka in a zombie apocalypse.

 

I think distilling small amounts should be relatively easy - something somebody could feasibly do alone, or maybe in a very small group to produce enough to sanitise bandages and stuff. Producing it in large amounts should be difficult to get going, but has a better conversion rate of raw items to alcohol.

 

Fuel from fuel stations should be better than ethanol. A can of fuel should be more efficient than a can of ethanol. Perhaps fuel stations should be rarer or even contain a limited (though lowly self-replenishing) supply, encouraging the production of ethanol in large quantities. I don't know how viable ethanol is as a fuel - I suspect you can't just put vodka in a truck and expect to drive off - but a lapse in realism isn't a problem if it furthers gameplay.

 

Isn't there a vodka factory near NWAF or somewhere? Maybe that could be a good source for supplies or, hell, already have all the vats and stuff required to make alcohol. Fortify it and you've got a ready-made alcohol factory.

[Whyherro123 2283]

Hey, if a bunch of redneck yanks can make moonshine in bathtubs I see no reason why people shouldn't be able to make vodka in a zombie apocalypse.

 

I think distilling small amounts should be relatively easy - something somebody could feasibly do alone, or maybe in a very small group to produce enough to sanitise bandages and stuff. Producing it in large amounts should be difficult to get going, but has a better conversion rate of raw items to alcohol.

 

Fuel from fuel stations should be better than ethanol. A can of fuel should be more efficient than a can of ethanol. Perhaps fuel stations should be rarer or even contain a limited (though lowly self-replenishing) supply, encouraging the production of ethanol in large quantities. I don't know how viable ethanol is as a fuel - I suspect you can't just put vodka in a truck and expect to drive off - but a lapse in realism isn't a problem if it furthers gameplay.

 

Isn't there a vodka factory near NWAF or somewhere? Maybe that could be a good source for supplies or, hell, already have all the vats and stuff required to make alcohol. Fortify it and you've got a ready-made alcohol factory.

You can run a diesel engine off of anything liquid-ish that burns, essentially, so long as it has a filter to keep chunky pieces out of the works. Ethanol is rather good at running a diesel engine. You could also run a diesel engine off of rendered grease or fat.

[BeefBacon 1185]

You can run a diesel engine off of anything liquid-ish that burns, essentially, so long as it has a filter to keep chunky pieces out of the works. Ethanol is rather good at running a diesel engine. You could also run a diesel engine off of rendered grease or fat.

 

Huh. How about a petrol engine? I think they're adding spark plugs and stuff. Maybe it could only work in diesel engines (if that's the case in real life).

[Whyherro123 2283]

Huh. How about a petrol engine? I think they're adding spark plugs and stuff. Maybe it could only work in diesel engines (if that's the case in real life).

 

Nope, the fuels work differently.

 

In reality, gasoline is a really shitty choice for "post-apocalyptic" vehicle fuel, pretty much for that reason, among others. They are more fuel-efficient, last longer, and require fewer "technical" parts. In general

 

Edited October 21, 2015 by Whyherro123

[IkaikaKekai 1957]

Pretty good ideas, I've actually made my own beer, takes about 2 weeks of fermentation and another week to carbonize in bottle and it's recomended to let it age for at least another week in a cool place for flavor.  Most kits they sell for beer and wine making usually make about 5 gallon batches, and I figured out you would need 3 buckets (primary fermenters and a bottling bucket) and 2 carboys (secondary fermenters) to be churning out 5 gallons a week.  That could be a pretty sweet operation as a trader post apoc if you had a steady supply of sugar and fruits/grains and water, biggest problem would be storing/bottling it.  Unless you boil it or something to kill off the yeast after bottling it'll keep fermenting/carbonating, plastic bottle and glass bottles with screw tops would not be very good for that, not to mention you need to meticulously clean any bottles you use or the batch will go bad.  Once you get set up you would also be producing yeast as a byproduct.  Brewers actually used to sell their yeast to bakeries in the old days.

 

Making beer and cider would be valuable in the post apoc, even for those who don't enjoy drinking (myself for example).  While being drunk when there's zombies about probably isn't a good idea, beer/wine/grog would be a somewhat safe source of hydration (against bacteria and the like) and provide some calories as long as you have it stored.  Although since we can't really enjoy the 'buzz' in games outside of RP it wouldn't' be as valuable as it would IRL, though as you point out you could distil it down to make either fuel or antiseptic.

[Whyherro123 2283]

^ I use plastic gallon milk jugs as my primary, then I transfer to a glass secondary and submerge them in 180 degree F water for a minute or so apiece. I then leave them in the bottles until they clarify, and tend not to bother with carbonation.

[Chaingunfighter 917]

Ah, alcohol. The reason for the development of human civilization

Love the idea of distillation, but to say that it's the sole reason for the development of human civilization is not accurate by any means. Very important? Yes. The reason? No.

[Whyherro123 2283]

Love the idea of distillation, but to say that it's the sole reason for the development of human civilization is not accurate by any means. Very important? Yes. The reason? No.

When I say "civilization", I mean "organized society, with villages and communities and trading", not "hunter-gatherers/scavengers". Considering how the scientists that study human development (forget the actual title, at the moment) believe that Neolithic villages developed in order to grow enough grain for beer production, not for food (at least not right away).

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/did-a-thirst-for-beer-spark-civilization-1869187.html

http://www.history.com/news/did-beer-spur-the-rise-of-agriculture-and-politics

 

And many others.

 

While they aren't certain (which "proper" scientists will never be), all of the articles (both actual research journals and magazine articles) say that it is a pretty strong hypothesis.

[aseaheru 5]

That makes sense to me. I think some of the first factories where for making beer in the days of Ancient Egypt...
 
Also, in the early days of petrol-engined cars, many where built to be able to use alchohol as fuel. Fords where built that way until Prohibition (rather certian) and I think a number of Soviet era vehicles where equipped to do it...

[BCBasher 2465]

You can run a diesel engine off of anything liquid-ish that burns, essentially, so long as it has a filter to keep chunky pieces out of the works. Ethanol is rather good at running a diesel engine. You could also run a diesel engine off of rendered grease or fat.

 

That's first sentence is kind of the opposite of my experience, your videos, and what my dad taught me suggest.

 

Back when I was poor I used to run the oil (kerosene) furnace on diesel and strained cooking oil though, potatoes are cheap, canola oil is cheap etc. and it worked at the expense of jets which I had a good supply of being a janitor at the local bulk fuel distributor. Gas engines however will run on a fairly high percentage of alcohol/petrol ratio at the expense of rubber parts not intended for it according to the older yard found motorbikes and gas powertools eating, seals, o rings and fuel lines when exposed to newer gas containing ethanol. There's something to do with octane/compression ratio leading to detonation with too high a ratio as well afik.

 

Not disagreeing with you entirely as I'm kind of a SHTF nut and would be cooking shine with the local pulp mill plumbing to kill the pain and keep gasers running for a bit longer but I don't think diesels would like it. Hopefully in the months/years after they'd be kept running with animal fat and other oils for the long term if going back to stem wasn't a more practical option.

 

Your posts are always a good read though. 

Edited October 23, 2015 by BCBasher

[star-lord252 83]

This sounds fun add only if I can get drunk and make other players drunk.