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06/01/2016 06:13PM  
Past two trips all we've taken in is water (from the lake), coffee & cocoa.

Just learned about the Pack It Gourmet Margaritas, and thinking about those small boxes of wine?

Normally don't drink ETOH in the BWCA - but since we're basecampjng not too far in - think I might take advantage and make it a more 'relaxing' trip.

Any other beverages (alcoholic or not) that you guys would recommend?
 
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OldFingers57
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06/01/2016 06:31PM  
We tried the Packit Gourmet margaritas. They were good but expensive. A cheaper alternative was some margarita flavored drink mix in small packets from Super Target store mixed with some tequila. My wife takes the small boxes of wine or the small plastic bottles. Margarita drink mix
 
dblwhiskey
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06/01/2016 07:14PM  
Red wine with cowboy steaks and garlic shrimp on the first night served in a lexan wine glass of course. After that the choices are unlimited, a nice port wine for sunsets, Dr McGillicuddy's, we like the root beer and the apple pie flavors, Baileys Irish Cream, Jack Daniels Single Barrel or their Tennessee Fire just to name some of our favorites are great for evening campfires and star gazing. Plus the Irish Cream and JD bourbon can give your coffee a special extra on a cool morning with dew cover and fog on the water.
 
dblwhiskey
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06/01/2016 07:35PM  
Oh yes I forgot, we use the Platypus wine bags to repackage our beverages into or I use plastic flasks that we have found. I've had a few metal flasks over the years and usually end up with gasket leaking after a while.

If I remember correctly weren't you a Navy Corpsman in a former life? I think I remember reading that somewhere when you introduced yourself here, so don't forget it can also be used as an antiseptic and a mild pain killer too. Multi functional it is.;-)
 
06/01/2016 07:59PM  
quote dblwhiskey: "If I remember correctly weren't you a Navy Corpsman in a former life? I think I remember reading that somewhere when you introduced yourself here, so don't forget it can also be used as an antiseptic and a mild pain killer too. Multi functional it is.;-)"


Yep I was a Devil Doc.
 
dblwhiskey
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06/01/2016 08:52PM  
quote MNLindsey80: "
quote dblwhiskey: "If I remember correctly weren't you a Navy Corpsman in a former life? I think I remember reading that somewhere when you introduced yourself here, so don't forget it can also be used as an antiseptic and a mild pain killer too. Multi functional it is.;-)"



Yep I was a Devil Doc."


Yep, you're much more PC then my time. I'm still called Doc by some but we were also known by many other titles too.
 
06/02/2016 10:00AM  
We typically bring a .75L sized stainless bottle of bourbon or whisky. Talking this year maybe bringing a couple of the small boxes of wine, we'll see.
 
GoSpursGo
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06/02/2016 11:13AM  
I stick to coffee and water - one flask of scotch provides for a swig per night before hitting the sack, and works better than Nyquil IMO
 
Twins87
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06/02/2016 03:22PM  
Depending on length of trip, travel distances and who is on the trip...

Alcohol: pre-mixed margaritas for first night dinner (they start out frozen in a nalgene and are still cool when we get to camp), boxed red wine, vodka, growler of beer, baileys. (No we don't bring all of this on the same trip!) This year the couple joining us for the adult-only trip is bringing scotch.

Non alcoholic bevs we bring in pretty standard fare - coffee (combo of ground coffee and VIA packets), hot chocolate, powdered drink mixes, tea. I have become partial to True Lemon and True Lime packets. Hubby brings caffeinated powdered drinks as he doesn't drink coffee and can't have his morning pop in the BW. We also bring in Nido powdered milk to use for baking, in coffee and my daughter drinks it with meals.

We always double portage so the weight/bulk is less important to us.
 
06/02/2016 06:27PM  
Big fan of water flavoring, Mio, Kool Aid Liquid work well.
A flask or 2 of premium Scotch Single Malt Whisky, Laphroig or Talisker are favorites.
Have used Pats Backcountry Brew for a few years, like the Black Hops, also makes a good carbonated soda with Mio flavoring.

Do NOT stay thirsty my friend!

butthead
 
06/03/2016 06:25AM  
Besides instant coffee I also bring Gatorade Powder Packets. It's nice to have some flavor with one of the 4 nalgenes of water I try to have each day of a trip. For alcohol I just bring a small bottle of Jack and have a couple of sips while I enjoy the sunset. My wife brings the small plastic bottles of wine (one for each night) because she just wants a little bit each night.
 
Koz
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06/22/2016 07:16PM  
Bourbon.
 
lionman
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06/23/2016 02:44PM  
We've tried the Pack It Gourmet margaritas and they are good but expensive. Last time we made our own powdered mix by combining True Lime, True Lemon, sugar and salt. It was pretty good too. We use the trick of sinking a nalgene with a rock on a rope for a few hours to chill the water. I learned that from someone on this board a few years ago.
 
mastertangler
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07/10/2016 03:24PM  
This might surprise some but I am a huge fan of vanilla flavored whey protein powder. Very tasty and has the huge added benefit of providing something beneficial to your body instead of the empty calories of some sugar drink. Try it, you'll like it.

I store my powdered drinks as well as a host of other foods (like oatmeal etc.) in Nalgene water canteens which are the indespensable food storage systems. These wide mouth flexible plastic containers are available in 3 sized and are the perfect food storage containers bar none. They are extremely durable, wide mouthed, lightweight, air tight and collapsible. what more could you want.
 
gopher2307
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07/10/2016 06:30PM  
Formerly a kool aid / powdered lemonade guy, now exclusively a Mio drink mix guy. The option of having caffeine in the various Mio flavors is nice to keep my non-wilderness habit/caffeine addiction going strong.

I recall my wife bringing Bota Box brand wine, which was pretty good. Other than that, only packaged various liquors in nalgenes. Typically don't drink much up there myself. I recall a blackberry brandy someone else bought being the most suitable for taking pulls. Mixers have never been successful for me.

Good topic.
 
07/27/2016 12:16AM  
our groups usually pack in vodka-tang-country time lemonade w/lake water. if your not going far in freeze a small cooler of ice, now your living ;)
 
Savage Voyageur
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07/28/2016 09:49AM  
Vodka, crystal lite lemonade, vodka and tang, any good whiskey, bourbon or brandy straight up. One trip I base camped and had Gin and tonic with fresh limes and ice.
 
mc2mens
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08/02/2016 04:54PM  
Boxed red wine. We take the bladder out of the box and put it into one of our blue barrels. Nice to have a few camp cups of red wine with dinner and sitting around the campfire after a long day.
 
08/03/2016 07:20AM  
Two 750s of decent bourbon - most often Woodford. Carry in MSR Dromedary bag. Add a splash of lake water in our camp cups - voila!
 
08/04/2016 08:33PM  
We started out taking just a small plastic bottle of blackberry brandy. We actually emptied a plastic Colgate 100 Mouthwash bottle and that was our "flask" for the first few trips. Later on we also brought a small bottle of good Kentucky Bourbon. Have had several different favorite brands, but always Kentucky Bourbon.

Not much. Just a little bit at sunset, usually. We aren't big drinkers anyway, and we believe in keeping your wits about you when out in the woods.

Because of health concerns, our coffee is decaf and we usually brought Starbucks VIA the last few years. Or the Folgers kind in the little tubes. Just instant. I don't drink instant coffee anywhere else, but convenience wins out on a canoe trip. Otherwise, just Tang for breakfast and sometimes a little Kool-aid at lunch. Mostly just water, though and lots of that. Gotta stay hydrated!
 
08/05/2016 10:08AM  
quote mirth: "We typically bring a .75L sized stainless bottle of bourbon or whisky. Talking this year maybe bringing a couple of the small boxes of wine, we'll see."


Picked up a bottle of Four Roses Small Batch bourbon yesterday & its been put into its aluminum home for the next 10 days. Cheers to drinks around the campfire!
 
billconner
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08/05/2016 12:36PM  
Bota box wine. Will put white in net bag and sink in lake during warmer times.



 
paulsexton
member (7)member
  
08/12/2016 02:24PM  
We're on our fourth trip as a group and our fluid management is constantly evolving. Gravity filter bags for cooking. Drinking water gets a scoop of sports drink of choice. Six guys and we plan for a fifth of bourbon per pair, per night, in plastic bottles. Jim Beam made the cut last year, but the 30 bottles did add some weight. Like I said, still evolving......
 
08/13/2016 03:41PM  
I like Mio, but I also really like the Gatoraid powder mix. That and coffee are it for me. Oh, sometimes I bring in a small softsided cooler with a couple frozen bottles os water. LOVE drinking those when they thaw!!
 
P_diggity
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08/16/2016 02:13PM  
30 bottles of Jim Beam! Were yous guys fishing or drinking! Haha. Sounds like a righteous time!
 
paulsexton
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08/18/2016 07:32AM  
quote P_diggity: "30 bottles of Jim Beam! Were yous guys fishing or drinking! Haha. Sounds like a righteous time!"
Yep, righteous fosho! Planning on the same for this year. Couple of us are bringing Sawyers. Scheduling conflicts have forced a mid/late SEP trip, but we may see some colorful foliage. I forgot to add that we have our outfitter omit the dinner menu which helps justify the whiskey weight. Have to be responsible, you know?
 
08/19/2016 11:54PM  

+1 Parkermag ... have always been a scotch man and the past few years I have gravitated to bourbon. A couple 750 ml's of Woodford Reserve in Nalgene bottles or plastic flasks makes for some good night sippin' around a campfire.
 
muddyfeet
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08/20/2016 12:36PM  
Morning: Via coffee,
Evening: Good Earth citrus or matcha green tea,
Paddling: Mio flavors,
As needed: Flask of small batch Rye- some fantastic local stills in MN/Wisconsin.

Someone above mentioned port, which I think goes well with foods rich and chocolatey- s'mores perhaps?
 
08/20/2016 11:34PM  

Muddyfeet,

You must try Cody Road Rye from Mississippi River Distiliing Co. Le Claire, IA. I personally know the 2 farmers that grow the rye for this local distillery. This rye has ties with Wild Bill Cody too. Cody Road Rye Misissippi River Distilling Co. Le Claire IA
 
muddyfeet
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08/21/2016 10:34PM  
quote Wally13: "Muddyfeet,

You must try Cody Road Rye from Mississippi River Distiliing Co. Le Claire, IA. I personally know the 2 farmers that grow the rye for this local distillery. This rye has ties with Wild Bill Cody too. Cody Road Rye Misissippi River Distilling Co. Le Claire IA "

They distribute to MN :)
 
BuckFlicks
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02/16/2017 05:32PM  
My canoe buddy and I have perfected a margarita recipe that tastes way better than any commercial mix, and it's not terribly complex. We do live in Texas, the national margarita capital, so we've done extensive field research.

The recipe for the final drink is quite easy:

equal parts of:
- a good but not top shelf tequila (reposado should be fine. Anejo is for sipping, not mixed drinks or shots. Silver or blanco tequila is unaged, and if it's a quality brand like Cabrito or Patron, it will still be good. Cheaper brands silver offerings will be harsh and not as enjoyable. Don't get "gold" ... that's just cheap silver tequila with caramel color added in. Look for 100% agave tequila, though, whatever type you get.
-Lime juice (you can use fresh-squeezed. I also like Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Juice from a bottle. Tastes natural and lasts longer in the fridge.)
-Simple syrup or agave nectar
- (optional) some sort of orange liquer like Triple Sec.

Simple syrup is easy to make: one cup of sugar and one cup of water. If you're in a hurry, combine in a small pot on the stove and heat until sugar is dissolved. If you're not in a hurry, you can accomplish the same at room temperature, it will just take a little longer for the water to break down the sugar. Typically simple syrup is 2 cups or more per one cup of water, but I find that makes the margarita a bit too sweet, so we lowered the mix for this recipe.

You can mix it all together in whatever volume you wish... for a big pitcher, single glass, or a bottle to store it in the fridge. Or you can mix everything but the tequila in it and store it in the fridge to mix a drink at a time over a few nights' span.

I don't see why this wouldn't be usable as a first night beverage when camping. I wouldn't want to keep it for too much longer after that without refrigeration. With sugar and real lime juice in the mix, it'll start to ferment before too long and not in the good way.

Serve on the rocks. Frozen margaritas mask the subtle and complex flavors of the tequila and the lime, which is what a margarita should be about. This recipe makes a margarita as good or better than any $12 margarita at a restaurant or bar, and costs less than $8 per pitcher.
 
yogi59weedr
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02/26/2017 12:04PM  
Bacardi Gold.
 
GetinJay
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05/05/2017 11:11PM  
That's what I'm talking about. It wouldn't be camping trip without the Whiskey and wine
 
Duckman
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05/20/2017 09:15PM  
Anyone have a creative plan for backcountry bloody marys?
 
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