The pursuit of cheap alcohol has been a cornerstone of human ingenuity since we first discovered fermentation. Throughout history, people have devised increasingly creative ways to get buzzed without emptying their coin purses. This article tracks humanity’s most resourceful drinking hacks across civilizations—from ancient honey wines to modern bottom-shelf specials. Whether you’re a broke college student or just appreciate efficiency in your intoxication, there’s something to learn from our ancestors’ commitment to affordable inebriation.
Ancient Times: Mead, the Original Budget Buzz
Before distillation was a thing, our ancestors discovered they could mix honey with water, wait a bit, and end up with something far more interesting than either ingredient alone. Mead became the cheap alcohol of choice across continents. The production process was idiot-proof: mix honey and water, let natural yeasts do their thing, drink, repeat. Ancient Egyptians brewed it in massive quantities, while Viking households considered it a staple rather than a luxury. The alcohol content hovered around 8-15%—efficient enough for a decent night without requiring sophisticated equipment.
Worth noting: modern craft meaderies have somehow convinced people to pay premium prices for what was historically the equivalent of prison hooch. Don’t fall for it.
Medieval Europe: Ale as Daily Nutrition
Medieval Europeans weren’t drinking ale to party—they were drinking it to survive. Water supplies were frequently contaminated, while the brewing process naturally killed pathogens. Even children drank “small beer” (low-alcohol ale) as their primary hydration source. Most households brewed their own, making it the cheapest alcohol available.
The brewing process typically fell to women, who were known as “alewives” and often sold surplus production from their homes—establishing the first informal pubs. The ale was cloudy, minimally filtered, and consumed fresh since it spoiled quickly without hops. Modern beer snobs would probably call it “rustic” while secretly preferring something filtered.
Colonial America: Applejack Through Freezing
Early American colonists weren’t exactly swimming in grain, but they had apples—lots of them. Hard cider became the default beverage, with the average person consuming 15-54 gallons annually. Not content with cider’s moderate punch, they developed “freeze distillation” to create applejack.
The process: leave barrels of cider outside during winter, then remove the ice that formed on top. Since alcohol freezes at a lower temperature than water, what remained was a more concentrated product—reaching up to 30% ABV without requiring proper distillation equipment. Cheap, strong alcohol with minimal effort. The only downside was the concentration of both alcohol and fusel oils, which contributed to particularly vicious hangovers. Colonial Americans knew how to party, but they paid for it the next morning.
Industrial Revolution: Gin Epidemic
When the British government allowed unlicensed gin production while simultaneously taxing beer heavily, they unwittingly created an epidemic of cheap alcohol. In 1730s London, an estimated 7,000 gin shops served a population of 600,000. You could get wasted for pennies, with vendors advertising “Drunk for a penny, dead drunk for twopence.”
The gin itself was often cut with turpentine, sulfuric acid, or other industrial byproducts that could cause blindness, organ failure, or death. Still, it was cheap enough that London’s working class deemed the risk acceptable. When your daily reality involves 16-hour factory shifts and urban squalor, pharmaceutical-grade alcohol probably seems unnecessary.
The Great Depression: Bathtub Innovation
During the economic collapse of the 1930s, cheap alcohol became both more necessary and less attainable. The solution? DIY production. Depression-era home distillers created makeshift stills from pressure cookers, copper tubing, and whatever else they could scavenge. The “bathtub” moniker came from the practice of using actual bathtubs to mix ingredients for fermentation before distillation.
These bootleggers weren’t concerned with flavor profiles or aging—they were focused on maximum alcohol content with minimal investment. The resulting spirits were rough but effective. For those unwilling to risk a still explosion, home-fermented wine (often made from raisins or other dried fruits) provided a safer alternative.
Prohibition Era: The Rise of Moonshine
American Prohibition (1920-1933) was supposed to eliminate alcohol consumption. Instead, it created an entire underground economy dedicated to producing cheap alcohol. Moonshine operations thrived in remote areas, particularly Appalachia, where geography provided natural protection from law enforcement.
The distillers used sugar, corn, and whatever fermentable materials they could find. The distillation often happened in homemade copper stills hidden in forests or caves. Quality control was essentially non-existent—moonshine could contain lead from improper soldering, methanol from poorly managed distillation cuts, or various contaminants from reused containers. Despite the risks, people couldn’t get enough of it. When something’s forbidden, it automatically becomes more appealing, even if that something might make you go blind.
Post-War Era: Fortified Wine and Malt Liquor
The mid-20th century brought us the industrialization of cheap alcohol. Fortified wines like Thunderbird and MD 20/20 offered maximum bang for minimal buck. These products typically started as low-quality wine fortified with additional alcohol and sweetened to mask off-flavors. They became associated with urban poverty and alcoholism, earning nicknames like “bum wine.”
Meanwhile, malt liquor emerged as beer’s higher-alcohol, lower-cost cousin. Packaged in 40-ounce bottles, brands like Colt 45 and Olde English 800 delivered around 5-6% ABV (higher than typical beer at the time) at rock-bottom prices. The formula was simple: more alcohol, less flavor, cheaper ingredients, aggressive marketing to communities with limited economic options.
Modern Era: The Bottom Shelf Renaissance
Today’s landscape of cheap alcohol is surprisingly diverse. We’ve got everything from artificially flavored vodkas that taste like birthday cake to boxed wines that won’t completely ruin your Tuesday morning. The innovation isn’t in production methods anymore—it’s in marketing.
Brands like PBR turned their budget image into a selling point, becoming ironically cool among hipsters. Fireball took cheap whiskey, added massive amounts of cinnamon flavoring to mask the rough edges, and created a shot empire. White Claw made cheap alcohol socially acceptable by packaging it as “hard seltzer” and claiming it’s somehow healthier than other options.
The most honest player in today’s cheap alcohol game might be Everclear—grain alcohol that makes no pretense about its purpose. At 95% ABV, it’s not trying to be artisanal or craft. It exists for one reason: efficient intoxication at minimal cost. There’s something almost respectable about that level of transparency.
DIY Revival: Homebrewing’s Second Coming
The contemporary homebrewing movement has taken what was historically a cost-saving measure and somehow transformed it into an expensive hobby. While our ancestors brewed beer because it was cheaper than buying it, modern homebrewers often spend thousands on equipment to produce beer that costs more per bottle than commercial alternatives.
That said, home fermentation still offers economical options for the budget-conscious. Five gallons of hard cider can be produced for under $25 using apple juice and brewing yeast. Basic wine kits can yield 30 bottles for about $3-4 each. The key is avoiding the equipment rabbit hole—you don’t need conical fermenters and digital temperature controllers to make alcohol that will get you drunk.
Check my section all about DIY & Homemade Liquors
Conclusion
The history of cheap alcohol tells us more about human nature than we might care to admit. We’ve consistently prioritized affordable intoxication across vastly different cultural contexts and technological eras. From medieval alewives to modern malt liquor, the fundamental equation remains unchanged: maximum effect, minimum cost.
Next time you’re nursing a plastic bottle hangover or questioning that third glass of $5 wine, take comfort in knowing you’re participating in a tradition older than written history. Our ancestors would recognize your economical approach to altered consciousness, even if they’d be confused by the blue raspberry flavoring.
