The South Florida Hurricane Season Stock-Up Guide: What to Have on Hand

Every South Floridian knows the drill. The cone of uncertainty shows up on the evening news, the grocery store runs out of water by morning, and the plywood comes out of the garage. Hurricane prep is a way of life here from June through November — and while water, batteries, and canned food come first, there's a reason the liquor store line gets long right after the supermarket's. Here's how to stock up smart, before the rush.

First Things First: The Real Essentials

Let's be clear about priorities: water, non-perishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, a full tank of gas, and cash come before anything else on this list. Follow your local emergency management guidance, know your evacuation zone, and never ride out a serious storm somewhere unsafe. Everything below assumes the real prep is already done.

Why Stock the Bar Before a Storm?

Practical reasons, mostly. Once a hurricane warning is issued, stores close early — and after a storm passes, they may stay closed for days. If the power's out for a week, a decent bottle keeps you and your neighbors company through card games by lantern light. Spirits don't need refrigeration, don't spoil, and a bottle of good bourbon is worth a lot in a neighborhood where everyone's grilling the contents of their defrosting freezers together.

There's also the South Florida tradition of the hurricane party — the gathering that happens when the storm turns out to be a near-miss and the whole block exhales at once. We don't encourage anyone to take a storm lightly. But when the all-clear comes, being the neighbor with the well-stocked bar makes you popular fast.

What to Stock: The No-Refrigeration Rules

Think shelf-stable and versatile. Spirits are the backbone: rum feels seasonally appropriate (the classic Hurricane cocktail exists for a reason), whiskey and bourbon are perfect for sipping when the generator's humming, and a handle of vodka mixes with whatever juice survives the fridge purge. Wine works too — reds especially, since they don't mind room temperature.

Beer is trickier without refrigeration, so buy it last and ice it down in a cooler alongside your food. Grab shelf-stable mixers while you're at it: canned juices, tonic, ginger beer, and margarita mix all keep without power. And don't forget the practical stuff — a manual can opener doubles as your bottle opener when the electric one is useless.

Stock Up Early, Not in the Panic

The best time to hurricane-shop is when the storm is still five days out — or better yet, at the start of the season before anything's on the map. Both Discount Liquor King locations make it easy: our Hollywood store at 2462 Sheridan St, (954) 544-2521, and our Oakland Park store at 2160 W Oakland Park Blvd, (954) 533-7695. Call ahead with your list and we'll have it ready for a fast pickup — because during storm week, nobody wants to spend extra time running errands.

Stay safe out there this season. Make your plan, prep early, and when the all-clear sounds, we'll be here.