Hurricane Irene Spawns "Hurricane Parties"

It was inevitable that canned food, bottled water, and batteries would dissappear like magic off the store shelves on the east coast as Hurricane Irene approached, but liquor stores have also seen a surprisingly big boost in business during the calm before the storm.

"Hurricane parties" are being held all along Irene's path in attempts to ride out the possibly debilitating storm on the way. Most public transportation is currently not running, and those who have not been asked to evacuate their homes plan to be there for a few days, possibly without power. And roads will most likely be flooded by Sunday morning, thanks to the torrential rains Irene is predicted to dump on the east coast.

One liquor store in New Jersey estimated that sales were up 30% as residents stocked up on the...essentials?
The buzz of college hurricane-themed parties has been on the rise, not that college kids need any excuse to party on the weekend. The most popular drink to kick off these parties? The "hurricane," of course! This drink is a mix of rum, fruit juice, lime, and grenadine.

I live in Jersey, and I'll admit that I made sure I had some cold beer in the fridge as of this afternoon. Of course, if Irene does swipe our electricity out for a few days, that means one thing...warm beer. And that's just nasty.

Sources: nj.com