I wonder how much of this had to do with using alcohol as a primary source of nutrition and method of food preservation. Perhaps the best way to preserve all t

I wonder how much of this had to do with using alcohol as a primary source of nutrition and method of food preservation. Perhaps the best way to preserve all the new world crops (including corn, potatoes, and numerous fruits and vegatables) was to ferment them? Old world wheat is very dry to start with, making it easy to store for long periods. But new world staples are much harder to preserve - what else could you do if you haven't discovered bacteria or pasteurization, invented refrigeration or canning, and need to feed everyone year round? With farm output preserved through fermentation, alcohol would have been extremely cheap as well - I would guess significant cheaper than fresh foods during winter months.