Making pruno is less about craft and more about desperation. The process typically relies on three core components available in a prison environment:

Pruno—better known by its unglamorous nicknames like or "buck" —is a testament to human ingenuity under total restriction. It is a clandestine alcoholic beverage brewed behind bars using whatever ingredients can be scavenged from a cafeteria tray or the commissary. While its flavor is famously compared to "vomit-flavored wine-cooler" or "nail polish remover," its existence is a high-stakes game of chemistry and evasion. The Anatomy of an Illicit Brew