Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) a very strong drink; also attrib.

1934		T. Wood Cobbers 159: ‘My shout,’ said the fattest fat man, ‘and it’s me Block an’ Tackle.’ ‘What d’you mean Fred?’ said the man in checks. ‘Me sixth,’ said Fred. ‘When I’ve had five double whiskies I do me block; but when I’ve had six I’d tackle anything!’.
1939		Washboard Sam & Buster Bennett ‘Block & Tackle’ 🎵 — They gonna have some of the best ol’ moonshine you ever tasted. —Now, what’s the name of it? —That’s a moonshine called Block and Tackle.
1951		Western Folklore X 81: Block and Tackle Whiskey (take a drink, walk a block, and you’ll tackle Joe Louis, a lion, or a tiger).
1967		in DARE.
1974		Sanford and Son [NBC-TV] This reminds me of a drink we had in the service. We called it a block and tackle: you’d drink one, walk a block, and you’d tackle anybody [HDAS].
2002		Toshio Shimizu ‘Brown ferry Blues’ 🎵 Hard luck papa gettin’ too tight / if he don’t quit drinkin’ he’ll [get] high as a kite / Lord, Lord, I got them Brown Ferry Blues / He’s drinkin’ that block and tackle kind / He can walk a block and tackle a lion / Lord, Lord, I got them Brown Ferry Blues.