Why do people still moonshine?

[whammy]

When I was a kid in the late 60s I used to hang out at a bar some friends of mine owned. They would bring out a jug, after closing, and for a buck a water glass we could taste the good stuff that they went south to pick up. Never knew where they got it, but I have to admit that very frequently I would spend the night curled up on the pool table. On occasion, there would be two of us on the table. I sure am glad that those days have passed, and I lived through them.

 

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[Leatherneck2111]

My entire family was in the moonshine business all the way into the 1980's. They all decided to retire when "quantity" outpaced "quality" as the prime directive. They used quality grains, cane sugar and fresh fruit..... making a mighty fine product, if I do say so myself. The "sugar likker" folks have hurt the art immensely. No pride in it much today, just making money. Sad really.

 

[MrSchulz]

Done right its an art. For some it is heritage. For others its a way to do people wrong with improper methods.
Nice find on the jugs. mine for wine making and bottling are second hand. During prohibition established businesses were supposed to break discarded bottles,you may have seen raised lettering saying federal law prohibits sale or reuse of this bottle on some?. Wonder if that had a hand in mason jars being used?.

No jugs said that but ive pulled over a bottles that said that

 

[NYScrap]

I guess I will put my two cents in, as I am a licensed distiller in NY state and have been for the past 5 years. One reason I think people moonshine is because they amount of paper work and reporting is crushing. We have to keep track of everything form what we buy to what we produce to what we lose due to evaporation. Beyond that money is an obvious motivation.

To clear up some misconceptions: it is in fact illegal to produce any alcoholic distillate according to the federal government, there is no 10 gallon rule etc. Beer and Wine can be produced without a license up to a certain gallonage... Something like 300 gallons (so no one is really ever going to get there). You can buy alcohol in most states up to 190 proof, with the most common brand being everclear.

I can go on and on all day... and will try to follow this thread as best I can in case any questions come up. I am not an expert on moonshine, but am very familiar with the industry in general, and the history of liquor as a whole.

 

[truckinbutch]

Well, it's been over 20 years so I can talk about it. Back in the 50's I drove what was called a tanker. As I remember it was a '53 Mercury. It had a small gas tank in the trunk and a big tank for the whiskey where the gas tank use to be. I picked it up at a parking lot in VA and drove to a street location in Baltimore. I then locked the keys inside and left. My payment was in the glove compartment. From what I understand, it went to some bars on "the block" in Balto. I never knew who owned the car or whiskey and that suited me fine. The closest I came to getting caught was when I had a flat and a State Trooper stopped and ask if I needed help changing the tire. Times have changed, even the troopers. I was a little daring in my youth, something I outgrew. Frank

I ran a 50 Ford with a Caddy v-8 in the early '60's . Va to Pa and I had to return the car . Jared product instead of tank . WV trooper that later became a prison warden busted up my game . Took $800 and 70 gallons of whiskey . Then he slapped the pizz out of me and told me to never travel his road again .
I'd been doing preyy good , for a 15yr old , before that happened .

 

[strateloss]

My family makes grappa for themselves and to give to friends. It's made from what's left over after making wine. You add the left over squashed grapes, sugar & water, let it ferment and distill. They actually use an old BBQ grill that has an outer burner on one end and the shelf on the other with a modified pressure cooker. The pipe comes out of the pressure cooker over the top of the hood then comes down and coils through a modded pot and out of the bottom. It’s very simple and creative. What comes out is as clear as shine when done right and can also give you a good kick in the ass...lol

 

[leaker]

To quote tnmountins it is illegal to distill spirts in any amont in t
The Us without a proper lic. Weather it is a shot. Or a truck load. Don't be fooled it is about the money.you may brew 50 gallons of beer per year and I do not remember how much wine. Be nice to the deputy he decides were you will sleep tonight

 

[coazon de oro]

All men are created equal, but spirits are not. Some times one has to create what can not be bought, this is the why.

If I could buy what I have experienced in home made, I would be recommending that product here.

It happened many years ago up in Wisconsin, we were calling out the spirits of some dead wine which was also home made. We capped the bottles at 100 proof. I brought two bottles back to Texas, everyone who partied with us when I pulled out those bottles, still talks about it.

There was a hint of fruit, and you could tell it was strong stuff, but when you swallowed it down, it would sort of disappear. That is the best way I can describe it. It was like swallowing air. The stuff was strong while in your mouth, but you couldn't feel it go past your throat. There was no after taste at all.

The first one to go down was sitting on his ice chest, when he fell backwards, I ended up having several limp bodies in the yard.

 

[hvacker]

Years ago I lived in Arkansas for awhile. Alcohol at that time went by counties. Some dry and some not. While it was said the religious people controlled the issue I used to think the wet counties had more to do with the laws. For instance, in Illinois, at the time a bottle of Jack was $8.50. In a wet Ark county it was $18.50. Ten bucks more.
Most of the shiners there sold commercial alcohol in dry counties.

For people when something's against the law there are those that abide and those that take that law as a challenge. They ether break it outright or find a crafty way around it. I remember a Woody Guthry song about a sign that said "NO Trespassing" but the other side didn't say nothing.
Sometimes the law shouldn't be. Remember the Huntly Brinkley Report. David Brinkley reported that our Gov had allowed (long ago) the head-of-house to make 120 gal of beer or wine. A guy applied for the permit but was not allowed because he wasn't married and therefore wasn't a head-of-house.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

If you find someone who really knows how to make it, you will get a nice jar of shine.... It is cheaper and stronger than what you can buy....... I only got it in quart mason jars..... Went reall good wiith my other party favors...

 

[bigscoop]

My family has deep routes in Kentucky & Tennessee and I can remember taking a shot of shine from a mason jar, once....and after the burning stopped my question was, "Why do people still drink moonshine?"

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Its an aquired taste, the more you taste the more "aquired" you get, just like drinking scotch..... I am a scotch man, I love good scotch, but first time many people try it they hate it....

When I was in the Air Force, the Lt Col. I worked for took me out to the bars the first night in Okinawa, he told me he will buy all the drinks when ever we are out,........... but that he drank scotch and will only buy scotch, "so learn to drink scotch airman"....... Love good scotch still to this day..

 

[NOLA_Ken]

I'm a Bourbon guy personally, but I have had some pretty good moonshine down here. I have thought on more than one occasion about buying a small oak cask and aging some shine a few years to see what it would come out like.... Maybe one day.

 

[truckinbutch]

I'm a Bourbon guy personally, but I have had some pretty good moonshine down here. I have thought on more than one occasion about buying a small oak cask and aging some shine a few years to see what it would come out like.... Maybe one day.

If you have the patience to stay out of it , it comes out great . For the less patient , there is always the teedum keg . 2-3 gallon white oak keg that you will probably have to char yourself . Load it with fresh whiskey and strap it to the rockers of a rocking chair . If you have someone at the house that likes to rock every day you can get about a year's aging in 2 months .

 

[Jeffro]

Must be a million ways to make shine..... I remember pulling a guy out of the woods a few years back and in return he gave me a little jigger. Tasted like water, slightly sweet, then like it just disappeared down my throat without much burning sensation at all. 15 minutes later I was three sheets to the wind, lol! Now that was some good stuff right there!

 

[AUVnav]

Well, at least in Washington State,

If you wish to make small amounts of spirits, a craft distillery license allows you to produce 60,000 gallons or less a year with at least half of the raw materials used in the production grown in Washington. The license costs $100. Learn how to apply.

(I like their definition of 'small amounts')

BTW, one of the big differences between the cheap liquor and the better stuff is filtering. If you pour the stuff through a britta filter a few times, it will taste a hell of a lot better!

Ceramic aquarium filter media works really well too!

 

[NYScrap]

AUV, there are a lot of states that have small distillery licenses now, but if you have a license it is not moonshine. Moonshine denotes spirits of an illicit origin... at least that is how it is defined in the common vernacular. Any time I see a product on shelves in a liquor store that says 'shine or whatever, I just laugh at the marketing and move on.

Also, about the small barrels I would suggest regular tastings as the smaller barrels have a higher surface area and are able to infuse wood flavor much more rapidly then the "standard" 55 gallon barrel. So if you leave product in a 5 gallon barrel for several years, chances are you will be tasting nothing but bark when you drink it (that is assuming it is a charred whiskey barrel, and not a toasted barrel).

 

[New Orleans Relic]

If you find someone who really knows how to make it, you will get a nice jar of shine.... It is cheaper and stronger than what you can buy....... I only got it in quart mason jars..... Went reall good wiith my other party favors...

Interesting thread but reading our mod, TH, slurping quart mason jars, seems like the principle admitting he smoked in the boys room stalls. lol
What "other party favors" we talkin, TH? Whistles and balloons? Twister, perhaps?
Ray

 

[hvacker]

I ran across building a reflex still on the net. Using copper pipes it looks a lot cheaper than a pot still with the price of copper.
I remember a recipe using sweet feed from the farm store. You won't get caught buying too much sugar.
Could this conversion be considered a conspiracy? I wonder if my attorney is still on speed dial?

 

[clovis97]

People still love the myth and mystic that surrounds moonshine. They will line up with fat stacks of cash to own a little bit of likker.

I contend that if moonshine was legalized and sold in every liquor store in the US, most people wouldn't give two hoots or a holler about it.

If you had a quality product, and found the right crowd to sell it to, you'd have no problem paying cash for a new Cadillac in a short amount of time.