Why do people still moonshine?

[Gunrunner61]

Ain't nothing wrong with a little moonshine now and again. Best I know of comes from the North Georgia Mountains.

I was waiting on someone to say that!...............................HH

 

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[Tnmountains]

Well you ole North Ga Gunrunner in Tennessee we still get our corn from a jar here in good ole rocky top."Rocky Top" is our state song I think? We yell and sing that song every time Tennessee plays win or loose heck it does not matter. It is something so common no one ever talks about it. Smooth as silk if proofed right with the run from the heart. So they say.I was a pall bearer for a good friend who was a moonshiner in his day. He owned a mountain and back during the depression they mined coal off his mountain. I figured that is how he made his good luck in life. He laughed and said "son" there was never a load of coal that came of that mountain that didn't have a load of shine under it. He lived to be 93 and was a spry smart ole friend. A generation lost. I miss him and think of him often.

I worked with an old man at the rail road building bridges. The creosote was coming up from the timbers and burning us pretty bad one hot day. He pulled off his shirt to put on another and I saw the scars like quarters all over his chest and silver dollars on his back. I asked him what happened and he told me they were making whiskey one night and the revenuers busted into their camp. He stood up and they shot him 5 times. Well he lived some did not and he went to Federal prison. He said I had never had a roof over my head every night and 3 square meals a day. Said it was like a vacation for him and he changed his ways. I think he is still alive. The mules would pull it up the river and they would turn them loose as they knew their way home. I loved hearing the ole timers and mtn people tell their stories. Plus they could tell you about old home sites to hunt or which fields had arrowheads. Great people if you know them.
HH
TnMtns

 

[racer117]

Your chiropractor would not tell you because it would put him out of business.I live up here in the north,but I have a friend whos family is from the south,and brings me a moonshine sample once in awhile.Let me tell ya,it is good for all the aches and pains. Granny Clampett also said this.

 

[Krosp1718]

When I was stationed in Norfolk I had a buddy that was from a little town in the Blue Ridge. His old man would occasionally send him back with a big jar of shine with little Damson Plums loaded up to the lid. The stuff would damn near evaporate as you were drinking it and just leave you warm, shiny, and happy. I never have found its equal. I had some stuff a while back made from an old horse feed recipe and I'm here to tell ya- if you get the opportunity for that particular type, go on ahead and pass.

I get the part about sticking it to the man, and understand the .gov could care less about your health than it does that almighty tax dollar, but if a $100 license is all that stands between you and jail time, losing potentially thousands of dollars and perhaps having a vehicle or two seized, I say go for it. If it makes you feel better to be cooking out under a camo net in the woods,by all means, knock yourself out. Just my $.02. YMMV. Hell, if you're just curious, google up an apple pie recipe and make it out of a couple bottles of everclear. I had some of that back at Thanksgiving made with some Washington White (151 proof everclear) and it went down nice and easy. Tasty stuff there.

 

[NYScrap]

I, personally, think that there are different levels of moonshining. There are those that make the shine for profit, in large batches out in the woods (or the barn, or the bathtub etc). These people are in it for the profit, and to stick it to the man.

The other group of shiners are those that make small batches in their kitchen. This group is usually either people that make the same stuff their grandparents taught them to make, or are home brewers/winemakers that want to take their craft to the next level. They don't sell it, they don't profit, they just want to keep tradition alive and want to share their products with friends.

I have trouble with the first, and completely support the second. Thankfully where I am there are not to many big producers.... as that would cut into my profit margin .

 

[MrSchulz]

I enjoy the history behind it, and love digging the jugs.. thanks for all the replies

 

[Number9]

The best is not made for money and profit... it's made for pride only!
If you have to buy some... you're not buying the best.
The best is for family and friends... and to receive a donation from a friend is like getting a handshake.

For everyone doing it for money, you'll have several doing it because they are Artisans in the craft of distilling.

Most think only "corn whiskey" when told about moonshine. The truth is the artisans of the Appalachian Mountains are some of the best masters of distilling in the world of all types of spirits. And it may sound funny... but they don't like to be called a "Moonshiner"!

 

[GaRebel1861]

Ain't nothing wrong with a little moonshine now and again. Best I know of comes from the North Georgia Mountains.

I was waiting on someone to say that!...............................HH

Just telling the truth.

 

[coinshooter]

I was also wondering, anyone ever run across one of these while it was active in the forest?
Out here we worry about running into an active, booby trapped pot farm, but I always wondered how far one of these moonies would take it if we accidentally ran up on one while hunting for civil war stuff in the forest.
Also, the reason people make it is because they can make money and not pay TAXES on it.
Thats the ONLY reason the govt even cares. THEY WANT THEIR CUT. Only thing these days, is they make a law and then they can steal from you legally.
Watch the movie "Lawless" and you will understand.

 

[Number9]

"Ain't nothing wrong with a little moonshine now and again. Best I know of comes from the North Georgia Mountains."

Hey GaRebel1861...
Would that have come from Fannin County, GA?
Helped a friend build a copper still there a few years back.


coinshooter...
"I was also wondering, anyone ever run across one of these while it was active in the forest?"

Only by invitation.

 

[truckinbutch]

Couple of my old buddies came to visit today . I was telling them about this thread while we shared a few 'nips'. They thought I should come back and clarify the transporting side . We had cars that would run like hell and we could drive them . We gained those skills by trial and error on back roads and in pasture fields . Alone or racing in company with no liquor on board . When under load we were the most law abiding , inconspicuous individuals on the highway . The idea was to deliver the whiskey and make money . High speed chases were counterproductive to profit . We had no intention of stopping nor any desire to give a cop reason to try .

 

[Number9]

Two forums that has a lot of info that may be able to answer most of your questions...

Home Distiller • Index page

Artisan Distiller • Index page

 

[releventchair]

Couple of my old buddies came to visit today . I was telling them about this thread while we shared a few 'nips'. They thought I should come back and clarify the transporting side . We had cars that would run like hell and we could drive them . We gained those skills by trial and error on back roads and in pasture fields . Alone or racing in company with no liquor on board . When under load we were the most law abiding , inconspicuous individuals on the highway . The idea was to deliver the whiskey and make money . High speed chases were counterproductive to profit . We had no intention of stopping nor any desire to give a cop reason to try .

Were i savvy i would pull up the song RapidRoy by Jim Croce. Not to "stereo type"(pun intended)any one.