Moonshine

**BoldHighlander** · 2nd January 12, 07:34 PM

Just sent an email to my sis' to see if she knew or could find out the particulars about the distilling of this batch of 'shine (water or apple juice etc). If I hear anything I'll let y'all know.

**Mikewood** · 2nd January 12, 07:41 PM

The only way I could see shine as being profitable was if you grew your own corn or sugar cane. Buying it from the store and trying to ferment it was never a cheep to make as good old over the counter whiskey. Having said this there is "fortified fruit" mostly apples which is fruit soaked in everclear with cinnamon and spices added. Folks would strain off the juices and filter them and then eat the fruit. The juice was closer to 150 proof and cut with apple juice or cider. The fruit was made into pies. It's very good stuff and goes down like a wine cooler which is very bad if your drinking 100 proof liquor.

**ohiopiper** · 2nd January 12, 08:10 PM

Growing enough corn isn't usually a problem, it's getting it ground correctly that becomes an issue. Corn meal isn't going to do it, but neither is "whole kernel", like comes in freezer bags or off the cob. It has to be ground for malt, and there's precious few uses for malt ground corn. You're likely to raise an eyebrow, being an unknown customer going into a mill and asking for that. Something tells me you'd be going home with a tail. The "revenuer" kind. Way back when, a miller wouldn't charge to do this. He'd keep it "off the books" and double charge the next load you brought in for meal grind.

Then you need a place for it to "work", to sit and be stirred once daily until the "dogs heads" come up. That's the big gas bubbles that break the surface, letting you know the malt, yeast and sugar have done their thing. Now you're into it for corn, yeast, sugar and milling. If I told you how much sugar, you'd go all bug eyed and call me a liar. And I'm talking per barrel, not per run.

Now you need copious amounts of cold running water and an out of the way place that the distinct odor of a still won't be noticed. If you're running a thump barrel to increase your yield, sound becomes an issue since the steam "thumps" rather loudly in the barrel between your cap arm and worm. On a quiet night, several hundred yards isn't unusual. And if the wind blows toward town, you're busted.

All that's AFTER you've spent a ton of money on copper sheet and tubing, rye to make paste to seal the cap and cap arm, bottles or jars, you get the idea.

The idea of a lazy hillbilly with nothing better to do than make corn whiskey is dead wrong. It is HARD work and the upfront cost can be extremely large, especially with metal prices the way they are. It was done because there was a demand and some had no other way to make an honest living than to fill that demand. If you're under sixty and selling it, I'd turn you in myself. The few old-timers left that do it for the craft lose money every time they make a run and most give it away to friends and family.

There is POSITIVELY no way to both do it safely AND make money right now. That's why I'd see you jailed for selling it. Giving it away? There are a few old men who still do it because that's all they've known.

ETA in response to Joshuas' post, I'd like to see something silimar. Take the illicit nature of it away, allow it to be above board and you'd eliminate the competition with legal whiskey. Moonshine is as safe as any other whiskey, as long as the distiller isn't cutting corners. But where there's a profit motive... Kinda like making methamphetamine. Sure, it'll kill you, but it's cheap!

**Joshua** · 2nd January 12, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by ohiopiper

If you're under sixty and selling it, I'd turn you in myself. The few old-timers left that do it for the craft lose money every time they make a run and most give it away to friends and family.

Therein lies the pickle. With them it dies.

Not to get too political, but I'd really like to see the US laws that allow wine and homebrew (as of 1978) to extend to the home distiller... perhaps with similar laws determining how much someone can distill for personal use. A whole new macroeconomy would form around the craft, not the product. Can you imagine, instead of Mr. Beer you'd have Mr. Vodka?

As it stands now, foodie-types are hacking the thermostats in water purification distillers to run lower so they can make a pint of brandy out of a few gallons of juice...

I miss seeing the craft. For those interested, there is a whole youtube series on Popcorn called "This is the last dam run of likker I'm ever gonna make" and it's fantastic... also shot in my old stomping grounds of Maggie Valley, NC.

Here's part one... it goes on for 11 episodes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXkoc5-9a-Y

**BoldHighlander** · 3rd January 12, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by Joshua

I miss seeing the craft. For those interested, there is a whole youtube series on Popcorn called "This is the last dam run of likker I'm ever gonna make" and it's fantastic... also shot in my old stomping grounds of Maggie Valley, NC.

Here's part one... it goes on for 11 episodes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXkoc5-9a-Y

Thanks Joshua, I'll have to check this out!

**kiltedjoss** · 3rd January 12, 03:27 PM

And now another series call "Moonshiners" about more folks in Virginia. Popcorn was highlighted again. One guy had a tattoo of Popcorn on his arm.

**Burly Brute** · 3rd January 12, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by Joshua

Therein lies the pickle. With them it dies.

Not to get too political, but I'd really like to see the US laws that allow wine and homebrew (as of 1978) to extend to the home distiller... perhaps with similar laws determining how much someone can distill for personal use. A whole new macroeconomy would form around the craft, not the product. Can you imagine, instead of Mr. Beer you'd have Mr. Vodka?

As it stands now, foodie-types are hacking the thermostats in water purification distillers to run lower so they can make a pint of brandy out of a few gallons of juice...

I miss seeing the craft. For those interested, there is a whole youtube series on Popcorn called "This is the last dam run of likker I'm ever gonna make" and it's fantastic... also shot in my old stomping grounds of Maggie Valley, NC.

Here's part one... it goes on for 11 episodes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXkoc5-9a-Y

Did I read somewhere that he wrote a book also?