Do you know any moonshiners?

[RED]

Moonshine

Do you know a moonshiner? Moonshine has been outlawed for two hundred or more years… not for health reasons and not because it is a dangerous item to consume, but because it is a tax issue. The Fed’s love alcohol because they tax the dickens out of it. I had no idea though how popular moonshining is as a hobby in todays world.

I can go down to my local grocery store and buy a 750 ML bottle of Gem Clear 180 proof, legal, tax paid, alcohol for $14. I have a friend that can use his still and produce 750 ML of 180 proof for somewhere around $30. HELLO! He does it because it is his hobby and a science and not to avoid taxes… You can’t drink 180 proof and (I am told) it tastes like sheet. He makes a product that is 100 proof, and then “oaks,” or ages it on toasted oak chips for at least 3 days. He is doing this not to avoid taxes, not to make money, he is doing it because it is chalenging and fun and there are recipes for panty dropping shine...

The TV shows about todays moonshiners are mostly hype and BS, but there are thousands of hobbyists out there that are breaking an archaic law that should exempt individuals that produce for their own consumption.

Go to http://homedistiller.org/forum/ and read up on the hobby… You can read 24/7 for the next six months then you can do it yourself!

How many people are doing this? A proof and tralle hydrometer is only used in distilling. Look it up on eBay. The first 2 listings show over 8,500 of them have been sold in the last month.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=moonshine+stills&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l2632.R3.TR11.TRC2.A0.H4.Xmoonshine+.TRS1&_nkw=moonshine+still&_sacat=14308

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=moonshine+stills&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1311.R1.TR1.TRC0.A0.H5.Xproof+and+tralle.TRS0&_nkw=proof+and+tralle+hydrometer&_sacat=14308

[Allen]

He is doing this not to avoid taxes, not to make money, he is doing it because it is chalenging and fun

Agree. It's like accusing us hobbyist that we reload ammo to keep from paying taxes on retail off the shelf ammo.

One of my favorite shows is Moonshiners. I've learned a little from the show even though some of it is kinda staged stupid. If I liked alcohol I would be temped to give it a try. The distillation part of it relates to my previous refinery occupation.

Making wine is much easier and not near as regulated. There was a store in Mobile (maybe it's still there) that sold all the books, fixtures and fruit concentrates for wine making. My mother made wine a couple of times just using a very large jar with cloth secured over the top to let fermentation gases out while preventing bugs and dust from getting in. She was not a drinker. I think she sampled it to see if she was doing it right but that was about it.

Just from hearsay from oldtimers when I was a kid they would mention that someone made shine but it was because of prohibition or lack of money. These people might give some of their product away or trade it for something.

Even though I've always lived in the deep South (if that makes any difference), I've never known of anyone personally who moonshined.

The feds really should leave these people alone and focus on pot, meth labs and other drug use.

[Major Tom]

During prohibition, my grandfather made his own booze in a wooded area behind his house. He also made his own beer. He was of German Descent. BTW, his brother was the chief of police back then.

[blocker]

A couple of years ago, before I retired, my fellow workers asked, What do you want for Xmas? I jokeing said, Moonshine. Lo and behold, on the last working day I was handed a MASON jar full of clear liquid! Smooth, best tasting stuff I've ever had. The ABC stores in Virginia now sell the stuff!

[p246]

No moonshine but have two friends that make small batches of beer. It's a hobby and they are always trying new recipes. Some of it tastes very good some not so much.

[Allen]

My mother often spoke of farmers who made their own beer. Back before the days of A/C they would bottle the beer and place the bottles under the house where it was cool. Sometimes they would bottle it a little too early (while the fermentation was still occurring) and while visiting people you would occasionally hear a bottle or two "pop".

[Clark Howard]

The last member of my family that made, sold, and drank white liquor died in the late sixties. He was the last of a long line. My great grandfather is reputed to have said, "There is drinking whiskey, and selling whiskey. You cannot buy the drinking kind." I take the meaning to be that drinking whiskey is given, not sold. Regards, Clark

[Sako]

I have drank ''moonshine'' from many different shiners in several states and it all has one thing in common, it is rough to drink. Anyone who ''likes'' shine is either lying to themselves or is in the last stages of alcoholism.

[Allen]

I have drank ''moonshine'' from many different shiners in several states and it all has one thing in common, it is rough to drink. Anyone who ''likes'' shine is either lying to themselves or is in the last stages of alcoholism.

Agree with this too. I was at a party one night and tried a little MS mixed with Coke and it was real good. Many years later, now that you can buy it at the liquor stores I bought a bottle of Popcorn Sutton's moonshine @ about $45. Like you said, it is rough. I thought it was just me because I basically don't like alcohol. This stuff is really crap.

[clintonhater]

One of my favorite shows is Moonshiners. I've learned a little from the show even though some of it is kinda staged stupid.

Hey, most of those guys could pass for Harvard grads compared to the "sang" hunters on the Appalachian Outlaws show.

[Mark in Ottawa]

There is a chain of large liquor stores in Florida and some of the nearby states called Total Wines that sells several different kinds of liquor called moonshine for $20 a bottle. See http://www.totalwine.com/spirits/whi...8&igrules=true

[aintright]

One thing , if the shine ain't cut , you don't drink it , you sip it . You see a fellows Adam's apple go up and down , he is either really drunk or drinking watered down liquor .
Moon shine can be very good , as said , there is selling shine and there is drinking shine . Corn and rye liquor is the usual market stuff and it is indeed course , peach , to me , is the best . Also be aware there is a pile of yayhoos out there that think they are buying peach , apple , and various berry liquors and the stuff either has the fruit particles or is colored , this is the stuff you will see people drinking , not sipping , because it has had fruit juices added to it for flavoring and there fore it is cut .
You can add fruits to good rye or corn and make it more palatable , but you will still want to sip it . One favorite of people who are into a night of drinking is to eat the fruits out of the bottom of the jar , this is some potent stuff and usually results in the night cap .
Real peach will be clear with a slight smell of peach and even slighter taste of peach when sipped . Back when I was young and full of piss and vinegar I usually bought 10-15 gallons for a personal stash per year . Had a upright freezer in the basement that I kept it in . The ole man that used to make it , passed several years ago and I gave up drinking to amount to anything , several years ago . A six pack lasts me a couple weeks and the last half pint jar lasted me a couple years .

[JB White]

I have drank ''moonshine'' from many different shiners in several states and it all has one thing in common, it is rough to drink. Anyone who ''likes'' shine is either lying to themselves or is in the last stages of alcoholism.

Agree with this too. I was at a party one night and tried a little MS mixed with Coke and it was real good. Many years later, now that you can buy it at the liquor stores I bought a bottle of Popcorn Sutton's moonshine @ about $45. Like you said, it is rough. I thought it was just me because I basically don't like alcohol. This stuff is really crap.

I did snag some rough stuff out of Georgia back in '78. We opened it up on NYE during a blizzard. We likened it to drinking carburetor cleaner.
There is some really good stuff coming out of....I'll call it "Little San Juan" these days. Sippin' liquor for those summer nights when all the neighbors are out. I don't care for their passion fruit or the mango. (Save those flavors for the paletas AFAIC) However their almond rum is better than anything I've had store bought. A real treat.
Some of their competitors don't have quite the knack though. Everyone is able to tell when somebody went to the cheaper guy instead. Whoever is making the really good stuff is very proud of their craft.

[snakehunter]

A couple of years ago, before I retired, my fellow workers asked, What do you want for Xmas? I jokeing said, Moonshine. Lo and behold, on the last working day I was handed a MASON jar full of clear liquid! Smooth, best tasting stuff I've ever had. The ABC stores in Virginia now sell the stuff!

Back in the day, the moonshiners sold mason jars of 'white lightnin" for a dollar and I agree it was the smoothest booze I ever drank.

[Sunray]

"...You can’t drink 180 proof..." Whoever told you that is confused. Or has been drinking the stuff.
"...for two hundred or more years..." Not even Stateside. What do you think was consumed in the 1820's to 1890s in the American West? Lotta the assorted salloons were rated by how good their beer and liquor tasted. Where do you think bourbon came from?
"...for $14..." Cost you more than twice that up here. Last time I looked, a 25 pounder of Courvoisier ran $50Cdn.
"...made their own beer..." Hordes of people do that. Prior to Prohibition there were far more commercial breweries too.