Moonshine my fascination with the stongest liquor around

Allison Brenner How do you work this dang thing?? **This book has clickable material to jump around the document if you so choose

Cant wait any longer?

Find one of these to skip to see how it’s made Look for the C to go back to the contents page

Click on anything orange to be directed to a website you should check out or a must-see video Contents

1 Lookie Here 2 Legal vs. Illegal 3 Moonshine vs. Whiskey 4 XXX 5 Moon...shine 6 Whiskey Tax 7 It’s all about the Tax 8 Names 9 Dog 10 NASCAR 11 Dis is how we make the Moonshine 12 The Still 13 Inside the Still 14 How it Works 15 Submarine Pot 16 Ladies 17 Ingredients 18 Head 19 Flavors 20 Rebel 21 Tasting 22 Proof 23 Locations 24 Bootleggers 25 Show me the Money 26 Genuis? 27 Cheers Lookie Here

Before we begin it’s very important to understand this process needs to be performed correctly. If the steps aren’t completed properly, serious consequences can occur including BLINDNESS or DEATH.

Also understand that it is illegal to produce any alcohol in the U.S. without a license to distill in the state you live and from the federal government.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT, YOU WILL GO TO PRISON.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO CREATE YOUR OWN BATCH OF MOONSHINE: KNOW THE RISKS.

Lets get ’er started!

Moonshine 1 C Legal vs Illegal

Legal moonshine is made in indoor facilities that are shared with the owner of the distillery. They must get a license to distill from the state and the government. They are required to follow many regulations and fill out a lot of legal paper work. This includes taxing the ‘shine per gallon. Going Legal requires a lot of paperwork and attention to details that moonshiners in the woods don’t have to deal with but if done right can be just as rewarding.

But let’s be honest, if it’s illegal it’s more fun

Illegal moonshine is put in a jar without a label or a seal. They are typically put in generic mason jars or plastic jugs to transport easily. The moonshiners making it don’t have to pay taxes because they do not have any regulations to follow. They receive all the profit and are responsible for making the product correctly and getting it done on time for their buyers. While they may not have legal responsibilities, they understand the importance of making the product consistent for their buyers.

Moonshine 2 C Moonshine vs Whiskey

Moonshine is actually any alcohol made illegally.

It typically includes the same ingredients as whiskey so it is often called “white whiskey.”

Both begin clear when they are first distilled, the only difference is true whiskey is aged. It can sit in oak barrels for years I desired, which gives it a darker color. Moonshine has no aging requirements so it is often bottled and sold straight from the still. It can be mixed with fruits or other flavors that can change the color but for the most part it is clear. The lack of age is what gives it its strong taste.

I thnk we can agree, not to age is the better option

Moonshine 3 C XXX used to appear on jugs containing alcohol. It was a way of determining how many times the shine was run through the still. The three X’s meant it was ran three times, which is almost pure alcohol.

Bet you didn’t know that! Moon...shine?

When the first British settlers came to America, a lot had to be done. The term was used for all the various tasks that were performed at night. Overtime the term became exclusive with making illegal alcohol. The settlers needed to hide their stills from the eyes of the law so they

worked by the light of the moon.

DUH

Over the years, different areas of the country have come up with names for the liquor. Most refer to it as ‘shine but once a still liscence is signed, they begin to call it a form of whiskey.

Moonshine 5 C 1 Whiskey Tax

Many moonshiners have said making ‘shine is an art form.

It’s hard to disagree when it has been happening since the first settlers arrived. It seemed to be the American way. But it wasn’t until the 1790s when Alexander Hamilton created the whiskey tax that the illegal moonshining world took off.

we really should be thankin’ good ol’ Alex

“We’re probably talkin’ about 200 years ago moonshinin has been in this whole community and its just a way of life, when they put a tax on it, I think it really made em want to do it more. No ones gonna tell us we cant do it because we own the property and we grow our own grain so as soon as they said no alcohol allowed at all, you know the whole united states, then the moonshines had to go into business. So it actually started booming then.” -Tim Smith Moonshiner

Moonshine 6 C it’s all about the tax

Before prohibition 30 - 40 % of the U.S. government tax revenue came from the production and sale of alcohol. The prohibition stopped that flow.

In the Great Depression when the income tax was low from less people working, the government needed money and saw the alcohol industry as a way to boost the economy. In 1932 FDR ran for presidency promising to repeal the prohibition.

Today the U.S. government taxes up to $25 for each gallon produced in the country.

They’re making the BIG BUCKS

Moonshiners are rarely arrested or charged with making illegal liquor; they’re charged primarily for tax evasion.

Moonshine 7 C NAMES

Some of the other names moonshine has been given:

Alley Bourbon Jet Fuel Ruckus Juice Block & Tackle Jump Steady Saturday Night Shine Blue John Kickapoo See 7 Stars Branchwater Mountain Dew Skull Cracker Buckeye Bark Whiskey Mountian Liquor Sip n’ Shine Bush Whiskey Mountian Magic ‘Splo Catdaddy Moonshine Stingo Chicken Shine Mule Kick Stump City Gin Neilshine Stumphole Cool Water Old Horsey Sugar whiskey Corn Liquor Panther’s Breath Sugarhead Corn Squeezins’ Pine Top Sweet Spirits of Cats a-Fighting Deep Shaft Popskull Tenneessee White Whiskey Donkey Punch Radiator Whiskey Tiger’s Sweat Hooch Red Eye White Lightning Happy Sally Rise’n Shine White Dog Hillbilly Pop Rotgut Wild Cat

* my favorites

http://www.vtpublichistory.org/sites/MoonshineAppalachia/moonshine-nicknames/

Moonshine 8 C Many moonshiners have been said to have dogs as part of their moonshining team. Dogs can sense many things humans cannot and much faster than we can. A DOG can tell if the running water is not good, if strangers are nearby and can provide company during the long workdays.

grab your furry friend before heading into the woods nascar

Nascar got its start during the prohibition. Bootleggers would use souped-up cars to vade the police. When the Prohibition ended they continued their reckless ways by getting away from the taxman on the dirt roads.

Many of the early racers were former bootleggers including Junior Johnson who had spent a year in prison for operating an illegal still, before later joining the Nascar way of life.

gentelmen, start your engines

Moonshine 10 C 'Dis is how we make the Moonshine

Making alcohol revolves around two processes: fermentation and distillation. Fermentation is a chemical reaction that occurs when the yeast breaks down the sugar. One result of that reaction is alcohol. Distillation is the process of evaporating the alcohol at 172 degrees and collecting the steam before condensing it back into liquid form.

First you fill it up the pot with water, at least ¾ full and add the corn meal so it can soak. The sugar is then added but many moonshiners use malt so it can change the starch in the corn meal into sugar. The yeast is added lastly to start the formation process. This combination is called MASH. The burner is then lit so the process may begin. Once the mash cools, the yeast is added.

the mash makes the money

http://timsmithmoonshine.com/moonshine.html

Moonshine 11 C The STILL

The parts that make up the still:

CAP

POT THUMP KEG WORM BARREL

BURNER

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/moonshiners/videos/sneak-peek-moonshiners-nov-25/

Moonshine 12 C how it works

The still contains the pot, burner, thump keg, worm and worm box. The pot is handmade typically out of copper. It can also be made from aluminum or other metals. The pots can vary in size with the largest being the submarine pot still, which industrialized moonshining. It is the most popular design in use today. The pots are placed on top of cement blocks so there is space to put the burner underneath. Its important to take the time to level out the area so when the ingredients are added it doesn’t tip.

they’re the engineers of the woods

The doubler or thump keg is a barrel fitted between the pot and the condenser. Alcohol vapors from the heated mash rise into the cap where water vapor condenses and drops back into the pot. The partially distilled alcohol vapor then travels to the thumper where any additional water it contains has a second chance to condense and fall to the bottom of the keg. The purified alcohol vapor then moves on to the worm where it condenses into liquid moonshine. The proof effectively doubles.

Moonshine 1414 C Inside The STILL

Lots of bubbles and steam create the delicious shine inside the different sections of the still.

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/moonshiners/videos/sneak-peek-moonshiners-nov-25/

Moonshine 13 C submarine pot

In addition to the orginal pots, Submarine pots can also be used to produce more shine at one time.

www.blueridgeinstitute.org

Moonshine 15 C You may think that there are only men moonshiners but there are some LADIES out there. Many women prefer a taste to their liquor so this is where the women get their twist. The flavored moonshine becomes a hit with other women.

There were women involved in moonshining since the beginning because it became the family business. So while most recipes were saved for the men of the family, some women today definitely know how to make good ‘shine.

sugar and spice makes ‘shine real nice ingredients

The main ingredients are corn meal, water, sugar and yeast.

Recipes can change from person to person. They were often handed down through generations so many of the best kinds are a secret. But we do know that rye can be added for spice, different malts can change the flavor and fluctuating the percents of each ingredient makes a big difference. Some add honey or various fruits in exchange of the grains to add more flavor.

ask your great-great grandparents

Moonshine 17 C HEAD

The first few ounces of moonshine produced in a cook are known as the “high end” or the “head”. It is important to dump this before filling up jars. It often has the most lethal ingredients, including METHANOL, the main chemical in wasp stings.

ouch! The best product is in the middle of the barrel. The head shouldn’t be used and the last few ounces aren’t as flavorful and have a lower proof. This is why moonshiners are meticulous and make large amounts in one run.

Moonshine 18 C flavors

Blackberry Pineapple Apple Peach Cherry Sweet Tea Strawberry Peppermint ‘shine Blueberry Pumpkin pie Cranberry Apple Pie Watermelon Butterscotch

...or anything else you can think of, the options are endless

Learn how to make PEPPERMINT ‘SHINE

Learn how to make APPLE PIE

Moonshine 19 C “If you don’t have that REBEL SPIRIT, you might as well stay out of the moonshinin’ business.”

-Mike Moonshiner

Hell yeah! tasting

IN FOUR EASY STEPS:

1 LOOK FOR CLARITY 2 DETERMINE THE PROOF -Look at the texture of bubbles when shaken. If they dissipate real fast, the size 3 SMELL FOR THE INGREDIENTS -You should be able to tell what it is made of, corn or types of fruit -If you can’t tell what it’s made from then you don’t want to drink it **This means it has been run too hot and stripped so there is too much ethanol or acetone 4 TASTE

“It’s got a kick; you want that. You don’t want somethin’ you don’t know you ain’t drinkin’.”

-Tickle Moonshiner

Moonshine 21 C proof

Alcohol proof goes back to the 18th century when British sailors developed a test to determine if their daily ration of rum was watered down. They soaked a small amount of gunpowder with the rum. The liquor-drenched powder would still ignite then it was proof that the booze was at least 40 percent alcohol. look at ‘dem bubbles Today proof can be guessed by shaking the 'shine and watching to determine if "beads," "frog eyes," or "mare's tails" rise in the jar. The bigger they are and faster they dissapear, the higher the proof.

Take the percentage of alcohol in the liquor and double it.

200 proof is 100% alcohol

If it is 50% alcohol, it is 100 proof That’s some strong liquor 90 -110 proof is a common batch

Moonshine 22 C Locations

Most moonshiners began and are still located in Tennessee or Virginia. Kentucky was also well known for moonshining. There were often large groups of officers murdered by moonshiners. It was known for having the most moonshining- related deaths during the 1930s.

During the prohibition, Mississippi was one of the biggest suppliers for Chicago’s AL Capone Empire. It was one of the last states to appeal the amendment and today half of Mississippi’s counties are still dry creating the largest market for illegal liquor in the south.

Typically moonshiners find an open area in the woods away from other establishments. It needs to be a place they can remember, sometimes marked off or even hidden with camouflage and also easy to get away from, if an officer is nearby. when in doubt, run fast Another requirement is the area must be near running water. Most choose a stream so that they can fill their pots to make mash. Without running water, moonshiners would need to bring large containers of water, which could be suspicious.

Moonshine 23 C bootleggers

They’re the middleman between the moonshiners and the retailer. They are more vulnerable to being caught because the moonshiners stay where he’s at.

The bootleggers have the product with them so they have a higher chance of being caught by the police.

Bootleggers have used all sorts of methods to transport moonshine. Back in the early day shiners would transfer liquor in their boots creating the term “boot legging.” grab your long stockings ladies They used everything from secret pockets, saddlebags, books, to concealed compartments in wagons. Some even had fake funerals they would fill the coffins with the booze. During the prohibition era cars were specifically modified to carry 100s of gallons in secret compartments. Today moonshine is placed in harmless looking containers to avoid prosecution.

“Its kinda a lot of risk, bootleggers have a lot more risk than a moonshiner I feel like cause they didn’t know what was in front of them.” -Tim Smith Moonshiner

Moonshine 24 C show me the money

These are not your average dumb hicks in the woods. They were making alcohol in the woods with their bare hands, without any help or regulations. I would say that makes them pretty intelligent.

Plus all their hard work definitely pays off. The average moonshiner can make $30,000 in three months but with a two-pot (submarine pots) still, they can make up to $6-8 thousand every run.

one wallet isnt enough for these fellas This business is no joke. It’s a $100 million tax-free industry even to this day.

Moonshine 25 C Before you think i’m a Genius...

Here are all the places I found this amazing info:

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/moonshiners/

http://timsmithmoonshine.com/moonshine.html

http://www.flask.com/7-fun-facts-you-didnt-know-about- moonshine/#.VInu2b4k_6x

http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible- innovations/moonshine2.htm

http://listverse.com/2013/09/30/10-awesome-things-you-

http://www.vtpublichistory.org/sites/MoonshineAppalachia/ historyofthespirits/ should-know-about-moonshine/

http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol/ StateAndLocalLaws/20070531155139.html#.VI5Dib4k_6x

Moonshine 26 C “Moonshine became popular out of necessity. People made it because they had to survive to make a living. PEOPLE WOULD DRINK MOONSHINE BECAUSE IT’S ILLEGAL. IT WAS LIKE THAT WAY TEN YEARS AGO. IT IS THAT WAY TODAY.”

-Morris Stephenson Photojournalist & Author

Now go brag about all that you know! You’re welcome

Moonshine 27 C