A History of Moonshine
When you hear the word moonshine, you might think of sketchy backwoods distilleries, the Dukes of Hazzard, and maybe even going blind. But this is 2017 and moonshine has come a long way becoming hugely popular in the US. The history of moonshine goes back even further than the USA. The term moonshine originated in Europe and was used in England in the 1700’s. It originally referred to “occupational pursuits which necessitated night work, or work by the light of the moon.” Moonshine refers to un-aged whiskey which is consumed straight from the still. Whiskeys are traditionally aged in barrels for several years, which gives them their brown color and mellow taste. As moonshine doesn’t go through this aging process, it is clear in color and has a strong “kick” of un-aged alcohol. Moonshine goes by many names such as: corn squeezins corn liquor white lightning sugar whiskey skull cracker popskull bush whiskey stump stumphole ‘splo ruckus juice rotgut stumphole catdaddy mule kick hillbilly pop white lightning panther’s breath tiger’s sweat sweet spirits of cats a-fighting alley bourbon
How Is Moonshine Made?
The basic recipe for moonshine is simple and has remained unchanged since the prohibition era: corn meal, sugar, yeast, and water. Although you can distill spirits from almost any grain, the vast majority of Appalachian distilleries use corn, as that is the major crop grown in the area. So first you take your corn and grind it into meal, then soak it in hot water with sugar and yeast, which begins the fermentation process. The resulting mixture – called mash – is stirred and then heated in a still so that the alcohol evaporates. The alcohol steam is passed into a cooler pipe so that it condenses – now free of impurities – and it can be drained from the system and drunk straight away. As the legit moonshine business has grown, flavored shine has become more and more popular. Check out the variety of flavors you can find at Spec’s! Apple Pie Peach Cherry Pie Peach Cobbler Pecan Pie Butterscotch Salty Caramel Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Crème Brulee Coconut Mint Chip Peanut Butter & Jelly Habanero And many more unique moonshine flavors to choose from!
