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Moonshine

Moonshine is high-proof liquor, generally whiskey, traditionally made or distributed illegally.[1][2][3] Its clandestine distribution is known as bootlegging.[4] The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection. In the first decades of the 21st century, commercial distilleries have adopted the term for its outlaw cachet and begun producing their own legally sanctioned, novelty "moonshine", including many flavored varieties, that in some sense continue its tradition, generally having a similar method and/or location of production.[5]

Moonshine
TypeWhisky
Alcohol by volume At least 40%
Proof (US)At least 80°
ColourClear to off-white depending on ingredients
IngredientsGrain (mashing), sugar (fermented water, kilju)
Related productsBourbon whiskey, corn whiskey, Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, rye whiskey, Tennessee whiskey
A modern DIY pot still

Terminology edit

Different languages and countries have their own terms for moonshine (see Moonshine by country).

In English, moonshine is also known as mountain dew, choop, hooch (abbreviation of hoochinoo, name of a specific liquor, from Tlingit), homebrew, mulekick, shine, sneaky pete, white dog, white lightning, white/corn liquor, white/corn whiskey, pass around, firewater, and bootleg.[6][7][8]

Fractional crystallization edit

The ethanol may be concentrated in fermented beverages by means of freezing. For example, the name applejack derives from the traditional method of producing the drink, jacking, the process of freezing fermented cider and then removing the ice, increasing the alcohol content.[9][10] Starting with the fermented juice, with an alcohol content of less than ten percent, the concentrated result can contain 25–40% alcohol by volume (ABV).[11]

Moonshine stills edit

 
A thermal immersion circulator, like this sous vide stick, is used to evaporate ethanol in plastic stills or spiral stills.

In some countries, moonshine stills are illegal to sell, import, and own without permission. However, enthusiasts explain on internet forums how to obtain equipment and assemble it into a still.[12] To cut costs, stainless steel vessels are often replaced with plastic stills, vessels made from polypropylene that can withstand relatively high heat.

  • A column still, or a spiral still, can achieve a vapor alcohol content of 95% ABV.
  • Moonshine is usually distilled to 40% ABV, and seldom above 66% based on 48 samples.[13] For example, conventional pot stills commonly produce 40% ABV, and top out between 60% and 80% ABV after multiple distillations. However, ethanol can be dried to 95% ABV by heating 3A molecular sieves such as 3A zeolite.[14][15][16][17][18]

The preferred heat source for plastic stills or spiral stills is sous vide sticks; these control temperature, time, and circulation, and are therefore preferred over immersion heaters. Multiple units can be used to increase the wattage. Also, sous vide sticks, commonly sold in 1200 W and generally temperature regulated up to 90 °C (194 °F) (ethanol boils at 78 °C (172 °F)), will evaporate the ethanol faster than an immersion heater, commonly sold in 300 W. Electrical injury may occur if immersion heaters are modified, as if a 35 °C (95 °F) thermostat is removed from an aquarium heater (because doing so may break its waterproofing), or if an immersion heater is disassembled from an electric water boiler.

Evaporation stills edit

Plastic still edit

A plastic still is a device for distillation specially adapted for separating ethanol and water.[19] Plastic stills are common because they are cheap and easy to manufacture. The principle is that a smaller amount of liquid is placed in an open smaller vessel inside a larger one that is closed. A cheap 100 W immersion heater is typically used as heat source, but a thermal immersion circulator, like a sous vide stick is ideal because it comes with a temperature controller. The liquid is kept heated at about 50 °C (122 °F) which slowly evaporates the ethanol to 40% ABV that condense on the inner walls of the outer vessel. The condensation that accumulates in the bottom of the vessel can then be diverted directly down through a filter containing activated carbon. The final product has approximately twice as much alcohol content as the starting liquid and can be distilled several times if stronger distillate is desired. The method is slow, and is not suitable for large-scale production.

Boiling stills edit

Fractional distillation edit

Fractional distillation is the separation of a mixture into its component parts, or fractions. Chemical compounds are separated by heating them to a temperature at which one or more fractions of the mixture will vaporize. It uses distillation to fractionate. Generally the component parts have boiling points that differ by less than 25 °C (45 °F) from each other under a pressure of one atmosphere.

Column still edit
 
Legend:
  1. Analyzer*
  2. Rectifier*
  1. Wash
  2. Steam
  3. Liquid out
  4. Alcohol vapor
  5. Recycled less volatile components
  6. Most volatile components
  7. Condenser
*Both columns are preheated by steam.

A column still, also called a continuous still, patent still or Coffey still, is a variety of still consisting of two columns. A column still can achieve a vapor alcohol content of 95% ABV.

Spiral still edit

A spiral still is a type of column still with a simple slow air-cooled distillation apparatus, commonly used for bootlegging.[20] Column and cooler consist of a 5-foot-long (1.5 m) copper tube wound in spiral form. The tube first goes up to act as a simple column, and then down to cool the product. Cookware usually consists of a 30-litre (6.6 imp gal; 7.9 US gal) plastic wine bucket. The heat source is typically a thermal immersion circulator (commonly runs at 1200 W), like a sous vide stick because it is hard to find 300 W immersion heaters, and it is risky to disassemble the immersion heater from an electric water boiler because it may cause electrical injury. The spiral burner is popular because, despite its simple construction and low manufacturing cost, it can provide 95% ABV.

Pot still edit

A pot still is a type of distillation apparatus or still used to distill flavored liquors such as whisky or cognac, but not rectified spirit because they are poor at separating congeners. Pot stills operate on a batch distillation basis (as opposed to a Coffey or column stills, which operate on a continuous basis). Traditionally constructed from copper, pot stills are made in a range of shapes and sizes depending on quantity and style of spirit. Geographic variations in still design exist, with certain kinds popular in parts of Appalachia, a region known for moonshine distilling.

Spirits distilled in pots commonly have 40% ABV, and top out between 60 and 80% after multiple distillations.

Safety edit

Poorly produced moonshine can be contaminated, mainly from materials used in the construction of the still. Stills employing automotive radiators as condensers are particularly dangerous; in some cases, glycol produced from antifreeze can be a problem. Radiators used as condensers could also contain lead at the connections to the plumbing. Using these methods has resulted in blindness or lead poisoning[21] in those who consumed tainted liquor.[22] In the Prohibition-era United States, many died from ingesting unhealthy substances with their moonshine. Consumption of lead-tainted moonshine is a serious risk factor for saturnine gout, a very painful but treatable medical condition that damages the kidneys and joints.[23]

Although methanol is not produced in toxic amounts by fermentation of sugars from grain starches,[24] contamination is still possible by unscrupulous distillers using cheap methanol to increase the apparent strength of the product. Moonshine can be made both more palatable and perhaps less dangerous by discarding the "foreshot" – the first 50–150 millilitres (1.8–5.3 imp fl oz; 1.7–5.1 US fl oz) of alcohol that drip from the condenser. Because methanol vaporizes at a lower temperature than ethanol it is commonly believed that the foreshot contains most of the methanol, if any, from the mash. However, research shows this is not the case, and methanol is present until the very end of the distillation run.[25] Despite this, distillers will usually collect the foreshots until the temperature of the still reaches 80 °C (176 °F).[26] Additionally, the head that comes immediately after the foreshot typically contains small amounts of other undesirable compounds, such as acetone and various aldehydes.[27] Fusel alcohols are other undesirable byproducts of fermentation that are contained in the "aftershot," and are also typically discarded.

Alcohol concentrations at higher strengths (the GHS identifies concentrations above 24% ABV as dangerous[28]) are flammable and therefore dangerous to handle. This is especially true during the distilling process, when vaporized alcohol may accumulate in the air to dangerous concentrations if adequate ventilation is not provided.

 
Former West Virginia moonshiner John Bowman explains the workings of a still. (November 1996, American Folklife Center)

Adulterated moonshine edit

The incidence of impure moonshine has been documented to significantly increase the risk of renal disease among those who regularly consume it, primarily from increased lead content.[29]

Outbreaks of methanol poisoning have occurred when methanol has been accidentally produced in moonshine production or has been used to adulterate moonshine.[30]

Tests edit

A quick estimate of the alcoholic strength, or proof, of the distillate (the ratio of alcohol to water) is often achieved by shaking a clear container of the distillate. Large bubbles with a short duration indicate a higher alcohol content, while smaller bubbles that disappear more slowly indicate lower alcohol content.[31]

A more reliable method is to use an alcoholmeter or hydrometer. A hydrometer is used during and after the fermentation process to determine the potential alcohol percentage of the moonshine, whereas an alcoholmeter is used after the product has been distilled to determine the volume percent or proof.[32]

Misconceptions edit

 
A typical jar of moonshine, with a sample being ignited to produce a blue flame. It was once wrongly believed that the blue flame meant that it was safe to drink.

A common folk test for the quality of moonshine was to pour a small quantity of it into a spoon and set it on fire. The theory was that a safe distillate burns with a blue flame, but a tainted distillate burns with a yellow flame. Practitioners of this simple test also held that if a radiator coil had been used as a condenser, then there would be lead in the distillate, which would give a reddish flame. This led to the mnemonic, "Lead burns red and makes you dead," or simply, "Red means dead."[33][unreliable medical source?]

Legality edit

Manufacturing of spirits through distilling, fractional crystallization, etc. outside a registered distillery is illegal in many countries. Currently in the United States, there are four states that allow the production of moonshine for personal consumption (Alaska, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Missouri). Additionally, North Dakota law permits the production of moonshine for personal consumption up to the federally legal amount—which is zero gallons; entailing that production of any amount is illegal.[34]

Legal States
States Legality
Alaska Personal use only
Arizona Must have a permit for personal use/register still
Massachusetts Personal use on own property only
Missouri Personal use up to 200 gal/year
North Dakota Only up to federally-allowed amount (zero gallon)

History edit

 
The Moonshine Man of Kentucky, an illustration from Harper's Weekly, 1877, showing five scenes from the life of a Kentucky moonshiner
 
Moonshining, a scene from the archipelago of Loviisa in the 19th century, by Berndt Lindholm
 
A historical moonshine distilling-apparatus in a museum

Moonshine is by tradition usually a clear, unaged whiskey,[35] once made with barley mash in Scotland and Ireland or maize corn mash in the United States,[36] though plain sugar became just as common in illicit liquor during the last century. The word originated in the British Isles as a result of excise laws and became meaningful in the United States only after a tax passed after the Revolutionary War outlawing non-registered stills with the Tariff of 1791, or the Excise Whiskey Tax of 1791. This tax led to the Whiskey Rebellion lasting between 1791 and 1794, where the tax went unpaid by the rebels and was met with violent protest. This tax lasted until 1802, when it was repealed.[37] Another tax was introduced with the Revenue Act of 1861 and Revenue Act of 1862 that heavily taxed the production of spirits leading to an increase in illegal distilling and in turn, increased action from revenue agents that enforced the taxes.[6] Illegal distilling accelerated during the Prohibition era (1920–1933), which mandated a total ban on alcohol production under the Eighteenth Amendment of the Constitution. Since the amendment was repealed in 1933, laws focus on evasion of taxation on any type of spirits or intoxicating liquors. Applicable laws were historically enforced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives of the US Department of Justice, but are now usually handled by state agencies. Enforcement agents were once known colloquially as "revenuers".

Etymology edit

The earliest known instance of the term "moonshine" being used to refer to illicit alcohol dates to the 1785 edition of Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, which was published in England. Prior to that, "moonshine" referred to anything "illusory" or to literally the light of the moon.[38] The U.S. Government considers the word a "fanciful term" and does not regulate its use on the labels of commercial products, as such, legal moonshines may be any type of spirit, which must be indicated elsewhere on the label.[39]

Prohibition in the United States edit

In Prohibition-era United States, moonshine distillation was done at night to deter discovery.[40] While moonshiners were present in urban and rural areas around the United States after the Civil War, moonshine production concentrated in Appalachia because the limited road network made it easy to evade revenue officers and because it was difficult and expensive to transport corn crops. As a study of farmers in Cocke County, Tennessee, observes: "One could transport much more value in corn if it was first converted to whiskey. One horse could haul ten times more value on its back in whiskey than in corn."[41] Moonshiners such as Maggie Bailey of Harlan County, Kentucky, Amos Owens of Rutherford County, North Carolina, and Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton of Maggie Valley, North Carolina, became legendary.[42][43][44]

Once the liquor was distilled, drivers called "runners" or "bootleggers" smuggled moonshine liquor across the region in cars specially modified for speed and load-carrying capacity.[45] The cars were ordinary on the outside but modified with souped-up engines, extra interior room, and heavy-duty shock absorbers to support the weight of the illicit alcohol. After Prohibition ended, the out-of-work drivers kept their skills sharp through organized races, which led to the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR).[46] Several former "runners," such as Junior Johnson, became noted drivers in the sport.[45]

Some varieties of maize corn grown in the United States were once prized for their use in moonshine production. One such variety used in moonshine, Jimmy Red corn, a "blood-red, flint-hard 'dent' corn with a rich and oily germ," almost became extinct when the last grower died in 2000. Two ears of Jimmy Red were passed on to "seed saver" Ted Chewning, who saved the variety from extinction and began to produce it on a wider scale.[47]

There have been modern-day attempts on the state level to legalize home distillation of alcohol, similar to how some states have been treating cannabis, despite there being federal laws prohibiting the practice. For example, the New Hampshire state legislature has tried repeatedly to pass laws allowing unlicensed home distillation of small batches.[48] In 2023, Ohio introduced legislation to do the same, with other states likely to follow.[49]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Kosar, Kevin, 1970- (15 April 2017). Moonshine: A Global History. London. ISBN 978-1-78023-742-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "moonshine". dictionary.com. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  3. ^ "moonshine". Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  4. ^ "bootleg". dictionary.com. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  5. ^ Modern Moonshine : The Revival of White Whiskey in the Twenty-First Century. Cameron D. Lippard, Bruce E. Stewart (First ed.). Morgantown: West Virginia University Press. 2019. ISBN 978-1-946684-83-7. OCLC 1050142447.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. ^ a b Joyce, Jaime (10 June 2014). Moonshine : a cultural history of America's infamous liquor. MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7603-4584-9. OCLC 1242988394.
  7. ^ editor., Lippard, Cameron D., editor. Stewart, Bruce E. (2019). Modern moonshine : the revival of white whiskey in the twenty-first century. West Virginia University Press. ISBN 978-1-946684-83-7. OCLC 1050142447. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Ayers, Nelson (16 November 2023), Why is it Called Sneaky Pete? The Enduring Appeal of a Linguistic Phenomenon, retrieved 4 January 2024
  9. ^ Ken Albala (2010). "Applejack". In Rachel Black (ed.). Alcohol in Popular Culture: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-313-38048-8.
  10. ^ Michael Foley, Drinking with the Saints: The Sinner's Guide to a Holy Happy Hour (2015, ISBN 1621573834): Perhaps the most interesting option is applejack, the first distilled liquor native to North America and a great favorite among the colonists. [Now] usually a blend of apple brandy and neutral spirits that retains the flavor of the apples[.]
  11. ^ Sanborn Conner Brown, Wines & Beers of Old New England: A How-to-do-it History (1978, ISBN 0874511488)
  12. ^ "Spiralbrännaren" (PDF) (in Swedish).
  13. ^ Holstege, CP; Ferguson, JD; Wolf, CE; Baer, AB; Poklis, A (2004). "Analysis of Moonshine for Contaminants". Journal of Toxicology. Clinical Toxicology. 42 (5): 597–601. doi:10.1081/clt-200026976. PMID 15462151. S2CID 97866750.
  14. ^ Carmo, M. J.; Gubulin, J. C. (September 1997). "Ethanol-Water Adsorption on Commercial 3A Zeolites: Kinetic and Thermodynamic Data". Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering. 14 (3). doi:10.1590/S0104-66321997000300004. ISSN 0104-6632.
  15. ^ Burfield, David R.; Hefter, Glenn T.; Koh, Donald S. P. (1984). "Desiccant efficiency in solvent and reagent drying 8. molecular sieve column drying of 95% ethanol: An application of hygrometry to the assay of solvent water content". Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology. Chemical Technology. 34 (4): 187–194. Bibcode:1984JCTBC..34..187B. doi:10.1002/jctb.5040340408.
  16. ^ Simo, Marian; Sivashanmugam, Siddharth; Brown, Christopher J.; Hlavacek, Vladimir (21 October 2009). "Adsorption/Desorption of Water and Ethanol on 3A Zeolite in Near-Adiabatic Fixed Bed". Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 48 (20): 9247–9260. doi:10.1021/ie900446v.
  17. ^ Simo, Marian; Sivashanmugam, Siddharth; Brown, Christopher J.; Hlavacek, Vladimir (21 October 2009). "Adsorption/Desorption of Water and Ethanol on 3A Zeolite in Near-Adiabatic Fixed Bed". Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 48 (20): 9247–9260. doi:10.1021/ie900446v.
  18. ^ Burfield, David R.; Hefter, Glenn T.; Koh, Donald S. P. (1984). "Desiccant efficiency in solvent and reagent drying 8. molecular sieve column drying of 95% ethanol: An application of hygrometry to the assay of solvent water content". Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology. Chemical Technology. 34 (4): 187–194. Bibcode:1984JCTBC..34..187B. doi:10.1002/jctb.5040340408.
  19. ^ "Plastbrännaren". Hembränt - Hur du jäser mäsk och destillerar den (in Swedish). 15 February 2011.
  20. ^ "Spiralbrännaren" (PDF).
  21. ^ "Why Your Copper Moonshine Still Needs To Be Lead Free – Whiskey Still Company". December 2016.
  22. ^ Peine & Schafft 2012, p. 97.
  23. ^ Dalvi, Sam R.; Pillinger, Michael H. (May 2013). "Saturnine gout, redux: a review". The American Journal of Medicine. 126 (5): 450.e1–8. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.09.015. ISSN 1555-7162. PMID 23510947.
  24. ^ "Distillation: Some Purity Considerations". Moonshine Still. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  25. ^ Spaho, Nermina (28 June 2017). "Distillation Techniques in the Fruit Spirits Production". Distillation - Innovative Applications and Modeling. doi:10.5772/66774. ISBN 978-953-51-3201-1.
  26. ^ Rob, Warburton (9 January 2019). . The Rum Guys. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  27. ^ "Making Moonshine: The Dummies' Guide". Copper Moonshine Still Kits - Clawhammer Supply. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  28. ^ "Hazardous Goods Management". Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  29. ^ (PDF). Oxford Journals. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  30. ^ "Application to Include Fomepizole on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines" (PDF). November 2012. p. 10.
  31. ^ "Proofing your Moonshine – Shake Test, Gun Powder Test, Hydrometer Test Explained". Learn to Moonshine. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  32. ^ . Archived from the original on 6 January 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  33. ^ . Skylark Medical Clinic. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  34. ^ "Moonshine Legal States 2023". worldpopulationreview.com. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  35. ^ "Exploding moonshine: The new golden age of outlaw liquor". CNN. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  36. ^ Guy Logsdon, Oklahoma Historical Society. . Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Oklahoma State University. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2014. Alt URL
  37. ^ "TTBGov - Whiskey Rebellion". www.ttb.gov. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  38. ^ Kosar, Kevin, 1970- (15 April 2017). Moonshine: A Global History. London. ISBN 978-1-78023-742-8. OCLC 1028980463.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  39. ^ Spoelman, Colin (22 October 2013). The Kings County Distillery Guide to Urban Moonshining : How to Make and Drink Whiskey. Haskell, David, 1979-. New York. ISBN 978-1-4197-0990-6. OCLC 843332480.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  40. ^ Sumich, Jason. "It's All Legal Until You Get Caught: Moonshining in the Southern Appalachians". Appalachian State University. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  41. ^ Peine & Schafft 2012, pp. 98–99.
  42. ^ Block, Melissa (8 December 2005). "'Queen of the Mountain Bootleggers' Maggie Bailey". National Public Radio. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  43. ^ Motsinger, Carol (10 November 2014). "New Movie Focuses on WNC Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton". Asheville Citizen-Times. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  44. ^ "Popcorn Sutton Moonshine Recipe". Whiskey Still Company. 8 August 2012.
  45. ^ a b Cooper, William J.; Terrill, Thomas E. (2009). The American South: A History, Volume II (4th ed.). Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 625. ISBN 978-0-7425-6097-0.
  46. ^ Billock, Jennifer. "How Moonshine Bootlegging Gave Rise to NASCAR". Smithsonian. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  47. ^ Neimark, Jill (2 January 2018). . npr.org. NPR. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  48. ^ "Should Home Distilling Be Legal In N.H.? Lawmakers To Vote Wednesday". 2 January 2018.
  49. ^ "S.B. No. 13". Retrieved 30 January 2023.

Sources edit

  • Davis, Elaine. Minnesota 13: "Wet" Wild Prohibition Days (2007) ISBN 978-0-9798017-0-9
  • Peine, Emelie K.; Schafft, Kai A. (Spring–Fall 2012). "Moonshine, Mountaineers, and Modernity: Distilling Cultural History in the Southern Appalachian Mountains". Journal of Appalachian Studies. Appalachian Studies Association. 18 (1/2): 93–112. doi:10.2307/23337709. JSTOR 23337709. S2CID 142229259.
  • Rowley, Matthew. Moonshine! History, songs, stories, and how-tos (2007) ISBN 978-1-57990-648-1
  • Watman, Max. Chasing the White Dog: An Amateur Outlaw's Adventures in Moonshine (2010) ISBN 978-1-4391-7024-3
  • King, Jeff. The Home Distiller's Workbook: Your Guide to Making Moonshine, Whisky, Vodka, Rum and So Much More! (2012) ISBN 978-1-4699-8939-6

External links edit

  • "Moonshine – Blue Ridge Style" 29 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine An Exhibition Produced by the Blue Ridge Institute and the Museum of Ferrum College
  • Déantús an Phoitín (Poteen Making), by Mac Dara Ó Curraidhín (a one-hour 1998 Irish documentary film on the origins of the craft).
  • North Carolina Moonshine – Historical information, images, music, and film excerpts
  • Moonshine news page – Alcohol and Drugs History Society
  • Georgia Moonshine 23 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine – History and folk traditions in Georgia, USA
  • "Moonshine 'tempts new generation'" – BBC on distilling illegal liquor in the 21st century.
  • Moonshine Franklin Co Virginia Moonshine Still from the past – Video
  • moonshine stills at a-c-e.uk

moonshine, other, uses, disambiguation, confused, with, moonlight, high, proof, liquor, generally, whiskey, traditionally, made, distributed, illegally, clandestine, distribution, known, bootlegging, name, derived, from, tradition, creating, alcohol, during, n. For other uses see Moonshine disambiguation Not to be confused with Moonlight Moonshine is high proof liquor generally whiskey traditionally made or distributed illegally 1 2 3 Its clandestine distribution is known as bootlegging 4 The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime thereby avoiding detection In the first decades of the 21st century commercial distilleries have adopted the term for its outlaw cachet and begun producing their own legally sanctioned novelty moonshine including many flavored varieties that in some sense continue its tradition generally having a similar method and or location of production 5 MoonshineTypeWhiskyAlcohol by volume At least 40 Proof US At least 80 ColourClear to off white depending on ingredientsIngredientsGrain mashing sugar fermented water kilju Related productsBourbon whiskey corn whiskey Scotch whisky Irish whiskey rye whiskey Tennessee whiskeyA modern DIY pot still Contents 1 Terminology 2 Fractional crystallization 3 Moonshine stills 3 1 Evaporation stills 3 1 1 Plastic still 3 2 Boiling stills 3 2 1 Fractional distillation 3 2 1 1 Column still 3 2 1 1 1 Spiral still 3 2 2 Pot still 4 Safety 4 1 Adulterated moonshine 4 2 Tests 4 3 Misconceptions 5 Legality 6 History 6 1 Etymology 6 2 Prohibition in the United States 7 See also 8 References 9 Sources 10 External linksTerminology editNot to be confused with Mountain Dew Hooper s Hooch or White spirit Different languages and countries have their own terms for moonshine see Moonshine by country In English moonshine is also known as mountain dew choop hooch abbreviation of hoochinoo name of a specific liquor from Tlingit homebrew mulekick shine sneaky pete white dog white lightning white corn liquor white corn whiskey pass around firewater and bootleg 6 7 8 Fractional crystallization editSee also Fractional crystallization chemistry The ethanol may be concentrated in fermented beverages by means of freezing For example the name applejack derives from the traditional method of producing the drink jacking the process of freezing fermented cider and then removing the ice increasing the alcohol content 9 10 Starting with the fermented juice with an alcohol content of less than ten percent the concentrated result can contain 25 40 alcohol by volume ABV 11 Moonshine stills edit nbsp A thermal immersion circulator like this sous vide stick is used to evaporate ethanol in plastic stills or spiral stills In some countries moonshine stills are illegal to sell import and own without permission However enthusiasts explain on internet forums how to obtain equipment and assemble it into a still 12 To cut costs stainless steel vessels are often replaced with plastic stills vessels made from polypropylene that can withstand relatively high heat A column still or a spiral still can achieve a vapor alcohol content of 95 ABV Moonshine is usually distilled to 40 ABV and seldom above 66 based on 48 samples 13 For example conventional pot stills commonly produce 40 ABV and top out between 60 and 80 ABV after multiple distillations However ethanol can be dried to 95 ABV by heating 3A molecular sieves such as 3A zeolite 14 15 16 17 18 The preferred heat source for plastic stills or spiral stills is sous vide sticks these control temperature time and circulation and are therefore preferred over immersion heaters Multiple units can be used to increase the wattage Also sous vide sticks commonly sold in 1200 W and generally temperature regulated up to 90 C 194 F ethanol boils at 78 C 172 F will evaporate the ethanol faster than an immersion heater commonly sold in 300 W Electrical injury may occur if immersion heaters are modified as if a 35 C 95 F thermostat is removed from an aquarium heater because doing so may break its waterproofing or if an immersion heater is disassembled from an electric water boiler Evaporation stills edit Plastic still edit A plastic still is a device for distillation specially adapted for separating ethanol and water 19 Plastic stills are common because they are cheap and easy to manufacture The principle is that a smaller amount of liquid is placed in an open smaller vessel inside a larger one that is closed A cheap 100 W immersion heater is typically used as heat source but a thermal immersion circulator like a sous vide stick is ideal because it comes with a temperature controller The liquid is kept heated at about 50 C 122 F which slowly evaporates the ethanol to 40 ABV that condense on the inner walls of the outer vessel The condensation that accumulates in the bottom of the vessel can then be diverted directly down through a filter containing activated carbon The final product has approximately twice as much alcohol content as the starting liquid and can be distilled several times if stronger distillate is desired The method is slow and is not suitable for large scale production Boiling stills edit Fractional distillation edit Main article Fractional distillationFractional distillation is the separation of a mixture into its component parts or fractions Chemical compounds are separated by heating them to a temperature at which one or more fractions of the mixture will vaporize It uses distillation to fractionate Generally the component parts have boiling points that differ by less than 25 C 45 F from each other under a pressure of one atmosphere Column still edit Main article Column still nbsp Legend Analyzer Rectifier WashSteamLiquid outAlcohol vaporRecycled less volatile componentsMost volatile componentsCondenser Both columns are preheated by steam A column still also called a continuous still patent still or Coffey still is a variety of still consisting of two columns A column still can achieve a vapor alcohol content of 95 ABV Spiral still edit A spiral still is a type of column still with a simple slow air cooled distillation apparatus commonly used for bootlegging 20 Column and cooler consist of a 5 foot long 1 5 m copper tube wound in spiral form The tube first goes up to act as a simple column and then down to cool the product Cookware usually consists of a 30 litre 6 6 imp gal 7 9 US gal plastic wine bucket The heat source is typically a thermal immersion circulator commonly runs at 1200 W like a sous vide stick because it is hard to find 300 W immersion heaters and it is risky to disassemble the immersion heater from an electric water boiler because it may cause electrical injury The spiral burner is popular because despite its simple construction and low manufacturing cost it can provide 95 ABV Pot still edit Main article Pot still A pot still is a type of distillation apparatus or still used to distill flavored liquors such as whisky or cognac but not rectified spirit because they are poor at separating congeners Pot stills operate on a batch distillation basis as opposed to a Coffey or column stills which operate on a continuous basis Traditionally constructed from copper pot stills are made in a range of shapes and sizes depending on quantity and style of spirit Geographic variations in still design exist with certain kinds popular in parts of Appalachia a region known for moonshine distilling Spirits distilled in pots commonly have 40 ABV and top out between 60 and 80 after multiple distillations Safety editPoorly produced moonshine can be contaminated mainly from materials used in the construction of the still Stills employing automotive radiators as condensers are particularly dangerous in some cases glycol produced from antifreeze can be a problem Radiators used as condensers could also contain lead at the connections to the plumbing Using these methods has resulted in blindness or lead poisoning 21 in those who consumed tainted liquor 22 In the Prohibition era United States many died from ingesting unhealthy substances with their moonshine Consumption of lead tainted moonshine is a serious risk factor for saturnine gout a very painful but treatable medical condition that damages the kidneys and joints 23 Although methanol is not produced in toxic amounts by fermentation of sugars from grain starches 24 contamination is still possible by unscrupulous distillers using cheap methanol to increase the apparent strength of the product Moonshine can be made both more palatable and perhaps less dangerous by discarding the foreshot the first 50 150 millilitres 1 8 5 3 imp fl oz 1 7 5 1 US fl oz of alcohol that drip from the condenser Because methanol vaporizes at a lower temperature than ethanol it is commonly believed that the foreshot contains most of the methanol if any from the mash However research shows this is not the case and methanol is present until the very end of the distillation run 25 Despite this distillers will usually collect the foreshots until the temperature of the still reaches 80 C 176 F 26 Additionally the head that comes immediately after the foreshot typically contains small amounts of other undesirable compounds such as acetone and various aldehydes 27 Fusel alcohols are other undesirable byproducts of fermentation that are contained in the aftershot and are also typically discarded Alcohol concentrations at higher strengths the GHS identifies concentrations above 24 ABV as dangerous 28 are flammable and therefore dangerous to handle This is especially true during the distilling process when vaporized alcohol may accumulate in the air to dangerous concentrations if adequate ventilation is not provided nbsp Former West Virginia moonshiner John Bowman explains the workings of a still November 1996 American Folklife Center Adulterated moonshine edit See also Clandestine chemistry Moonshine and List of methanol poisoning incidents The incidence of impure moonshine has been documented to significantly increase the risk of renal disease among those who regularly consume it primarily from increased lead content 29 Outbreaks of methanol poisoning have occurred when methanol has been accidentally produced in moonshine production or has been used to adulterate moonshine 30 Tests edit A quick estimate of the alcoholic strength or proof of the distillate the ratio of alcohol to water is often achieved by shaking a clear container of the distillate Large bubbles with a short duration indicate a higher alcohol content while smaller bubbles that disappear more slowly indicate lower alcohol content 31 A more reliable method is to use an alcoholmeter or hydrometer A hydrometer is used during and after the fermentation process to determine the potential alcohol percentage of the moonshine whereas an alcoholmeter is used after the product has been distilled to determine the volume percent or proof 32 Misconceptions edit nbsp A typical jar of moonshine with a sample being ignited to produce a blue flame It was once wrongly believed that the blue flame meant that it was safe to drink A common folk test for the quality of moonshine was to pour a small quantity of it into a spoon and set it on fire The theory was that a safe distillate burns with a blue flame but a tainted distillate burns with a yellow flame Practitioners of this simple test also held that if a radiator coil had been used as a condenser then there would be lead in the distillate which would give a reddish flame This led to the mnemonic Lead burns red and makes you dead or simply Red means dead 33 unreliable medical source Legality editManufacturing of spirits through distilling fractional crystallization etc outside a registered distillery is illegal in many countries Currently in the United States there are four states that allow the production of moonshine for personal consumption Alaska Arizona Massachusetts and Missouri Additionally North Dakota law permits the production of moonshine for personal consumption up to the federally legal amount which is zero gallons entailing that production of any amount is illegal 34 Legal States States LegalityAlaska Personal use onlyArizona Must have a permit for personal use register stillMassachusetts Personal use on own property onlyMissouri Personal use up to 200 gal yearNorth Dakota Only up to federally allowed amount zero gallon History edit nbsp The Moonshine Man of Kentucky an illustration from Harper s Weekly 1877 showing five scenes from the life of a Kentucky moonshiner nbsp Moonshining a scene from the archipelago of Loviisa in the 19th century by Berndt Lindholm nbsp A historical moonshine distilling apparatus in a museumMoonshine is by tradition usually a clear unaged whiskey 35 once made with barley mash in Scotland and Ireland or maize corn mash in the United States 36 though plain sugar became just as common in illicit liquor during the last century The word originated in the British Isles as a result of excise laws and became meaningful in the United States only after a tax passed after the Revolutionary War outlawing non registered stills with the Tariff of 1791 or the Excise Whiskey Tax of 1791 This tax led to the Whiskey Rebellion lasting between 1791 and 1794 where the tax went unpaid by the rebels and was met with violent protest This tax lasted until 1802 when it was repealed 37 Another tax was introduced with the Revenue Act of 1861 and Revenue Act of 1862 that heavily taxed the production of spirits leading to an increase in illegal distilling and in turn increased action from revenue agents that enforced the taxes 6 Illegal distilling accelerated during the Prohibition era 1920 1933 which mandated a total ban on alcohol production under the Eighteenth Amendment of the Constitution Since the amendment was repealed in 1933 laws focus on evasion of taxation on any type of spirits or intoxicating liquors Applicable laws were historically enforced by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives of the US Department of Justice but are now usually handled by state agencies Enforcement agents were once known colloquially as revenuers Etymology edit The earliest known instance of the term moonshine being used to refer to illicit alcohol dates to the 1785 edition of Grose s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue which was published in England Prior to that moonshine referred to anything illusory or to literally the light of the moon 38 The U S Government considers the word a fanciful term and does not regulate its use on the labels of commercial products as such legal moonshines may be any type of spirit which must be indicated elsewhere on the label 39 Prohibition in the United States edit Main article Prohibition in the United States In Prohibition era United States moonshine distillation was done at night to deter discovery 40 While moonshiners were present in urban and rural areas around the United States after the Civil War moonshine production concentrated in Appalachia because the limited road network made it easy to evade revenue officers and because it was difficult and expensive to transport corn crops As a study of farmers in Cocke County Tennessee observes One could transport much more value in corn if it was first converted to whiskey One horse could haul ten times more value on its back in whiskey than in corn 41 Moonshiners such as Maggie Bailey of Harlan County Kentucky Amos Owens of Rutherford County North Carolina and Marvin Popcorn Sutton of Maggie Valley North Carolina became legendary 42 43 44 Once the liquor was distilled drivers called runners or bootleggers smuggled moonshine liquor across the region in cars specially modified for speed and load carrying capacity 45 The cars were ordinary on the outside but modified with souped up engines extra interior room and heavy duty shock absorbers to support the weight of the illicit alcohol After Prohibition ended the out of work drivers kept their skills sharp through organized races which led to the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing NASCAR 46 Several former runners such as Junior Johnson became noted drivers in the sport 45 Some varieties of maize corn grown in the United States were once prized for their use in moonshine production One such variety used in moonshine Jimmy Red corn a blood red flint hard dent corn with a rich and oily germ almost became extinct when the last grower died in 2000 Two ears of Jimmy Red were passed on to seed saver Ted Chewning who saved the variety from extinction and began to produce it on a wider scale 47 There have been modern day attempts on the state level to legalize home distillation of alcohol similar to how some states have been treating cannabis despite there being federal laws prohibiting the practice For example the New Hampshire state legislature has tried repeatedly to pass laws allowing unlicensed home distillation of small batches 48 In 2023 Ohio introduced legislation to do the same with other states likely to follow 49 See also edit nbsp Liquor portal nbsp Drink portalBootleggers and Baptists Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives ATF Congener alcohol Dixie Mafia Farmhouse ale Free Beer Homebrewing Moonshine by country Moonshine in popular culture Nip joint Rum running Sour mashReferences edit Kosar Kevin 1970 15 April 2017 Moonshine A Global History London ISBN 978 1 78023 742 8 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link CS1 maint multiple names authors list link CS1 maint numeric names authors list link moonshine dictionary com Retrieved 26 March 2023 moonshine Cambridge Dictionary Retrieved 26 March 2023 bootleg dictionary com Retrieved 26 March 2023 Modern Moonshine The Revival of White Whiskey in the Twenty First Century Cameron D Lippard Bruce E Stewart First ed Morgantown West Virginia University Press 2019 ISBN 978 1 946684 83 7 OCLC 1050142447 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link a b Joyce Jaime 10 June 2014 Moonshine a cultural history of America s infamous liquor MBI Publishing Company ISBN 978 0 7603 4584 9 OCLC 1242988394 editor Lippard Cameron D editor Stewart Bruce E 2019 Modern moonshine the revival of white whiskey in the twenty first century West Virginia University Press ISBN 978 1 946684 83 7 OCLC 1050142447 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a last has generic name help CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Ayers Nelson 16 November 2023 Why is it Called Sneaky Pete The Enduring Appeal of a Linguistic Phenomenon retrieved 4 January 2024 Ken Albala 2010 Applejack In Rachel Black ed Alcohol in Popular Culture An Encyclopedia Santa Barbara CA ABC CLIO p 10 ISBN 978 0 313 38048 8 Michael Foley Drinking with the Saints The Sinner s Guide to a Holy Happy Hour 2015 ISBN 1621573834 Perhaps the most interesting option is applejack the first distilled liquor native to North America and a great favorite among the colonists Now usually a blend of apple brandy and neutral spirits that retains the flavor of the apples Sanborn Conner Brown Wines amp Beers of Old New England A How to do it History 1978 ISBN 0874511488 Spiralbrannaren PDF in Swedish Holstege CP Ferguson JD Wolf CE Baer AB Poklis A 2004 Analysis of Moonshine for Contaminants Journal of Toxicology Clinical Toxicology 42 5 597 601 doi 10 1081 clt 200026976 PMID 15462151 S2CID 97866750 Carmo M J Gubulin J C September 1997 Ethanol Water Adsorption on Commercial 3A Zeolites Kinetic and Thermodynamic Data Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering 14 3 doi 10 1590 S0104 66321997000300004 ISSN 0104 6632 Burfield David R Hefter Glenn T Koh Donald S P 1984 Desiccant efficiency in solvent and reagent drying 8 molecular sieve column drying of 95 ethanol An application of hygrometry to the assay of solvent water content Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology Chemical Technology 34 4 187 194 Bibcode 1984JCTBC 34 187B doi 10 1002 jctb 5040340408 Simo Marian Sivashanmugam Siddharth Brown Christopher J Hlavacek Vladimir 21 October 2009 Adsorption Desorption of Water and Ethanol on 3A Zeolite in Near Adiabatic Fixed Bed Industrial amp Engineering Chemistry Research 48 20 9247 9260 doi 10 1021 ie900446v Simo Marian Sivashanmugam Siddharth Brown Christopher J Hlavacek Vladimir 21 October 2009 Adsorption Desorption of Water and Ethanol on 3A Zeolite in Near Adiabatic Fixed Bed Industrial amp Engineering Chemistry Research 48 20 9247 9260 doi 10 1021 ie900446v Burfield David R Hefter Glenn T Koh Donald S P 1984 Desiccant efficiency in solvent and reagent drying 8 molecular sieve column drying of 95 ethanol An application of hygrometry to the assay of solvent water content Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology Chemical Technology 34 4 187 194 Bibcode 1984JCTBC 34 187B doi 10 1002 jctb 5040340408 Plastbrannaren Hembrant Hur du jaser mask och destillerar den in Swedish 15 February 2011 Spiralbrannaren PDF Why Your Copper Moonshine Still Needs To Be Lead Free Whiskey Still Company December 2016 Peine amp Schafft 2012 p 97 Dalvi Sam R Pillinger Michael H May 2013 Saturnine gout redux a review The American Journal of Medicine 126 5 450 e1 8 doi 10 1016 j amjmed 2012 09 015 ISSN 1555 7162 PMID 23510947 Distillation Some Purity Considerations Moonshine Still Retrieved 5 May 2015 Spaho Nermina 28 June 2017 Distillation Techniques in the Fruit Spirits Production Distillation Innovative Applications and Modeling doi 10 5772 66774 ISBN 978 953 51 3201 1 Rob Warburton 9 January 2019 How to Make Rum The Quick Start Guide The Rum Guys Archived from the original on 22 May 2022 Retrieved 13 January 2019 Making Moonshine The Dummies Guide Copper Moonshine Still Kits Clawhammer Supply Retrieved 25 November 2018 Hazardous Goods Management Retrieved 31 August 2017 Risk of End Stage Renal Disease Associated with Alcohol Consumption PDF Oxford Journals Archived from the original PDF on 20 October 2016 Retrieved 24 December 2011 Application to Include Fomepizole on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines PDF November 2012 p 10 Proofing your Moonshine Shake Test Gun Powder Test Hydrometer Test Explained Learn to Moonshine 21 November 2014 Retrieved 26 November 2018 Alcoholmeter or Hydrometer Do You Know the Difference Archived from the original on 6 January 2015 Retrieved 28 October 2014 Moonshine Skylark Medical Clinic Archived from the original on 16 July 2011 Retrieved 23 July 2008 Moonshine Legal States 2023 worldpopulationreview com Retrieved 30 March 2023 Exploding moonshine The new golden age of outlaw liquor CNN 17 June 2015 Retrieved 2 July 2017 Guy Logsdon Oklahoma Historical Society Moonshine Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History amp Culture Oklahoma State University Archived from the original on 9 October 2008 Retrieved 21 March 2014 Alt URL TTBGov Whiskey Rebellion www ttb gov Retrieved 31 March 2023 Kosar Kevin 1970 15 April 2017 Moonshine A Global History London ISBN 978 1 78023 742 8 OCLC 1028980463 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link CS1 maint multiple names authors list link CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Spoelman Colin 22 October 2013 The Kings County Distillery Guide to Urban Moonshining How to Make and Drink Whiskey Haskell David 1979 New York ISBN 978 1 4197 0990 6 OCLC 843332480 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Sumich Jason It s All Legal Until You Get Caught Moonshining in the Southern Appalachians Appalachian State University Retrieved 21 March 2014 Peine amp Schafft 2012 pp 98 99 Block Melissa 8 December 2005 Queen of the Mountain Bootleggers Maggie Bailey National Public Radio Retrieved 4 May 2015 Motsinger Carol 10 November 2014 New Movie Focuses on WNC Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton Asheville Citizen Times Retrieved 16 May 2016 Popcorn Sutton Moonshine Recipe Whiskey Still Company 8 August 2012 a b Cooper William J Terrill Thomas E 2009 The American South A History Volume II 4th ed Lanham Md Rowman amp Littlefield p 625 ISBN 978 0 7425 6097 0 Billock Jennifer How Moonshine Bootlegging Gave Rise to NASCAR Smithsonian Retrieved 4 April 2019 Neimark Jill 2 January 2018 From Hooch To Haute Cuisine A Nearly Extinct Bootlegger s Corn Gets A Second Shot npr org NPR Archived from the original on 23 June 2022 Retrieved 23 June 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Should Home Distilling Be Legal In N H Lawmakers To Vote Wednesday 2 January 2018 S B No 13 Retrieved 30 January 2023 Sources editDavis Elaine Minnesota 13 Wet Wild Prohibition Days 2007 ISBN 978 0 9798017 0 9 Peine Emelie K Schafft Kai A Spring Fall 2012 Moonshine Mountaineers and Modernity Distilling Cultural History in the Southern Appalachian Mountains Journal of Appalachian Studies Appalachian Studies Association 18 1 2 93 112 doi 10 2307 23337709 JSTOR 23337709 S2CID 142229259 Rowley Matthew Moonshine History songs stories and how tos 2007 ISBN 978 1 57990 648 1 Watman Max Chasing the White Dog An Amateur Outlaw s Adventures in Moonshine 2010 ISBN 978 1 4391 7024 3 King Jeff The Home Distiller s Workbook Your Guide to Making Moonshine Whisky Vodka Rum and So Much More 2012 ISBN 978 1 4699 8939 6External links edit nbsp Look up hooch in Wiktionary the free dictionary Moonshine Blue Ridge Style Archived 29 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine An Exhibition Produced by the Blue Ridge Institute and the Museum of Ferrum College Deantus an Phoitin Poteen Making by Mac Dara o Curraidhin a one hour 1998 Irish documentary film on the origins of the craft North Carolina Moonshine Historical information images music and film excerpts Moonshine news page Alcohol and Drugs History Society Georgia Moonshine Archived 23 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine History and folk traditions in Georgia USA Moonshine tempts new generation BBC on distilling illegal liquor in the 21st century Moonshine Franklin Co Virginia Moonshine Still from the past Video moonshine stills at a c e uk Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Moonshine amp oldid 1206054905, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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