Moonshine - Wikipedia

High-proof liquor, generally made illicitly For other uses, see Moonshine (disambiguation). Moonshine

Type	Whisky
Alcohol by volume	At least 40%
Proof (US)	At least 80°
Colour	Clear to off-white depending on ingredients
Ingredients	Grain (mashing), sugar (fermented water, kilju)

Moonshine is high-proof liquor, traditionally made or distributed illegally.[1][2][3] The name was derived from a tradition of distilling the alcohol at night to avoid detection. In the first decades of the 21st century, commercial distilleries have adopted the term for its outlaw cachet and have begun producing their own legal "moonshine", including many novelty flavored varieties, that are said to continue the tradition by using a similar method or locale of production.[4]

In 2013, moonshine accounted for about one-third of global alcohol consumption.[5]

Terminology

[edit]

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

Fractional crystallization

[edit] See 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.[6][7] 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).[8]

Moonshine stills

[edit]

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.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11][12][13][14][15]

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)), evaporate the ethanol faster than an immersion heater, commonly sold in 300 W. Electrical injury may occur if immersion heaters are modified, such 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] See also: Bathtub gin

Plastic still

[edit]

A plastic still is a device for distillation specially adapted for separating ethanol and water.[citation needed] 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) and 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 distillation

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 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

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.[9] 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

[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.

The head that comes immediately after the foreshot (the initial product of the still) typically contains small amounts of other undesirable compounds, such as acetone and various aldehydes.[16] 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[17]) 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.

Adulterated moonshine

[edit] See also: Moonshine by country § By contaminated moonshine, and List of methanol poisoning incidents

Contaminated moonshine can occur if proper materials and techniques are not used. The prolonged consumption of impure moonshine may cause renal disease, primarily from increased lead content.[18]

Heavy metals

[edit]

Analysis of Georgia moonshine samples revealed potentially toxic levels of copper, zinc, lead, and arsenic.[19] A review of twelve arsenic poisoning cases found contaminated moonshine responsible for about half, suggesting it may be a significant source in some areas.[20]

Lead

[edit]

Radiators used as condensers may contain lead at the plumbing joints, and their use has resulted in blindness or lead poisoning[21] from tainted liquor.[22] This was a deadly hazard during the Prohibition-era United States. Consumption of lead-tainted moonshine is a serious risk factor for saturnine gout, a painful but treatable medical condition that damages the kidneys and joints.[5][23] A 2004 Virginia study found that of 48 samples of illicitly distilled moonshine seized by law enforcement, 60% of the samples had lead levels above the EPA water guideline of 15 ppb.[24]

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.[18]

Methanol

[edit]

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 assumed that the foreshot contains most of the methanol, if any, from the mash. However, research shows that a larger fraction of methanol is present at the end of the distillation run.[25]

Outbreaks of methanol poisoning have occurred from methanol accidentally produced in moonshine production or deliberately used to strengthen it.[26]

Purification

[edit]

In modern times, reducing methanol with the absorption of a molecular sieve is a practical method for production.[27]

Methanol safety by fermentation ingredient

[edit]

• Grain starches: Methanol is not produced in toxic amounts by fermentation of sugars from grain starches.[citation needed]
• Methanol is produced in the fermentation of fruits via the action of pectin methylesterase, while of regulatory concern this does not typically exceed toxic levels and poisonings typically occur from methanol addition [28][29] (e.g. as a lacing agent).

Tests

[edit]

Alcohols

[edit]

The Lucas test in alcohols is a test to differentiate between primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols. It can be used to detect the levels of fusel alcohols.

Strength

[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.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

Misconceptions

[edit]

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."[30][unreliable medical source?]

Legality

[edit]

Manufacturing of spirits through distilling, fractional crystallization, etc. outside a registered distillery is illegal in many countries.

USA

[edit]

Currently in the United States, there are five states that allow the production of moonshine for personal consumption (Alaska, Arizona, Maine[31], Massachusetts, Missouri, and New Hampshire[32]). Additionally, North Dakota law permits the production of moonshine for personal consumption up to the federally legal amount of zero gallons, meaning that production of any amount is illegal.[33]

Legal States

States	Legality
Alaska	Personal use only
Arizona	Must have a permit for personal use/register still
Maine	Produce up to 24 proof gallons of distilled spirits per person over 21 per year[31]
Massachusetts	Personal use on own property only
Missouri	Personal use up to 200 US gallons (760 L) per year
New Hampshire	Liquor that is produced from 100/200 gallons of beer or wine per individual/household per year[32]
North Dakota	Only up to federally-allowed amount (zero gallons)

History

[edit]

Traditionally, moonshine usually is a clear, unaged whiskey,[34] made with barley mash in Scotland and in Ireland, and made with maize corn mash in the United States.[35] The word moonshine originated in the 18th century, in the British Isles, as a result of excise tax laws, and became an American English usage in the post–Independence U.S. after the Tariff of 1791 (Excise Whiskey Tax of 1791) outlawed un-registered distilleries, which provoked the Whiskey Rebellion (1791–1794), wherein for four years the Excise Whiskey Tax went unpaid by the tax rebels by way of violent protest. The Excise Whiskey Tax was law until 1802, upon repeal of the Tariff of 1791.[36]

In the 19th century, the Revenue Act of 1861 and the Revenue Act of 1862 levied heavy taxes upon the distilleries producing vinous spirits, which taxation increased the number of illegal distilleries, which then increased police actions by the IRS agents despatched to collect taxes from distilleries; the agents were known as Revenuers.[37] 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.

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.[1] 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.[38]

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.[39] 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."[40] 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.[41][42]

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.[43] 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).[44] Several former "runners," such as Junior Johnson, became noted drivers in the sport.[43]

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.[45]

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.[46] In 2023, Ohio introduced legislation to do the same, with other states likely to follow.[47]

See also

[edit]

• Bootleggers 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 mash

References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Kosar, Kevin (15 April 2017). Moonshine: A Global History. London: Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1-78023-742-8.
2. ^ "moonshine". dictionary.com. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
3. ^ "moonshine". Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
4. ^ Lippard, Cameron D.; Stewart, Bruce E. (2019). Modern Moonshine : The Revival of White Whiskey in the Twenty-First Century (First ed.). Morgantown: West Virginia University Press. ISBN 978-1-946684-83-7. OCLC 1050142447.
5. ^ a b 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.
6. ^ 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.
7. ^ 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[.]
8. ^ Sanborn Conner Brown, Wines & Beers of Old New England: A How-to-do-it History (1978, ISBN 0874511488)
9. ^ a b "Spiralbrännaren" (PDF) (in Swedish).
10. ^ 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.
11. ^ 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.
12. ^ 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.
13. ^ 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.
14. ^ 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.
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. ^ "Making Moonshine: The Dummies' Guide". Copper Moonshine Still Kits - Clawhammer Supply. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
17. ^ "Hazardous Goods Management". Retrieved 31 August 2017.
18. ^ a b "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.
19. ^ Gerhardt, RE; Crecelius, EA; Hudson, JB (November 1980). "Trace element content of moonshine". Archives of Environmental Health. 35 (6): 332–4. doi:10.1080/00039896.1980.10667515. PMID 7458415.
20. ^ Gerhardt, RE; Crecelius, EA; Hudson, JB (February 1980). "Moonshine-related arsenic poisoning". Archives of Internal Medicine. 140 (2): 211–3. doi:10.1001/archinte.1980.00330140069020. PMID 7352816.
21. ^ "Why Your Copper Moonshine Still Needs To Be Lead Free – Whiskey Still Company". December 2016.
22. ^ Peine & Schafft 2012, p. 97.
23. ^ Loghman-Adham M (September 1997). "Renal effects of environmental and occupational lead exposure". Environ. Health Perspect. 105 (9): 928–938. doi:10.2307/3433873. JSTOR 3433873. PMC 1470371. PMID 9300927.
24. ^ Holstege, Christopher P.; Ferguson, Jeffrey D.; Wolf, Carl E.; Baer, Alexander B.; Poklis, Alphonse (2004). "Analysis of Moonshine for Contaminants". Journal of Toxicology: Clinical Toxicology. 42 (5): 597–601. doi:10.1081/CLT-200026976. ISSN 0731-3810.
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. ^ "Application to Include Fomepizole on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines" (PDF). November 2012. p. 10.
27. ^ Hui-Ling Ma; Xiu-Ping Yang; Ying Zuo (15 April 2006). "Study on Method of Decreasing Methanol in Apple Pomace Spirit". Food Science. 27 (4): 138–142.
28. ^ Blumenthal, P; Steger, MC; Einfalt, D; Rieke-Zapp, J; Quintanilla Bellucci, A; Sommerfeld, K; Schwarz, S; Lachenmeier, DW (28 April 2021). "Methanol Mitigation during Manufacturing of Fruit Spirits with Special Consideration of Novel Coffee Cherry Spirits". Molecules. 26 (9): 2585. doi:10.3390/molecules26092585. PMC 8125215. PMID 33925245.
29. ^ Lachenmeier, Dirk W.; Neufeld, Maria; Rehm, Jürgen (2021). "The impact of unrecorded alcohol use on health: What do we know in 2020?". J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs. 82 (1): 28–41. doi:10.15288/jsad.2021.82.28. PMID 33573720.
30. ^ "Moonshine". Skylark Medical Clinic. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
31. ^ a b "Maine LD631 | 2025-2026 | 132nd Legislature". LegiScan. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
32. ^ a b "New Hampshire HB1624 | 2024 | Regular Session". LegiScan. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
33. ^ "Moonshine Legal States 2023". worldpopulationreview.com. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
34. ^ "Exploding moonshine: The new golden age of outlaw liquor". CNN. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
35. ^ Guy Logsdon, Oklahoma Historical Society. "Moonshine". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Oklahoma State University. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2014. Alt URL
36. ^ "TTBGov - Whiskey Rebellion". www.ttb.gov. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
37. ^ 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.
38. ^ Spoelman, Colin; Haskell, David (22 October 2013). The Kings County Distillery Guide to Urban Moonshining : How to Make and Drink Whiskey. New York: Abrams Books. ISBN 978-1-4197-0990-6. OCLC 843332480.
39. ^ Sumich, Jason. "It's All Legal Until You Get Caught: Moonshining in the Southern Appalachians". Appalachian State University. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
40. ^ Peine & Schafft 2012, pp. 98–99.
41. ^ Block, Melissa (8 December 2005). "'Queen of the Mountain Bootleggers' Maggie Bailey". National Public Radio. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
42. ^ Motsinger, Carol (10 November 2014). "New Movie Focuses on WNC Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton". Asheville Citizen-Times. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
43. ^ 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.
44. ^ Billock, Jennifer. "How Moonshine Bootlegging Gave Rise to NASCAR". Smithsonian. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
45. ^ 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.
46. ^ "Should Home Distilling Be Legal In N.H.? Lawmakers To Vote Wednesday". 2 January 2018.
47. ^ "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. 18 (1/2). Appalachian Studies Association: 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] 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
• 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 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

v t e Alcohol use and control
Alcohol use	Alcohol-related crimes Drunk driving Alcohol-related traffic crashes in the United States Drunk driving in the United States Moonshine Bathtub gin Prison alcohol Pájaro verde Pruno Public intoxication Rum-running Sly-grog shop Wine fraud Alcoholism Alcohol and Native Americans Alcoholism in adolescence Alcoholism in family systems Alcoholism in rural Australia Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism Disease theory of alcoholism High-functioning alcoholic (HFA) Seeing pink elephants Chemistry Beverage-specific Beer chemistry Wine chemistry Comparison of psychoactive alcohols in alcoholic drinks Congener Alcohol congener analysis Ethanol Blood alcohol content Fusel alcohol Effects Short-term effects of alcohol consumption Long-term effects of alcohol Pharmacology of ethanol Subjective response to alcohol Adverse effects Anxiety Aging Brain Cancer breast cancer Cortisol Memory Sleep Tolerance/intolerance Weight Beverage-specific Beer: Potomania Wine: Red wine headache Health issues Cirrhosis Fetal alcohol syndrome Social issues Adulterated alcohol Adulterated moonshine Denatured alcohol (List of methanol poisoning incidents) Surrogate alcohol Alcohol abuse Alcohol advertising on college campuses Sex Beer goggles Alcohol myopia Alcohol in association football Alcohol use among college students Binge drinking Austrian syndrome Alcohol intoxication Epidemiology of binge drinking Holiday heart syndrome Problematic alcoholic products Alcohol powder Alcopop Borg Low-cost alcohol Flavored fortified wine Polysubstance alcoholic drinks Caffeinated alcoholic drink Coca wine Nicotini Zapoy Blackout Blackout Wednesday Drinking game list Pregaming Drinking in public Drunk walking Drunkorexia Dry drunk Dutch courage Flaming drink Hair of the dog Hurtful communication Drunk dialing In vino veritas Nightcap Pantsdrunk Passive drinking Binge drinking devices Beer bong Yard of ale Routes of administration Alcohol enema Alcohol inhalation Vodka eyeballing Sconcing History Andrew Johnson alcoholism debate Dionysian Mysteries Dipsomania Gilbert Paul Jordan Gin Craze List of deaths through alcohol Rum ration Rum Rebellion Shebeen Six o'clock swill Illegal drinking establishments Nip joint Speakeasy Whiskey Rebellion General Alcoholic beverage Beer Beer mile International Beer Day International Women's Collaboration Brew Day Women in brewing Drinking culture Apéritif and digestif Hangover remedies Health effects of wine Wine and food pairing Drunken monkey hypothesis Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility Ladies' night List of countries by alcohol consumption per capita Alcohol consumption by youth in the United States Ritual use of alcohol Whiskey International whisk(e)y day
Alcohol control	Alcohol law Administrative License Suspension (ALS) Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act 2012 Alcohol exclusion laws Alcohol monopoly Alcoholic beverage control state Alcohol packaging warning messages Ban on caffeinated alcoholic drinks in the United States Drunk driving law by country DWI court Field sobriety testing Hip flask defence Ignition interlock device Dry county List of dry communities by U.S. state Last call Legal drinking age Legal drinking age in the United States Shoulder tap List of alcohol laws of US Alcohol prohibition List of countries with alcohol prohibition Neo-prohibitionism Temperance movement Sobriety Alcohol detoxification Alcohol-free zone Dry campus Open-container law Brief intervention Designated driver Alcohol rehabilitation Drunk tank Managed alcohol program Non-alcoholic drink List of cocktails List of mixed drinks Spritzer Malt drinks Teetotalism Temperance bar Temperance and Good Citizenship Day Twelve-step groups Al-Anon/Alateen Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) Sober companion Sober curious Sober living house Sobering center Sobrietol Quit lit Alcohol limitation 0-0-1-3 Alcohol consumption recommendations Alcohol education Alcohol server training Monitoring Breathalyzer Sweat alcohol content monitor FRAMES Campaigns Dry January Dry July Get Your Sexy Back Ocsober Liquor license Low-alcohol drinks Fermented tea Low-alcohol beer Low-alcoholic malt drinks Small beer Measurement Alcoholic spirits measure Standard drink Addiction medicine Benzodiazepines Chlordiazepoxide Disulfiram-like drugs Disulfiram Calcium carbimide Cyanamide General anaesthetics Nitrous oxide Sulfonic acids Acamprosate Homotaurine Religion and alcohol Catholic Christian views on alcohol Alcohol in the Bible Islam and alcohol Words of Wisdom (LDS) History Beer Street and Gin Lane Bratt System Dry state Gin Act 1751 Medicinal Liquor Prescriptions Act of 1933
Related	Index of alcohol-related articles Alcohol and spaceflight Gateway drug effect Mood disorder Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Self-medication Spins Town drunk French paradox
Category

v t e Alcoholic beverages
History and production History of alcohol History of alcoholic beverages History of beer History of wine History of Bordeaux wine History of Champagne History of Chianti History of Rioja wine History of Sherry Production Alcohol industry Bathtub gin Brewing Brewery Malting Lautering Wort Yeast Distillation Drinking establishments Fermentation Simple syrup Yeast in winemaking Winemaking Yeast in winemaking
Fermented drinks by ingredients Fruit Apple Cider Banana Banana beer Banana wine Bignay Bignay wine Bokbunja Bokbunja-ju Grape Madeira wine Marsala wine Mistelle Moscatel de Setúbal Orange wine Port wine Red wine Rosé wine Sherry Vermouth White wine Java plum Duhat wine Longan Longan wine Lychee Lychee wine Pear Perry Pineapple Tepache Plum Plum jerkum Pomegranate Rimon Prickly pear Colonche Various fruits Conditum Dubonnet Hippocras Jabol Mulled wine Nabidh Pruno Sangria Cereals Barley Barley wine Corn Mageu Pozol Tejuino Tesgüino Millet Oshikundu Tongba Rice Agkud Amazake Apo Beopju Brem Choujiu Chuak Dansul Gwaha-ju Hariya Makgeolli Mijiu Mirin Pangasi Rice wine Rượu cần Sake Sato Shaoxing wine Sonti Tapai Tapuy Zu Rye Kvass Sorghum Pendhā Multiple grains Ale Ara Beer Boza Huangjiu Other Agave americana Pulque Coconut and other palms Bahalina Palm wine Tuak Tubâ Tuhak Tunggang Dairy Kumis Ginger Ginger wine Galangal Byais Honey Bais Byais Kabarawan Mead Sugar Kilju Sugarcane or molasses Basi Intus Palek Tea Fermented tea Kombucha Various starches Cauim Chicha Parakari Ibwatu
Liquors by ingredients Fruit Apple Applejack Calvados Cashew apple Feni Cherry Kirschwasser Dates Araqi Fig Boukha Grape Arak Armagnac Brandy Cognac Pisco Zivania Juniper Gin Pear Poire Williams Plum Slivovitz Țuică Pomace Chacha Grappa Marc Orujo Tsikoudia Tsipouro Zivania Various fruits Eau de vie Fruit brandy Geist Himbeergeist Marillenschnaps Nalewka Oghi Pálinka Rakia Schnaps Cereals Barley Irish whiskey Japanese whisky Scotch whisky Beer Bierbrand Buckwheat Buckwheat whisky Maize Bourbon whiskey Corn whiskey Tennessee whiskey Rice Awamori Cheongju Cholai Lao-Lao Lihing Mixiang Baijiu Shochu Soju Sulai Rye Korn Rye whiskey Starka Sorghum Baijiu (Kaoliang liquor) Multiple grains Ara American whiskey Baijiu Canadian whisky Shōchū Whisky Other Agave Mezcal Tequila Coconut and other palms Arrack Laksoy Lambanog Sotol Dairy Arkhi Maple syrup Acerum Sugarcane or molasses Aguardiente Cachaça Clairin Desi daru Guaro Rum Seco Herrerano Sulai Sura Tharra Various starches Aguardiente Akvavit Bangla Horilka Poitín Shōchū Vodka
Liqueurs and infused distilled drinks by ingredients Almond Amaretto Crème de Noyaux Anise Absinthe Anisado Anisado Mallorca Anisette Arak Hierbas Hierbas de Mallorca Mastika Ouzo Rakı Sambuca Beer Bierlikör Blackcurrant buds Kontabas Blackthorn shrub Patxaran Caraway Kümmel Cherry Cherry Heering Guignolet Maraschino Wiśniówka/Vyshnivka Chili peppers Pertsivka Chocolate Chocolate liqueur Cinnamon Tentura Cloudberry Lakka Coconut Malibu Coffee Kahlúa Tia Maria Cream Cream liqueur Irish cream Egg Advocaat Eggnog Hazelnut Frangelico Herbs Amaro Aquavit Aperol Becherovka Bénédictine Bitters Brennivín Chartreuse Crème de menthe Crème de violette Jägermeister Kräuterlikör Metaxa Riga Black Balsam Vana Tallinn Unicum Żubrówka Honey Bärenjäger Drambuie Glayva Irish Mist Krambambula Krupnik Juniper Borovička Brinjevec Gin Jenever Mammee apple flower Eau créole Maple syrup Maple liqueur Orange Cointreau Curaçao Grand Marnier Triple sec Raspberry Chambord Star anise Pastis Sassolino Sugarcane/molasses Charanda Vanilla Licor 43 Various fruits Campari Cedratine Crème de banane Crème de cassis Limoncello Nalewka Schnapps Sloe gin Walnut Nocino
List

v t e Distillation
Principles	Raoult's law Dalton's law Reflux Fenske equation McCabe–Thiele method Theoretical plate Partial pressure Vapor–liquid equilibrium
Industrial processes	Batch distillation Continuous distillation Fractionating column Spinning cone
Laboratory methods	Alembic Kugelrohr Rotary evaporator Spinning band distillation Still
Techniques	Azeotropic Catalytic Destructive Dry Extractive Fractional Reactive Salt-effect Steam-based Vacuum-based

v t e Alcohol prohibition
By country	Bangladesh Canada Finland Iceland India Iran Russia / Soviet Union United States
By topic	Eighteenth Amendment (U.S. Constitution) Twenty-first Amendment (U.S. Constitution) Australian prohibition referendums Western Australian, 1925 New South Wales, 1928 Western Australian, 1950 American Mafia American Temperance Society Anti-Saloon League Association Against the Prohibition Amendment Bathtub gin Blaine Act Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Bureau of Prohibition Catch-my-Pal Cullen–Harrison Act Dry county Dry state List of dry communities by U.S. state Islam Jazz Age Local option Medicinal Liquor Prescriptions Act of 1933 Molly Pitcher Club Moonshine Neo-prohibitionism Nip joint Pioneer Total Abstinence Association Roaring Twenties Rum-running Rum Patrol Rum row Sly-grog shop Speakeasy Swedish prohibition referendum, 1922 Teetotalism Temperance movement Temperance (Scotland) Act 1913 United Kingdom Alliance Volstead Act Voluntary Committee of Lawyers Webb–Kenyon Act Wedding of the Weddings Wickersham Commission Willis–Campbell Act Woman's Christian Temperance Union
People	Martha Meir Allen Harry J. Anslinger Thomas Holliday Barker Lyman Beecher Al Capone Mickey Duffy Waxey Gordon Texas Guinan Frank Hamer William Harvey J. Edgar Hoover Clinton N. Howard Bumpy Johnson Enoch L. Johnson Norman Kerr Meyer Lansky Frederic Richard Lees Lucky Luciano Sam Maceo Owney Madden Joseph Malins William McCoy J. Howard Moore Bugs Moran Carrie Nation Eliot Ness Roy Olmstead The LaMontages brothers Lanzetta Brothers Purple Gang George Remus Arnold Rothstein Howard Hyde Russell Dutch Schultz Thomas Bywater Smithies Eliza Thompson William Harvey Thompson Andrew Volstead Wayne Wheeler Frances Willard Izzy Einstein and Moe Smith
Political parties	National Prohibition Party (UK) Prohibition Party (USA) Scottish Prohibition Party
Related	Prohibition (2011 documentary miniseries)

v t e American frontier
1776 to 1912
Native Nations	Apache Arapaho Arikara Assiniboine Blackfoot Cahuilla Cayuse Cheyenne Chinook Caddo Cocopah Comanche Crow Dakota Five Civilized Tribes Hidatsa Hopi Hualapai Kickapoo Kiowa Kumeyaay Kutenai Lakota Lenape Mandan Maricopa Modoc Mohave Muscogee Navajo Nez Perce Northern Paiute Nuu-chah-nulth Ojibwe Pawnee Pend d'Oreilles Pequot Pima Pueblo Seminoles Shoshone Sioux Southern Paiute Tohono Oʼodham Tonkawa Umpqua Ute Washoe Yakama Yaqui Yavapai Yuma (Quechan)
Notable people	Native Americans Black Hawk Black Kettle Bloody Knife Chief Joseph Cochise Degataga Crazy Bear Crazy Horse Crazy Snake Dasoda-hae Geronimo Ganundalegi Irataba Kiliahote Manuelito Massai Plenty Coups Quanah Parker Red Cloud Sacagawea Seattle Sitting Bull Smallwood Snapping Turtle Standing Bear Ten Bears Touch the Clouds Tuvi Victorio Washakie Explorersand pioneers Antonio Armijo Daniel Boone John Bozeman Jim Bridger Tomás Vélez Cachupín William Clark Davy Crockett Donner Party John C. Frémont Liver-Eating Johnson Meriwether Lewis Joe Mayer William John Murphy John Wesley Powell Juan Rivera Raphael Rivera Levi Ruggles Jedediah Smith Jack Swilling Trinidad Swilling Ora Rush Weed Richens Lacey Wootton Henry Wickenburg "Old Bill" Williams Brigham Young Lawmen Elfego Baca Charlie Bassett Roy Bean Morgan Earp Virgil Earp Wyatt Earp Henry Garfias Pat Garrett Jack Helm "Wild Bill" Hickok Bat Masterson "Mysterious Dave" Mather Bass Reeves George Scarborough John Selman John Horton Slaughter William "Bill" Tilghman James Timberlake Harry C. Wheeler Outlaws Billy the Kid Black Bart "Curly Bill" Brocius Butch Cassidy Billy Clanton Ike Clanton Dalton Brothers (Grat, Bill, Bob, Emmett) Bill Doolin Bill Downing John Wesley Hardin Johnny Ringo Jesse James Frank James Tom Ketchum Frank McLaury Tom McLaury Joaquin Murrieta Belle Starr Soapy Smith Sundance Kid Tiburcio Vásquez Younger Brothers (Cole, Bob, Jim, John) Soldiersand scouts Frederick Russell Burnham Kit Carson "Buffalo Bill" Cody Texas Jack Omohundro James C. Cooney George Crook George Armstrong Custer Alexis Godey Samuel P. Heintzelman Tom Horn Calamity Jane Luther Kelly Ranald S. Mackenzie Charley Reynolds Philip Sheridan Al Sieber Others John Jacob Astor William H. Boring Jonathan R. Davis George Flavel C. S. Fly John Joel Glanton George E. Goodfellow Doc Holliday Andrew Jackson Zephaniah Kingsley Seth Kinman Octaviano Larrazolo Nat Love Sylvester Mowry Emperor Norton Annie Oakley Sedona Schnebly Thomas William Sweeny Peter Lebeck
Frontier culture	American bison Barbed wire Boot Hill Cattle drive Cowboy poetry Cattle rustling Cow town Fast draw Ghost town Gunfights Homesteading Land rush Manifest destiny Moonshine One-room schoolhouse Rocky Mountain Rendezvous Rodeo Stagecoach Train robbery Vigilante justice Western saloon Tack piano Westward expansion Wild West shows
Transportand trails	Barlow Road Bozeman Trail Butterfield Trail California Trail Chisholm Trail Great Platte River Road Great Western Cattle Trail Lolo Pass Meek Cutoff Mormon Trail Oregon Trail Pony Express Santa Fe Trail Southern Emigrant Trail Tanner Trail First transcontinental railroad
Folklore	Dead man's hand Dime novel John Henry Johnny Kaw Long Tom's treasure Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine Lost Ship of the Desert Montezuma's treasure Paul Bunyan Pecos Bill Seven Cities of Gold
Gold rushes	Black Hills Gold Rush California Gold Rush Confederate Gulch and Diamond City Klondike Gold Rush Pike's Peak Gold Rush
Gunfights	Battle of Coffeyville Battle of Lincoln Frisco shootout Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Long Branch Saloon gunfight Variety Hall shootout
Military conflicts	Battle of the Alamo Battle of Glorieta Pass Battle of the Little Bighorn Battle of San Jacinto Battle of Washita River Bear Flag Revolt Chimayó Rebellion First Battle of Adobe Walls Indian Wars Mexican War Sand Creek massacre Seminole Wars Texas Revolution Wounded Knee Massacre
Range warsand feuds	Earp-Clanton feud Johnson County War Lincoln County War Mason County War Pleasant Valley War Sheep Wars Sutton–Taylor feud
Lists	Arizona Rangers Bibliography of the American frontier Cowboys and cowgirls Gangs Ghost towns Gunfights Lawmen Mountain men Outlaws Timeline of the American Old West
Influence	Cuisine of the Western United States Chuckwagon Californian Native American New Mexican New Mexico chile Pacific Northwestern Rocky Mountain oysters Tex-Mex Gothic Western Weird West Western genre Western lifestyle Western music New Mexico Red Dirt Tejano Texas country Western wear Cowboy boots Cowboy hat Jeans Snap fastener
Places Alaska Anchorage Iditarod Nome Seward Skagway Arizona Territory Canyon Diablo Fort Grant Prescott Phoenix Tombstone Tucson Window Rock Yuma California Bakersfield Fresno Jamestown Los Angeles Sacramento San Diego San Francisco Colorado Creede Denver Telluride Trinidad Dakota Territory Bismarck Deadwood Fargo Fort Yates Pine Ridge Rapid City Standing Rock Yankton Florida Territory Angola Negro Fort Pensacola Prospect Bluff St. Augustine St. Marks Tallahassee Idaho Territory Fort Boise Fort Hall Illinois Fort Dearborn Kansas Abilene Dodge City Ellsworth Hays Leavenworth Wichita Missouri Independence Kansas City St. Louis Montana Territory Billings Bozeman Deer Lodge Fort Benton Fort Peck Helena Livingston Missoula Virginia City Nebraska Chadron Fort Atkinson Fort Robinson Nebraska City Ogallala Omaha Valentine Whiteclay Nevada Carson City Virginia City Reno New Mexico Territory Alamogordo Albuquerque Cimarron Fort Sumner Gallup Las Vegas Lincoln Mesilla Mogollon Roswell Santa Fe Tucumcari Oklahoma Territoryand Indian Territory Broken Arrow Fort Gibson Fort Sill Oklahoma City Okmulgee Pawhuska Tahlequah Tishomingo Tuskahoma Wewoka Oregon Territory Astoria The Dalles La Grande McMinnville Oregon City Portland Salem Vale Texas Austin Abilene El Paso Fort Worth Gonzales Kilgore Lubbock San Antonio Utah Territory Salt Lake City Washington Territory Everett Port Townsend Seattle Vancouver Wyoming Territory Fort Bridger Fort Laramie
Category

Authority control databases
National	United States Israel
Other	Yale LUX