Methanol - Will Moonshine Make You Blind?

January 20, 2013

Moonshine and Blindness  When a commercial distiller is making moonshine (think Ole' Smokey or Sugarlands), a very real safety concern is creating a product that is poisonous. Fortunately, as long as a few simple safety precautions are followed, commercially distilled moonshine will NOT cause blindness, death, or even a bad hangover. In the article below... Read more

Moonshine Pickleback

January 20, 2013

Good moonshine doesn't need help from mixers, but we recently heard about a crazy drink made with pickle juice and hot sauce. Well, it's not normally made with hot sauce, but give it a shot. It's called a pickleback, and it's pretty darn good. Ingredients 1 part "moonshine" 1 part pickle juice A couple drops... Read more

Blue Corn Whiskey

December 31, 2012

Veterans of the distillation world will tell you that a growing trend among commercial mega-distillers is the flavoring of cheaply manufactured neutral grain spirits. Some products are comprised entirely of flavored neutral grain while other products blend neutral grain products with products distilled using traditional methods. Again, coloring agents, sweeteners, and other additives are included to... Read more

Downslope Distilling - Double Diamond Whiskey

December 31, 2012

Distillers everywhere should aspire to the level of quality achieved by the folks at DownSlope Distillers.  These guys really know their stuff and pride themselves on making a great tasting product using traditional, old-world technology and methodologies. They turn their noses up at techniques used by large scale commercial distillers (and even some craft distiller... Read more

How to Make a Ginger Alcohol Tincture

November 20, 2012

"Moonshine ginger tincture" - it's not generally what comes to mind when we think of medicine these days. However, in the early 1900's alcohol was just as commonly used as medicine as it was a social lubricant and a form of entertainment. In fact, alcohol tinctures were some of the best medicines available for treating... Read more

Copper High Country Moonshine Stills

November 14, 2012

A recent episode of the TV show Moonshiners (on Discovery) featured a "North Carolina High Country Still," which is nothing more than a traditional pot still with a thump keg (or thumper) and a coil condenser (or worm). A lot of folks ask us how our copper distiller parts kits are different from traditional pot stills. The... Read more

Moonshiners - A Price to Pay - Season 1, Episode 5

October 31, 2012

Before we get started, a reminder: Distilling alcohol is illegal without a federal fuel alcohol or distilled spirit plant permit as well as relevant state permits. Our distillation equipment is designed for legal uses only and the information in this article is for educational purposes only. Please read our complete legal summary for more information... Read more

Moonshiners - Outlaw Brotherhood - Season 1, Episode 4

October 31, 2012

Before we get started, a reminder: Distilling alcohol is illegal without a federal fuel alcohol or distilled spirit plant permit as well as relevant state permits. Our distillation equipment is designed for legal uses only and the information in this article is for educational purposes only. Please read our complete legal summary for more information... Read more

Moonshiners - The Law Comes Knockin' - Season 1 - Episode 3

October 31, 2012

We should preface this entire article by saying this: Clawhammer stills can be used for the production of distilled water and essential oils without the need for any federal permits. Production of fuel alcohol requires a federal fuel alcohol permit, which is free. Production of distilled spirits requires a federal distilled spirits permit and is only for commercial distillers. Also,... Read more

Moonshiners - Season Starts - Season 1 - Episode 1

October 30, 2012

The Discovery Channel's Moonshiners is a show that follows a team of bootleggers trying to make a living by making liquor in homemade stills - and the law enforcement officials trying to bust them. Many parts of the show seem staged, but it remains entertaining while offering a good look at the culture and lore... Read more