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Modern Day Prohibition
A few years ago (in early 2011), the North Carolina Alcohol Control Board informed us that we were not allowed to manufacture moonshine still kits in NC. The kits can be purchased by and shipped to residents of North Carolina, but they can't be made in North Carolina due to a technicality in the way their laws are written.
State officials cited written regulations and case law established in between late 1800s and 1930's! Additionally, no such permit exists that allows a manufacturer to legally produce and sell distillation equipment (for distilled spirit or fuel production) in NC. Consequently, Clawhammer Supply currently operates out of Colorado with plans to move to Tennessee. Colorado does not regulate the manufacture of distillation equipment. Tennessee has some rules and regs on the books but TN's Alcohol Control Executive Director personally gave us permission to manufacture kits in that state.
We should start a National Petition of Referendum gaining an overwhelming number of citizens the demanding of the Right to distill, ferment and brew 500 gallons of distilled spirits, wine and beer annually per citizen of 21 years of age and over. We own this country and we should make the laws, not the criminals in Congress and State Houses.
moonshine is a way of life and shouold not be ilegal. i thank you for keeping the american tradition alive
Just wonted to know if u were tacking orders yet
Hi Kyle, I am very interested in your product. Please let me know when your company is all set and ready to ship out. Looking forward to my next project!
Thanks
you should look into moving to cocke county TN, just on the other side of the NC border and has a long tradition of home distillery. Popcorn was from that neck of the woods, It is a poor area and could use the industry.
Just finished watching all your build and leak testing video’s……Giddy does not describe it!
Now for my next question: Is it possible to get the plans to make your own still, from you guys, as averse to buying a still kit?
Maybe in a DXF file format?
I ask because I do aircraft sheetmetal work, and could obtain the metal I need from a local supplier, and punch out my own pieces to size……..I realize, that you probably consider this info “proprietary”,just wondered if this might be a future option.Not looking to go into the still business, just to make my own for “fuel making purposes”, if you will.Love your site, and your product! Enjoyed your tutelage on soldering Kyle!
Thanks.
Chuck
Is it legal to make Shine for your own personel consumtion and not for sale? I live in WVa.
My family came from the mountains of NC and some of them made moonshine. They are all dead now. I would like to have a still in memory of them and use it as conversation piece. Do you know if NC law prohibit a resident from owning a still?
hi!!!
Hey James, thanks for the compliment! Also, thanks for the suggestion regarding the reflux design. We’ve definitely been thinking about that. Though, too much to do and not enough time!
THANK YOU!! Its about time someone started a REAL SITE! Not only to sell kits but showing how to make them for FREE. AWESOME! I had a site and was building and selling stills for a few years until supplies got to expensive, and passing that on didnt fly! fUN WHILE IT LASTED. Thought I would throw in a thought. Maybe turn your water lines around and run them threw you column so you get internal reflux. It wouldnt take much and it does raise your distillate. Just a thought and will only take a few holes drilled in your column. I LOVE what your doing here and KEEP UP the GREAT WORK!!
Again, THANKS A BUNCH!
James
Patrick,
Unfortunate we do not offer a copper still with a stainless steel bottom. I’m not sure how feasible this is. I can say that using a straight electric hotplate isn’t that expensive. A 1500 watt plate is all you need to operate our 20 gallon model. A 1500 watt plate operating for 10 hours only costs $1.35. (1500 watts x 10 hours = 15,000 watt hours or 15kWh. 15kWh x $0.10/kWh = $1.35). Thanks for the great question. I got to dust off some of my energy conversion math skills as well!
Would it be possible to manufacture a copper still with a stainless steel base in order to be able to “cook” on a portable induction cooktop? The use of an induction cooktop permits exact temperature control and significant energy (cost)) savings. Would the use of a stainless base on a copper pot affect the taste of the output?
Tenn. is a nice place,hope everything goes well. Please e mail me when you start up, may be able to pick up at new location. Im on the Wv. Va. border.Bluefield..keep the faith.. Matt