Moonshine is a name that rings a bell with most Americans. More than just a strong drink this bright tart beverage has literally been America’s “rebel spirit” since its inception and by extension a full-fledged historical symbol. From the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791 when moonshiners and other whiskey makers rose up against the federal government to protest heavy taxes to the days of Prohibition when it was the drink of choice in speakeasies and the livelihood of bootleggers and gangsters. In popular culture you’ll find no shortage of mentions of the drink in video games television and comic books to keep the name alive as well.
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
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Guide to 'Shine': Legal vs. Illegal Explained | Moonshiners
And yet despite its outlaw reputation if you peruse the liquor aisle you’ll find plenty of bottles of booze with the word “Moonshine” on their labels. Surprisingly law enforcement doesn’t seem too bothered by their presence. So has the government finally changed its mind about moonshine and made it legal? Well the answer is a bit complicated.
First we need to establish what exactly moonshine is. It goes by a lot of different nicknames depending on where you live. You may know it as white lightning skullcracker and bathtub whiskey/gin. Some even slyly call it “mountain dew” in a tongue-in-cheek manner (yes the green soda actually got its name from the drink). Whatever you call it they all refer to the same thing: a clear unaged whiskey distilled primarily from corn using homemade copper or steel stills. The final product packs a powerful punch ranging in strength from 40% to as much as 80% alcohol by volume.
Moonshine shares many similarities with “white dog” the legal clear whiskey fresh from the distillery. The main difference is in their legal status: White dog is legit while moonshine is not. As Clay Risen noted in an article for The Atlantic if the distillery owner has never been arrested by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives chances are they weren’t making moonshine at all!
