The Moonshine Rant

[thecroweater]

when i read whiskey i think american corn likker. when i read whisky i think scottish barley and peat smoke.

wouldn't repeat that in an Irish pub less ya back ya self as a bit of a pugilist

[WooTeck]

when i read whiskey i think american corn likker. when i read whisky i think scottish barley and peat smoke.

wouldn't repeat that in an Irish pub less ya back ya self as a bit of a pugilist

dont really spend much time in irish pubs. there normally over priced and overly tacky.

[goinbroke2]

Okies & Arkies spell likker with 2 k's.

Everybody should as it's the correct spelling! Likker is a drink, liker is more "she owns a still and I liker for it"! (like her)

[Jimbo]

"she owns a still and I liker for it"! (like her)

lickher would be another spellin....

[moosemilk]

Don't care what you call it or how you spell it. As long it's good and somebody pours a round already.

[WooTeck]

Don't care what you call it or how you spell it. As long it's good and somebody pours a round already.

well as long as aint tequila im happy

[firewater69]

I tried a mezcal a few weeks ago that was really good, El Diablito was the name.

[WooTeck]

Mezcal is good its like the difference between white and aged likker. One can be good and nthe other is normally a safe bet

[ranger_ric]

Great Conversation here. My $0.02.... I was travelling on a 10 day business trip a few years ago. Late at night somewhere near the Texas Oklahoma border. Listenin to radio and all they are talkin about is this big ass blizzard blowin in. All these roads behind me are closing. Its late and there is no way I can keep going and count any more of these elephants on the road. I pull into this little one road town and see the motel lights. Checking in the gal asks me you really only want one night?? She says this is a big storm and all the roads are likely to be closed the next day. So I get checked in and see the "likker" store next door is still open. Now this "likker" store is smaller than the den in my house. Everything is way overpriced. I see a couple of mason jars of moonshine and think what the heck I have always wanted to see what the fuss is all about with that TV show and all. I am going to be here for a day or two so I buy a couple of jars. I get back to the room and give it a taste. PPTTTTHHHEEEEWWWWWW. Damn wasted $40 ended up mixing it with Diet mountain dew. had a horrible headache the next day. Fast Forward a couple of years and my curiosity gets the better of me.
I watch Youtube videos to fix everything. (yep you guys see where this is going dont you) I have fixed SOH dishwasher, Fixed my waterwell (blown capacitor), rebuilt a clutch, all from youtube.... So I go buy me some copper and a pot. (SOH wouldnt let me near her pressure cooker). Somehow before I really started to build I found this site. (Thank GOD). I am runnin 15 gal of UJSSM this weekend. Now without that Moonshiners show and seeing stupid people supposedly makin this stuff I would not have ever touched this hobby.
After reading til my eyes bleed and searchin and searchin so I dont ask repeat questions I am ready to dive into making some craft moonshine/whiskey. I am lookin forward to the day where what I make is better than what I can buy. Without that stupid show (which I no longer watch) I would have never even noticed them 2 quart jars on the banks of the Red River.

[Bushman]

Great story Ranger Ric, I always enjoy personal adventures. Last year at the ADI conference I met up with Dad300 and Bob Loblaw at a bar near pioneer square in Seattle one night. Dad300 notices these mason jars up on one of the shelves and 2 drinks later my curiosity got the best of me so I asked. They said they made their own bitters for specialty drinks. Again without the hobby this would have gone right over my head.

[cranky]

I am runnin 15 gal of UJSSM this weekend.
I am lookin forward to the day where what I make is better than what I can buy.

My guess is this weekend is the day.

[T-Pee]

I am runnin 15 gal of UJSSM this weekend.
I am lookin forward to the day where what I make is better than what I can buy.

My guess is this weekend is the day.

Concur! Doooooo eeeet!

tp

[stony2289]

Who would have known, what an interesting read.

[goinbroke2]

Yeah, I already had my rant (probably on this thread, dunno never looked) but it pisses me off when people say "I'm not trying that shit" before I even open the bottle for the first time. I usually go into my "if you made home made bread, how would you feel if I called it shit before I even tasted it? or home made jam, or anything else???"

Last weekend I was asked why my moonshine is brown. I said because it's not moonshine, it's whisky, then handed the bottle over. The word moonshine means hold your nose and choke this shit back so you can get drunk, or at least around here it does. I hate the word.
We had a formal mess dinner Sat night and one of the Officer's wives was told I make home made whisky. She came right over and asked questions, thought it was fascinating. I gave her a taste from my flask and she loved it. Now I have a 2Lt asking how to make it.

[Chauncey]

I don't say moonshine unless it's to help some bonehead friend who samples some to understand. The people who always ask if it'll makem go blind. I always say yes, haha

[wtfdskin]

So will masturbation.
So im tole.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

[masonsjax]

I had a friend over recently, we're sipping on some of my barley all feints aged on charred oak. He asks, "you ever made moonshine?". Heh nah, I only drink the good stuff

I hate the term moonshine. It has a derogatory connotation because the propaganda intended it to. The fact that it's been used in recent years to sensationalize the criminal lowlifes sabotaging our efforts only makes it worse. Further, the M word is now used to market some true garbage to be sold to the masses legally by lazy corner cutting profiteers.

This site is great in that safety is preached above all, and that so many here advocate to separate ourselves from the old negative preconceptions and move forward highlighting the sophisticated artform that is craft home distilling. Cheers!

[Pesty]

but it pisses me off when people say "I'm not trying that shit"

My brother said that when I got started. at the time had spent lots of time looking into Kentucky bourbon as he drinks a 5th of JD a week and wanted to give him something special for his bday.
With a big ole smile I just said good, saves me the hassle.

Went home and worked on a single malt that I shared with my step dad 9 months later. His eyes lit up when a quart landed on the table, fancy label and all. Bro was there and asked where his jar was..

Took a puff from the Cuban and looked him square in the eyes as I reminded him about his "I'm not trying that shit"

[Danespirit]

Good one Pesty..

Many people judge on forehand that if one makes spirits at home, it's garbage not worth trying.
If one makes wine or beer, the reactions are something like: " Oh, very interesting...delicious drop..bla,bla,bla."
Take that same ferment and draw of some water by distillation and suddenly " Oh my god..! Don't blow yourself up with that shit. If you drink it you will go blind bla,bla,bla..!
Tv shows showing some idiots walking in the woods, avoiding the law and making illegal booze, doesn't put a positive attitude to homedistilling.
The propaganda well supported by governments around the globe, does nothing to dismantle those rumors...on the contrary.
Homedistilling should be a legal right, just like making your own jam or baking bread.

[cuginosgrizzo]

Here in my little corner of the world home distilling, although not legal, is pretty common. Here it is only related to distilling grappa or wine brandy, we have no tradition of distilling anything else (just some apple or pear brandy). So when some close friend hears that I am distilling whisky and rum it's not seen as poison production, rather it raises interest since my product is so out of place. The fact that thanks to this forum my product is so good and smooth helps a lot!

[raketemensch]

My favorite thing about all of this is the face people make when they try their first sip. They're expecting kerosene, and they get smooth, delicious corn goodness.

[goinbroke2]

So I'm talking to one of my Sgt's and a corporal walks in. The Sgt has tasted mine and wants to start making his own/etc/etc. So, we're shooting the shit about it and this Cpl walks in. His eyes light up and he's all giddy, "yeah, I love moonshine, show me how to make it too"
After about 2 minutes of talking and explaining and re-explaining stuff his eyes gazed over "I didn't think it was that hard". Now, to be fair, he's never made beer or wine either so the whole idea about fermenting was a bit much let alone talking about cuts.
His "idea" was to make up some quick shine for the weekend as he was going 4 wheeling....I said..."ah, no that's not how it works".

He's interested but certainly doesn't appear to have the patients or temperament to make beer let alone distilling. I highly persuaded him to just buy likker like he has been doing. I think he's the first person I ever, ever discouraged from distilling.