Ozark Mountains moonshine

The long and storied history of distilled spirits.

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Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by HolyBear »

I recently did a search under the history and folklore tab for "Ozark" and "Ozarks". I was very disappointed when I found absolutely nothing, no entries. I thought....surely thars sum kinda mistake, we've been makin shine since afor this place was called tha Ozarks... then it dawned on me that of course I wouldn't find much information on it, we are a clannish bunch and tend to keep to ourselves mostly. Because of this, I had to think whether or not to post information I've recently obtained. Would it be a betrayal of my people? Well,...in the interest of posterity, and in the same heart as the Foxfire books, I will post what I have found and will find in the future in order to preserve our stilling heritage for longevity sake.
I post on a Droid phone which is difficult and I'm only able to do it in small portions at a time. So, this will be a running thread....
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Boda Getta »

Looking forward to your posts.

BG
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

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I'm at my daughters dance recital so jes a little taste of what's coming.... I recently obtained 11 archeology survey reports on still sites up er in tha mountains. I'll not be giving the coordinates for these locations and will be using fake names., jes measurements, artifacts and such...shows about to begin so....
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by rad14701 »

wacabi1, from the way folk down there have been portrayed the lack of lore might be due to the inability to read and write... :twisted: :esurprised:

Just kidding... :shifty: I think... :eh:

Looking forward to reading about how the clans lifestyle has revolved around moonshining... :thumbup:
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by toe cutter »

rad14701 wrote:wacabi1, from the way folk down there have been portrayed the lack of lore might be due to the inability to read and write... :twisted: :esurprised:

Just kidding... :shifty: I think... :eh:

:
Maybe we just dont talk much and are too smart to get caught....just sayin :crazy:
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

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rad14701 wrote:wacabi1, from the way folk down there have been portrayed the lack of lore might be due to the inability to read and write... :twisted: :esurprised:

Just kidding... :shifty: I think... :eh:

Looking forward to reading about how the clans lifestyle has revolved around moonshining... :thumbup:
Well now Rad, I never claimed ta be smart... thars been times I wished i'z smart like you...maybe someday I'll be able ta come up with a recipe like you did. All I been able ta come up with so fer has come outta me garden, feed store, er tha woods... I've been hopen to try that Gerber baby food recipe sometime. Maybe next time I hitch tha mules ta go ta town, I'll be able ta find me one a those "Gerber" wet nurses .... round these parts, ifn a moma can't make milk, we jes give tha baby goats milk. Ive let some a me goat milk go bad, dont think iI wanna make no shine outta it...Er they good Lookin? Ya wouldn't happen ta have a "Gerber" sister would ye?
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by toe cutter »

wacabi1 wrote:
rad14701 wrote:wacabi1, from the way folk down there have been portrayed the lack of lore might be due to the inability to read and write... :twisted: :esurprised:

Just kidding... :shifty: I think... :eh:

Looking forward to reading about how the clans lifestyle has revolved around moonshining... :thumbup:
Well now Rad, I never claimed ta be smart... thars been times I wished i'z smart like you...maybe someday I'll be able ta come up with a recipe like you did. All I been able ta come up with so fer has come outta me garden, feed store, er tha woods... I've been hopen to try that Gerber baby food recipe sometime. Maybe next time I hitch tha mules ta go ta town, I'll be able ta find me one a those "Gerber" wet nurses .... round these parts, ifn a moma can't make milk, we jes give tha baby goats milk. Ive let some a me goat milk go bad, dont think iI wanna make no shine outta it...Er they good Lookin? Ya wouldn't happen ta have a "Gerber" sister would ye?
:clap: I just want to know how well the dial up internet works on a party line :mrgreen:
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by HolyBear »

Now, back to tha message at hand...where to begin?? I suppose tha bes place to begin "history an folklore" of ozark shine at tha beginnin... I've Osage blood in me. These hills at first was controlled by tha Osage. Did ya know that tha Osage was one a tha few tribes never to surrender??? Believe it er not, it has allot to do with tha way we think up er in tha hills. Rebellious folk, never surrender, weary of authority. Jes tha way we are... thasa why Arkansas an Oklahoma became Indian territory, they couldn't beat us, so they jes pushed tha rest of em attop us from out east... next big push came tha Scott's /Irish, thay's actually allot like us... been beat down from Easten folks an jes wanted to be left alone ta be left in peace. Most of em at first were from Kentucky an Tennessee, they was headin out west, when they fount our mountains... these hills reminded em of tha hills in tha Appalachian mountains... good springs fer water (shinin) and well protected. Ifn ya ever been here er flew over it, its easy ta see why tha Osage were never conquered... anywaz, tha Scott's /Irish brought withem tha love of whiskey, an these hills were tailor made fer makin it.., lots of hidden hollers, good cold springs, limestone water, an corn easy ta come by.....
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

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Now, I've read and re-read the archeology reports and it is obvious to me that certain elements were thought to be a necessity. From comparing the different sites, I think we can ascertain what was considered to be a common practice in those days...
#1) of the eleven sites, all sites except one were located in "bluff shelters". For those that may not be familiar with the term, a "bluff shelter" is an area along a bluff/cliff/sheer rock wall, that has eroded away a portion so that a concave area is formed under the rock face. A bluff shelter is kinda like a small cave. As previously mentioned, all the still sites were located in bluff shelters with the exception of one and it was located near the opening of an actual cave....
#2 based on the drawings, the "fire hearth" (term used by the archaeologist, the correct term should have been "furnace"), were all approximately the same size and shape. They were all crescent/horse shoe shape, having the mouth of the furnace facing out towards the open air. I assume this was so that logs could be easily feed into the mouth. If the mouth of the furnace were facing the inside of the bluff shelter, it may have been difficult to feed logs in because of bumping the back wall with a long log... All of the furnaces were approximately one meter across. This tells me that they used pot stills, and small scale, not those submarine stills like out east..... Another similarity between the sites was the location of the furnace relative within the shelter. Most of the furnaces were located directly under the drip line of the bluff above. Was this for smoke management? Was it to somehow utilize water dripping from the bluff above for coolant?
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Tater »

Plenty of pot stilling was going on back east. Might wanna check your facts again. :mrgreen: Yep furnaces were made to move fire back and forth to regulate heat Under shelter would help if it rained while stilling. Still can collapse if cap aint knocked off .
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Boda Getta »

"having the mouth of the furnace facing out towards the open air. I assume this was so that logs could be easily feed into the mouth."

I suspect the hearth was sited facing outward for better air control entering the hearth. I don't think they used "logs" to feed the fire, bur rather cut firewood sized wood. They would use hardwood and well seasoned if possible. Seasoned hardwood would be more efficent, but more importaly, produce little smoke. Those guys paid a lot of attention on managing smoke as this was a "tell" the law would use looking for them.

"This tells me that they used pot stills, and small scale, not those submarine stills like out east"

I believe for the period of the sites surveyed, pot stills were the only type stills available either in the Ozarks or "back East". A submarine still is still a pot still, but this type of still came alone much later. I believe they began appearing in the '50's and 60's. During this time the emphasis was beginning to switch from quality to quantity which meant the volume of the pots began to increase. it was during this period when sugar became the main ingredient used in the mashes and the use of copper still became rare.

" Most of the furnaces were located directly under the drip line of the bluff above. Was this for smoke management?

I believe it was for smoke management, as well as concealment.

BG

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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by HolyBear »

Tater wrote:Plenty of pot stilling was going on back east. Might wanna check your facts again. :mrgreen: Yep furnaces were made to move fire back and forth to regulate heat Under shelter would help if it rained while stilling. Still can collapse if cap aint knocked off .
No Sir Tater,... I wasn't implying that they only used submarine pots out east,...of course y'all used regular pots also, jes like they used em even further east over in Ireland.... I'z only sayin that based on these 11 still sites they were all pot stills, I don't think the larger volume subs ever made it this fer. No offence intended Tater.....
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Boda Getta »

"I don't think the larger volume subs ever made it this fer"

I would be very surprised if the larger volume stills like the sub and the groundhog stills common in this area weren't used in the Ozark's as well. As long as the motive was money, the moonshiners would find a way to go bigger and better (better as defined as producing more shine at a cheaper price and higher profit) The name of the game was to build cheaper stills and finding ways to increase the output.

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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

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#3) eight of the eleven furnaces were located less than 15 meters from a water source. That's pretty close... these bluff shelters were most all of the type located down along the creeks, not the high and dry bluff shelters located near the tops of our mountains. One of the three remaining was located 35 meters from a spring, another was aproximatly 100 meters from a creek, and of the site located in the actual cave, there is no mention of the water source. I do not know that particular cave, but many of our caves have water within them, so maybe deeper inside was the water source...
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Dnderhead »

I can take you right to one of those "furnaces"this is dug into a creek bank..at one time there was a grist mill up stream..iv only seen the remnants of that..but the "furnace" was operable when i was a pup.the creek water was used for cooling and a branch was used for the fermenter.i can remember jack in the pulpits grew in the branch..and some tiny pink flowers below.
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by HolyBear »

Thank ye Dunder... I'll get to tha plants, mainly tree's eventually in this thread, its hard postin on my phone. My big fat fingers keep mashin tha wrong keys, and I can only post about 15 lines er so before I can't see to edit what I'm postin....isn't technology wonderfully??? By tha way Dunder, ever bit into one a those Jacks after it turned into Lookin like corn??? Good stuff!!! It'll feel like a thousand needles getting shoved inta yer tung!!! Damn!!!!!
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

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OK, sorry for just now getting back to this thread, been busy....
#4) The artifacts documented from the eleven sites were all very similar as well. Broken canning jar glass was very common throughout the sites. Barrel hoops were also very common (found at nine of the eleven sites). One site still had portions of the wooden barrels intact. This to me makes alot of sense since stave bolts (staybows) and cooperage were such a big industry here at one time. As a side note, there are eleven species of white oak in Arkansas. I'm not sure about how many occur in the small portion of the Ozarks in Oklahoma, and Kansas. Of course southern Missouri contains the northern portion of the Ozarks but I'm not familier with the number of white oak species there..
Metal barels/55 gal drums, were also located at five of the eleven sites. Were these used for fermentation?? One had a 6" hole punched out the lid, and stove pipe was also found on site...
Something that I found interesting was that no crock pottery was found at any of the sites... the Ozark shiner's as well as the appilacian(sorry fellers, caint spell it, no harm ment) shiner's were always portrayed with the ceramic jugs with the finger ring. No ceramic was found at these sites. Additional artifacts included copper, cast iron, a large metal hook/pole, tin, wash tubs, nails, and lots of glass...
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Tater »

the metal barrel with hole was most likely a steam boiler for the wooden barreled still.Small barrels and metal cans like milk cans were usually used in this area in old days to haul out the product.
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by HolyBear »

Tater.. milk cans r used right here close fer oak'n and age'n, he he.. they work out Jes fine n dandy... thanks fer watching this post, more to come...
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

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OK fellers, one last report/post and I'll be done for a while....
#5 from looking at the original/ subsequent warranty deed information, many of the holders of the properties containing the stills were as I suspected, they were of Scott's/Irish lineage, with last names becoming with? Mc.... or O.... The were a few of course that were more English/Americanized in origin..... But, I am pleased to report, SAMOHON, et al?? That on the Northern end of the area surveyed, (within about 30,000 acres, not the entire area by anymeans, but of the area surveyed), there obviously was a community of colored folks who had the taste fer spirits!!! Yep, o n the Northern end of the area, there was a community of black folks that liked to make whiskey!!! I am very pleased to report it,... don't think I've heard of it before... but the evidence is there, and it makes sence. The Ozarks were at one time filled with Osage, still to this day reclusive, self sufficiant, outcast. Then the Scott's /Irish(very similar ), and then also the colored folks,( also very similar).

Maybe, when all is said and done, what really matters is that God has blessed us with the wisdom of how ta make some spirits, and maybe tha Angels can watch over us while their waiting ta take a little fer themselves ......
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Arkanshine »

Intersting I reckon
Copper is the new chrome, I like the way it "shines"
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Braz »

Arkanshine wrote:Intersting I reckon
I agree. I enjoyed reading the archeological report.
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by HolyBear »

Thank ye fellas...
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Mario84 »

Great read! I tip my hat to you country shining folk! May it prevail!
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by HolyBear »

I see that you edited your post before I could respond.... firstly, let me offer a sincere Welcome to the forum!!!

To answer your original post, yes, we are influenced by many outside sources, not just the coasts. We do have all the modern conveniences, but therein is our most deadly influence that taints our culture, TV... folks from the Ozarks are friendly southern folks and I'm sure you've heard of our southern hospitality, but here in the Ozarks we are somewhat weary of strangers. We are naturally well protected by our mountains, to be here you have to want to be here, no one just comes through these hills just to get somewhere else. An army would find it impossible to march through em and clear...
We do have outsiders that come here to live. I just baught a radial arm saw (for sawing white oak sticks!), from a guy that moved here from new York. He's been here for a while, very well assimilated, and I think he will become a new good friend.
We have near here a community of Norwegian's. One of baught a fairly large tract of land, cleared it and built cabin/houses on it. I've met a few of emthey seem like good hard working folk, I think they'll fit in just fine.
We also have many Amish that live here. Reserved, hard working, weary, they are definitely cut from the same cloth.
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Dnderhead »

""I think they'll fit in just fine.""
thats the whole thing right there,,"fit in" moving to the country and trying to change things is excepted just as if I moved to the city built a barn and tried to raise chickens ,pigs, etc..


if you dont like it as it is dont move there..
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

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Dnderhead wrote:""I think they'll fit in just fine.""
thats the whole thing right there,,"fit in" moving to the country and trying to change things is excepted just as if I moved to the city built a barn and tried to raise chickens ,pigs, etc..


if you dont like it as it is dont move there..

Amen Dunder!!!! :clap:
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by blind drunk »

Interesting reading.
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Re: Ozark Mountains moonshine

Post by Mario84 »

I wrote that long post question while getting tipsy, so I removed it incase it might've been a little too much. But I'm glad you saw the post and answered! For those who didnt catch my question: I was asking about how this part of the US stays true to itself and untainted by the superficial coast cultures like the NY and L.A. that media presents (even though I believe wild northern California to be one of those authentic pearls USA still keeps, and Im aware of beautiful remote areas in the northern part of the state of NY) and I was expressing my fondness of the heartland of the USA.
...
Real authentic, hard working, well-mannered, charm-languaged culture-rich Americans who at times in history prevailed BECAUSE of moonshining through tough economic times and who hold the tradition in a POSITIVE regard where even alcoholism seems to be able to be avoided in the majority of these places where shine is tradition.

The last thing I mentioned is what I believe to be a result of simple human logic which when left to itself makes more sense of itself than any laws can impose to create.

Put it this way: I damn near shed a tear when I saw Popcorn Suttons "last damn run of likker I'll ever make"... I just hope this way of life doesnt vanish from the world. It's closer to nature, it's more authentic and its more undisturbed and pure than the crazyness of the big cities.

One thing about us Norwegians is that we are hard-working folk, and Im not afraid to boast it. Before the oil was discovered we've survived through insane conditions. The black plague... and harvesting potatoes from frozen earth to survive for generations on end doesnt exactly breed lazy people... though oil does... : P

I like what I hear and read... its awesome that we have this section on the forum... and other than that I just want to tip my hat and express my fondness of what Im reading...
I'm aware of how some families will meet you with a shotgun in hand in southern territories if you happen to cross their property... and that kind of defensive mentality... but all in all it just might be for the better. In anycase I take it with a smile and dont see it as necessarily a negative attribute.

*cheers* :)
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