Is stillin in your family tree?

The long and storied history of distilled spirits.

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Usge
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by Usge »

goose,
I wish my side that thumped a kettle left something good behind...somewhere. The only good thing about that side of the family was that my Mom married into the other side of the family :).
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firewater69
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by firewater69 »

Im the only shiner in my family as far as i know, I had brewers on both sides, wine, beer & hard cider.
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by goose eye »

They all shades of grey.
You look hard at yours you'll find the same thang.
So I'm tole
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by S-Cackalacky »

Don't know for sure - only suspicions. Me and my brother once found my Dad in the body shop where he worked welding on a big tank in the back of a early fifties model Ford. He was working on a late Saturday afternoon and my brother and I were delivering his dinner to the shop. We asked him what he was doing and he told us he was helping a friend with a car for the dirt track. We didn't think too much about it until just a few years ago and were reminiscing on the phone. One or the other of us brought it up and it suddenly clicked that he was probably helping to build a tanker.

My grandfather on my Dad's side was the family black sheep. My brother and I always suspected him of being a transporter or bootlegger or both. He lost an arm in one accident when he rolled the model A ford he was driving. He later died in another car accident under strange circumstances. For many years he had been shunned by his family and no one would talk about it. We were guessing it might be whiskey related.

We grew up in a part of S. Cack that was known for its illicit likker makin'. Wouldn't be surprised to find out that many of my kin were involved. But, really don't know one way or another.
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W Pappy
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by W Pappy »

Wow great stuff fellas a big thanks to all that have contributed so far.Maybe some of these story's will enlighten
some about why people did what they did.Times were hard as hell for family's back in the day,there was a lot of sorrow
and hardness in this country.The earliest distiller I have found so far in my family was George Washington and he weren't worth a damn at it his liquor was considered rot gut.I will bet he never paid one red cent in sin/whiskey tax even though he had a distillery.
Buy the ticket and ride the lightnin boys !!!
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W Pappy
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by W Pappy »

Usge wrote:goose,
I wish my side that thumped a kettle left something good behind...somewhere. The only good thing about that side of the family was that my Mom married into the other side of the family :).
I feel about the same way as you do Usge, That's why I was so surprised when I got this ledger/book at Christmas I wont say what relationship the person is to me that sent it.But we still have not spoke my best guess they are on their death bed or have already passed but have not been found yet.
Buy the ticket and ride the lightnin boys !!!
Impatience is the root of all bad things in my book of makin likker!
The sound of a thumper is the heart beat of the rebel" Warden Pappy"
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firewater69
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by firewater69 »

Hope ya find out pappy, my grandad on the german side made persimmon beer, i wish i had his recipe. I was gonna make some persimmon shine but never got around to gettin the fruit. i did make some good sweet tater shine though.
Moonshine.... American as apple pie & it's part of our heritage, history & culture.
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W Pappy
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by W Pappy »

Sounds like you need to come up with your own recipe for that persimmon beer.Someday a future firewater maker may want your recipe.
Buy the ticket and ride the lightnin boys !!!
Impatience is the root of all bad things in my book of makin likker!
The sound of a thumper is the heart beat of the rebel" Warden Pappy"
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by jedneck »

Dad did, unfortunately I wasn't as interested in the making as the cunsuption of at the time.
welcome aboard some of us are ornery old coots but if you do a lot of
reading and don't ask stupid questions you'll be alright most are
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by W Pappy »

It appears that great grand pappy was fond of going to the"singing"later called a dance.Well great grand mam didn't like that he went to em.So he was soused up one nite and decided he was going no matter what she said! He had a couple barrels of mash that was finishing off, so after he run off to do his thing mam and one of the boys fed it all to the hogs to punish him.Hogs got drunk as hell and were stumbling around yard. No more was said I'm sure he was mad as hell about that one.
Buy the ticket and ride the lightnin boys !!!
Impatience is the root of all bad things in my book of makin likker!
The sound of a thumper is the heart beat of the rebel" Warden Pappy"
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firewater69
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by firewater69 »

Lucky hogs, grand mam got one over on him. I'll work on the persimmon beer recipe. found an old one where they mixed persimmon pulp with wheat bran and baked em into pones then added them to the water to make the beer. i was thinking bout using barley malt.
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W Pappy
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by W Pappy »

I would make some persimmon wine and run a brandy if I had access to sum,I hear tell it is damn good.Some where I got a recipe for that.
Buy the ticket and ride the lightnin boys !!!
Impatience is the root of all bad things in my book of makin likker!
The sound of a thumper is the heart beat of the rebel" Warden Pappy"
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by Fastill »

My grandfather on my mothers side was a runner. Drove shine all over lower Michigan.
I have all of my grandparents beer crocks and bottles from my Dads side, they sold beer to survive the depression.
I use a few of those redwing crocks to this day. Kraut, pickles, wine and a few other things that we do around here.
I will say that it skipped a gerneration, but has been revived. 'nough said.
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firewater69
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by firewater69 »

W Pappy wrote:I would make some persimmon wine and run a brandy if I had access to sum,I hear tell it is damn good.Some where I got a recipe for that.
I'll work on it pappy, & give ya a shout when she's ready to drink and if ya find that recipe im all ears.
Moonshine.... American as apple pie & it's part of our heritage, history & culture.
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Halfbaked
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by Halfbaked »

Grandpa was a runner. Cousin has been making for last 40 years that I know of. His dad did also. Grandfather on other side made shine. My dad knows way to much to not to have. I had someone tell me he did but never owned up to it. I had a conversation about malt with my dad and he told me all about the whys and what's and how to. I tried to join in the conversation his conversation and my mom said to my wife yea he (refering to me) just thinks he knows everything. I decided at that point it was just time to listen.
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by T-Pee »

I'm the only stiller that I know of but there's been plenty of wine made on the maternal side of the family. I know very little of the paternal side as any influence ended when I was six. A family friend is in the process of doing a full genealogical workup of both sides and I already know of quite a few crazy Creoles so it should be very interesting when she's done with the tome.

tp
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by W Pappy »

You just may be quite surprised at what she will uncover for ya tp.My wife has gone back as far as the early 1400's on my father's side.Now with this new info we have it has straitened out a couple things on the other side,she has went back into 1600's on them.When she is done we will have several books put together it is damned exciting really.Hell you could be related to Earl long if it wasn't for those boys the Catahoula hound wouldn't even exist anymore ya never know.
Buy the ticket and ride the lightnin boys !!!
Impatience is the root of all bad things in my book of makin likker!
The sound of a thumper is the heart beat of the rebel" Warden Pappy"
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by NZChris »

The nearest I get is Bonnie Prince Charlie giving away the secrets to his favorite tipple, but I doubt he made it himself.
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by thecroweater »

The short answer for me is yes on all sides and I am not by any stretch the only one in my extended family still stilling. As far as what you might call bootlegging goes that all came to an end some 25 yrs ago but I have seen some elaborate set ups and seen many many flagons placed in pits,covered with corrugated iron and buried till they were required. It all seems like such a long time ago thinking about it all now but not long enough for me to go into any detail :ewink:
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by googe »

I'm the start of my family distilling tree.
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by jedneck »

jedneck wrote:Dad did, unfortunately I wasn't as interested in the making as the cunsuption of at the time.
And two of my daughters are currently turning the grain mill. I love free child labor.
welcome aboard some of us are ornery old coots but if you do a lot of
reading and don't ask stupid questions you'll be alright most are
big help
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by Truckinbutch »

jedneck wrote:
jedneck wrote:Dad did, unfortunately I wasn't as interested in the making as the cunsuption of at the time.
And two of my daughters are currently turning the grain mill. I love free child labor.
I'm with you , Jed . One of my grandsons helped me paste up and plumb up my rig today in preparation for me to bring in the new year running UJSSM . First run in 6 months . Wouldn't you know ; daughter that caused the shutdown called to announce that she was stopping to visit . Guess I'll start up again next year .
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by thecroweater »

God sakes butch ya can't win a trick lately, sure we ain't related
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by Truckinbutch »

thecroweater wrote:God sakes butch ya can't win a trick lately, sure we ain't related
Not sure at all . We probably are if we sat down to ponder on it .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by W Pappy »

I think there are a some us related I offer we meet up at the black pouter shoot in INDIANA FRIENDSHIP. What say you?
Buy the ticket and ride the lightnin boys !!!
Impatience is the root of all bad things in my book of makin likker!
The sound of a thumper is the heart beat of the rebel" Warden Pappy"
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by T-Pee »

I know what yer sayin' Pappy but a "black pouter" is something else entirely and advocating shooting them will lead to some "interesting" conversation. :silent:

tp
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by Soggy Bottom Boy »

Truckinbutch wrote:Both sides of my family have been involved in makin , transporting , selling , and consuming untaxed spirits . Quite a number of them have spent some time "working for the state " over the years .
Truckinbutch wrote:New suit and $15 release money was what i was told was the average severance .
PERS tier 0, lol!
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by W Pappy »

T-Pee wrote:I know what yer sayin' Pappy but a "black pouter" is something else entirely and advocating shooting them will lead to some "interesting" conversation. :silent:

tp
Hahaha cant spell for shit when I get ripped :oops:
Buy the ticket and ride the lightnin boys !!!
Impatience is the root of all bad things in my book of makin likker!
The sound of a thumper is the heart beat of the rebel" Warden Pappy"
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by johnn201 »

My grand dad made gin and beer during prohibition my mother said there were always people at the house mob types
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Re: Is stillin in your family tree?

Post by W Pappy »

Great stuff fellas kinda shows that many a good folk made it for themselves and a couple friends and
in the process didn't bankrupt America.
Buy the ticket and ride the lightnin boys !!!
Impatience is the root of all bad things in my book of makin likker!
The sound of a thumper is the heart beat of the rebel" Warden Pappy"
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