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Grain Alcohol and Moonshine
Grain alcohol, also known as moonshine, Everclear or poteen, is a fiery beverage that packs a punch. Unlike some liquor, grain alcohol embraces its roughly edged flavors to provide its enthusiasts with one of the purest, strongest forms of alcohol.
What is Grain Alcohol
Natural grain alcohol is a form of pure alcohol produced by fermenting and distilling grain. It's far stronger than other alcoholic beverages, such as beer, vodka and whiskey because the grain is allowed to reach a high ethanol content before being distilled.

Everclear grain alcohol is one of the more popular brands available. Although drinking Everclear or any pure grain alcohol straight is inadvisable, due to its potency, some mixed drinks may require a touch of moonshine. While most alcohol is 80 proof, grain alcohol weighs in at a staggering 190 proof, nearly two-and-a-half times stronger.
Moonshine and the Founding Fathers
For better or worse, the history of moonshine is enveloped in the history of America. Trying to find a way to replenish the country's coffers after the Revolutionary War, the federal government decided to tax the alcohol trade, its first step in a long history of meddling in affairs of the liver.

Early moonshiners were originally farmers who survived bad years by turning their corn into profitable whisky. To them, paying the tax meant they wouldn't be able to feed their families. Federal agents were attacked when they came around to collect the tax, and several were tarred and feathered.

In 1794, several hundred angry citizens took over the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. President George Washington called for a gathering of militiamen under federal authority. About 13,000 troops dispersed the mob and captured its leaders. This Whiskey Rebellion was the first major test of federal authority for the young government.

While the rebellion failed, moonshining lived on. When prohibition went into effect in 1920, sub-rosa purveyors of grain alcohol were in their glory. Since prohibition's repeal in 1933, the making of illegal moonshine has largely petered out.
Irish Eyes are Smiling
Banned from export between 1661 and 1997, poteen is Irish liquor classified as moonshine. It runs about 180 proof and is made in a copper kettle. If running down to the store for a six-pack doesn't satisfy your alcohol ambitions, why not make your own?
How to Make Moonshine
If you're interested in how to make grain alcohol at home, here's an easy recipe to start with.
Homemade Moonshine Recipe
Ingredients

* 7 lbs. baker's yeast
* 42 lbs. brown sugar.
* 4 lbs. of treacle (is a thick, dark syrup produced during raw sugarcane refining)
* 1 lb. hops.

Directions

1. Steep ingredients in 3 gallons of lukewarm water at the bottom of a 40-gallon barrel. Fill barrel to three-quarters full with cold spring water and leave in a cool place to settle.

2. After several weeks, transfer to your still. Heat the pot gently until it comes to a boil. Put on the lid and seal and clamp securely. Make certain the worm is fully covered in cold water. Running water is best, if available.

3. The first bit made will be cloudy. Discard this and wait until the product is clear, then enjoy.

You can purchase moonshine stills at discounted prices through many sites online. If you lack the patience or space to make moonshine on your own, buy it in stores and use it to mix some pretty potent concoctions. Here are a couple of recipes to brighten up your day.
Grain Punch
Ingredients

* 10 bottles grain alcohol
* 4-5 packages fruit punch mix (dry)
* lots of fruit (sliced)
* 3 bags of ice

This recipe makes enough for a large party. The key here is to eat the fruit. Avoid bananas, which are too mushy.
Tyson Punch
Ingredients

* 2 bottles of a citrus flavored soda
* 2 bottles of clear, lemon-lime soda
* 2 qt. orange juice
* 4 scoops Tropical Punch Kool-Aid mix
* 1 bag of ice
* 1 bottle grain alcohol (Everclear).

In general, grain alcohol does its best work in concert with fresh fruits and juices, so feel free to experiment on your own. But be aware that the juice's purpose is to disguise the alcohol, so you may be drinking more than you think. That said, bottoms up!

I thought that it was going to be "grain" alcohol??? that whould be "sugar head" or maybe a rum?

Sounds like it was written by schoolkids, for schoolkids.


A very long essay of bad information

seven pounds of yeast...

And a pound of hops. That would taste like piss.

Definitely not written by someone who knew what they were doing.

1) I think 7 pounds of yeast would last my entire life.
2) Save the hops for beer.
3) All that brown sugar would make a rum.

I may be wrong, but I always thought of a half corn, half sugar wash is what yielded moonshine.

That page needs to be deleted.

~bd~

For what you would pay for 42 lb of brown sugar, be cheaper to buy your drink.
Just like ya'll, I still read it through.
They did have hang over cures

I must try this concoction. It might cure my cancer.

blanik

in the event that you do have cancer i would like to give you my condolances and keep you in my prayers.

Thanks Nathan. It's in my bladder so it could be helpful.

blanik

you can just piss that out right?

sorry to hear that, friend...

This world, I swear... between fires and cancers and office jobs... you've got to watch your back.

I wish you the best Blanik...

Bullcrap article and so was the references.

Left comments on both.

Love the picture of the thump keg which "is to seperate out the solids"!
Shows both pipes out of the water!

goinbroke2 wrote:Bullcrap article and so was the references.

Left comments on both.

Love the picture of the thump keg which "is to seperate out the solids"!
Shows both pipes out of the water!

Didn't see the picture you are talking about, but sounds like a puke barrell. They have both lines outa the water and are used to seperate the solids and any puking liquids.... ....

I was waiting on the reference to Stilldrinkin.com for all your still purchasing needs the whole time I was reading that article.



This is why the hobby's illegal by-the-way.

punkin wrote:

goinbroke2 wrote:Bullcrap article and so was the references.

Left comments on both.

Love the picture of the thump keg which "is to seperate out the solids"!
Shows both pipes out of the water!

Didn't see the picture you are talking about, but sounds like a puke barrell. They have both lines outa the water and are used to seperate the solids and any puking liquids.... ....

Here's the picture....and it clearly states (as in the article on how it works) THUMPER not puke barrel.
I can't get the picture to work, here's the link to see for yourself.
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/moonshine2.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

"Some moonshiners use a thump keg, which is simply a heated barrel into which the steam is forced. Some solid material from the mash usually comes along with the steam, so the thump keg, so named for the thumping sound the bits of mash make when they drop into the barrel, re-evaporates the alcohol, filtering out the mash."

(but thanks for trying to make me look stupid)

I took a look at that site myself. I think the author is mistaken in his calling that a thumper.Slobber or puke barrel is what Ive seen them called. They were used in case of boiling over or puking.You know yourself should only be steam when still is being operated correctly. But in old days with wood fires it was harder to control heat. Grand dad used both on his stills puker and thumper Thumpers Ive seen were where 1 pipe went into some liquid and other wasn't so steam came out. Reason they called em thumper was sound they make when coming up to temp and starting to produce was a thumping or kinda rumble thunder like noise. Ive seen this and know it to be true . But what other foke call stuff at other places I cant say.

gotta agree with tater. - one barel outfit- doublein keg in pipe goes bout 2 inches off bottom an cut at 45. that gets keg to condence in vaper an cook keg juice back to vaper. pipe out is just in enough for a weld . how it is cant see how it gonna heat you juice without a fire underneath before the charge is done.
puke box mostly both pipes go in a about 1/4 way down .
yup a doublein keg will walk on you if you aint got it right.
round here cold water goes in botom - if you got the means- an hot out the side at the top for coolin barel.
think them folks read that book that says likker wont age in glass

so im tole

tater wrote:I took a look at that site myself. I think the author is mistaken in his calling that a thumper.Slobber or puke barrel is what Ive seen them called. They were used in case of boiling over or puking.You know yourself should only be steam when still is being operated correctly. But in old days with wood fires it was harder to control heat. Grand dad used both on his stills puker and thumper Thumpers Ive seen were where 1 pipe went into some liquid and other wasn't so steam came out. Reason they called em thumper was sound they make when coming up to temp and starting to produce was a thumping or kinda rumble thunder like noise. Ive seen this and know it to be true . But what other foke call stuff at other places I cant say.

Exactly! Thank you Tater. (and Goose)

punkin wrote:

goinbroke2 wrote:Bullcrap article and so was the references.

Left comments on both.

Love the picture of the thump keg which "is to seperate out the solids"!
Shows both pipes out of the water!

Didn't see the picture you are talking about, but sounds like a puke barrell. They have both lines outa the water and are used to seperate the solids and any puking liquids.... ....

Yes, as you can see, i tried to explain to you what it was. Maybe the rolly eye thing made you think i was trying to make you look stupid.

I'm not getting in a pissing contest.

I know what a puke barrel is and what a thumper is. They are not the same. The uneducated writer mixed the two up. He said (and I quoted) "the thump keg which is to seperate out the solids", that is NOT the purpose of a thumper, that is the purpose of a puke barrel.

There were many mistakes, as is typical when someone writes an article from googling all their info and not having any first hand knowledge.

I'll stand by my "bullcrap article" view of it.

Yes, of course, article is bullcrap. Just seems strange you would thank tater and goose and insult me, when all three provided the same information.




ButWhoGivesAFuckPunkin