Over the Counter "White Dog"

[Halfbaked]

I have only tasted 2 so called over the counter moonshines that I would say are good. I am a peach fan and when ga moon came out with that I had to try it. It was great, not even what I expected. It was at least worth 2x the price. After a few months and increase in sales (I assume)it went to NASTY. I still have a bottle and I get a head ache just thinking about opening it. I said 2 that were good. The 2nd one is Sweetwater http://virginianwhiskeys.com/?page_id=895" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow You can tell it is sugarhead. The guy makes cuts you can tell and good at it. It doesn't taste lots like moonshine but none the less pleasant on the palate. Same guy put out a drop called War horn. Absolutely beautiful bottle and look. Hell it has to be good, right? That was $35 that went into the feints jar.

[LG11]

Moonshine in uk??? Not that I know of, the Irish just across the water from me make potchine from potatoes thats probably as close as we get in the uk. But me I live in Scotland and so for true snobbery I admit that anything other than a single malt scotch is an imposter, funny seeing as I dont drink. But how our friends across the water view Scotch single malt whiskey?
I am interested to know how it is seen there. As for sugar and grains etc......................use and make what YOU like the taste of, all grain takes real skill to get something you can sell all over the world at a premium price (like a single malt). Skill is what you get when you gain experience at making mistakes ONCE. Its Science at its best, but the ART is in knowing what the science is doing at any given point. We have a new customer who is making a beverage from the fermentation of Grass (lawn type) with stinging nettles thrown in. I did the first three Assays today of the product before it gets passed to the taste panel, from the chemical profile I saw I would think its going to have a slight cherry flavor with a strong fairly bitter short lasting after taste, I am also thinking some will taste something a little like almonds in the background.
I love to do assays on pure grain brews, the chemical profiles are always fascinating. Its a shame that past the age of 13 most of us become unable to detect subtle flavors in very low concentrations. A profile from today tells me it should have a really sweet butter undertone, but its in such small amounts I doubt a old badly looked after palette would detect the taste.

[MDH]

I love to do assays on pure grain brews, the chemical profiles are always fascinating. Its a shame that past the age of 13 most of us become unable to detect subtle flavors in very low concentrations. A profile from today tells me it should have a really sweet butter undertone, but its in such small amounts I doubt a old badly looked after palette would detect the taste.

Most of us! But not all. There are many who have excellent taste and smell throughout most of their life, perhaps their entire life if they never smoke or drink very strong alcohol excessively, known as "super tasters". In fact, some so much that with regular testing they were able to have their senses insured. Yes, I am speaking about Richard Paterson, whose nose is insured for well over $2,000,000.

[DuckofDeath]

I just got a bottle of tim smiths shine. It is fairly good. I was pleasantly surprised.

[firewater69]

Popcorn's is the best I've tried. Got a bottle of Tim Smith's Climax shine I haven't opened yet. I'm hoping its good, but I haven't opened it as a way to avoid potential disappointment. In my experience, the vast majority are garbage.

a friend opened a bottle of Tim Smith's stuff last week at a get together, I can honestly say it is the worst I've ever tasted!

[sltm1]

I started this post last year and I got to say, the answers are really underwhelming!!! Personally, I'm addicted to UJ, both clear and oaked, I'll get around to doing an ag real soon...been saying that for two years now.....I think what sell's the crappy plethora of good's out there is the rank flavor and the old timey bottle. You can keep the bottle and relish the good old day's of poorly made whiskey, which is totally incorrect but a widely believed. You gotta remember, this is the population that made a millionaire out of the guy who "Invented" the "Pet Rock". Sheep is sheep, is sheep.

[firewater69]

unfortunately marketing is the key to selling swill, if I were in his shoes I wouldn't want my name linked to such a poor product. it's not that hard to make better than most commercial white dog offerings, not saying they are all bad but the majority that i've tried are.

[Alchemist75]

While I am not sure this is a shine Santa Fe spirits makes a very good un aged single malt.

The only distilled white dog I've tasted coming from Santa Fe resembled corn liquor low wines run without cuts. Made by some local brewery up there, "silver coyote" or something like that. First class swill.

[6 Row Joe]

Popcorn's is the best I've tried. Got a bottle of Tim Smith's Climax shine I haven't opened yet. I'm hoping its good, but I haven't opened it as a way to avoid potential disappointment. In my experience, the vast majority are garbage.

I tried some Tim Smith's Climax from the Ozark distillery. I'd say all the heads go in the jar. No flavor just raw alcohol.

[6 Row Joe]

Commercial white dog completely sucks. I haven't tried them all but I've tried about 8 from the moonshine section of the liquor store. The stuff I make ain't fancy but at least I make cuts.

I need a "agree button here!

[6 Row Joe]

Has anyone come across any commercial "shine", that actually tastes like shine?

I have tasted a couple of the commercial white dogs and the problem is that they do taste like "shine". They seem to have that nasty taste of something coming off a pot still all mixed into one big vat. This is the stuff that works up my gag reflex. I am sure you have met these distillers.... "Cuts? Oh yea, I throw out the first few ounces cause that will make you blind. After that the first gallon is the highest proof, so it's the best."

Yep. That's it exactly!

[jonnys_spirit]

Before I first started stillin i did a little oaking expirement and purchased several white dog and corn likkers. Blended all of them and boosted the abv with gns to about 130proof and aged on oak chips. 1 gallon total. Turned out. Ery nice and here i am still at it.

I’ll just suggest that oak and time will make it better but good clean white dog hearts is nice and smooth

Ciao!
-jonny

[raketemensch]

I just busted out some 3-year white dog and love it.

Dropped a few herbs in to macerate for a quick gin, and it’s incredibly tasty. People like to make their gins with neutrals, but man, a little corn taste is nice.

[Alchemist75]

Before I first started stillin i did a little oaking expirement and purchased several white dog and corn likkers. Blended all of them and boosted the abv with gns to about 130proof and aged on oak chips. 1 gallon total. Turned out. Ery nice and here i am still at it.

I’ll just suggest that oak and time will make it better but good clean white dog hearts is nice and smooth

Ciao!
-jonny

Granted oaking the spirit is a good thing but in some cases I think it's just a way of hiding the fact that the "master" distiller is not as masterly as we'd like to think. As you pointed out, a good hearts cut of double run white lightning is smooth as can be oak or no oak. Oak is just a flavoring for perfectly distilled white whisky, not a means of mending it lol.

[heynonny]

All I have ever made was white dog.

When I give/gave it away, I allus label(ed) it 'Perro Blanco'. (edit:) With a felt pen!

[6 Row Joe]

All I have ever made was white dog.

When I give/gave it away, I allus label(ed) it 'Perro Blanco'. (edit:) With a felt pen!

I had to look it up but that's perfect!

[Honest_Liberty]

So, out here in the new people's Republik of Koloradistan, I've tried some white dog from 10th mountain division in Vail. My wife and I were pretty blasted by that point but i recall vividly the flavor was similar to my sweet feed recipe. They claimed to only use enzymes but we both recognized a sugar bite.

Just before I tasted my first batch, i got a bottle of Colorado Sunshine. I recall it was delicious. But now, i may have to revisit that.

Here's something else I wanted to post on in a separate thread: commercial Bourbons and whiskeys. I had to settle for Maker's, because I'm cheap and i always remember enjoying it.

Terrible! The nose in a Glencairn smelled of nail polish remover and industrial solvents. I had to pour it into a short boy glass to finish. Hell, the chapitalized Concorde i just distilled (which is boring and hot) is still cleaner than Maker's. Wow. Just. Wow.
I suppose that kick from commercial is heads, and that's what I've been missing in my oaked product. Well, that and time.

Regarding AG. I've only done three runs, all with enzymes. My take: worth the effort, with every bit and it's cheaper!
Drier finish, smoother immediately, and i can taste the grains much more, especially in the SF.

I would recommend doing what I do. Enzymes and cooler, overnight, then gluco, transfer to fermenter next morning, run cloudy using mop wringer.
More work, better, cleaner flavor.

[LWTCS]

Pretty sure Makers is using a continuous rig?

[shadylane]

It's easy to know what it takes to be a Bourbon or Rum
But what's the legal description for "White Dog" or even "Moonshine"

I figure half the Over the Counter "White dog" I've sampled
Was a sweet feed shine, watered down GNS

[bluefish_dist]

There is no legal definition of moonshine or white dog. Most fall under distilled spirit specialty. Really the only other choice is corn whiskey as it’s the only whiskey that doesn’t have to be aged. That requires a mash bill of 80% or more corn.

Our white dog was corn flake whiskey. We also did a version on oak.

[Honest_Liberty]

Pretty sure Makers is using a continuous rig?

Where is a good place to watch a video explaining the difference? I'm still confused on the differences, especially with running and making cuts from pot still vs. plated column still.

I've read about the continuous and watched commercial documentaries, but they never seen to explain where cuts come into place

This is probably off topic. Sorry. But I'm wondering as it relates to commercial bourbon and white dog.

BTW. Orphan Barrel 20 year rhetoric is dog piss. Terrible, heavy heads, i would rather drink Jim beam black or devil's cut. True story

[bluefish_dist]

When batch distilling cuts are made in the same manner for pot stills or columns. Use your senses to determine where to cut, ie taste, smell, and feel. When I visited beefeater, they had a tasting station for each still.

I have not seen a continuous column run for whiskey, but for chemical plants they feed it raw stock mid way up the column and take off components by height. I would expect that for whiskey you would not take off at the top, but down a plate or two that way the heads cut is done by the column. Tails fall to the bottom and are pumped out.

[Honest_Liberty]

All this talk of commercial moonshine has me wanting to try 10th mountain division again, from Vail. I remember liking their enzyme corn whiskey but again, I was beyond three sheets at the time. I remember that hangover well.
They have a 100% rye that is potent, but good.

I'll be making videos on everything I read here, with a blend of still it and whiskey tribe methodologies. They each do things I really like but also things I would do different. Just a blended approach.

First video would be gathering all the nationwide commercial moonshines and blind samples, tasting notes, flavor profiles, etc. The problem is i haven't taken a proper tasting course to refine my senses and palate.

I think I'll do that. It would be nice to have folks send regional stuff so i could do about 10 to 15 of the most popular "moonshines".

Does that sound at all interesting to anyone?

[still_stirrin]

...First video would be gathering all the nationwide commercial moonshines and blind samples, tasting notes, flavor profiles, etc.

The problem is, i haven't taken a proper tasting course to refine my senses and palate....It would be nice to have folks send regional stuff so i could do about 10 to 15 of the most popular "moonshines".

Does that sound at all interesting to anyone?

It sounds like you want some "free liquor". No?

Personally, I don't give a damn what your opinion is about "commercial moonshine" or "blind samples". I am not interested in yet another YouTuber trying to waste my time with his opinion. And if you want me to give my opinion about your moonshine, then send me a bottle so I can give you my 2 cents worth.
ss

[Honest_Liberty]

Well considering i can't purchase out of state liquor, how exactly would I go about acquiring it? I don't have access to the most popular regional moonshines from back East.

Many people enjoy honest evaluation and feedback from regular people, not snobs. I think a decent amount of people may be interested in exploring the hobby and want to get an idea of what "moonshine" tastes like. At least, in my experience, commercial moonshines originally made the idea relevant.

I appreciate your feedback

[Honest_Liberty]

Initially I took offense to your response, but chose tact for once in my life. I'm glad I did. I went back and re-read my initial post.

It does appear I was soliciting free booze. I'm not, but i definitely see why you thought that. What I am hoping is to do a video, because although I am sure most on here don't care what I think, and rightfully so, there are tons of folks interested in spirits and I think they are interested in hearing a regular guy do a straight up taste test, no frills, talking in terms they understand, and hopefully pushing more folks into creating their own.

What I would prefer is to gather regional sample size bottles. Especially if it's sub par, I will struggle to drink it, so i don't want full 750s anyway. Airline bottle sizes.

If anyone would send me a small bottle of a popular regional batch, I would send samples of stuff I've made as a thank you. Hell, I'd probably send twice the volume.
My double pot distilled sour mash corn+SF all grain enzyme batch and my COB unmalted rye enzyme batch won't be done until after May. I'm not in a hurry.

I honestly wanted to know whether anyone here thought my idea was worth it. Sincerely, my bad for appearing to hustle for free booze.

[Honest_Liberty]

Blackback is good. Tight cuts. Good corn whiskey.

Just had some while I'm visiting in Massanutten, Va.
Silverback distiller out of Afton.

It reminds me of the hearts from my corn+enzyme batch.
Straight up, no bull-ish. Sweet, nice bite, and has the same after flavor I continue to seemingly misinterpret as yeast-y. I don't know how to describe it.

Anyway, i think this stuff is as close as I've come to a very conservative made "moonshine".
It's bottled at 151 proof

[Sunshineer]

Platte river distillery puts out a good product in an old time mountain jug I have a few of their 1.75 l ones that I use for storage after aging but back to the point their profile is very smooth and grainy.

[The Baker]

Dear Honest,

Yes I believe you are honest and I would love to have you taste my product, anyway what I think may be passable...
But it isn't so easy, being in a different country.

Best,

Geoff

[thecroweater]

Platte river distillery puts out a good product in an old time mountain jug I have a few of their 1.75 l ones that I use for storage after aging but back to the point their profile is very smooth and grainy.

Surely you jest
If it is the product I know I found it about as smooth as busted glass and I'd use the term gritty more than grainy. I know "taste" is subjective but I sure as hell wouldn't be keen to subject my taste to that again. After buying said crock and taking a swig I tried at several meets to gift the contents, it ended up getting tipped into VA Rocketry's faints jar. To my tastes it tasted mainly of tails with a hint of fore shots just to get that chicken dance started.