Junior johnso's Midnight Moonshine Original ( Review )

[markk]

Okay so I bought a big bottle of this original shine to taste test . about 21 bucks . 40% ( cut for the soda pop drinker I guess ) . first off this is jsut corn and sugar I am guessing . So I pour some in a glass and take a sip and spit the swill out . Oh my effing god it tasts like denatured alcohol with rubbing alcohol in it cut with water . Only taste it has . I am not exagrerating . Very distinct fusel alcohol flavor . Now it says on bottle that it is tripple distilled . had I noticed that I would not have bought it in the first plac e. Hey it is corn whiskey i want the flavor . Tripple removes it . My opinion anyway . Then whern you have methanol tasting shine in the forst place you sure as heck do not want to remove any of the corn flavor .
So my opinion ... this is swill and not fit for drinking at least as it is . I will mix it with something maybe some peach brandy flavoring . got to cover up that methanol taste .

[ranger_ric]

Cut your losses and just run it through your own still with some low wines... Good Luck.

[BentJar]

I did the same thing.Wanted to see what it tasted like. Swill is a kind word. How can they sell a product like that?
So, I run it thru with some feints. I also tried Ga. Moon, it was a bit better but not much.
Guys, that store bought shine ain't nothing close to what we produce. IMO

[ranger_ric]

I think I figgered out how these outfits that sell legal "moonshine" do it. They go to that HUGE distillery in Illinois that sells all them other places whiskey to age and the "moonshine" outfits buy any heads that were cut out of what went to the other whiskey makers.... So Junior bought a bunch of heads because everybody in the liquor store EXPECTS "moonshine" to be rough... And everybody makes a profit and nobody is the wiser....
Just Sayin

[Truckinbutch]

I think I figgered out how these outfits that sell legal "moonshine" do it. They go to that HUGE distillery in Illinois that sells all them other places whiskey to age and the "moonshine" outfits buy any heads that were cut out of what went to the other whiskey makers.... So Junior bought a bunch of heads because everybody in the liquor store EXPECTS "moonshine" to be rough... And everybody makes a profit and nobody is the wiser....
Just Sayin

Wouldn't be a far stretch of imagination to believe that

[heartcut]

Hate to admit it but I did it too. Don't remember wanting to get drunk that badly, even in high school.

[Hound Dog]

I just had to wait for my neighbor and one of his buddies to buy a few different brands so I could have a taste. Yes, Jr's was disgusting . I couldn't get past the smell of the Georgia Moon to try it, the gag reflex was kicking in . Honestly, Tim Smith's went down and was not totally gross. Then I gave them a shot of some All Bran off the Boka that my wife and I were drinking. I got the typical response "Well that ain't moonshine!" . I just said thank you .They didn't understand. Absolutely refused to believe that it was 100 proof because it didn't burn and gag. They did ask for the same mixed drink I was having though.....

[dstaines]

I think I figgered out how these outfits that sell legal "moonshine" do it. They go to that HUGE distillery in Illinois that sells all them other places whiskey to age and the "moonshine" outfits buy any heads that were cut out of what went to the other whiskey makers.... So Junior bought a bunch of heads because everybody in the liquor store EXPECTS "moonshine" to be rough... And everybody makes a profit and nobody is the wiser....
Just Sayin

If you're talking about MGP Of Indiana, it's in Indiana. And while I lean towards believing that Piedmont Distillers in NC does actually ferment and distill the Junior Johnson and Catdaddy Moonshine products themselves, their website does exhibit a curious lack of photos of their stills.... very suspicious. Haven't tried the Catdaddy one, but i did try Midnight moon. Tasted like most of the middle shelf vodkas that I've tried. Wouldn't buy it again.

[jb-texshine]

Tasted like cheap ass takka vodka with a scent of hospital mixed with tinks #69doe in heat deer piss.... I expected better from a racing legend... then again I wouldn't recommend Larry mahan boots as work boots(or at all). Good shit ain't famous and famous people who sell their names are whores... never taste a whore.
Just sayin
JB
( My opinion only.not a paid opinion though).

[S-Cackalacky]

JB, I'm guessing that goes over in the negative column.

[thecroweater]

Pretty sure MGP sell whiskey here labelled Cougar bourbon, its mid range and a damn site better than say JB IMHO

[dstaines]

... I lean towards believing that Piedmont Distillers in NC does actually ferment and distill the Junior Johnson and Catdaddy Moonshine products themselves...

I'm not *quite* ready to eat my words on this statement just yet, but I thought I hop back in here just to muddy the waters. I did actually see a bottle of Junior Johnson's Apple Pie Moonshine at the store the other day so I picked it up and inspected the label. Keep in mind that this is the flavored apple pie version, not the "Midnight Moon" original. The label stated clearly "Grain Neutral Spirit with Natural Flavors".

Since it makes no economic sense to make your own grain neutral spirit with the pot still they claim to use, when it can be had on the commodity market so cheaply, my assumption is that the booze that goes into the flavored versions comes from an industrial supplier of GNS. They may very well make their own vodka from corn in a pot still at Piedmont for bottling into the Original recipe white version like they say they do, and it seems clear that they do their own rectifying and flavoring for the fruity stuff.

Regardless of this supplemental and largely useless information, my initial evaluation still stands: Would Not Buy.

[ranger_ric]

For the Record I was being a bit facetious about JJ's midnight stuff being all heads from that big distillery. I dont know which brand of "legal moonshine" I tried when I bought some a few years ago. I do know that I thought it tasted like cheap vodka that I had just paid $25 for. I know I had wanted to try it for a long time and was horribly disappointed when I did. When I decided to take the leap and try to make this for myself it was one of the things that I was scared of. That I would feel let down after building a still and chasing down the main ingredients, the ferment and the time involved. I knew that if it had tasted that bad I would have walked away after my first run. Not to mention the thought crossed my mind that everybody on this site was stark raving mad if they thought that "moonshine" tasted good.
I will also admit that my sacrificial run was about 6 bottles of varying quantities and qualities and types of wine along with a handle of really cheap vodka. As the aromas from that sac run hit my nose I found it smelled kinda good. (I never tasted any of that). My first run of UJSSM was full of flavor and smooth. Now the flavor was different from anything I had ever tasted before and I have some posts on here asking about it. But by GOLLY I like the stuff and am looking forward to see what some time and some oak will do for it. It is a FAR cry from the CRAP they sell as "legal moonshine" down the street.

[Truckinbutch]

r-r , you got it in a nutshell . Nearly anything we make with care here is going to taste better than that commercial shit .

[Usge]

I tried JJ when it first came out and it was very "vodka" like with little flavor. It was otherwise smooth and did not have the pronounced fusel, etc..that you speak of. Maybe they changed things around later? Or maybe my tastebuds are just shot. But, it didn't put me off near as bad as ole smokey stuff does (which tastes like turpentine to me). If you want something that has good flavor made from mash (not sugar)...try Pritchards white.

[Venture Rider]

I tried the JJs also. To me it came across a a neutral, absolutely no flavor. You might as well throw it in a shaker with some vermouth.

[Hound Dog]

I tried the JJs also. To me it came across a a neutral, absolutely no flavor. You might as well throw it in a shaker with some vermouth.

You didn't notice the gasoline mixed with swamp water taste? Man, that was a far cry from the neutral that I make.

[Appalachia-Shiner]

My son bought a bottle of Juniors likker, tasted like what I re run in the next batch.
Someone mentioned Tim Smiths Climax moonshine; I have never tried it, but the day I was at Asheville Distilling a couple months ago, they were running his product. It didn't come that big place in Indiana anyway. Met Troy Ball and got a personal tour....She is the best thing I ever saw on "that show."

[markk]

Tasted like cheap ass takka vodka with a scent of hospital mixed with tinks #69doe in heat deer piss.... I expected better from a racing legend... then again I wouldn't recommend Larry mahan boots as work boots(or at all). Good shit ain't famous and famous people who sell their names are whores... never taste a whore.
Just sayin
JB
( My opinion only.not a paid opinion though).

Good advice

[markk]

... I lean towards believing that Piedmont Distillers in NC does actually ferment and distill the Junior Johnson and Catdaddy Moonshine products themselves...

I'm not *quite* ready to eat my words on this statement just yet, but I thought I hop back in here just to muddy the waters. I did actually see a bottle of Junior Johnson's Apple Pie Moonshine at the store the other day so I picked it up and inspected the label. Keep in mind that this is the flavored apple pie version, not the "Midnight Moon" original. The label stated clearly "Grain Neutral Spirit with Natural Flavors".

Since it makes no economic sense to make your own grain neutral spirit with the pot still they claim to use, when it can be had on the commodity market so cheaply, my assumption is that the booze that goes into the flavored versions comes from an industrial supplier of GNS. They may very well make their own vodka from corn in a pot still at Piedmont for bottling into the Original recipe white version like they say they do, and it seems clear that they do their own rectifying and flavoring for the fruity stuff.

Regardless of this supplemental and largely useless information, my initial evaluation still stands: Would Not Buy.

The original version does say on the label " proudly made by our very own hands " Also has a story to it about being a family recipe .
so they do at least make this version . How ever I think it is nothing but sugar wash and maybe some corn . distilled too much and taking away the flavor and also it seems as though they could care less about fusel alcohols . It has a very distinct rubbing alcohol flavor . If you drink a good strong bitter hoppy brown beer first then the flavor is not so bad and I can drink it right from the bottle ( only 80 proof ) and it is not so bad after a couple swallows but still is bad .
In case they are reading this -- Heat slowly ! Dump the first bunch of fusel alcohol crap ! At least have a bit of professionalism in your product .

[markk]

For the Record I was being a bit facetious about JJ's midnight stuff being all heads from that big distillery. I dont know which brand of "legal moonshine" I tried when I bought some a few years ago. I do know that I thought it tasted like cheap vodka that I had just paid $25 for. I know I had wanted to try it for a long time and was horribly disappointed when I did. When I decided to take the leap and try to make this for myself it was one of the things that I was scared of. That I would feel let down after building a still and chasing down the main ingredients, the ferment and the time involved. I knew that if it had tasted that bad I would have walked away after my first run. Not to mention the thought crossed my mind that everybody on this site was stark raving mad if they thought that "moonshine" tasted good.
I will also admit that my sacrificial run was about 6 bottles of varying quantities and qualities and types of wine along with a handle of really cheap vodka. As the aromas from that sac run hit my nose I found it smelled kinda good. (I never tasted any of that). My first run of UJSSM was full of flavor and smooth. Now the flavor was different from anything I had ever tasted before and I have some posts on here asking about it. But by GOLLY I like the stuff and am looking forward to see what some time and some oak will do for it. It is a FAR cry from the CRAP they sell as "legal moonshine" down the street.

I took some of my less good tasting stuff and dropped in a big handful of hickory I charred . Been in a long time and has a strong hickory flavor . going to drink it while eating smoked ribs !
My normal stuff I make with equal parts corn malted 2 row barely and oats . I use more than the normal amount . About 3 pounds of each . I toast the oats and barely to get a good flavor and run through barley crusher . Then hot mash them like I am making beer . Get the ferment going with 4 gallons of water and 15 pounds of sugar and maybe some brown sugar also and then add in a couple bottles of black strap mollasses .

[3d0g]

My son bought a bottle of Juniors likker, tasted like what I re run in the next batch.
Someone mentioned Tim Smiths Climax moonshine; I have never tried it, but the day I was at Asheville Distilling a couple months ago, they were running his product. It didn't come that big place in Indiana anyway. Met Troy Ball and got a personal tour....She is the best thing I ever saw on "that show."

I've got a bottle of Tim's from the Asheville plant. Absolutely the vilest corn liquor to ever pass my lips.