Legal Moonshine.. Any Good?

[gubbyduffer]

I am a scotch single malt lover who dabbles into bourbon, rum, brandy and particularly rye. I am looking for tasty and interesting alternatives with an eye on saving a few pounds. I see various 'moonshines' sold in mason jars on line and am wondering if they are any good? The avb/proofs are generally low but the flavours sound interesting. Is it worth having a dabble into this or not? Looking for reccomendations, and being based in Scotland, preferably obtainable here.

 

[ashdigger]

Well, if it’s online I doubt it’s moonshine. Also, the flavor profiles depend immensely on region.

Good luck with your search

 

[STP]

Hit or miss like most homemade wine and beer. I don’t think many drink it for taste, at least not the ones that I’ve sampled?

 

[AJL67]

I am a scotch single malt lover who dabbles into bourbon, rum, brandy and particularly rye. I am looking for tasty and interesting alternatives with an eye on saving a few pounds. I see various 'moonshines' sold in mason jars on line and am wondering if they are any good? The avb/proofs are generally low but the flavours sound interesting. Is it worth having a dabble into this or not? Looking for reccomendations, and being based in Scotland, preferably obtainable here.

Few years ago “apple pie shine” got popular after people started making it at home, it’s hit and miss made by the big distilleries. I doubt any of the brands are the little guys if you look them up.

 

[romaso]

If it's the clear stuff I see in stores, it's not aged in wood, it's right off the still, so I wouldn't pay alot for it. Everclear would probably be cheaper, just dilute it down to a reasonable proof. Depends also what it's made from.
If you tour a distillery, ask if you can have a taste right off the still. We did this on Islay and you could taste the peat, but that's it, no wood. Think of a cheap, minimally aged whiskey you've tried and take it down a few more notches, there you are.
If you like single malts, I think you'll be disappointed in 'moonshine'.

 

[ron123]

If it's regulated and you're not risking your sight, it ain't real shine.

 

[Chasing Embers]

If it's regulated and you're not risking your sight, it ain't real shine.

Only if it's made with lead pipes. Some proper distillers only use copper.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Hit or miss like most homemade wine and beer. I don’t think many drink it for taste, at least not the ones that I’ve sampled?

You've not had the good stuff. If you can't taste it and it burns going down, you drank crap.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I had it from numerous sources numerous times. If you want to get shit faced, it's the real deal. But it taste like dog piss to me only worse.

 

[AJL67]

I've only had homemade and well it tasted like apple pie, 151 is dangerous stuff. In the 80s in high school we used to make Jungle juice, 151 and Hawaiian Punch, oh those were some nights, I think they were anyway there are a few I don't remember.

 

[AJL67]

Only if it's made with lead pipes. Some proper distillers only use copper.

View attachment 161823

Granny would be proud!

Jed fetch me my rhumatiz medicine!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Granny would be proud!

Jed fetch me my rhumatiz medicine!

View attachment 161835

Mt granny taught me. ?

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Few years ago “apple pie shine” got popular after people started making it at home, it’s hit and miss made by the big distilleries. I doubt any of the brands are the little guys if you look them up.

I prefer making high proof apple pie liqueur or liquor.

High proof vodka, flash infused with apple juice, apple cider, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, various types of sugars, and star anise. It's similar to mulled cider.

The house smells wonderful and you can make a non alcohol version for kids or non drinkers.

I've had real moonshine and am not a huge fan (although it is better mixed with Gatorade or in a slurpee). The flavored moonshine by Ole Smoky are novelties, but decent for what they are.

Happy to sip some, but it doesn't quite act like Lady Bourbon, who slowly spreads her angelic wings of warmth in your chest as an embrace while her nectar comforts the soul.

 

[AJL67]

I prefer making high proof apple pie liqueur or liquor.

High proof vodka, flash infused with apple juice, apple cider, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, various types of sugars, and star anise. It's similar to mulled cider.

The house smells wonderful and you can make a non alcohol version for kids or non drinkers.

I've had real moonshine and am not a huge fan (although it is better mixed with Gatorade or in a slurpee). The flavored moonshine by Ole Smoky are novelties, but decent for what they are.

Happy to sip some, but it doesn't quite act like Lady Bourbon, who slowly spreads her angelic wings of warmth in your chest as an embrace while her nectar comforts the soul.

This is about the same as pie shine but it’s 151 and a splash oh shoot i think it was whipped cream vodka or something. There was a cigar brother, angel (RIP) that would make gallons of it for big cigar herfs, he passed away and this woman Jenny started to make it with his recipe, i think she’s the one that added the whipped cream. I admit it was good stuff, just had to be careful with it.

@onepyrotec Did you ever have angels version at socal?

 

[anotherbob]

Well, if it’s online I doubt it’s moonshine. Also, the flavor profiles depend immensely on region.

Good luck with your search

it's basically unaged whiskey and it shows why you normally age it.

 

[shanez]

I've always wanted to try a true and proper moonshine if for no other reason than to have a reference point.

In all honesty, a quality whisky/whiskey or brandy is extremely hard to beat.

 

[sittingbear]

I heard once that the real reason moonshine was regulated was because folks were filling up their Model A gas tanks with the stuff cheaper than at the filling stations. The oil industry lobbied to make moonshine illegal so people would be forced to buy gas. Not sayin' thats true, but I'm not sayin' it's not, either!

 

[anotherbob]

I've always wanted to try a true and proper moonshine if for no other reason than to have a reference point.

In all honesty, a quality whisky/whiskey or brandy is extremely hard to beat.

You're not missing much. The only real appeal of it is the fact you're not paying taxes on it. If you've had it enough you might enjoy it because of building an association. Taste is from my experience mostly cheap alcohol made with no thought beyond will mess you up good. As for a buzz it's fine.

 

[captainsousie]

It's dead easy to make (if quite illegal so don't do it!) and a disappearing still can be made with items most have in their kitchen. That said, while it's easy to make crappy, or even blatantly undrinkable, shine it's darn hard to make the good stuff. The best I had was distilled from apples by a couple cousins of my friend in Latvia. It was some of the most amazing tasting shine available but they were the ones doing it right. Some sold a mixture mostly consisting of heads and tails and it'd give you a blinding headache in 3 shots or less. Some still bought that stuff nightly and it definitely hastened the arrival of the grim reaper.

I don't drink the stuff anymore but it's not a thing worth chasing. If you fall into it, great. If not, it only ends in tears.

 

[anotherbob]

It's dead easy to make (if quite illegal so don't do it!) and a disappearing still can be made with items most have in their kitchen. That said, while it's easy to make crappy, or even blatantly undrinkable, shine it's darn hard to make the good stuff. The best I had was distilled from apples by a couple cousins of my friend in Latvia. It was some of the most amazing tasting shine available but they were the ones doing it right. Some sold a mixture mostly consisting of heads and tails and it'd give you a blinding headache in 3 shots or less. Some still bought that stuff nightly and it definitely hastened the arrival of the grim reaper.

I don't drink the stuff anymore but it's not a thing worth chasing. If you fall into it, great. If not, it only ends in tears.

the legality is often very regional, but even where you can legally make it the laws limit how much and who you can give it too and where you can drink it. and some places have long traditions of home distilling and produce some rough but good stuff. lots of places in eastern europe and places with long standing stiff restrictions on alcohol. it is one of those easier then people think but still make sure you're doing it right.