Foo - moonshine

I was trading Bush jokes with a guy at the local Starbucks. The next thing I know, I'm hooking him up with a lift ticket and he's parting out a quart of smooth WV 'shine.

Turns out he's a 'troller at Solitude (Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT) living in a trolley car. He got the 'shine as a tip while working as a boatman on the Gauley.

Anyone ever had a nip of some tasty 'shine?

<snip> Anyone ever had a nip of some tasty 'shine?
Plenty, but I wouldn't call it 'tasty'...

A buddy of mine makes a fine apple moonshine. Applejack is the best. Smooth and tasty.

Yes, the taste reminded me of my teenage experiences: siphoning gasoline. :eek:

I can take you to several working stills in WNC.........well I would but most folks that make it don't really like strangers.I never drank it ,then again I've never drank and of those kind of beverages.

yup, 'cept it was called 'aguardiente' and if u drank too much, it felt like someone kicking your brain around inside ur head.

Sounds like that canyon is rife with bootleggers. A guy who works at Brighton, just above Solitude, used to make his own 'shine. He put it in those goofy quart-sized fruit canning bottles with the hermetic seals and brass rings. I was offered some once, but declined. Mrs. Mouse, much braver than I, had a sip and survived to tell about it.

Cheers.

A guy who works at Brighton, just above Solitude, used to make his own 'shine. He put it in those goofy quart-sized fruit canning bottles with the hermetic seals and brass rings.

Same thing ...handed me a canning jar full 'o 'shine.

My friend at Solitude should meet your friend at Brighton ...Big Cottonwood 'Shine. ;)

It is pretty easy to find around Western NC like mtnbiker said. the closest I've ever been to sippin' it was to sniff it...I swear it burned my nose hairs! that is some nasty stuff! I have had excellent homemade brady (strawberry, blackberry, peach), that will kick you in the behind faster than you can say: "what was that stuff? it is smooooooth!"

what's the rule with moonshine? if you light it on fire, and the flame turns blue it is OK and if it is red, you are dead???? am i remembering that right? or is there a yellow flame? augh! must have burned some brain cells with that brandy!

We just did the flame test in the office ...blue flame. I'm safe from going blind, right?

We just did the flame test in the office ...blue flame. I'm safe from going blind, right?
oh, yea...BLIND! not dead! good thing I'm not giving out medical advice! :D

I reccomend watching the movie "the dukes of hazzard" to get the inside scoop on the moonshine business.

Plenty, but I wouldn't call it 'tasty'...
Ditto....the moonshine I had tasted like doctored up rubbing alcohol.

It is pretty easy to find around Western NC like mtnbiker said. the closest I've ever been to sippin' it was to sniff it...I swear it burned my nose hairs! that is some nasty stuff! I have had excellent homemade brady (strawberry, blackberry, peach), that will kick you in the behind faster than you can say: "what was that stuff? it is smooooooth!"

what's the rule with moonshine? if you light it on fire, and the flame turns blue it is OK and if it is red, you are dead???? am i remembering that right? or is there a yellow flame? augh! must have burned some brain cells with that brandy!


Actually, ethanol burns with a blue flame, methanol burns clear(see the videos of race car mechanics fleeing a methanol fire that you can't see). It doesn't take much methanol(wood alcohol) to make you go blind but the treatment for methanol poisoning is to take ethanol IV.

The high oxygen content of alcohol is what makes the blue flame. A yellow flame is characteristic of wood or gasoline. Sooty flames indicate aromatic compounds. Natural gas/propane burns with a blue flame if enough air is added to the mix(remember the bunsen burners in chemistry lab?).

Moonshine usually isn't very smooth unless it's been distilled more than once, then diluted to 40% or so. Otherwise you are drinking PGA with higher molecular weight alcohols in it(fusel oils) and those are what gives you the nastiest hangovers. Vodka, because it is exhaustively distilled, does not give one a hangover unless you insist on mixing in sugary stuff.

Your Tennessee whisky, Kentucky whisky and bourbons, Scotch and Canadian whiskys are all twice distilled. Irish whisky is triple distilled to be a bit smoother. Jim Beam 100% Rye whisky is smoother than Jim Beam bourbon.

Sadly, most moonshining around here has been replaced by meth labs.

If it was smooth it probably wasn't moonshine. Moonshiners don't take the time to age their whiskey in charred oak barrels that make it smooth.

Hey bbattle-

Do you know if Jim Beam makes more than one variety of rye whiskey, or is the only rye they make that stuff with the yellow label?

my sister in law is from kentucky and back when I used
to have a taste every now and then (only on days that end with "Y")
she would bring back some real shine (white lightening). Dayum.
you didn't need to light it on fire for it to burn, just sip it.
also brought some fine sippin bourbon that one of her brothers
got (worked for Beam)

marty

A buddy of mine makes a fine apple moonshine. Applejack is the best. Smooth and tasty.

I used to drink this stuff called Georgia Moon. It came in a Mason Jar.
It was clear bourbon. Delicious !! Better than any of the big American brands.
When you exhaled after gurgling a mouthful down an aftertaste of sweet apples
would stay in your mouth and nose................MMMMMMmmmmmmmm

Out in these here parts, the Mexicans make a 'shine of Everclear. No taste at all...well, maybe there's a taste, but your mouth and sinus's are on fire when it's approximately 5 meters away. Of course they start laughing at the lightweight "Cavron, Chingato, Gringo" that's hacking away by the campfire.

Good times. Where am I?

thanks, bbattle, that was very interesting! I especiall like the "insist on mixing in the sugary stuff" bit about the vodka hangovers!

Telenick, try it in the car, should boost the octane rating and you'll fly over Fremont.

No way man, this stuff is too smooth. Is it getting blury for you too?

I don't drink, but if I did I'd probably make my own. Tax on whisky is 19 dollars a gallon.:eek:

I used to drink this stuff called Georgia Moon. It came in a Mason Jar.
It was clear bourbon.

If it came from Georgia, it was not bourbon. Bourbon only comes from Kentucky. If it was clear, it wasn't bourbon.

Just being pedantic. :D

Moonshine usually isn't very smooth unless it's been distilled more than once, then diluted to 40% or so. Otherwise you are drinking PGA with higher molecular weight alcohols in it(fusel oils) and those are what gives you the nastiest hangovers. Vodka, because it is exhaustively distilled, does not give one a hangover unless you insist on mixing in sugary stuff.
I thought that dehydration also contributed to a hangover.

I thought that dehydration also contributed to a hangover.
it does, so does sugary drinks too.

I dont get hangovers much anymore, unless i am way too drunk to think, i usually drink about 2 or 3 pints of water before gonig to bed. Its a race to the bathroom in the morning, but it sure beats having a splitting headache.

Ditto....the moonshine I had tasted like doctored up rubbing alcohol.Ditto again. Had an apprentice one time from WV. He went home for the holidays and brought some back. Stuff was really nasty. And that was back in my heavy drinking days when most anything was OK.

SS