Moonshine is a liquor that has a past of flirting with both sides of the law. But now it appears that moonshine is being sold in certain superstores as a novelty item by licensed companies.
The liquor known as moonshine, white lightning, white whiskey, hooch, and other such nicknames has been a controversial product since Prohibition in the 1920s and 1930s. Manufacturers of the spirits during the prohibition were primarily found in the Appalachian Mountains where the stills could be hidden more easily from the law. All alcoholic beverages had been outlawed by the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. However, there were a good many shrewd business men not afraid to dirty their hands by running moonshine through the States. These businessmen included lawmen themselves, as well as serious gangsters, such as Al Capone. Moonshine was made in homes, with large scale homemade stills.
After Prohibition was annulled in 1933, white lightning remained illegal due to the dangerous methods that it was manufactured. Lead poisoning from the copper piping used to distill the liquor was common and hooch was very easily contaminated during the fermenting process. In addition, the sour mash produced during the process is incredibly flammable and there have been many instances in the past with disastrous effects from a misplaced match or cigarette near a still. And yet, moonshiners continued to manufacture the spirits, because the demand for moonshine was never eliminated.
Before the recent recession, the only state where the operation and mass production of moonshine was in Tennessee, and even then, the process was only legal in a few counties. However, with the severity of the recession, state governments were searching for additional ways to bring money into their economies. One way this was accomplished was by loosening up the regulations on distilled liquor. Moonshiners have never quite disappeared from the Appalachian Mountains and this leeway allowed for those with the family business alive and thriving to create a legal living producing the spirits.
One such business is a distillery located in both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee by the name of Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine. Ole Smoky became the first distillery in East Tennessee that was federally licensed after distilleries became legal in the state. Since 2010, Ole Smoky has been manufacturing its moonshine and shipping it in the classic mason jars to stores all over the nation.
I've seen Ole Smoky products in stores, such as Walmart, Kroger, and Meijer, here in Springfield. I have also seen the moonshine craze starting to hit Witt, especially during this summer. Although the Ole Smoky sold in supermarkets is only 40 proof and, frankly, not very economical considering the price is $22 per jar the last time I visited the local Meijer, I know that they are selling the 100 proof 'shine at Wine Works and at Keg 'n' Cork in Springfield as well. I personally love the taste but it's a little hard on the taste buds. To keep the natural taste of the shine with a smoother after taste, just put a stick of cinnamon in the jar for a little while and the cinnamon will flavor the spirits beautifully. I recommend trying the 'shine if you get a chance, not only for its great taste and rich cultural background, but also because drinking from a mason jar is truly a college experience.
100 proof? Yikes!
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