Welcome to my MOONSHINING PAGE.   I built this page because in a world as vast
as the Internet it is almost impossible to find a decent Moonshine site I hope that this
site helps you out.
 

    I live in the Christmas tree capitol of the world.  Which means that I am bored most of
the time.  As a result I make wine, among other things.  I enjoy this very much and the
product of my hobby gets me buzzed rather nicely.  This was originally a wine making
site with a few comments on Moonshining but I soon realized (from all of the e-mail I got)that the web needed a truly kick butt Moonshine page.

 

    Like I had already said shine saved my life so I am going to share with you
what I know about shine.  This page is from many years of research and I hope that
you enjoy this part of my page.
 
    The art of shining in America can trace its roots back to the first settlements on the
content.  Many of the old stills were brought over with the settlers and were used through
out the colonies for sometime.  George Washington owned a still that can be viewed in
his home at Mount Vernon, Virginia.
 
    Moonshining did not grow very much until January 16th, 1920 when prohibition began.  Then like wild fire the demand for bootleg booze was on. Moonshine was smuggled out of the back water towns were it was brewed.  The shine was smuggled in many different ways.  One of the ways was by filling a casket with shine instead of a body and shipping it to its destination.  In those days no one would ever dare open a casket to see a dead body.
 
    There was one town that kept coming up in my  in my research of
Moonshine.  The town was called Moonshine Town USA  The towns real name
was Garrett, Pennsylvania.  This town in Somerset County.  It became an over night fire
ball. The people who lived there boosted that every third house possessed a still.
 
    That old Moonshine, sometimes called; White Mule, Skat, Stump Juice,Mountain Dew, Fire Water, and Rot Gut.  Shine was mans substitute for legal whiskey in a then dry nation.  Our nation at the time of prohibition was in the First World War.  Most of the young men were off in a foreign land when the 18th amendment was passed. This act was mainly blamed on the women folk of the time because they greatly out numbered men. President Wilson was a sick man and as a result his wife ran the government, for the most part.  She was also head of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.  This group had a huge amount of support and power and as a result they got the 18th Amendment passed.  Mans thirst for a strong drink can never be quenched so as a result of Prohibition Moonshine became the drink of choice.
 
    This is also why we have the saying, “The real McCoy.”  There was a rum runner from Florida who’s rum was so good that people started to call the “Good Stuff” the “Real McCoy.”  The question mostly asked was, “Is this the real McCoy.”  Referring it to anything that they thought had value.
 
    The glory days of Moonshining may be dead but don’t count it out. Because history is a circle and with the increases in sin taxes and the restrictions on alcohol Moonshine is making a come back.  Times are looking more and more like the Whiskey Rebellion which started because one of George Washington’s “the father of our country” first acts as president was to begin the ban of Moonshine by placing a 7 cent per gallon tax on Whiskey (Shine). This spurred a revolution that took place in western Pennsylvania calling for secession from the union.  It got so bad that George Washington had to send 13,000 militia to subdue the uprising.
 
    If you have any info on Moonshining I would like to hear from you.  I like all stories and suggestions.  I will post them as soon as I get a chance.

    OK this is the scoop for those of you who may be nuts enough to actually try it. There are two types of stills and two ways to distill booze. The first way to distill is by the old tried and true method.  This is done by using one of two types of stills.  The first type of still is the old pot belly still. The pot belly still consists of a main can that the mash is placed in and a top or dome with a cooling coil coming out of the top.  That is then run into a cooling tub. The other type is the exact same but with a reflux tower on the top.  The reflux tower helps produce a cleaner and purer shine.
 
 

BUILDING A STILL.

ITEMS:
1. ONE BIG GLASS JUG 5-10 GALLONS SHOULD D0.  I LIKE TO USE
GLASS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE DO TO THE COPPER THAT IS NOW
BEING SOLD HAS A LOT OF IMPURITIES IN IT AND MAY PRODUCE
DEADLY SHINE!!!!!!!!
2. TWO GLASS SIX TO EIGHT INCH LONG 1/4" TUBES IF YOU CAN GET
ONE OF THE TWO GLASS TUBES WITH A BEND IN IT SO THAT IT
RESEMBLES A CANDY CANE YOU WILL HAVE A LOT EASIER TIME.
3. ONE LONG GLASS THERMOMETER THAT READS IN CENTIGRADE THIS
SHOULD BE VERY SKINNY AND ABLE TO READ UP TO 100 DEGREES
CENTIGRADE.
4. ONE RUBBER PLUG FOR THE TOP OF THE JUG.
5. ONE PIECE OF PLASTIC TUBING 20-50 FEET WOULD BE FINE.  THIS
SHOULD BE MADE OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL THAT CAN HANDLE HIGH
TEMPS..
6. ONE BIG TUB 20 GALLONS OR BIGGER.
7. ONE BIG METTLE POT
8. FLOWER AND WATER
9. SOME WOOD BLOCKS (2 X 4’s)
 
      YOU MAY USE WINE OR MASH FOR THIS STILL BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND WINE.

    TAKE THE RUBBER STOPPER AND DRILL THREE HOLES INTO THE TOP
OF IT WITH A 1/4 INCH DRILL BIT.  THEN TAKE THE TWO GLASS TUBES
AND THE THERMOMETER AND LUBE THEM UP.  THEN CAREFULLY STICK
THEM THOUGH THE PRE DRILLED HOLES IN THE RUBBER STOPPER SO
THAT THEY STICK OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE STOPPER ABOUT A 1/4
INCH.  THEN HOOK UP THE PLASTIC TUBING TO THE END OF THE CANDY
CANE SHAPED GLASS TUBE.  NEXT RUN THE TUBING INTO THE BIG TUB
AND OUT THOUGH A HOLE THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO DRILL IN THE SIDE
TOWARD THEN BOTTOM.  THEN JAM A RAG IN THE HOLE OR SEAL THE
REST OF THE HOLE IN THE TUB SOME OTHER WAY.  NEXT MAKE A
BREAD DOUGH OUT OF FLOWER AND WATER AND USE IT TO PLUG OTHER
THE GLASS TUBE.  YOU DO NOT WANT TO PUT A LOT OF DOW IN THE
HOLE BECAUSE THIS HOLE IS YOUR PRESSER RELEASE IN CASE SOMETHING
GOES WRONG THE PRESSURE WILL BLOW THE BREAD DOUGH OUT OF THE
HOLE BEFORE YOUR STILL BLOWS UP. DON'T WORRY THE BREAD WILL COOK
ON TO THE GLASS AND FORM A REALLY GREAT SELL.  YOU MAY ALSO WANT
TO PUT SOME AROUND THE BASE OF THE RUBBER STOPPER TO SEAL IT
BETTER. THEN PLACE YOUR MASH OR WINE INTO THE JUG AND PLACE THE
STOPPER IN THE HOLE. THEN PLACE THE GLASS JUG IN TO THE METTLE
POT (ensure that pot is big enough so that the glass tubes just clear the top.).
THIS WILL PROVIDE SOME SAFETY IF THE GLASS JUG EXPLODES. IF YOU
PUT SOME BLOCKS OF WOOD ON THE BOTTOM AND THEN FILL THE POT
WITH WATER SO THAT IT JUST COVERS THE BLOCKS. THIS WILL HELP
TO KEEP THE GLASS FROM BREAKING, DUE TO HEAT EXPANSION AND
REGULATE YOUR HEAT. NEXT FILL YOUR TUB WITH ICE AND STICK YOUR STILL
ON AN OPEN FLAME.  A GAS GRILL OR OVER AN OPEN FIRE WORKS BEST BUT
MAKE SURE THAT IT IS ALWAYS DONE OUT SIDE DUE TO THE RISK OF
EXPLOSION.  YES I SAID EXPLOSION, THAT IS WHAT STILLS HAVE A
TENDENCY TO DO.
 

THIS ONE WORKS WITH WINE ONLY.
1. ONE GOOD SIZE PRESSURE COOKER
2. 20-40 FEET OF STAINLESS STEAL TUBING
3. THERMOMETER THAT READS CENTIGRADE

    YOU CAN ALSO MAKE A STILL OUT OF A GOOD SIZE PRESSURE
COOKER.  THEN TAKE THE 20-40 FEET OF STAINLESS STEAL TUBING
AND FIX IT TO THE TOP OF THE STEAM FITTING.  THIS CAN BE DONE BY
USING PRESSURE FITTINGS OR BY WIELDING IT ON TO THE STEAM VENT.
THEN RUN THE ALL STAINLESS STILL TUBING INTO YOUR COOLING TUB AND
START COOKING.  WARNING IF THIS STILL BLOWS UP YOU WILL GET
HURT.  SO BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE STEAM LINE GET
CLOGGED.  YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO DRILL A HOLE IN THE TOP SO THAT
YOU CAN PLACE A THERMOMETER IN THE TOP.

    OK here goes.  What I use is one of those coke a cola stainless steel soft drink
can. the one that they use for soft fountain drinks.  This is all electric no fire no
gas no stove.  ok take the lead off and take out the pressure valve cut it off one
haft way leave just the nut.  Bore out the hole to 1/4 size for a hose brass fitting
for the outlet of the steam. also get a hot water tank heating element and the
thermostat.  Wire it to 220 volts.  Install the element to the lid also in the middle
of lid.  Fill the tank about two thirds full.  Now you keep the temp. control set
about 170 degs. That’s the temp whiskey boils at.  It will come out good if it
comes out to fast it might be a little milky if so don't worry filter it threw some
coffee filters.
 
        IF YOU DO NOT LIKE THE GLASS STILL OR THE STAINLESS STILL
YOU HAVE THREE OTHER CHOICES.  ONE BUILD ONE OUT OF ALL
STAINLESS STEAL, OR GO TO THE LINK BELOW "EVERY THING YOU NEED TO
SHINE" AND BUY ONE, OR USE THESECOND METHOD OF DISTILLING.
 

    IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THESE RULES YOU WILL KILL YOURSELF END
OF TOPIC!!!

ITEMS
1. ONE 5-10 GALLON PLASTIC JUG DEPENDING.
2. ONE FREEZER THAT WILL HOLD A 5-10 GALLON JUG.

FILL JUG 3/4 FULL OF MASH OR WINE AND PLACE IN FREEZER THAT IS
TURNED ON HIGH FOR 6 HOURS TO TWO DAYS DEPENDING ON YOUR
FREEZER.  THEN TAKE JUG OUT OF FREEZER AND PORE OFF THE
SHINE.  THAT'S IT YOUR DONE.  SOMETIMES YOU MAY HAVE TO CHIP AWAY
SOME ICE.  BUT OTHER THEN THAT YOUR DONE.  WHY? WELL BECAUSE
WATER FREEZES AT ZERO DEGREES CENTIGRADE AND ALCOHOL FREEZES
AT AROUND -200 DEGREES CENTIGRADE AND THE WHOLE REASON OF
DISTILLING IS TO REMOVE THE WATER WHICH IS DONE HERE RATHER
NICELY.

ONCE YOU HAVE MADE SHINE

1.  YOU HAVE TO WATER IT DOWN. BECAUSE SHINE COMES OFF THE
STILL OR OUT OF THE FREEZER AT AROUND 85% AND THAT IS JUST TOO DAM
STRONG.
2.  YOU HAVE TO GIVE YOUR SHINE TIME TO MELLOW.  THIS IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART.  YOU SHOULD WAIT AT LEST 8 WEEKS AND SIX
MONTHSWOULD BE BETTER.  THE RULE IS THE LONGER YOU WAIT
THE  BETTER IT WILL BE.
3.  YOU CAN FAVOR YOUR SHINE WITH ANY KIND OF WINE OR FRUIT
JUICE YOU CAN ALSO USE THESE TO WATER IT DOWN.  IF YOU JUST WANT TO
WATER IT DOWN WITH WATER THEN YOU CAN STICK 3 OR 4 JOLLY
RANCHERS IN TO EACH BOTTLE OF SHINE BEFORE YOU LET IT MELLOW.
4.  YOU WILL ALSO HAVE TO FILTER IT THIS CAN BE DONE WITH SOME
REALLY THICK FELT CLOTH OR YOU CAN USE TWO OR THREE LAYERED
COFFEE FILTERS.  THIS WILL HELP REMOVE ANY IMPURITIES AND OILS.
 
 

Moonshine Recipes

OLD JOHN BARLEY CORN
 

          3 pecks cracked corn
 

          1 pack barley
 

          4 (30 oz.) cans malt syrup
 

          25 lb.. dark molasses
 

          1 lb. baker's yeast
 

          Remove head from 52 gallon barrel (or buy a plastic 50 gallon trash can) and
place corn and barley which has been thoroughly washed (both Barrel, corn and barley
need to be washed). Fill barrel (or trash can) with warm water and stir well. When
mixture is cool, add yeast. Allow to ferment until all fermentation has ceased.  Drain off
liquid into containers. Filter through fine mesh screen to remove grain particles Distill
insame manner as Moonshine or whiskey

MOONSHINE
 

          1 bushel wheat, rye, corn, or barley, washed clean.
 

          25-100lbs. cane sugar (you may substitute brown).
 

          45 gallons warm (80-85 deg F) water
 

          1 lb. bakers yeast.
 

          1 52 gal. barrel or Plastic trash can.
 

          Place washed grain in clean barrel along with desired about of sugar. Stir until
sugar is dissolved. Let stand until mixture is cool, below body temp. Place yeast in
mixture. Cover with lid. Allow 13-15 days fermentation time. When all fermentation has
ceased, siphon off liquid. Run though fine mesh screen to remove all green particles.
Grain wine or mash is then ready to run through still. Will produce five to seven gallons of
Moonshine when distilled.

ROCK AND RYE
 

          1 gallon good Moonshine or rye whiskey.
 

          2 cups rock candy (crystal sugar from maple syrup).
 

          2 cups citrus (your choice of fruit cut into small chunks,
          unpealed).
 

          Place mixture in bottles and leave for several days.
 
APPLE JACK
 

          15 bushels cider apples.
 

          25 lb.. white cane, maple, or, brown sugar.
 

          1/2 lb. yeast
 

          Wash apples thoroughly, chop fine and press though fruit press. This will make
approximately 45 gallons apple cider. Place cider in clean 52 gall. barrel or plastic trash
can. Add remaining ingredients. Place barrel out in hot sun or in a warm place.  Allow to
ferment until all fermentation stops. Distill in same manner as Moonshine. Gauge with
hydrometer to 70 proof test.  This makes a strong fruit liquor.

 WINE

Materials 1 five gallon container with a bottled neck (glass works best) 1 cork with hole though it 1small glass funnel with extended glass end (a straw or glass tube would also work) 1balloon 5 pound bag of sugar (optional) 2-3 packages of fruit (cranberries, cherries, ect.) Any ammount of brewer's yeast (can be ordered from any chemical supply company) Process Start off by mashing the berries (if you have them) into a pulp. If you use berries, you are making wine, if not, you are making moonshine. Pour the sugar and the berries into the container. Add the brewer's yeast. Slide the glass funnel or straw through the cork. Place the balloon over the funnel or attach it to the part of the straw that will be outside the bottle. Cork the bottle and place the container in a well heated place. After a couple days the balloon will have inflated. Let air out of balloon by slightly removing the cork. Smell the air- Good Huh! Don't let all the air out though. Keep this up for about five weeks, or until the balloon will no longer inflate. Filtration Remove the cork and set up some type of filter into another container. Use a funnel along with a filter (coffee filters work great). Pour all the pulp and liquid into the filter. After filtration, you have wine/moonshine! This needs to age a bit before it really starts tasting good. My batch was great from the start, but even better a month later. Store in bottles, (Ocean Spray and Snapple bottles work good) and place in cool dark place. Like it Stronger?? After filtration the wine is about 20-30 proof. If you have a distiller or can get ahold of one you can increase the alcohol level. Distill the alcohol out, remove some of the flavored juice and add the alcohol back in. You can make it as strong as you like.

APPLE WINE
 

          3 1/2 lb. cooking apples
 

          3 lb. granulated sugar
 

          1 1/2 gallons cold water
 

          2 lemons
 

          1 orange
 

          Wash the apples and cut out any bad places. do not peel off the skin or coor
them.  But cut the apples into pieces and put them through the mincer. Now put the
minced apples in a large bowl and pour 1 1/2 gallons of cold water over them. Cover the

bowl and leave for a week but stir well ever day using a wooden spoon. After the week
strain the liquid of through muslin into another bowl or jug. add the 3 lb. of granulated
sugar and juice and grated rind of the two lemons and one orange. Stir well till all of the
sugar has dissolved, then cover the blow and leave for twenty-four hours. It is then ready
to strain and bottle.
    This is a delicious fruit drink when it is first made and if you have children they will love
it and it is quite safe for them. It dose how ever start to turn into wine after the first week
or so. If you leave for four months you will find it has turned into a very clear pleasant
tasting wine
      Cork the bottles rather loosely at first and gradually push them in as the wine stops
working. This recipe will produce 1 gallon of wine. But because of the no yeast factor
care should be used in its making.

Compliance with the law in your own Country is the obligation of the reader and I can
accept no liability in the event of anyone using these instructions if the law in their own
Country does not permit the distillation of alcohol.