Took the wife on a long weekend trip to Pigeon Forge
Tennessee earlier this month. Outside of Smokey Mountain
Knife Works and the scenery up in the park it's really not
my cup of tea. But got to keep the old "ball and chain"
happy right ??
But this trip i came back with something i've been wanting
to try for some time now.
A couple of shots while relaxing of an evening and it's all
good. Any of you enjoy sipping Moonshine (the legal or
not so legal) kind?
BTW the mason quart jar is "Apple Pie" flavored 70 proof. And the black unopened bottle as of yet is Popcorn Sutton 93 proof.



Chuck

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They hold no Quarter

To be white (not flavored) and like Lightnin'. The Popcorn looks to me more to my liking. Unfortunate (or fortunately depending on your point of view) I don't drink anymore.

I do occasionally like a pull of good shine. It's got a character all its own, and it seems each still produces a unique taste.

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Even older, even crankier....

Do yourself a favor and use the Popcorn Sutton White Whiskey as paint thinner. That stuff is an insult to a MoonShiner the stuff is just nasty. I've had the pleasure of sipping some of Popcorns real stuff, smooth. The stuff with his name on it... NASTY!!!

The stuff they sale up in Gatlinburg at least the flavored stuff is decent... sipping strawberry mixed with sprite as I type this.... Their "real" moonshine. White Lighting whatever they call it, is a joke.

You want good moonshine you're going to have to break the law. Every legal moonshine I've tried as tasted like paint thinner

Chuck,

The apple pie goes down like sweet iced tea. The other I have not tried. Every one needs to make a trip to PF every so often to keep the better half happy. I usually get up early and go to Cade's Cove to help pass the time.

Some I have tasted has been quite good. Other stuff nasty. The worst was some moonshine tequila made from the lechugilla plant; got it in Batopilas, a "dry" town in the bottom of a canyon, and still have some on my shelf. This thread has inspired me to pour a short belt of Tullamore, however, in the absence of any drinkable moonshine on hand.

From the back roads and mountains of south east Oklahoma,yep dont get any better than that.

I was at a telephone school in Johnson City, TN in the early 70's. One fellow students went home to NC on weekends. He brought back some of his pappy in law's personal sipping whisky in his suitcase, wrapped with towels to keep them from breaking. We didn't go blind. I do remember it burned all the way down for the first mason jar. Don't remember much after that. This wasn't any of that sissy store bought legal 70 proof stuff, I think he said it was 190 Proof. I did not drink anymore, I felt like, well flamable.

I was there last Christmas and bought some of the so called whiskey. It had no taste, other then corn, it was 90 proof. I don't think they even used filtered water. I have some cinnamon and apple flavored I was given and have not tried. I am more of a bourbon person.

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Carpriver.

I've had the priviledge of sharing a jar of pure Kentucky 'Shine and it sure wasn't any 70 proof, was clear as water and would probably cure snake bite.

Several years ago I had a buddy that went home to Kentucky for Christmas. He brought back a few jars of his brothers White Lightning. This was the "Good stuff". It was strong. I wouldn't say it was that good.
We made some apple pie with it and that was really good.

Wing master

Didnt care for most of the ones i tried. No real taste other then alcohol and corn. Tasted like bad vodka made where the corn was boiled while inside an old sock

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

I still have a mason jar full from the mid-70's. I quit drinkin' in '82,but nuthin' keeps me from occasionally opening it up just to smell it. Brings back a lot of memories,mostly good ones,but not all.
I have a friend who comes down to hunt with me every October who was born and raised in the North Georgia mountains. He always brings 3 quarts of "Apple Pie" and a few jars of his mama's plum jelly for me. I break out the shine for friends around Christmas time. Some of those "friends" I've never seen before. Strange.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

My father kept a pint of 100 proof Old Grandad around in case someone got sick. I think that bottle lasted 10 years, a tablespoon of that stuff was just plain nasty.

I had one shot of the real stuff years ago. Never wanted another. No doubt some is better than others but this stuff was bad. It tasted like what I believe diesel fuel would taste like.

had a neighbor that made shine he took great pride in his "boat gas" as he called it .powerful stuff ,make you see things lol. he gave me a little jug for my 15th birthday.it messed my buddy and i up! mixed it with rootbeer and it went down easy.
more of a rum guy now days

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the rules? there are no rules

I'm kinda' fond of this "apple pie" i showed in the first photo.
I know it's not the "real thing" the bootleggers make but then
i'm not a real big drinker either (mostly a suds guy).
And i really would rather not take a chance buying the wrong
stuff from the wrong guy....
You got to remember this is "corn whiskey" made by rather
primitive methods. It's not going to be comparable to a fine
single malt Scotch or an aged fine Whiskey for taste.
You just have to enjoy it for what it is and i do. I have not
tried the Popcorn Sutton brand yet but do have some peach
and blackberry flavored "shine" coming in the mail soon and
i'm anxious to try these as well. I was born in Tennessee so
i have a little "shine" running in my blood i suppose.

Chuck

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They hold no Quarter

When I was stationed in Virginia many years ago, the state run liquor stores (the only ones allowed in the state) sold clear corn whiskey in mason jars. I tried it, but soon went back to bourbon.

By definition, there is no such thing as "legal" moonshine.
If it's legal, it ain't moonshine.

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Georgia On My Mind

I Did not know that. Thanks for the clarification.

Chuck

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They hold no Quarter

Also if the liquor is clear(white), by definition it's not "whiskey".
Whiskey has to be aged in oak barrels to get the true name.

This video by the SteelDrivers The SteelDrivers Corn Liquor - YouTube

Pretty much tells the story.

Ive had the stuff once, and that was the last time....the stuff is WAY too strong for my liking and if i drink i like to enjoy myself.

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Aim small miss small

That being said, I keep my moonshine in the freezer. I like it cold. I prefer a shot of 'shine over Crown Royal any day!

SWCA #1834

Ha-Ha, brings back old memories. ... I went to college in Washington DC, one time during the 1963 spring break a couple of us guys drove down through the Virgina hills where White Lighting was openly sold in grocery stores to collage kids, OH BOY one sip of that stuff and it will light up your innards!!! I never tried that again and decided to just stick to good ole beer till I graduated from college and moved up north.

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Free people ought to be armed

Never cared for Moonshine. Here's the top 5 Moonshine around the south.

Best of the South: Best Legal Moonshine - Southern Living

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Shoot like a pro!

Had some of the real stuff a few years back, it was powerful but not awful. Mixed with coke went it down nice and messed me up pretty well.

I've had both legal and not. I know of a good source for the later when we go hunting in the Appalachians. Enjoyable.

Illegal scuppernong shine. Yum, yum.

CW

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μολὼν λαβέ

I've had good and bad. As the maker of the best stuff I tried said , it's all about pride. Quality ingrediants , attention to detail in the process. But first , ya need the right receipe. The right mix of good corn , rye , barley , yeast and clean water. Most stuff uses too much sugar. Processed white cane sugar gives ya a higher quicker yield but a bad batch.


And forget the cut down oil drums and car radiators. There's a recent invention called stainless steel!

As said, there is no such thing as legal moonshine. I have a quart in my cabinet I've been sippin on for nigh on to 2 years. Pow'rful stuff. Burns with an invisible flame! Yep, scupanin and muskydine wine is some good stuff too!

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War Eagle!!!

The old guy "Popcorn" Sutton used to sit outside the gas station just at the upper end of Maggie Valley often...Drove up in an old 29' ?? pick-up. I used to see him when the old Cherokee Bike rally was in full swing.
. He was always dressed the same, with the high lace up logger's boots.
I never had any direct conversations with Popcorn,but he always had a large bunch of cronies hanging around enjoying the bikers and their fun circus.

Reminds me of when my family went to Tennessee to visit relatives when I was about 14. We went to see one of my Uncles who made his own moonshine. I could not believe what he put in it for "flavor". Anything he could find with alcohol, rubbing alcohol, cough syrup, something for rumitism, etc. I was made to taste it, almost died. Never again!!

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Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

All of ya ll that keep talking about tasting moonshine before sounds like ya ll got had. Good shine is smooth as can be and taste amazing. But you got to find a master brewer

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

What's the difference between Shine and Everclear?

Back in the drinking days I consumed mass quantities of Whiskey and Bourbon. We also had Everclear but put it in a Coke or 7 Up.

Never had the real Shine though I would still try a sip even though I do not drink anymore.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Not exactly what grain is used to make grain alcohol , but , just like bourbon , shine should be at least 50% corn.

Our priest brought some back he got from his brother who got it from some guy around Kiln Mississippi. Good stuff.
One of the cane farmers bought a still and made some pretty good Rum from the molasses he got from the mill.

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Forum consigliere

Back after WWII, when my grandpa got back from the war, he purchased a hunting cabin and each season would go hunting with family and friends, this was probably early 1950's (50,51,52). Some of the local hunters in the area, made there own alcohol, primarily because there wasn't a lot of money in those days I guess.

Well, every Christmas, my grandma would make 'slush' for the family. For whatever reason, I guess grandma thought they didn't have all that much whiskey in the house to make the slush and decided to use 'shine. I guess she wasn't sure how strong it was, wasn't very knowledgable about the stuff, and put in 'extra' because it wasn't the brown whiskey she would see (family didn't drink much, but grandad usually had some whiskey for special occasions, otherwise cheap beer).

Well, friends and family from the neighborhood were gathered at there house playing cards and telling tall tales...and from the stories I am told to this day everyone was having a good time. Grandma didn't drink and when someone's cup got empty she went to the kitchen and got more slush.

It wasn't until my grandad went to use the restroom that he realized he couldn't really feel anything...his legs, etc., and it was hard to walk!

He goes 'grandma, what did you put in the slush?!?! Oh, Pa, I just put in those two jars of shine you brought home from the folks at deer camp...

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Rather be outdoors

My college chemistry teacher decided that after our last lab would have a picnic out in back of the science building. We made a batch of 'shine for the lab portion then started the picnic. He insisted we cut it with o j but it wasn't enough. This stuff was the nitro glycerin of alcohol.

I'd like another attempt at some home made hooch now, but back then the jet fuel I had that day beat me like it owned me!

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paws for friendship

Had a friend, deceased, who was a PhD Chemist. He could make the most amazing shine! He'd make it tase like whatever you wanted. Bourbon, Scotch, Cognac, you name it.
Tasty and powerful, I miss him!

I tried it once. Made God a promise that if he'd just let me survive it I'd never touch the stuff again. He did and I didn't.

I'll just stick with my Crown Royal Black, Quervo Gold, Cold River Vodka, Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum, Saffire Gin, Jim Beam and good old Texas beer Shiner Bock. Yep, just gonna dance with the ones that brung me.

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Real men love cats!

I drink it everyday.

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

that's baby formula compared to true shine which should be in the +/- 180 proof range, be clear and take your breath away if you tossed back a shot. in hospitals we would get pharmaceutical grade alcohol that was 199 proof, 99.5 % pure! we would fill a syringe with it and spike Christmas rum balls with just a cc/ml and watch whoever ate it turn purple. you really need to mix something that strong to be drinkable. and yes alcohol that strong is highly flammable. I make my own rheumatiz medicine from everclear, only 150 proof here in Fl with my meyer lemons and tangerines from my trees. I try to keep it strong enough to not freeze, or be dangerously flammable. nailed the batch last year. 5 gallons and it went real fast as gifts and bribes for hunting privileges. the only time I get drunk is when I'm doing the filtering of my tonic. there's always a teaspoon or 2 of the sediment left after straining/filling each fifth bottle, that would be a sin to throw away. very labor intensive, but a labor of love.

We do not have Moonshine overhere.

Well, I know I swore off the stuff after my first experience and I haven't tried it again since. Have no idea who made it or what it was made out of etc. My BIL got it from a co-worker and it was brutal.

But I must admit that you sound like you know what you're doing and you make yours sound very good. I'd hate to go back on my word to God but If I had a chance to sample some of yours I'm afraid I'd be tempted.

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Real men love cats!

I enjoy good 'shine in moderation...

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"Shall not be infringed"

I wish I had some to share. frost killed both my meyer lemon and my tangerine trees. I've planted 2 more but it's gonna be a few years to get the yield I need. I won't use storebought fruit. maybe someone local that grows them and doesn't go crazy with the chemicals. straight in a tumbler glass with ice, that's it. sipped slowly and savored. I can't see paying for good expensive booze and ruining it with sodey pop. that's what the cheap stuff is for, IMO.

I was at the Jim Beam Distillery last week; they are marketing a clear whiskey called Ghost. It is from their raw dog used to make the bourbon; bottled before it goes to new white oak barrel that has been charred. I don't recall the proof but I did taste it, it tasted like corn. Beam Bourbon Is 51% corn 32% rye, and 17% malted barley yeast and water.

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Carpriver.

WOW! You brought back a memory that had been covered in a haze since 1968. I was working the emergency room at General Leonard Wood Army hospital, we planned a party for some medics and Doctors that were going to NAM. Everclear, fruit balls and a little punch. It started well, no problems. One guy sat next to the punch bowl used the dipper to fill his glass. After we had partied for a while he started asking folks to help him up so he could go to the bathroom. He would move his legs like he was walking in a sitting position. The guy had a great since of humor and we all laughed thinking he was doing it to get a laugh. After a while I looked over and he was dipping his glass in the punch bowl and spilling most of it trying to drink it. I asked some guys to help get him up he went straight down and then he tried to walk laying on his side. We drug him to the bathroom sat him down on the pot. Later someone found him passed out. We pulled him and his pants up and threw him in bed.

I remember it was a Friday night, most of us woke up Saturday afternoon and no one remembered the last of the party..

The party boy's last name was Schaeffer and he was a draftee, I believe he was from the Pittsburg, Pa area. He called us once. He was in an armored personnel carrier and it took a direct hit, both his eardrums were ruptured. He was being sent back stateside, we never heard from him again. I hope he made a full recovery.

Up into the 1960's making illegal liquor was a major cash crop in Hancock County and The Kiln was famous for its smooth, high quality 'shine. Folks claimed that it was so good that during Prohibition buyers even came down here from Tennessee to get the "Kiln Cream" to take back home. When we were kids hunting in the area our elders admonished us to stay clear of any activity in the woods and if we stumbled on a still we were to keep quiet and slowly back away from the area. It seems that those old boys didn't take kindly to visitors intentional or otherwise.
There is still some to be had here and there but most of the old time makers are long gone and most folks prefer the bonded kind these days.

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S&W Armorer
Lost in the 50s