How Did People Make Moonshine During Prohibition?

They used a small still to ferment a ‘mash’ from corn sugar, or fruit, beets, even potato peels to produce high-proof alcohol, then mix it with glycerin and a key ingredient, a touch of juniper oil as a flavoring.

How was moonshine made in the old days?

Moonshine is as much a part of Americana as the drive-in movie or baseball. The very name conjures up images of secret stills hidden deep in the woods and guarded by miserly old-timers. However, the mythology and romance which surrounds moonshine belies it’s importance to American culture over the years.

It has played a significant part in American history from the War of Independence to the days of Al Capone and Prohibition. Early Production Methods Despite being a uniquely American venture, the production of moonshine probably has it’s roots in Scotland, England and Ireland. Settlers in areas such as Appalachia sought to create an alcoholic drink such as the illicit whisky and poteen they had enjoyed back in their countries of birth.

They managed to do this by fermenting a mash made from Indian corn and then adding sugar, yeast and water. Early attempts at moonshine resulting in a liquid which was fairly weak, but moonshiners soon found that by distilling the liquid three times they were able to produce a liquor with considerable kick. The Origins of Moonshine Following the American Revolution the newly founded American nation found it’s self struggling financially. The war had left the state with huge debts and in a bid to raise revenue a tax on spirits and liquor was imposed. As most of the population was struggling to make ends meet, and given that much of the War of Independence was a reaction against imperialist taxes imposed by the British, the people reacted angrily with many choosing to distil their own alcohol while refusing to pay the government their taxes.

This soon became a source of considerable income for farmers. The alcohol they produced helped provide for their families while generating the profits required to pay rent on their assets. Needless to say the government wasn’t happy at losing out on their cut of this booming industry and tax collectors were sent out.

These visits often resulted in violence and trouble escalated as the Treasury issued a militia force to curb the conflicts. While this succeeded in halting the violence, it drove the alcohol producers underground and the concept of moonshining was born.

• Thomas Jefferson later repealed the whiskey tax and for the next 60 years or so people were free to produce their own liquor, but the costs incurred by the Civil War saw the tax reintroduced and moonshining was once again forced underground.
• A Booming Industry and Decline The transformation of moonshine from a localised business into a nationwide industry came with the Prohibition Act of 1920.

The ban on alcohol production, sale and consumption meant that people had to turn to alternative suppliers to get a drink. The difficulties of importing alcohol from abroad saw a boom in the production of moonshine. The demand for moonshine was at an all time high with speakeasies often run by gangsters requiring copious amounts of liquor to keep customers happy.

It was a golden age for moonshiners which lasted until the Prohibition Act was repealed in 1933. Moonshine production declined sharply after this, but there is still a sizeable community who carry on the work of their forefathers by manufacturing home-made hooch. It is difficult to think of any other ‘hobbies’ which have had as much of an impact on American society.

What started off as a way for people to enjoy a drink and make a little extra money on the side turned into a multi-million dollar industry and gave rise to some of the most notorious criminals the country has ever seen. Even today TV Shows such as Moonshiners and Boardwalk Empire pay tribute to this most American of industries.

Jan 13, 2017 Moonshine Stills Company

How did they used to make moonshine?

How Is Moonshine Made? – Making alcohol revolves around two processes: fermentation and distillation, Fermentation is a chemical reaction that occurs when the yeast breaks down the sugar. One result of that reaction is alcohol. Distillation is the process of evaporating the alcohol (which boils at a lower temperature than water) and collecting the steam before condensing it back into liquid form.

1. The corn is ground into meal. Traditional recipes take cracked, dry yellow corn (aka field corn) and create a coarse grind. You can also use chicken or horse feed.
2. The corn meal is soaked in hot water, Sometimes sugar is added (or even used instead of grain), but traditional moonshiners added malted barley to convert the starch in the corn meal into sugar. Then the yeast is put in, which starts the fermentation process. This mixture, called mash, is stirred thoroughly and heated for a set amount of time in the still. The still and all the metal piping used are made of copper, which conducts heat well and doesn’t leech into the alcohol.
3. The stone furnace beneath the still is brought up to about 172 degrees Fahrenheit (78 C). Wood, coal and even steam have been used in the past to heat the still, but most moonshiners started using propane decades ago.
4. The alcohol evaporates, As pressure builds in the still, the alcohol steam is forced through the cap arm, a pipe that leads out of the top of the still.
5. Some moonshiners use a thump keg, which is simply a heated barrel into which the steam is forced. The distilled alcohol condenses in the bottom of the thump keg, and it’s the sound of the vapor and alcohol periodically bursting out of the pipe that gave the thump keg its name. The hot vapor distills the alcohol a second time, which results in a higher-proof moonshine. If a moonshiner wants to make their alcohol extra potent, they might charge the thump keg, which is adding undistilled mash or a few gallons of alcohol into the keg so the steam picks up extra alcohol vapor on its way to the worm box.
6. The steam travels into the worm, a coiled length of pipe that winds down the inside of the worm box. The worm box is a crate or barrel that has cold water, usually diverted from a nearby creek, flowing into the top and then back out the bottom. This keeps the worm bathed in constantly circulating cold water, which condenses the alcohol steam into liquid.
7. A spout, tap or hose leads from the end of the worm into a bucket, usually through one last filter. (The XXX you sometimes see on bottles of moonshine mean it’s been filtered three times.)
8. The resulting clear liquid is ready to be bottled and sold.

How did moonshiners make alcohol?

How is Moonshine Made? – Moonshine is an alcoholic drink that is typically made from corn, sugar, and water. The corn is mashed, and then the sugar and water are added. This mixture is then boiled. The alcohol content of moonshine can be as high as 95%, which is significantly higher than the alcohol content of most other types of liquor.

The first step in making moonshine is to cook the corn.

This can be done in a variety of ways, but the most common method is to use a still. A still is a device that is used to distill liquids. It consists of a pot that is heated on a stove and a tube that leads from the pot to a container that collects the distilled liquid.

The second step is to add sugar and water.

This mixture is then boiled. The boiling helps to extract the alcohol from the corn mash.

The third step is to collect the distilled liquid.

The distilled liquid is collected in a container that is known as a receiver. The receiver can be either a glass jar or a bottle.

The fourth step is to filter the moonshine.

The fourth step is to filter the moonshine. This can be filtered using a variety of methods, but the most common method is to use a filter bag. This will remove any sediment or other particles from the moonshine. You can also use a coffee filter or cheesecloth for this purpose.

The fifth step is to bottle the moonshine.

To bottle the moonshine, simply pour it into a Mason jar. You can also use other types of jars or bottles, but Mason jars are the most common. Make sure to leave some space at the top of the jar so that the moonshine can carbonate. If you want to make it look more professional, you can buy a bottle capper and caps from a store.

The sixth step is to age the moonshine.

To age the moonshine, you can store it in a barrel. This will give it a smooth, mellow flavor. You can also age it in a carboy or glass jug. If you do this, make sure to use an airtight seal to prevent the moonshine from oxidizing. Aging it will improve its flavor and color, and it will also help to remove any impurities.

The seventh step is to drink the moonshine.

The most popular way to drink it is to drink it straight, but there are other ways to consume it as well. Some people like to add it to their coffee or tea or mix it with other drinks. There are also recipes that call for moonshine to be used in place of other ingredients.

What did they drink during Prohibition?

New Spirits on the Scene – And yet, an era defined by banning alcohol led to developments in the drinking world, too. “During Prohibition, alcohol that could be smuggled over the nation’s borders grew more popular—tequila from the south and Canadian whisky from the north,” says Camper English, cocktail and spirits writer who wrote about several “upsides” of Prohibition on his site Alcademics,

Even after Prohibition was repealed, those effects lingered. “Canadian whisky surged in popularity,” says Gareth Evans. “After repeal, consumers rushed to buy alcohol again, but America’s favorite spirit—whiskey—needs to be aged. There wasn’t enough stock to satisfy demand. So thirsty Americans turned their eyes North.” Produced throughout the Caribbean, rum became another attractive option.

“Rum was extremely popular during Prohibition, especially in New York,” says Kenneth McCoy, Partner at The Rum House, And while in the Northeast, rum was smuggled into the city, Americans closer to the Caribbean (or those of ample means) went right to the source.

1. Prohibition drove many wealthy Americans to Cuba and other tropical ports in search of rum-based cocktails,” says Camper English.
2. Spirits brands were savvy enough to encourage this kind of booze tourism through marketing—and a little glad-handing.
3. Bacardi recognized an opportunity to bring Americans to its home of Cuba to teach them about rum and cocktail culture,” according to Rachel Dorion, a fifth-generation member of the Bacardi family.

“The company responded with postcards—the 1920s version of a social media campaign—to put the tropical paradise of rum on the map.” Bacardi sent bartender Pappy Valiente to the airport to actually greet incoming guests with a daiquiri in-hand. Thus cocktails like the daiquiri and the mojito, still popular today, became familiar through Prohibition; Bacardi itself, now the best-selling rum in the United States, did too.

And the accelerated production of rum during Prohibition led to a cocktail movement that’s still popular today—tiki culture. “Rum-centric tiki bars first opened right after Prohibition in the 1930s, but really took off after WWII ended in the 1940s,” explains Camper English. “In this tumultuous era of uneven supply, a lot of rum sat around aging in casks.” And with delicious aged rum so plentiful, enterprising bar owners found a way to use it.

“When Trader Vic created the Mai Tai in 1944, it was first made with 17-year-old rum from Jamaica. Blended rum from multiple islands became one of the signatures of tiki drinks.”

What were they really drinking on mash?

Originally Answered: In the hit tv comedy series mash what type of alcohol did the still produce? Well, they called it’gin’ and ‘breakfast of champions.’ More realistically, it was your typical moonshine, made from any ingredients they could get their hands on.

What did they drink during Prohibition?

New Spirits on the Scene – And yet, an era defined by banning alcohol led to developments in the drinking world, too. “During Prohibition, alcohol that could be smuggled over the nation’s borders grew more popular—tequila from the south and Canadian whisky from the north,” says Camper English, cocktail and spirits writer who wrote about several “upsides” of Prohibition on his site Alcademics,

Even after Prohibition was repealed, those effects lingered. “Canadian whisky surged in popularity,” says Gareth Evans. “After repeal, consumers rushed to buy alcohol again, but America’s favorite spirit—whiskey—needs to be aged. There wasn’t enough stock to satisfy demand. So thirsty Americans turned their eyes North.” Produced throughout the Caribbean, rum became another attractive option.

“Rum was extremely popular during Prohibition, especially in New York,” says Kenneth McCoy, Partner at The Rum House, And while in the Northeast, rum was smuggled into the city, Americans closer to the Caribbean (or those of ample means) went right to the source.

1. Prohibition drove many wealthy Americans to Cuba and other tropical ports in search of rum-based cocktails,” says Camper English.
2. Spirits brands were savvy enough to encourage this kind of booze tourism through marketing—and a little glad-handing.
3. Bacardi recognized an opportunity to bring Americans to its home of Cuba to teach them about rum and cocktail culture,” according to Rachel Dorion, a fifth-generation member of the Bacardi family.

“The company responded with postcards—the 1920s version of a social media campaign—to put the tropical paradise of rum on the map.” Bacardi sent bartender Pappy Valiente to the airport to actually greet incoming guests with a daiquiri in-hand. Thus cocktails like the daiquiri and the mojito, still popular today, became familiar through Prohibition; Bacardi itself, now the best-selling rum in the United States, did too.

And the accelerated production of rum during Prohibition led to a cocktail movement that’s still popular today—tiki culture. “Rum-centric tiki bars first opened right after Prohibition in the 1930s, but really took off after WWII ended in the 1940s,” explains Camper English. “In this tumultuous era of uneven supply, a lot of rum sat around aging in casks.” And with delicious aged rum so plentiful, enterprising bar owners found a way to use it.

“When Trader Vic created the Mai Tai in 1944, it was first made with 17-year-old rum from Jamaica. Blended rum from multiple islands became one of the signatures of tiki drinks.”

How was alcohol hidden during Prohibition?

Bootlegging During Prohibition Notice: Trying to get property of non-object in /var/www/html/digitalexhibits/plugins/DocsViewer/DocsViewerPlugin.php on line 132 “January 16, 1920, was the last day on the job for countless Americans who worked in the legal liquor industry.

The Volstead law threatened the livelihood of everybody in the liquor trade from the big bosses down to the guys who swept the barroom floor.” According to the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Prohibition was closing 236 distilleries, one thousand breweries, and 177,790 retail liquor outlets, and it was entirely up to the individual businesses to find new ways to survive.

As citizens scrambled to build up their own personal reserve some companies liquidated their stocks. Others focused on shipping millions of dollars worth of liquor off of the Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico. These shipments were bound for Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean.

1. On the West coast exporters shipped booze to the Asian mainland and Pacific Islands.
2. There were even speculators that shipped off loads of liquor to be stored in Foreign warehouses, so that when the liquor market finally opened up, they would be able to sell decent liquor to thirsty Americans for top dollar.

Others sought to adapt to the new regulations by finding new ways to use their equipment and resources. Vintners that didn’t uproot their grape vines for a different crop could still cultivate and sell grapes if they wished, but they would have to adhere to the law, only producing wine for sacrificial purposes.

• Breweries shared this versatility and if they didn’t want to apply for a government license to brew near beer, they could in most cases use their equipment for other sorts of food production.
• The brewing company Anheuser-Busch began the process of diversification after Prohibition by adapting their equipment for other uses like the production of ice cream, ginger ale, root beer, grape drinks, syrups, yeast, tonics, starch, glucose, malt extract, and livestock feed as well as near beer.

Distilleries on the other hand were not so versatile. They essentially had three options to choose from. They could seal up their distilleries with whiskey sitting in barrels in hopes that owners could eventually score a medical label for their liquor.

They could attempt to ship their equipment to places like Canada to set up shop or exporters could ship millions of gallons of bourbon to distant shores namely England and Ireland. These exporters claimed to have the intention of selling, but skeptics back home believed they would just smuggle it back inside of the country after Prohibition took effect.

Papa’s in the shed, mixing up the mash; Junior’s in the parlor, counting all the cash; Mama’s in the kitchen, washing out the mugs; Sister’s in the pantry, filling up the jugs.— Anonymous Notice: Trying to get property of non-object in /var/www/html/digitalexhibits/plugins/DocsViewer/DocsViewerPlugin.php on line 132 Skeptics were right in thinking that liquor would eventually be smuggled back into the country, but before that could happen, activists opposing Prohibition were already using their constitutional right to free press in order to print and circulate beer recipes to the public.

The most famous recipe for brewing beer that was distributed was one that George Washington had written in his notebook during his days serving in the Virginia Militia. The government knew that it could not eliminate alcohol production completely within the U.S especially because it was needed for industrial, culinary, and cosmetic purposes.

They could however make it taste terrible and in some cases poisonous. They added different combinations of chemicals to make the alcohol undrinkable, and in some cases a violent poison, but the public feared not. Bootleggers were constantly attempting to find out which chemical had been added, so that they could redistill the liquor and boil it out once again making”clean” liquor that they could sell.

1. Bootleggers were not necessarily all criminals before Prohibition in fact many of them were just ordinary citizens who either didn’t agree with Prohibition or needed to find a way to live under its rule.
2. Regardless of their criminal status many citizens took it upon themselves to brew and distill drink for the underground market.

For example, many American vintners in California chose to continue to produce wine both for legal religious purposes and for the growing black market. This was the case with the Colombano family during the 1920’s; the youngest son described his experience with bootlegging.

“My father had been a farmer in Italy. He understood grapes. And he knew how to make wine. So my uncle suggested to my father that they should go north and find some land and before long Eligio was making good red wine and Camillo was trucking it down to San Francisco in the middle of the night”. As prohibition took hold, the vineyards of California that continued to grow grapes despite the predictions that prohibition would destroy the market saw a tremendous increase in demand for their product.

In 1922 California vineyards were shipping so many grapes to the east coast that railroad companies had a shortage of refrigerated cars. After the Volstead Act went into effect this was the common case for most illegal alcohol producers. For the most part it was not hard to obtain materials to make drinkable alcohol, and the demand was greater than ever.

1. The real trouble was how to conceal its production, transportation and sale from the law.
2. For most Bootleggers the Sale of Alcohol was hidden within the walls of establishments called speakeasies, blind pigs, blind tigers, beer flats or rat dives.
3. No matter the name or the caliber of these establishments they all centered around one main objective: the sale of alcohol.

These clubs opened up all over the major cities of both coasts. The Philadelphia police estimated that their city had at least eight thousand illegal watering holes in 1923. Five years later, Philly’s mayor said the City of Brotherly Love had thirteen thousand illegal drinking spots.

In the Midwest Chicago became the hub for illegal activity. According to a news paper report, Chicago had at least 4,000 bars openly selling drinks in 1921. Two years later, Chicago’s mayor said that there were 6,000 soft-drink parlors that were selling far more booze than soda. But it wasn’t just the big cities that saw an explosion of bootleg bars after Prohibition.

Places like Minnesota saw the same thing, and Newspapers referred to the abundance of “Blind Pigs” in their reports. Blind Pigs worked best in smaller areas because these establishments found ways to serve the customer booze without ever meeting face to face.

“A syndicated columnist wrote that he found a blind pig only “a few rods” away from the famous Falls of Minnehaha. When he went inside to visit the “sightless swine,” he saw “a dumbwaiter, which briefly disappeared and then returned with a glass of liquor.” An important aspect of the bootlegging business was transportation, and in order to be successful a bootlegger must be quick and crafty.

This meant that the first thing a bootlegger needed a fast car. Automobiles with six-cylinder engines were the preferred choice, so much so that they earned the moniker “Whiskey Six”. These cars also needed to be large enough to carry payload worthwhile, and it was not uncommon for bootlegger to modify the interior of cars with secrete panels, and in some case gas tanks that we sectioned off to hold both fuel and booze.

1. Even if a bootlegger had a fast car, they would only be successful if they had the skill to handle it.
2. Lloyd Seay was one of those men.
3. Lloyd was a Georgia native who began running moonshine between states at an early age earning a reputation with law enforcement in the area, and an account of a meeting with Seay by an officer exemplifies the spirit of this bootlegger and many like him.

The police chief of a town north of Atlanta took off after a black ’39 coupe as it roared through the town square at noon. It was Lloyd Seay again, headed home to Dawsonville to fetch another load of moonshine whiskey to be ferried to the city. The cop found Seay impatiently sitting behind the wheel of the car, revving his engine, calmly sticking two five-dollar bills out the window.

”Dammit Lloyd, you know the fine for speedin’ ain’t but five dollars,” said the chief. ”Yeah,” said Seay, ”but I’m gon’ be in a hurry comin’ back, so I’m payin’ an advance.” Two months after his encounter with the police chief, he took home $450 by winning the big Labor Day race at Lakewood. But the very next morning, in a dispute with a cousin over sugar, essential to making home brew, he died of a gunshot wound through the heart at the age of 21.

”When not racing,” read an obituary in The Atlanta Journal, ”Mr. Seay divided his time between Dawsonville and Atlanta.” Lloyd Seay and other backwoods bootleggers of the southeast would not only become cultural icons of the anti-prohibition movement, but they would help spark a racing organization that would eventually be known as NASCAR.

The government planned on public resistance during prohibition, but they were not prepared to deal with a nation of bootleggers willing to go to any length to produce, and provide alcohol to the American public. Funderburg, J. Anne. Bootleggers and Beer Barons of the Prohibition Era. Jefferson NC, US: McFarland, 2014.

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