Martinsville, IL Located in the country of Martinsville, IL, it’s often considered a journey to find us. People from all over the United States come to us to try our world-famous Moonshine Burger.
Where is moonshine famous?
Copper still White lightning. Mountain dew. Hooch. Moonshine may conjure images of backwood “pappies” distilling liquor in creeks at the risk of getting caught by the Feds. You might have even seen the popular television show Moonshiners or the film Lawless,
One thing is for certain and it’s that the illegally distilled, high proof, unfiltered corn whiskey is something you’ll only find in the South. Its history dates back to Scots-Irish settlers in 1800s Appalachia as a way to avoid paying taxes on imported whiskey. It used corn, which grows easily in the region, and often incorporated fruits like peaches for flavoring.
When revenue agents started chasing after moonshiners in an effort to force taxes upon them, the trend of racing from “the law” was started. The roots of NASCAR have been traced back to moonshiners and their specially outfitted vehicles. Moonshine looks clear, tastes raw, and sells fast.
It usually runs close to 100 proof or more. To make it, sugar, water, yeast, cornmeal, and malt are variously combined and processed in three stages: fermentation, distillation, and condensation. – Encyclopedia of Southern Culture My interactions with moonshine had been limited until recently. While touring the town of Greensboro, Georgia, I tucked into the local newspaper, where I was offered peach moonshine from the editor.
A few months later, I attended my first mud bog and was offered more at 8 am. I politely declined. The liquor has seen a popular, albeit legal, resurgence, but its roots are found in the mountains of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. 
My first sip of moonshine, 2012 The liquor has seen a popular, albeit legal, resurgence, but its roots are found in the mountains of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee as well as West Virginia and Kentucky, In fact, moonshine country extends beyond these states, but the largest number of illegal stills were seized from Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
- Today, visitors to the region can still experience the moonshine culture.
- Many of the same family recipes are used in legal versions, just with more government oversight and many more taxes.
- Not every state makes it easy for these operations to exist, which is why some states boast more moonshine distilleries than others.
You might be surprised just how drinkable moonshine is when made well, mixed into a cocktail in place of just about any liquor. Some distilleries market their corn whiskey, but these actually market using the word “moonshine” or use traditional methods.
Is moonshine from Ireland?
Known as the uisce beatha, or “water of life,” poitin (also called “potcheen” or “poteen”) is essentially Irish moonshine that’s deeply rooted in the island’s history and lore. The spirit’s humble beginnings can be traced to sixth-century Christian monks who reportedly brought the art of distillation from the Middle East and created the potent brew. 
Poitin on display at Micil Distillery / Photo courtesy Micil “I come from six generations of illicit poitin distillers,” says Pádraic Ó Griallais, founder and director at Micil Distillery, “I all the craft from my grandfather, and I was lucky to have grown up around him, otherwise the brand Micil—named after my great-great-great-grandfather—would never have been created or continued.
Why is moonshine illegal in USA?
Check your Alcohol Fedral or State Laws – Although many people know that making alcoholic beverages at home is prohibited, they don’t understand how and why these laws were adopted. The law might seem absurd, but a glimpse into its history makes things much more understandable.
Instead of the government warning you that you’ll become blind if you drink your homemade moonshine, limitations on the hooch actually revolve around taxes. Things began to go downhill after the American Revolution when the government began to impose alcohol excise taxes in order to repay the war-caused debt.
Farmers supplying the grain used in producing moonshine started protesting and the conflict eventually caused the Whiskey Rebellion, which threatened the stability of the budding United States and compelled President George Washington to lead a crackdown on moonshine making ventures.
During the Civil War, distilling moonshine or selling it and not paying taxes was declared illegal. Soon after, the Revenue Act of 1862 was passed. This bill officially levied excise taxes on alcohol and other “sin” items. This also included homemade spirits and it has been illegal to produce spirits at home ever since.
However, learning how to make moonshine has been a popular practice for a long time, especially in the southern states such as South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia. But with the production or distribution of moonshine prohibited, moonshiners had no other option but to resort to bootlegging.