What Are The Cuts In Moonshine?

The process: Making cuts Making cuts refers to the process of switching out the container collecting the distillate, separating it into four different stages: foreshots, heads, hearts and tails. One of the hallmarks of a seasoned distiller is the ability to gauge the right moment to transition between those stages.

What does it mean to cut moonshine?

Alcohol distillation is an ancient process that is both an art and a science. It’s easy, but not as easy as simply turning it on and watching it go. Diligent distillers know that you have to keep an eye on the temperature control when distilling, and you also have to keep an eye on the final product – the distillate – so that you can make the safest and best tasting spirit.

1. One trick of the experts that makes their product so good is their practiced and precise “cuts” during the still’s run.
2. A “cut” is when you switch the containers that are catching the distillate coming out of the condenser coil.
3. You “cut” the alcohol stream dripping from the condenser coil when switching from a jar which contains distillate to an empty one.

But, the timing of when you make these cuts is very, very important in producing a spirit that anyone will want to drink.

What are the different cuts in distillation?

A: When distilling any spirit, there are parts of the distillate that you want to keep and others that you want to toss out. Depending on vernacular, the distillation cuts are called the heads (or foreshots), hearts (or spirit) and tails (or faints). They condense off the still in that order and the hearts cut is what the distiller keeps, ages and bottles.

Distillers spend years perfecting their distillation cuts, aiming to maximize both alcohol yield and desirable flavors in the hearts. I say “their distillation cuts” intentionally because it is treated as a sacred recipe created by that distiller for that specific spirit. And rightfully so. Not only are the flavors of the whiskey impacted, but whether or not it’s safe to drink is directly dependent on the distillation cuts.

Don’t worry, distillers know what they’re doing and that whiskey you’re drinking right now is safe. So let’s talk about the different distillation cuts! We’ll start with the heads The chemical compounds with the lowest boiling points come off the still first, like acetaldehyde (green flavors), acetone (nail polish remover), esters (fruity and floral flavors), methanol and ethanol.

These are what make up the heads, aka foreshots. The distiller wants to remove the undesirable compounds, especially methanol, without losing too much of the esters and ethanol. Taking a larger or smaller heads cut will influence the amount of ethereal, floral and fruity flavors in the whiskey and that’s determined by the distiller.

Some distilleries will redistill the heads with the hopes of salvaging a portion of the delicious esters and ethanol. Now, we’ve all heard horror stories about moonshiners going blind from drinking their hooch, right? This is from methanol toxicity, which is a result of not taking the proper heads cut (or from drinking the heads.

• Do not do that!).
• But again, don’t worry, distillers know what they’re doing.
• Next, the hearts The next compounds that come off the still with slightly higher boiling points will make up the hearts cut.
• A majority of this is ethanol and some water with small quantities of esters, carboxylic acids (sour), phenols from peated malt (smoky) and higher alcohols.

Again, each distiller has their own unique hearts or spirit cut that will involve keeping more or less of these other compounds depending on the desired flavor profile. For example, Laphroaig embraces the medical and tarry flavors of heavier phenols by taking big heads and hearts cuts.

That means they’re removing a lot of the light esters in the heads and keeping the phenolic compounds in the spirit because they know that will evolve into a uniquely beautiful whisky with aging. And finally, the tails This is the liquid that condenses off the still last and is mostly water and higher alcohols.

There is not much ethanol left in the tails, aka faints, and the flavors are usually bitter and undesirable. Similarly with the heads, the tails is sometimes recycled into the next distillation to recover alcohol and/or flavors. Other times, if the tails are just going to be discarded, they’re not actually distilled.

What is the first cut of moonshine?

How to Take Cuts During Distillation Learning how to take cuts during distillation may seem like a daunting process to begin with but by following some basic steps and getting some practice, you’ll be a pro in no time! Taking cuts refers to the process where spirit is collected in small portions of similar sizes during distillation as opposed to allowing the distillate to collect in just one large vessel.

• This process gives you more control over the flavours and aromas that make it into your final product, allowing you to create something truly unique and to your taste.
• During fermentation, many compounds are produced along with alcohol such as acetaldehyde, esters, and ethyl acetate.
• By taking cuts, we can minimise how many of these by-products make it into our final spirit.

Some of these by-products appear earlier on in the distillation, and others come out later or towards the end of the distillation – this depends entirely on the compound itself. Not all these by-products are bad. Some do not taste wonderful on their own, however, it can be beneficial to introduce them in small amounts to contribute different attributes to your final spirit.

The foreshots are the first part of the distillate (usually 50-200 mL depending on what is being distilled) which are discarded as these can contain harmful compounds and off-flavours. The heads are the distillate collected immediately after the first 50-200 mL of discarded foreshots. They can contain some undesirable, but not harmful, compounds and off-flavours. Some of these are blended into your final spirit, however, most will be discarded or retained in a separate container for redistilling in future batches. The hearts are the middle part of a run and are the cleanest and most flavoursome part of the distillate. A minimal amount of undesirable compounds come through into the spirit. They make up the bulk of your final spirit. The tails are the final part of the distillation and contain some vegetal off-flavours. These are also typically discarded, however, like the heads they can also be kept in a separate container for redistilling.

The Stripping Run The stripping run is done first and ‘strips’ the wash down to a cleaner, more concentrated low wine. This distillation is usually done hot and fast, meaning temperature control isn’t as important as the aim is to strip the wash quickly. Just be sure to take care not to run it too hot to avoid the loss of vapour from the condenser.

The purpose of a stripping run is to capture as much distillate from the wash as possible, therefore, there is no need to remove the foreshots (50-200mL) as these can be removed during the spirit run. The Spirit Run Once you’ve completed the stripping run, it is then diluted with water to 40% ABV or lower and then distilled again – this is where cuts are taken. During this distillation run, the flow of the still should be kept slower than on the stripping run, and ideally, the voltage going to the boiler should be controlled to ensure a nice gentle boil – the is a great example of a boiler that can double as a brewing system to make Whiskey and Bourbon washes, and then control the voltage during distillation. How to Take Cuts During Distillation

There are a few different methods to work out how to split and collect the different cuts from a spirit run, some people base it on temperature or ABV, while others evenly split the whole run and then taste and smell later. Either way can work but to simplify things, we’re going to talk through splitting the entire run.

• To do this, you will need an adequate number of glass jars, preferably 300-500 mL in size, that will be able to collect the entire run – this amount will depend on how many stripping runs have been done, if it is only one, then approx.24 x 400 mL jars should suffice.
• For best results, number these so you know where exactly the cut was made.

The next step is to fire up your pot still and get ready to start the process. You will need to discard the foreshots as usual. Depending on how many stripping runs you have done this could be anything from 50 to 200 mL. Once the foreshots are discarded, you can start collecting the remaining distillate into the jars.

Ensure you collect the same volume into each jar (250 mL – 300 mL is usually a good figure – you can test and adjust this to suit your still later) and then set the jar aside. Depending on what you wish to do, and what you’re making, you can stop collecting the distillate once the ABV drops to 10% or below, although some stop it even higher.

You may start to notice some more visible by-products forming in the last number of jars – this could be an oily looking substance or off-colours coming through. We then suggest you let the jars air out for 24 hours for the more volatile aroma compounds to dissipate.

What are the tails in moonshine?

The last portion of alcohol that is produced from most stills. This portion contains heavier alcohols, a much higher percentage of water and other unwanted by-products which are more water soluble.

What are the 3 parts of moonshine?

Heads, Hearts, and Tails As mentioned in a previous blog post, Heads, Hearts & Tails can be generally defined as the following:

Heads: Spirits from the beginning of the run that contain a high percentage of low boiling point alcohols and other compounds such as aldehydes and ethyl acetate. Hearts: The desirable middle alcohols from your run. Tails: A distillate containing a high percentage of fusel oil and little alcohol at the end of the run.

Let’s take this blog in another direction to further add to the often conflicting advice given to newbie distillers, shall we? You’re welcome. So often the new distiller views their skill level based upon his or her ability to know where to make the exact cut between each (heads, hearts, or tails) part of the run.

To the fledgling distiller, pinpointing the exact transition between each segment of the run can be interpreted as finding the good alcohol vs the bad alcohol. However, collecting distillate based on the most insipid sensory awareness profiles is what actually happens to many newly minted distillers that read and perhaps misinterpret how making cuts should benefit finished spirits? This strategy of exactitude works really well for those who make alcohol with table sugar only.

But soon wears thin with those making an all-grain whiskey or a full-bodied rum/rhum. And so, as the distiller gains more and more experience making cuts, the distiller ends up being quite good at finding the dead center Hearts cut. In doing so he/she becomes quite skilled at making a very “smooth” spirit.

1. Yes, very “smooth”.
2. So “smooth”.
3. The “smoothest”.
4. Nobody makes it “smoother”.
5. Oy, that sounds suitably forgettable.
6. The problem here with this quest for “smooth” is that unless the distiller is trying to render textbook neutral, the finished spirit very much lacks complexity.
7. Further downstream, barrel aging then produces a finished spirit that is ever so one-dimensional.

Now if you are the type of consumer that enjoys or prefers a whiskey and coke, or a rum and coke then perhaps this tact suits you just fine? And that’s fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with liking what you like. Heck, I like ketchup on my eggs, liver & onions and even more, secretly don’t really mind pineapple & Canadian bacon on my pizza.

• The evolution of the distiller’s sensory awareness skills eventually progresses to the point where he/she will start to question why his (or her) spirit seems to be lacking.
• Indeed, nowhere near the tasting notes of whiskey or rums coming out of some of the more well-established distilleries.
• One even starts to realize that some of the lesser established distilleries are making better spirits as well.

That can be a kick in the pills aye? There are a lot of variables to making a good spirit. Mash bill, yeast strain, fermentation temps, distillation technique, barrel aging, and blending. Each of those steps mentioned also has a subset list of variables, but the distillation technique is definitely a major part of the equation.

1. The progression continues along, and the distiller slowly starts to gain confidence that dipping his toe into either end of the center cut is ok.
2. An incremental move toward the dark side! As with many things, less can be more.
3. This is true in cooking, right? Too much sugar.
4. Too much salt, too much pepper can be off-putting.

And yet food tastes better when correctly seasoned. The goal here is to install just enough flavor components to not overwhelm. But rather enhance. The same analogy is true for proper cocktails and therefore also true for spirits. Naturally, the above comment is indeed wide open for interpretation since not everyone has the same tolerance for moving too far North or South of insipid.

• Start slowly by adding back small volumes of distillate that typically wouldn’t make the center cut on your old strict way of identifying your keeper, smooth spirit.
• As always, utilize your sensory awareness team for feedback.
• And most importantly it is critical to remember that cut points are not a fixed metric.

Not every distiller determines where cuts are made in the same way. Especially when each is running different types of stills and processing different types of beer or wine. Whether you are making moonshine, vodka, or Armagnac, each process will surely have different cut points according to the interpretation of the distiller.

And finally, you have to be willing to admit to yourself when pushing just a bit too far. Don’t get trapped into sunk cost fallacy thinking because you’ve put in so much work, have grown impatient, and just want to get it in the bottle. Now I know what you all are thinking. In the first blog about making cuts “you told me to cut clean”.

And in this blog “you’re telling me to loosen up and cut a little dirty”. Yes, I know. It can be confusing. But look at it this way, Picasso first learned to draw and paint more anatomically accurate pieces of artwork. As time passed, however, his artwork became less symmetrical, more complex, and more open to interpretation.

What percentage of moonshine is heads?

Heads – When distilling, you should separate, or cut, the heads, hearts, and tails. The head of the distillate is the first portion of the run. You can recognise it by its smell. It has an unpleasant smell like nail polish or methylated spirits. You throw away the heads or you can keep it to use as a fire starter for your BBQ.

How do you know when moonshine is done distilling?

This is one of the most exciting moments in the hobby. You have completed your first fermentation, your wash has been cleared, and you are ready to create your masterpiece. Unfortunately, this is also the most nerve wracking moment in the hobby. Fear of messing everything up fills your mind.

• This hobby, which started out sounding so simple, now seems so involved.
• There are so many places to make mistakes.
• What if you don’t get all the methanol out? What if it tastes awful? Relax.
• Take a breath, realize that you have been reading and learning what to do and what not to do, and lastly, remember that in the worst of situations, you can always redistill your spirit, so there is nothing to get worked up about.

So let’s take baby steps, and everything will be fine. Step 1: Ferment and clear your wash. This has been covered well enough already, so it is not necessary to go into great detail again. Simply ferment your wash and allow it to clear naturally or use a clearing agent to do so more quickly.

I highly advise clearing the wash to reduce the risk of scorching material to the bottom of your kettle. Clearing is absolutely required when using internal heating elements to heat your still. Step 2: Transfer the wash to your kettle. While you can use a funnel and simply pour the wash from your fermenter to your kettle, this will also drudge up the sediment and transfer it along with the clear liquid.

It is far better to transfer the wash using a siphon, which makes it much easier to move just the clear liquid, leaving behind all the sediment on the bottom of the fermenter. Never fill your kettle to more than 80 percent of its total capacity! This extra space is needed for expansion and potential foaming that may occur during heating and boiling.

Overfilling your kettle can create issues that will be extremely frustrating. To reduce issues associated with foaming, it can be very helpful to add an anti-foam agent to the wash. Step 3: Complete the assembly of your distiller. Hopefully your distiller came with instructions, but regardless, this part should be rather straightforward.

Drawings are provided in the Resources section for several popular distiller styles, just in case. You will place the pot still column onto the kettle and ensure that it is fully sealed. When vapor starts being produced is not a good time to find out that your distiller is not sealed.

Step 4: Start heating the still and be patient. Depending on the heat source and size of your wash, the heating process can take up to a couple of hours. It can be tempting to turn the heat up to the maximum to get the still producing as quickly as possible, but this is not always a wise decision. This is especially true when using certain types of propane cookers.

These cookers can be capable of producing a very large amount of heat, and while they can get your wash boiling rather quickly, they can also put out enough heat to damage the bottom of your kettle and scorch any sediment that may have been carried across when transferring the wash.

1. Trying to rush any part of the distillation process will usually show in the finished product, while patience will be rewarded.
2. Now that you have started heating your wash, you should not leave the still unattended until the distillation process is complete.
3. Step 5: Start running your cooling water.
4. While you do not necessarily have to start running your cooling water immediately after you begin heating your still, it is imperative that you start running cooling water into your condenser before any vapor starts being produced to avoid an extremely dangerous situation.

Step 6: Remove and discard the foreshots. If you have a thermometer in the still head, you can use the vapor temperature as a guide. Once vapor starts to appear, the temperature will suddenly spike, and a few moments later you will see drops of distillate begin to flow into your collection container.

Continue to watch the temperature until it reached 175° to 176° F (79.5° to 80° C), or until you have collected at least 4 ounces (125ml) of distillate.* Even if the temperature has risen to above 175° F (79.5° C), continue collecting until you have at least 4 ounces (125ml) of foreshots. Do not be afraid to discard a little bit more of the first distillate.

The total cost in doing so is literally pennies, and your finished product will often be improved by doing so. Discard the foreshots. They are poisonous, so there is no reason to keep them. Note: The volume of foreshots is based on a five-gallon wash size.

1. You must adjust this volume based on the size of your wash to ensure that all the foreshots are removed.
2. Step 7: Start collecting the heads.
3. Change your collection container and begin collecting the heads.
4. If you are watching the temperature, it should now be over 175° F (79.5° C).
5. The speed at which distillate is coming from the condenser will have increased, and will now likely be a medium to fast drip, but should not be a trickle.

Continue to collect the heads in pint-sized glass jars until the temperature rises to 195° to 196° F (90.5° to 91° C). It is helpful to mark each jar with “heads” and number them as you draw them off. Although you will use your nose and taste buds to decide which, if any, of these jars will be included in your finished product, numbering the jars will help you get a good feel for the changes in the distillate as the process progresses.

It is also a good idea to test the alcohol percentage/proof of the distillate as the process progresses. Many distillers use the alcohol percentage as a guide instead of temperature or use both to be more exact in where they want to make their cuts. This is where a distiller’s parrot can be a very helpful tool.

A distiller’s parrot is connected between the condenser and collection container so that the distillate flows through it on its way to your container. The parrot holds your alcoholmeter, allowing you to take real-time readings of the alcohol percentage as the distillate is being produced.

• While the readings in a parrot are slightly inaccurate due to constant blending of the distillate, they are generally more than sufficient for deciding on when to make your cuts.
• Because of this blending, and to avoid any contamination from the foreshots, always collect your foreshots in a separate container before attaching your parrot.

Generally, you will find the heads to be over 80%abv (160 proof). Step 8: Collect the hearts. Now it is time to start tasting! Yes, you can use your nose and taste buds with the heads, but especially at the start of the heads you may find this to be less than pleasant.

1. Once the temperature hits around 195° to 196° F (90.5° to 91° C) and/or the alcohol percentage drops below 80%abv (160 proof), it is time to start collecting the hearts.
2. Change your container to a new container marked “hearts,” and just as you did with the heads, number them.
3. The distillate will be coming out more quickly now, as a very fast drip or even a slow trickle.

This can result in a slightly less accurate reading on your alcoholmeter if you are using a distiller’s parrot, as there is a noticeable flow from the bottom of parrot, where the distillate enters, to the top, where it is being drawn off. It is still generally sufficiently accurate to make the cuts between heads, hearts, and tails, as these cuts are not usually extremely precise.

• Continue collecting the hearts until the temperature rises to around 202° F (94.5° C) and/or the percentage alcohol drops below 65 percent (130 proof).
• If you want to ensure that you have a very clean middle run that will not require a second distillation, then do not be afraid to stop collecting the hearts slightly earlier.

This will mean that you have slightly less volume of hearts and a little bit more tails, but the tails can always be added to a subsequent batch to avoid wasting any of the ethanol that they contain. Step 9: Collect the tails. Change your collection container and begin collecting the tails.

1. Most of the ethanol has been collected by this point, but there is still a little bit remaining.
2. The point of collecting the tails is to avoid wasting this bit of alcohol.
3. Continue collecting until the temperature rises to 207° to 208° F (97° to 98° C) or until taste and smell reveal little to no remaining alcohol.

Step 10: Shut down the still. Turn off the heat. DO NOT TURN OFF THE COOLING WATER! Just because you have turned off the heat does not mean that there is no vapor being produced. The liquid remaining in the kettle is still very hot and well above 173° F (78° C)–the boiling point of ethanol.

That means that if there is any ethanol remaining in the kettle, it will continue to rise and make its way into the condenser. Keep the cooling water to the condenser running until you are certain that there is no more vapor being produced, as even a little bit of alcohol vapor in the air can be extremely dangerous.

As soon as you are sure that no more vapor is being produced, you should remove the thermometer from the top of your still head or loosen the still head to allow adequate airflow back into the distiller. Just as expansion takes place when heating the still, when the still is cooling, the vapor inside of it will condense.

Without adequate airflow, the still can literally implode! Once the still is cool enough to handle, you can remove the still head completely and dump the liquid remaining in the kettle (or keep a portion of it for use as backset, if you are running a sour mash recipe). Wash and rinse your distiller as per the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Step 11: Blending. Depending on how you have made your cuts, you may wish to blend some of the heads with the hearts, or maybe you are pleased with the hearts that you collected and you want to keep all the heads separate. Either is fine, and your decision will depend on the flavor and aroma of each container that you collected.

If you decide to keep the heads separate, you may either use this part of your distillate as it is, add flavoring to it, or combine it with your tails and redistill. Another option is to add the heads and tails to your next run. The choice on this is yours. Step 12: Aging and cutting. Once you have blended your final distillate to your liking you need to decide if you will age the spirit or leave it “raw.” Aging your spirit will allow the harsh bite of the distillate to mellow, and the flavors will become more complex.

However, not everyone prefers this character, so the choice is ultimately yours. If you do decide to age your spirit in oak casks or with alternatives such as oak chips, oak staves, or another type of wood, you will generally want to age your spirit at just over 60%abv (120 proof) and cut the spirit (dilute it) after it has been aged.

Cutting, also known as “proofing down,” is a fancy way of saying that you are diluting your distillate. It is a very simple process of just mixing water with your spirit. There are a couple of reasons to cut your spirit. First, reducing the alcohol percentage makes the product noticeably smoother, reducing the bite and harshness of a 120 proof spirit.

The second reason to cut your spirit is that aroma compounds are more easily released at this lower proof, resulting in a more aromatic spirit.

What does it mean when distillers cut?

Glossary: Cuts Cuts refer to when the distiller makes a decision about the qualities of the incoming spirit and separates the distillate flowing from the still into separate collection vessels. There are numerous ways for a distiller to influence the flavour of their spirit, but the art of “cutting” is, in our opinion, one of the most important parts of the process for them to master,

Most distillers use parameters such as time elapsed since the distillation began, the volume of liquid that has been collected, the ABV of the distillate and the flow rate to help inform their decisions, but almost all will choose to use taste and smell to make the decision for when to make their cuts.

Gin makers have to be very careful about ensuring a slow and steady process to ensure that the full array of compounds are captured. Heat the still too fast and the volatile compounds will all arrive with the heads, while cutting too early will mean the hydrophilic compounds (which tend to be spiced, rooty and nutty) are lost in the tails and the resulting collected hearts lack in complexity and depth.

Mezcal and Scotch producers tend to collect a fair amount of what many would deem as tails because it helps to accentuate the smoke aromas in their distillate. Some Mezcal producers even distil ‘to proof’ essentially forgoing making a tails cut altogether and running the collection for such a prolonged period that no water needs to be added before bottling as the collected distillate is already in-between their desired 40-50% ABV.

In contrast, Bourbon producers often retain some of the heads which can favour certain esters developing further as the spirit ages in barrels, while Cognac producers separate tails into two in order to redistil some and discard the rest. There’s a lot of science to what’s being collected in each ‘cut’ but ultimately, it’s the distiller’s nose and intention that defines what happens and how they want to shape their spirit.

What are the four stages of moonshine?

Making cuts refers to the process of switching out the container collecting the distillate, separating it into four different stages: foreshots, heads, hearts and tails. One of the hallmarks of a seasoned distiller is the ability to gauge the right moment to transition between those stages.

Does moonshine get stronger with age?

Summary – Moonshine cannot really expire. The flavor and characteristics of your moonshine can be changed if it is exposed to light, warmth, or air but it won’t become undrinkable. Even an open bottle of flavored moonshine will last for many years before it will start to go off.

Is moonshine a vodka or whiskey?

Patrick: I spent so much time researching “moonshine” after our call last night that I figured I’d share what I discovered on this blog. So here’s my attempt at answering a few basic questions as we prepare to devise a new line of spirits:

1. How is vodka distinct from “white” whiskey? They’re both clear and unaged, so what’s the actual difference?
2. How are vodka and white whiskey different from “moonshine”? And what is “moonshine” really ? Is it a vodka, a whiskey, or something else entirely?

As pertains to the first question, it seems the difference between vodka and white whiskey boils down to three things: ingredients, oak, and proof, Categorization is basically a function of slight deviations in the production process. Put simply, vodka—unlike whiskey—can be made from a wider range of ingredients, and it doesn’t need to be aged (in oak barrels or otherwise), and it’s distilled at a higher proof.

Simple enough. But why keep it simple? Let’s needlessly delve WAY into this. * * * * * * * * * * * INGREDIENTS The vast majority of well-known vodkas are made from grain. But vodka is also popularly distilled from potatoes and fruits, Unlike whiskey—the production process and ingredients of which are tightly regulated by law—there are no similar rules dictating or limiting what ingredients vodka distillers have to use.

( In the United States, the Code of Federal Regulations merely defines vodka as “neutral spirits so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color”. Sounds um tasty.) By contrast, whiskey distillers’ choices are limited, as whiskey must be distilled from a grain.

Sure, you can find off-the-beaten path grains with which to craft your spirits—like quinoa, spelt, oats, etc.—but by legal definition, you can’t distill whiskey from such vodka staples as watermelons, cookies, potatoes, grapes, running shoes, etc. OAK There’s another critical restriction on whiskies.

In addition to being distilled only from grains, a grain spirit MUST “kiss” the inside of an oak barrel if it’s to be qualified as a whiskey. If it doesn’t, the spirit cannot legally be considered whiskey. Instead, it would likely just be classified as a grain-based vodka!

• A quick aside, Patrick it’s worth noting that the “oak barrel” requirement is a phenomenon unique to American and Scottish law. Other countries use the term whiskey to reference spirits aged in barrels made of other types of wood, such as maple or hickory. According to this website, “Canadian whiskey, Irish whiskey, and Japanese whiskey only require that wood barrels are used but don’t specify that oak is the only permissible type.”
• But I digress.

Notably, there’s no requirement for how long whiskey must age in an oak barrel to be considered a whiskey. White (clear) whiskies are merely the result of pouring the distilled alcohol from the still into a barrel taking a deep breath and then immediately pouring it right the fuck back out, to be bottled and sent out into the world.

PROOF There’s one final attribute that distinguishes a spirit as a vodka vs. a whiskey: proof. As long as the spirit coming off the still is at or above 95% alcohol by volume (ABV), and as long as it is then cut with water to no less than 40% ABV when bottled, you’ve got a vodka. That two-part determination is what classifies a spirit as a vodka.

With whiskey, on the other hand, the spirit must be distilled at less than 95% ABV. But just as with vodka, as long as the spirit is then cut with water during the bottling process such that it’s still above 40% ABV when bottled, it’s a whiskey. (From my research, it seems that if you cut a spirit to anything less than 40%, then pursuant to the legal classification, you’re just a lil’ bitch.) TO RECAP : when it comes to proof, the spirit must exceed the 95% ABV threshold during distillation to be a vodka, whereas it cannot exceed the 95% ABV threshold during distillation to be a whiskey.

In fact, the same exact corn “vodka” could be called whiskey if it came out at the 95% ABV and was then placed in oak barrels,) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Bet. If we know the difference between vodka and white whiskey, then what the fuck is “moonshine”? This was the question that first drove our initial discussion, and it turns out that the confusion stems from the fact that lots of distillers and liquor companies nowadays have elected to use the term “moonshine” incorrectly as a commercial gimmick.

Here’s the bottom line: “Moonshine” is liquor (usually whiskey or rum) made in secret ( a ) without getting the proper state and federal licenses to do so, ( b ) without paying the requisite taxes, and ( c ) without adhering to any of the legal (and safety!) standards governing the production of spirits.

• Another aside here’s an article that conflates the actual definition of moonshine with the more gimmicky modern commercial interpretation of a clear and unaged whiskey.
• “There are lots of products sold today that call themselves moonshine for the sake of nostalgia, tradition, and mystique. But the same product could just as easily be called white whiskey. ” Preach to these liars.

Moonshine purists define the spirit as a homemade, unaged whiskey, marked by its clear color, corn base, and high alcohol content—sometimes peaking as high as 190 proof. Traditionally, it was produced in a homemade still and bottled in a mason jar. And there isn’t much of a difference at all between unaged whiskey and moonshine; they largely have the same production process.

1. But “moonshine” is distinguished from whiskey by virtue of its illegal nature, rather than being a different type of alcohol.
2. Under this conception, “moonshine” is just a whiskey that hasn’t been taxed and the saga of colonial America’s refusal to pay taxes on its distilling operations is a critical part of our nation’s history that we’ll detail in future posts.

But does moonshine have to be a whiskey ? Nope! Actual moonshine—the stuff you’d buy on the black market if you didn’t want to pay a tax—can be made from any fermentable substrate, from sugar to grain to stone fruit. Whatever clandestine distillers can get their hands on and want to work with (under cover of darkness, by the light of the moon—thus the term) is fair game.

• Recall: Neutral spirits must be at least 95% alcohol coming off the still, whereas whiskey must be distilled to less than 95% ABV.
• By the way, note that the lower the proof at distillation, the more flavorful congeners carry over from the grain to the final spirit.

When it comes to commercial sellers, examine whether the “moonshine” label is proclaiming a whiskey or a vodka. If the label says “neutral spirits,” it’s not whiskey, Is the dead horse sufficiently beaten? Let’s decapitate it for good measure. How does one make moonshine? Answer: illegally.

The recipe is simple— · Corn meal · Sugar · Yeast · Water Sometimes, other ingredients are included to add flavor or kick. (And technically, as I’ve said, though alcohol can be distilled from almost any kind of grain, virtually all moonshine made in the United States for the last 150 years has been made with corn.) The primary aesthetic difference between “moonshine” and the whiskey you buy at the liquor store boils down to aging.

When whiskey comes out of the still, it’s so clear it looks like water—and moonshiners bottle it just like that, There’s no aging process, and that’s what gives whiskey its color and mellows the harsh taste. Moonshine undergoes no such mellowing, which is why it has such a “kick”.

So why is distilling alcohol at home illegal in the first place ? “The government cites several reasons for keeping distilling illegal. First, it can be dangerous, Distilleries bring two materials into close proximity – alcohol vapor and heat sources – that can cause disastrous explosions when not managed correctly.

There are also lots of impurities that can lead to all sorts of health problems even death! And cynically, there’s another reason: Federal excise taxes, Distilled spirits are taxed at the highest rate of any alcohol, far more than beer or wine. (A tax on spirits is the very first tax ever levied in the United States!) Naturally, the government is none too keen on surrendering its share of the revenue raised by a Nation filled with alcoholics.

And so it criminalizes any liquor production into the revenue of which it can’t sink its grubby little fingernails. (Please admire the grammatically impeccable placement of prepositions in that last sentence.) * * * * * * * * * * * * In summation, New Scotch Spirits will never legally sell any brand of spirit under the “moonshine” moniker.

But catch us back in the woods under cover of a new moon and we might have some New Scotch “Select” to offer you. Shhhhh. I hope this post answers any and all questions we could ever again possibly have on such a stupid subject. I need a drink, and I don’t care whether it’s a vodka, a whiskey, or a moonshine masquerading as both.

Is there really methanol in moonshine?

Methanol – A Deadly Byproduct – The fermentation process used to make moonshine produces alcohol in two forms: methanol and ethanol. Ethanol is the drinkable version. Methanol, known as wood alcohol, is a byproduct that’s toxic when large amounts end up in the finished product,

The distillation process that follows produces concentrated ethanol by boiling the fermented product. The problem moonshiners run into is ethanol has a boiling point of 173.1 degrees Fahrenheit while methanol’s boiling point is 148.5 degrees Fahrenheit. This means methanol evaporates at a faster rate than ethanol and can become concentrated.

When done correctly, it only forms in small amounts and is easily separated out and discarded. Without the right equipment, high concentrations of methanol can end up in the drink. What makes methanol so dangerous is the human body converts it to formaldehyde, an ingredient used to make embalming fluid.

What does it mean when distillers cut?

Glossary: Cuts Cuts refer to when the distiller makes a decision about the qualities of the incoming spirit and separates the distillate flowing from the still into separate collection vessels. There are numerous ways for a distiller to influence the flavour of their spirit, but the art of “cutting” is, in our opinion, one of the most important parts of the process for them to master,

Most distillers use parameters such as time elapsed since the distillation began, the volume of liquid that has been collected, the ABV of the distillate and the flow rate to help inform their decisions, but almost all will choose to use taste and smell to make the decision for when to make their cuts.

Gin makers have to be very careful about ensuring a slow and steady process to ensure that the full array of compounds are captured. Heat the still too fast and the volatile compounds will all arrive with the heads, while cutting too early will mean the hydrophilic compounds (which tend to be spiced, rooty and nutty) are lost in the tails and the resulting collected hearts lack in complexity and depth.

1. Mezcal and Scotch producers tend to collect a fair amount of what many would deem as tails because it helps to accentuate the smoke aromas in their distillate.
2. Some Mezcal producers even distil ‘to proof’ essentially forgoing making a tails cut altogether and running the collection for such a prolonged period that no water needs to be added before bottling as the collected distillate is already in-between their desired 40-50% ABV.

In contrast, Bourbon producers often retain some of the heads which can favour certain esters developing further as the spirit ages in barrels, while Cognac producers separate tails into two in order to redistil some and discard the rest. There’s a lot of science to what’s being collected in each ‘cut’ but ultimately, it’s the distiller’s nose and intention that defines what happens and how they want to shape their spirit.

What does cutting alcohol do?

There are many benefits to cutting down or cutting out alcohol. Taking a break from alcohol is one of the best things you can do for your health. Whether you’re thinking about drinking less in an average week or feeling like you don’t want to drink alcohol at all anymore, there are so many good reasons that can help to make the choice that is right for you.

1. And if you decide not to cut out alcohol entirely right now, it’s best to stick to the low-risk weekly guidelines,
2. When you take a break from alcohol, you’ll most likely notice that your mood improves, and you may feel more positive overall.
3. Because you’re not experiencing the low mood, anxiety and tiredness associated with the day after drinking, your outlook can shift, and you’ll have more time to spend on doing things that make you happy.

This could be catching up with friends over Sunday brunch, exercise classes or giving your mood a boost with a nice long walk in your local park. In the short-term cutting down on alcohol has all kinds of benefits like lower blood sugar, weight loss and fewer associated negative consequences like a headache or heartburn.

• One study has shown other benefits including lower blood pressure and reduced cholesterol.
• After a few weeks without alcohol you may notice that your day-to-day health has improved.
• This is because alcohol weakens your immune system.
• So if you do catch a cold that’s doing the rounds in the office, you may notice that you’re better able to fight it off and recover more quickly.

Over time, liver function can improve. The liver performs many essential processes in our bodies and reducing how much you drink means the liver can focus on these essential jobs instead of working overtime to process and eliminate alcohol. Changes now can protect our future health.

Many alcohol-related health risks don’t appear until later in life. This means that how much and how often we drink now can have affect our health later in life. Making small, positive changes now will help reduce risks for a long list of health harms including cancer, liver and heart disease. And so, while you may not be able to see all the effects right away you can rest assured that you’re making a difference to your long-term health.

If you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight or lose a few pounds, cutting back on alcohol can help. Alcohol has almost the same calories per gram as pure fat and depending on the type, the sugar content can be high. For example, one bottle of white wine (750ml, 12.5%) has 30 grams of sugar.

• That is the equivalent of 8 teaspoons of sugar! And this doesn’t even take into account any late-night snacking or junk food you might eat the following day.
• Your skin should appear healthier for a few different reasons.
• A US study found that alcohol is a trigger for rosacea (facial redness or flushing) and can worsen the condition if you already have it.

Alcohol dehydrates the body and because it is a diuretic that increases your body’s need to urinate more often. This means you’ll lose water and sodium more quickly, which can leave your skin looking dull and dry. One of the first things you’ll notice when you drink less or take a break from alcohol is how much better you’re sleeping.

• If you regularly have a drink to help you fall asleep (which actually has the opposite effect), your body might take a few days to adjust into a normal sleep cycle without alcohol.
• Eep going! Once you develop your new alcohol-free nightly routine, your quality of sleep will improve.
• Better still, you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and with full of energy to take on the day ahead.

This can help increase your concentration, memory, productivity. More good news is that you’ll be more likely to attend that morning weekend workout session you booked earlier in the week, which is good for your mind and body. So often, people don’t consider how much money they are spending on alcohol.

What does it mean to cut whiskey?

Hearts – As the process continues, the “hearts” come off next. This section is the largest section of the distillate, determined by the cuts made by the distiller. The term “cuts” refers to the process of removing sections of the distillate to get rid of impurities.