Lessons From Our Great-Grandfathers: How to Make Moonshine | Back to Blog

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  Lessons From Our Great-Grandfathers: How to Make Moonshine

  contributed by jarredlawrence July 23, 2008 at 5:53pm

  
  
  

  

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  I remember the first time I saw this sign, "Why Lie, I Need liquor!" I laughed out loud and just kept walking past the homeless guy who was holding it. I hope he didn't think I was laughing at his misfortune. Needless to say, the philosophy behind that sign was right on. Really, when it comes down to it, we need liquor, whether we are homeless or not. It is just an added bonus when it is made for cheap, and in our own bathtubs!
  
  Since I began paying more for gasoline per ounce then my favorite bottle of vodka, I have had to find creative ways to sustain my buzz. And since my friends are tired of me drinking their cabinets dry, I decided to distill my own moonshine. Yes, moonshine! Just like the prohibition of the 20's caused our forefathers to create what they termed "ruckus juice," a.k.a. moonshine, so the state of our economy has caused me to find creative ways to make my own drinking habit cheaper.
  
  

  

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  Making moonshine is an art, and a fine one at that. I have researched and compiled an introductory five-step process that follows, (for those of you who are serious about making your own moonshine, I suggest you research beyond this five step process by visiting other sites like homedistiller.org.

  
  
  

  First and foremost, making "Ruckus Juice" is not for the impatient, so if you are not willing to wait at least 3 days for the fermentation process to complete, then making your own alcohol just isn't for you. This requires just a bit of commitment, so try to hold your hands steady for a minute and we will get started.

  
  
  

  What you need: Corn meal, Sugar, Water, Yeast, & Malt Tools: Homemade Still (older pressure cooker), tube or coil, & mason jars

  
  
  Step 1: Mix Equal parts of all ingredients, (except yeast, use only a quarter amount compared to other ingredients) into homemade still that can be heated over an open flame. [note: for you adventurous and creative types out there, you can mix flavors into the ingredients like vanilla extract or black licorice for an extra special personalized moonshine].
  
  Step 2: Let mix ferment for 3 days in a warm dry place. Once fermented, the bootleggers and moonshiners then termed the mix "mash."
  
  Step 3: Heat the "mash" in your homemade still to the point of vaporization (173 degrees to be exact). The mash will produce a clear liquid, often the color of dark beer. [note: this is where some amateur bootleggers blow their top; make sure the pressure that this process creates doesn't build too great, or it will blow the lid right off.
  
  Here's the important part!
  
  Step 4: Trap the vapor, from heated "mash" using a tube or coil (this should already be apart of your homemade still/old pressure cooker). The vapor will then be transferred into a second, empty container (preferably mason jars for hardcore effect). The resulting condensation is called moonshine, or as my grandpa liked to call it "Ruckus Juice."
  
  

  

  Step 5: Keep mash in the container. It is now what the old timers called "slop." Add more sugar, water, malt, and corn meal and repeat the process. Repeat the process up to eight times before replacing the mash.
  
  

  

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  And there you have it, cheap, 140 - 190 proof "Ruckus Juice." Isn't it amazing how creative and resourceful we can be when we must. So for all of you drinkers who'd like to save some money by creating your own booze, I raise my own glass of homemade ruckus juice and proudly say, "Why lie, I need liquor!"

  
  
  

  Caution: This article was written to introduce people to the idea of distilling your own liquor. It was written for humorous and nostalgic purposes, if you are truly interested in distilling your own moonshine I suggest you research many sources to refine your own way of making it. There are many great resources out there, and I hope this article will wet your appetite to look further into the world of making homemade liquor. Furthermore, this article is not responsible for any adverse reaction or slurring of speech caused by drinking homemade moonshine as seen in this video below.
  
  
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  40ozPhil July 28, 2008 at 8:21pm

  So I followed all your directions, partied with my new moonshine, and now I'm blind! I can't see anything, wtf! DAMN YOU SLOSHSPOT!!
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