Moonshine

The literal meaning of moonshine is the light of the moon, but because the activity of distilling whiskey unlawfully was usually done at night with as little light as possible, the word became both a verb, meaning making the liquor, and a noun, meaning the liquor that was made. The reason it is done at night, and usually somewhere away from houses and buildings, is that the distillation process requires heat to boil the alcoholic liquor from the "mash," so it produces a considerable amount of smoke and steam, which can be visible for a great distance if it is done outdoors in the daytime. The fire can be seen at night if the still is not set up inside a building or somewhere hidden by rocks and/or trees, but buildings (and caves) are not considered as safe as outdoor locations, in case of a raid by the law enforcement authorities (or competition).

Related Topics:
Moon - Distilling - Whiskey - Unlawfully - Alcohol

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Some "shiners", as they were called, made a firebox out of stones or bricks, to keep the flames contained while concealing them, and to keep the still off the ground. Quite often, a dry creek bed was employed, particularly in Florida. Many stills were mainly made of copper, which is considered helpful in maintaining a good taste in distilled liquor. A shiner would often make his own still.

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"Moonshining" means making the whiskey. Selling it, or selling legally made alcohol in an illegal manner, is "bootlegging". One person may perform both functions. A U.S. synonym for moonshine is hooch, a word apparently borrowed into English ca. 1867 from the Hoochinoo tribe of Alaska, noted for its homemade liquor. White lightning, mountain dew, stumpholewater, liquid stumpblaster, mule-kick, and white mule are also attested.

Related Topics:
Bootlegging - Mountain dew

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