Moonshine And America's Contribution To Liquor.

Today we take a peek at the world of moonshine. Folks, I grew up very close to West Virginia, which many consider the Moonshine Capital of the World. The LAST thing you want to do is go walking through woods you are unfamiliar with in West Virginia.

Making alcohol works around two processes: Distillation and Fermentation. Fermentation is the chemical reaction that occurs when the yeast breaks down the sugar. Distillation is the process of evaporating the alcohol and collecting the steam before condensing it back into liquid form.

The corn is ground into meal. That meal is then soaked in hot water in the Still. Heat is brought up to approximately 172 degree F. The alcohol evaporates. The steam travels into the worm, which a coiled pipe inside of the worm box. By constantly circulating cold water, it re-condenses the alcohol steam into liquid. Then, the moonshiners "cut" the batch, generally mixing it with water to lower the proof.

The term "moonshine" is thought to be derived from the term "moonrakers", which was used for early English smugglers and the clandestine (i.e., by the light of the moon). Also, a quick test to determine quality or "proof", shake the bottle. Larger bubbles that dissipate fast indicate a higher proof. Or, you can set it on fire. A blue flame means all clear, while a yellow flame means its tainted and should not be drunk.

Now, you can also infuse it, like almost any other spirit. A lot of folks will put berries in. Dandelion. Apple. Blackberry. The list can go on forever.