Moonshine in the News

Today’s idea: Not content with home microbrewing,

artisinal types are distilling their own illicit “craft” moonshine —
more in an epicurean style than in the spirit of Prohibition
outlaws in backwoods Appalachia. Oregon grappa, anyone?

~ New York Times’ Idea of the Day

Decent articles about homemade liquor and moonshine crop up with increasing frequency. Seems like word is out that not all the shine out there is the rotgut that our parents and grandparents knew.

The past few weeks have given us the New York Times blog piece quoted above. And then there’s this Salon article that inspired the posting. In it, Bill Owens, president of the American Distilling Institute and consummate showman, makes a donut mash. Not something you’d really want to do, but he’s proving the point that sugar, regardless of the source, can yield liquor. The author, Catherine Price, quotes Alcademics writer Camper English and yours truly about who’s making moonshine these days and why.

"The distillers don't band together in public the way home brewers do," says Rowley. "And until they get organized, you won't see a change in legislation."

Though I’d love to see home distilling legalized as in New Zealand, I’m not holding my breath.

Want to know more? Snag a copy of Moonshine at Amazon.com. My favorite customer review so far: The author is a bit opinionated in a few places but doesn't come off preachy. He simply states his opinion and gives the information anyway.

That's me: opinionated but not preachy. Well...mostly.
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