June 12, 2004

Corn Whiskey

Posted by Larry Karnowski at June 12, 2004 10:27 PM

While looking up the term corn whiskey on Google, I came across several fascinating sites about whiskey in general and moonshining in particular. Here's a couple I found especially informative and fun:

* Dennis' Whiskey Corner - Goes through all the major different types of whiskey including reviews: Irish, Scotch, Rye, and Corn (American, Bourbon, and Tennessee).

* North Carolina Moonshine - From Ibiblio's site at the University of North Carolina, these pages go over (at a high level) how folks made, drank, and sold moonshine in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains in NC and east TN. Pretty cool!

I also found out that unlike beer, it's always illegal to make liquor, even for home use. I had thought that distilling whiskey for your own consumption but not selling it would be like brewing your own beer, but no. The ATF strictly forbids it. You learn something every day, eh?

Comments

(random noises of my stillhouse being dismantled)

Posted by: larry at June 12, 2004 10:29 PM

Here's why!

TEHRAN (AP, Reuters) -- Toxic moonshine killed 13 Iranians and blinded five others in the southern city of Shiraz, state media reported. The official news agency in Iran, where alcohol is banned, said 60 people were hospitalized after drinking the homemade liquor and 20 were still in a critical condition.

Posted by: Stacy at June 13, 2004 9:19 AM

Are you exploring moonshining as your new career or purely for recreation?

Posted by: BeckiGrace at June 14, 2004 10:57 AM

Hey man, I remember "Corn Whiskey"...that was a nickname someone came up with from your last name. What a cool walk down memory lane.

Posted by: Waylon at June 14, 2004 4:09 PM

Dittos to what Stacy said... I was going to say, probably something to do with people making poisonous stuff by accident and killing themselves.

Personally though I don't see a problem with that... why interfere with natural selection? ;-)

Posted by: Kirsten at June 15, 2004 12:30 AM

I'd prefer Beer or whiskey any day...hmmm beer...(Homer voice)

Posted by: Justin B. at June 15, 2004 7:17 PM

oops..meant *beer over whiskey

Posted by: Justin B at June 15, 2004 7:18 PM

Relevant family history: My mom's folks are from Wilkes County; Mom was raised near Roaring River. If you've ever driven around Wilkes County besides in town at Merlefest, you can see roads like "Berry's Lane," "Mathis Mill Road," and "Mathis Farm Road." My maternal grandmother's parents are those Mathises. My grandfather, George Curry, ran a still and my great-uncle, Roy Mathis, ran the whiskey all over the county in cars whose engines came from Junior Johnson. My great-grandfather Mathis once talked a judge out of jailing my grandfather, but I believe he did some time on another occasion; I'd have to check with my mom.

Pretty crazy stuff! :)

Posted by: Cindy at June 17, 2004 9:41 AM

Larry's great-grandfather did some time in jail down in Texas for bootlegging moonshine, back during the depression.

Posted by: Frank at June 17, 2004 3:57 PM