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Making Moonshine At Home Is On The Rise. But It's Still Illegal
NPR ^ | 27 Jan 2014 | Alastair Bland

Posted on 01/27/2014 2:03:55 PM PST by Theoria

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To: IronJack

Unless the a-holes changed the law, it’s legal to make 200 gallons of whiskey per year for personal use. Also 200 gallons of beer. That’s a LOT of booze for a person to consume.


41 posted on 01/27/2014 3:25:34 PM PST by Dalberg-Acton
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To: Theoria
Don’t know. don’t know why it was ever ‘illegal’.

I believe that it goes way back to just after the Revolutionary War. The Colonies had morphed into States and populations were on the rise. Ambitious farmers could move westward and open up a prosperous life on the "frontier". They soon learned that logistics were entirely different from what had been their normal way of conduction business. The vast expanses of the newly opened lands caused their expenses for transporting their grain crops to market to skyrocket until someone (probably Scotch) built a still and the rest was history.

Transporting wagon loads of grain was replaced by kegs and barrels which were much easier to ship. There was money to be made and it wasn't long before the Federal Government instituted a tariff on distilled spirits. The farmers, having recently booted King George's tax collectors back to England were in no mood to split their profits with a fresh batch of parasites.

George Washington, not in a mood to allow open rebellion, sent in the army to quash the "Whisky Rebellion"1. Said quashing was accomplished in short order and we are still faced with paying "Excise" taxes to this day!

Regards,
GtG

1 Google "Whisky Rebellion" for more background.

42 posted on 01/27/2014 3:29:49 PM PST by Gandalf_The_Gray (I live in my own little world, I like it 'cuz they know me here.)
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To: GGpaX4DumpedTea

Ping me...


43 posted on 01/27/2014 3:39:46 PM PST by GGpaX4DumpedTea (I am a Tea Party descendant...steeped in the Constitutional Republic given to us by the Founders)
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To: Dalberg-Acton

No, 200 gallons of wine or beer for personal use (not for resale) is allowed. Distilled alcohol (as a fuel or consumption) has to have permits, records and pay taxes on each gallon by proof. Unless you have a lot of money to put into this, it’s a p.i.t.a. to go legal. Which is the way they want it.


44 posted on 01/27/2014 3:41:00 PM PST by BipolarBob
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To: ansel12

You don’t hear because you ain’t listening.


45 posted on 01/27/2014 3:44:07 PM PST by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: BipolarBob

I’m in Texas.


46 posted on 01/27/2014 3:44:48 PM PST by Dalberg-Acton
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To: rockrr

A still can be used for many purposes. You can distill creek water into potable in larger quantities quicker with a still.If a person is into survivalism, that is.


47 posted on 01/27/2014 3:45:20 PM PST by BipolarBob
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To: Dalberg-Acton

I’m in Arkansas.


48 posted on 01/27/2014 3:46:26 PM PST by BipolarBob
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To: colorado tanker

I believe one can make ethanol for fuel. It only becomes illegal if you drink it.

Easiest way to make a still is to use a pressure canner. Remove the pressure gauge and attach a piece of copper tubing. You can use a cork as a connector. A thermometer plumbed into the canner lid is nice to have. Run your collector tube into a copper cool in a bucket with a spigot coming out the edge at the bottom of the bucket. Fill the bucket with ice and water. Fill the pressure cooker 3/4 full with some kind of wine or mash. Heat to 180 degrees (no higher) and wait for the shine to come out the spigot. Always want to discard the first five shots (fore shots) because any methanol and impurities will come off first. You should yield 1 part shine for 10 parts wine as most wine is around 10% ABV. If you are just starting, is is easiest to distill wine. Cooking and fermenting mash takes some wisdom. Your wisdom will come mostly from bad experience.

This will make really good fuel for your mower..


49 posted on 01/27/2014 3:50:31 PM PST by IamConservative (The soul of my lifes journey is Liberty!)
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To: IamConservative
I believe one can make ethanol for fuel. It only becomes illegal if you drink it.

You have to have permits for either one. And you can expect unannounced visits to your premises if you somehow do get said permit.

50 posted on 01/27/2014 3:54:34 PM PST by BipolarBob
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To: BipolarBob

Exactly so. I looked into filtration systems for potable water - should the need arise - and found them lacking. I’m looking at stainless for its durability and several different manufacturers for one that is the most flexible in purpose.


51 posted on 01/27/2014 4:02:13 PM PST by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
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To: Celtic Conservative

Korn is a singing group!


52 posted on 01/27/2014 4:06:46 PM PST by Renegade
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To: Theoria
Only with the right permits may a person make ethanol...

Flawed right there.

People don't make ethanol.

Ethanol is a byproduct of the yeast consuming the sugar.

Distillation only concentrates the ethanol produced by the yeast.

If I drink three 12-oz. beers, or have three 5-oz. glasses of wine or three 1-1/2-oz. shots of whiskey, in each case, I have consumed the exact same amount of alcohol.

The only difference is how much water is in each.

53 posted on 01/27/2014 4:09:21 PM PST by Ol' Dan Tucker (People should not be afraid of the government. Government should be afraid of the people)
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To: IamConservative
This will make really good fuel for your mower..

Why should SHE get all the fun?

54 posted on 01/27/2014 4:27:02 PM PST by IronJack
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To: Theoria

It is easier to “un denature” some readily available versions of denatured alcohol than it is to ferment and distill it.

It still (no, not a pun) needs to be distilled, but you avoid the messy and expensive fermentation process, and the distillation goes much more quickly and cheaply because there is no water in the mixture.

A five gallon can of denatured alcohol can produce ten gallons of good vodka.

But man is it ever illegal......


55 posted on 01/27/2014 4:28:33 PM PST by Born to Conserve
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To: IronJack
Why should SHE get all the fun?

I figured someone would catch that opening! :)

56 posted on 01/27/2014 4:33:32 PM PST by IamConservative (There is no place like 127.0.0.1)
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To: Theoria

Only if you get caught.


57 posted on 01/27/2014 4:35:34 PM PST by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life's tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: Born to Conserve
A five gallon can of denatured alcohol can produce ten gallons of good vodka.

Explain that sentence please. I'm not following you.

58 posted on 01/27/2014 4:40:15 PM PST by BipolarBob
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To: BipolarBob

“Explain that sentence please. I’m not following you.”

Vodka is about half alcohol, half water...


59 posted on 01/27/2014 4:43:02 PM PST by Born to Conserve
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To: Born to Conserve
Vodka is about half alcohol, half water...

100 proof is half alcohol. Your statement is about five gallons of denatured alcohol will make ten gallons of good vodka. First where does one get 5 gallons of denatured grain alcohol? Wood alcohol is poison. Then explain your process so I can understand it.

60 posted on 01/27/2014 4:52:15 PM PST by BipolarBob
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