Posted on 06/05/2025 6:07:39 AM PDT by Red Badger
NATIONAL MOONSHINE DAY On June 5 we toast National Moonshine Day to recognize a beverage with a notorious record of blurring the lines of history and the law, turning ordinary men (and women) into criminals, and common criminals into legends. Follow along as we discuss how the history is just as strong as the drink.
#NationalMoonshineDay Traditionally, moonshine is an illegally distilled whiskey spirit mostly made from a corn mash and typically produced by an individual illegally without a permit. Also known as white lightning, mountain dew, homebrew, hillbilly pop, and rotgut, moonshine has served as a means for people to acquire liquor and make a living.
Whiskey Rebellion of 1791 The Whiskey Rebellion of 1791 in the U.S. occurred when the federal government placed a tax on distilled spirits. During this time, farmers made whiskey from their excess grain to earn income. When the government began taxing the farmers, the farmers decided to begin making moonshine as a way to defy the new tax. Sadly, the rebellion was short-lived, but the illegal production of moonshine did not stop.
Prohibition Distilling skills first came to the U.S. with the Scotch-Irish as they settled in Virginia. Temperance laws and prohibition legislation were passed in several states before the Civil War, but it wasn't until the turn of the century that the temperance movement picked up steam. By the time the 18th Amendment was ratified early in 1919, over half the country was dry.
Prohibition lasted 13 years and created a demand for moonshine, unlike any that may have existed before. Moonshine became big business overnight for moonshiners and bootleggers.
Modern Moonshine These days, moonshine in the legal sense has a following. Small-batch distilleries are producing legal moonshine giving moonshiners a new name. Bringing moonshine out of the woods has allowed for moonshiners to legally go up against other whiskeys for a place on the shelf. Many are packaging their homebrews in canning jars, embracing their rich history allowing moonshiners to experiment with flavor. In fact, moonshiners are branch out with food pairing similar to that of wine and beer.
5 Moonshine Trivia Ideas
1. Shepherd was Uncle Jesse's CB handle on the Dukes of Hazzard. Sweet Tillie was the name of his Ford LTD/Galaxie in the first episode - his moonshine runner.
2. The X's on the moonshine jugs symbol represents the number of times a batch was run through the still. If marked XXX, the moonshine is pure alcohol.
3. What do Esther Clark, Edna Giard, Stella Beloumant, Mary Wazeniak all have in common? They were all bootleggers. Bootlegging was an equal opportunity profession.
4. Lavinia Gilman was a bootlegger, too. At 80 years old, she ran a 300 gallon still in Montana. The judge suspected her son was the real culprit, though.
5. During prohibition, there were many ways to transport bootlegged moonshine. Faking a funeral was a convenient ruse to move the product. Out of respect for the dead, of course, those with the badge were reluctant to stop a funeral procession.
CHEERS TO MOONSHINE DAY
There are so many ways to celebrate National Moonshine Day, especially if your family has a whispered histories of the white lightning. Can you imagine sharing a story about a legendary bootlegger hiding out near your home? These stories make great social media posts so don't forget to tag #NationalMoonshineDay so we can enjoy those stories, too! As always, remember to drink responsibility and never drink and drive.
NATIONAL MOONSHINE DAY HISTORY
Within our research, we were unable to identify the founder of National Moonshine Day.
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Notable Birthdays for June 5 George Angell (1823-1909) - Founder of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Pat Garrett (1850-1908) - Sheriff from the old Wild West.
William Upjohn (1853-1932) - Inventor of dissolvable pills.
Frederick Lorz (1884-1914) - Winner of the 1905 Boston Marathon.
William Boyd (1895-1972) - Actor fondly remembered as Hopalong Cassidy.
Otis Barton (1899-1992) - Deep sea diver who invented the first bathysphere (underwater vehicle).
Dave Gold (1932-2013) - Founder of the the 99 Cents Only Store.
Kenny Gorelick (1956-Still Living) - Saxophonist also known as Kenny G.
Mark Wahlberg (1971-Still Living) - Actor, producer, and musician.
Memorable Events for June 5 1794 - Congress passes the Neutrality Act, banning Americans from serving in foreign armed forces.
1851 - Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin (Life Among the Lowly) is printed in the National Era newspaper.
1846 - A telegraph line opens up between Philadelphia and Baltimore.
1893 - The trial of Lizzie Borden begins in New Bedford, MA.
1917 - Conscription (draft) begins "Army registration day". Nearly 10 million men register to serve in WWI.
1937 - Henry Ford initiates a 32 hour work week for his employees.
1942 - The U.S. declares war on Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania.
1944 - General Eisenhower decides to proceed with the D-Day invasion on June 6.
1947 - The Marshall Plan is outlined to help to rebuild Western Europe.
1956 - Elvis Presley performs Hound Dog on the Milton Berle Show.
1968 - Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy is assassinated.
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Ping! (hic!)......................
“Traditionally, moonshine is an illegally distilled whiskey spirit”
Not anymore....the stuffs everywhere.
Last Bike week I went to there was a temporary tent covered bar sponsored by a moonshine distillery that served nothing but moonshine.......100 proof moonshine....a great idea right before saddling up on an 800 pound motorcycle. SMH
A friend of mine had a bottle of good moonshine in his office and let me take a sip. I was shocked at how good it was. It had a slight single malt Scotch taste. Very delicate.
A fine tradition.
Unfortunately, it drew one of the first taxes established by the Federal Government, leading to the Whiskey Rebellion.
Outside of the Prohibition years, I don’t think it’s been illegal to make, just to sell (without paying the tax).
One of the most famous moonshiners in American history is Marvin ``Popcorn’’ Sutton. He gained notoriety for his illegal distilling of whiskey in the Appalachian region, particularly in North Carolina and Tennessee.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popcorn_Sutton
"William Upjohn (1853-1932) - Inventor of dissolvable pills."
William Erastus Upjohn (1853–1932) was an American physician, pharmacist, and pharmaceutical innovator born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After earning a medical degree from the University of Michigan in 1875, he practiced medicine and ran a pharmacy, where he identified issues with hard, non-dissolving pills. He developed the first dissolvable pill, known as the "friable pill," to address the challenges of traditional hard pills that were difficult to digest and often passed through the body without releasing their active ingredients. His innovation, revolutionized pharmaceutical delivery by creating pills that could disintegrate in the stomach, allowing for better absorption of the medication.There's another Great American Success story! I'm sure many FReepers are old enough to remember that "Upjohn" name.In 1884, Upjohn patented his method. The patent described a process for producing pills that were "readily soluble in the stomach" due to their porous and less compressed structure. This distinguished his pills from the hard, slow-dissolving pills of the time.
Two years later, Upjohn founded the Upjohn Pill and Granule Company (later the Upjohn Company, eventually part of Pfizer) in 1886 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to manufacture and distribute his dissolvable pills. His company used innovative machinery, like rotary pill presses, to scale production while maintaining the friable quality of the pills.
Upjohn became wealthy from his work. The Upjohn Company grew into a major pharmaceutical firm, producing a wide range of medications and generating substantial profits during his lifetime and beyond. By the early 20th century, the Upjohn Company was a leading U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer, and Upjohn himself was a respected figure in both business and philanthropy. He invested in his community, supporting institutions like Kalamazoo College, which suggests he had considerable resources. After his death in 1932, the company remained family-controlled for decades, further amassing wealth for his heirs.
Yes, I remember..............
Such a great movie!
““Traditionally, moonshine is an illegally distilled whiskey spirit”
I thin moonshine is defined today as being whiskey that is not aged.
I’m surprised Grappa not on the list.
A few years ago, “Moonshine” - for whatever reason - became all the rage among the young, smart set. I saw it on restaurant cocktail menus.
It was being sold in liquor stores in Mason jars for an “authentic” feel.
Had to laugh at all of it. Tried a sip, gagged and almost keeled over, it was so horrible.
Family is originally from Southern Ohio and there are talks of stills to this day.
I’ll pass. Had some REAL Moonshine when I was in Alabama visiting with Beau’s family. Their local ‘brewer’ brought some over for us to try.
May as well have been drinking gasoline, LOL! One sip was more than enough for me!
A friend of mine had a bottle of good moonshine in his office and let me take a sip. I was shocked at how good it was. It had a slight single malt Scotch taste. Very delicate.
Good stuff.
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