THE VIEW FROM HERE.
by Edward D. H. Tash

I've been told that a homebrewer can legally brew 100 gallons of beer per year and a family can brew 200 gallons. That's quite a goal, but so far Kira and I are only up to 19.5 gallons (that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

The whole idea of legally making alcohol makes sense to me, but what about our brothers and sisters on the other side of the law - Moonshiners. Why must they be forced to break the law to do what homebrewers take for granted? What's wrong with making moonshine for personal use, like homebrewers do? (Author's note: feel free to start singing or humming 'Rocky Top' as you finish reading this article.)

Making moonshine is part of my family history. My great-grandfather (Pop) once told me of how he had made the parts for a still for a local moonshiner (Pop was a black-smith). The way he told the story, the moonshiner would blindfold him, then take him into the woods to set the still up, then blind fold him again and take him home. Pop claimed that he knew where the still was and would tell the revenuer. This would cause the still to be found and destroyed. The moonshiner would then come and get my great-grandfather to set the still up again. Is the story true or not? I don't know. One of his sons told me that the first part is true
and the part about the revenuer is made up (Pop hated revenuers). Whether the story is true or not, I like it and will pass it on to my son.

I know someone who is a special agent (I've seen his card) for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. I've written to him asking about this subject in order to get the other side of the story. I also plan to send him a copy of this issue of the Dog. He wrote back and said that he has never been involved in illegal liquor/moonshine investigation and the ATF has, for the most part, stopped such investigations, referring them to local and state authorities. He also sent me some information about the history of the taxing of alcohol (maybe in some future 'View', I'll give a history of taxes).

According to a report on National Public Radio, Franklin County, Virginia claims to be the moonshine capital of the U.S. and they sell t-shirts that proclaim that fact. One of the reasons that Franklin County is the capital is the supply of skilled workers. One former moonshiner said that "once you start it's hard to stop, that making whisky still amazes him" (after 20 years of
experience).

My own experience with moonshine is very limited (and took place over seven years ago). I took one shot of shine. It started to burn at the tip on my tongue and didn't stop until it hit my stomach. I don't know what kind of a hangover moonshine offers, because I quite drinking after the first drink (okay, maybe I'm a coward, but I lived to tell about it).

I have a book on this subject Making Moonshine Fuel- by Ozzie McCoy. According to Ozzie you can make up to 10,000 gallons of moonshine if you have a "Alcohol Fuel Permit" and only use it for
fuel. The permit may be obtained from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, Department of the Treasury. It seems that old Ozzie knows quite a lot about making moonshine fuel, and claims that making moonshine is a family tradition. I have included a recipe from Ozzie's book, just in case anyone wants to make a batch (as fuel, remember).

Kentucky Sweet Mash

(1) Pour 12 gallons of boiling water into 100 gallon tub.
(2) Add 1 handful of hops.
(3) Add one-half bushel of corn-meal.
(4) Stir the contents thoroughly.
(5) Add 12 gallons of boiling water and one-half bushel of meal.
(6) Stir thoroughly until mash is smooth.
(7) Add 12 more gallons more of water and one-half bushel of meal.
(8) Stir thoroughly until mash is smooth.
(9) Now let the mash stand until it is so cool that you can stand to put out hand four inches within the surface of the mash without more than a slight stinging sensation of your fingers.
(10) Now add one-half gallon malt and 4 gallons of rye or wheat meal then stir the mixture about half way to the bottom so the meal will get wet and now let it stand 10 minutes.
(11) Now stir the contents to the bottom and stir regularly at ten minute intervals until the mixture is "luke-warm".
(12) Now fill tub to within 4-5 inches of the top with cool water then add half a gallon of yeast.
(13) Let the tub stand until the bubbles cease to rise. When the bubbles quit rising the mixture is ready for distillation.
(14) Stir mixture well and pour into still to be distilled.

Ozzie claims this will make two gallons of "some of the best sweet mash you could hope to have" (what a guy). After reading the recipe it reminds me of the all grain batch the club made at the brew-in.

I have written to the ATF seeking information on the permit. The AFT has sent me an 'Application and Permit for an Alcohol Fuel Producer under 26 U.S.C. 5181'. The application will allow me apply for one of three types of plants - Small (10,000 proof gallons or less), Medium (more than 10,000, but less than 500,000 gallons or Large (more than 500,000 gallons), for the production of distilled spirits for fuel use. The alcohol may be used as fuel on the premises of the plant without rendering the alcohol unfit for beverage use; otherwise I must render it unfit of drinking. I don't think I have it in me to render any alcohol unfit for drinking;- the major breweries seem to do enough for that without my help. So I don't plan to apply for the permit. If anyone ever wants to get a permit and make moonshine fuel, please let me know. I'd love to see moonshine being made.

The brick that we bought for the Falls of the Ohio says "F.O.S.S.I.L.S / HOMEBREW CLUB", so does this include moonshiners? If so, then I propose that the club make all local moonshiners honorary members with all rights entitled to them.

"Corn don't grow at all on Rocky Top, lands too rocky by far.
That's why all folks on Rocky Top get their corn from a jar".

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View From Here 12 - The Delmont Brothers