# Theoretical Moonshine question



## mdboatbum

Let's say someone found themselves in possession of a batch of White Lightning, Mountain Thunder, corn Likker or good old fashioned 'Shine. Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that he came about this through the proper legal channels, as obviously distillation of spirits is against the law.

If this person, not being in possession of a charred oak barrel, were to take some golf ball sized chinks of oak and partially char them, so the outer 1/2" inch was charred but the middle of the chunk wasn't, and put 1 or 2 of these chunks in a pint sized mason jar filled with the aforementioned perfectly legal corn liquor....then let it age for a year or so...then mix the contents of all the jars in a 5 gallon bucket and strain back into the jars....

Would the result be a reasonable approximation of Bourbon? Or, since the person in question lives nowhere near Bourbon County, KY, I guess we should just call it American Sour Mash Whiskey.

Think it'll work? I'm thinking it would, as it's the charred oak that really does the work. Given the small quantity in each jar, and the surface area of the wood chunks, I think putting the oak in the whiskey would serve essentially the same purpose as putting the whiskey in the oak.

Any suggestions?


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## sound1

Any suggestions?   Suggestions....uh...lets see...um, how about share??


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## mdboatbum

Haha!! Well, if it gets to the point where there's something to share, sure!!


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## pineywoods

If someone were to fall into something like that I would highly suggest that they make some of it into apple pie shine. I have heard that stuff is very very good but of course would have no personal knowledge of how good it tastes and how smooth it goes down. The char stick idea should work too but of course again I wouldn't know for sure never having seen any of that stuff


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## mdboatbum

Good point about the "char stick". If one were to cut a piece of kindling about 1" wide and slightly shorter than the depth of the jar,  I'd guess 90% of it would stay submerged.

I love this forum!

Oh, and the apple pie sounds might good too!


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## gamehawg

I think you should research the mechanism in how spirits are flavored by being stored in wood.  It takes years for that subtle flavor to infuse into liquor as it travels in and out of the pores.  

I would anticipate your concocotion would fill the mouth with a taste of burnt wood with finish with a rubbing alcohol finish.

Since its a theoretical exercise, I would go buy a bottle of ibuprofen, and some mix of choice (kool aid or hawaiin punch)  , and mix it and drink it... omelet with smoked bacon and 4 advil for breakfast.


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## mdboatbum

Umm, thanks?
Not sure I understand.


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## mike johnson

Its not illegaal to make your own ethenol for feul so id just say its an additive for your car
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






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## al truistic

Virginia ABC stores sell moonshine.  In fact when I first moved here 20+ years ago, I bought a bottle.  It was completely undrinkable.  There was nothing you could cut it with to make it palatable, and I use to dare people to try it.  On the other hand I have had some of the "not sold by the State" type, and it was much better.

As to your question, I don't have a clue.


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## smoking b

I know a guy who tried almost exactly the same thing a few years ago & it came out nasty! It could barely be used for jello shots. Tried some plugging a melon & it couldn't be eaten. It was a big waste of good stuff doing that to it - even worse than 3rd runnings!

     After that, he made a couple smaller charred oak barrels held together with chain welded to make bands & has been aging some that way going on a year & a half now. It gets sampled every few months & is starting to get a nice mellow flavor to it but it still has a ways to go yet. It seems like it is going to work great in the long run though.

     I also second the apple pie & peach as well!!!

                                  By the way, this is all stuff I have been told.................


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## daveomak

If one were to try and "clean it up" using charcoal, I have heard coconut activated carbon, ie. charcoal, is the purest and finest... It has been so long ago I heard that, it could have been a dream....    Charred oak sticks, pencil size would give more surface area... I heard that also....  There you go... here-say...  wish I had some taste-say to pass on...


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## linguica

Mdboatbum, I'm soo glad you asked that question. First let me bend your ear. When a teen, we used to say a country cabin occupied by a man named Barney Geesler, who used to tell stories about running "hooch" in the Los Angles area. He bought a defunct bank and opened up the Bank Cafe. The safe was used for storage of the liquor. He owned three Pierce Arrows sedans with the tops cut off and replaced with stake side truck beds. He said he could out run any cop car. The entrance to his bar was the at the end of a dead end ally by means of a "sliding wall" on the side of the builing. I know it's all true because I have been to the Bank Cafe and have driven on of the surviving Pierce Arrows. Now your answer, Barney told us that he colored his Hooch brown by taking a tablespoon of regular sugar and holding it in a flame until it was fully burned. Then use that burnt sugar spoon to stir the booze until desired color is achieved. Sorry to bend your ear, but it's a true story.


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## kathrynn

A gal friend makes her own apple pie and peach shine. Used to get "a specific portion" from up in Tennessee. Now she uses PGA. People beg her for some when she makes it. Has a nice burn all the way down to the tummy too.


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## linguica

KathrynN said:


> A gal friend makes her own apple pie and peach shine. Used to get "a specific portion" from up in Tennessee. Now she uses PGA. People beg her for some when she makes it. Has a nice burn all the way down to the tummy too.


Remember those WW2 movies where the bomb bay doors open on the B-17"s and the bombs "whistle" on the way down. I swear a shot of shine sounds the same plus the burn.


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## kathrynn

Lol! So true!!!!! Sortof like the bomb scene from Dr. Strangelove. Yaaaahoooooo!


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## shoneyboy

I'm looking at......Hey!!! What the #$#[email protected] ??  Well, thought I was looking at a quart of Apple Pie Moon Shine....Looks like I'm out now.... But I can buy it locally....$20.00 a quart…..Legally…..And they sell the cherries soaked on shine too....I don't think they are as good, but it is a personal taste thing....ShoneyBoy


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## mdboatbum

Heee heee! This is pretty entertaining. And Gamehawg, upon re-reading your post, it makes sense now, thank you for the input. ShoneyBoy, Might wanna wait 'til tomorrow to restock.

If one were to try this, and take the advice of one who sounds like he has the experience to give good, sage advice, one might just report back in a few months with results. That is, if one is walking free, able to see and still pen a coherent sentence.

And that bomb scene from Dr. Strangelove is one of my favorites of all time. Slim Pickins was the bomb. Pardon the pun. Rumor has it he was headed toward Terre Haute, IN. Probably toward my childhood home. Yes, I was a charter member of the Kiss Army. God help me,


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## ironhorse07

A friend of mine who makes his own shine (for medicinal purposes) does this with plain white oak chips. He can get the chips at the local home brewers supply even. Really mellows it out. When he was first researching this we found alot of good info on a few forums. What we found out is you have to be careful not to over oak it (gets bitter) if I remember correctly he only uses a couple of tbsp of chips in a gallon of shine. When they sink it's done.

Doug


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## mdboatbum

Ironhorse07 said:


> A friend of mine who makes his own shine (for medicinal purposes) does this with plain white oak chips. He can get the chips at the local home brewers supply even. Really mellows it out. When he was first researching this we found alot of good info on a few forums. What we found out is you have to be careful not to over oak it (gets bitter) if I remember correctly he only uses a couple of tbsp of chips in a gallon of shine. When they sink it's done.
> Doug


Now that there is the kind of info I was seeking!! Thank you kind sir! (or Ma'am, pardon me for assuming)


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## stovebolt

Most people just drink it in it's original (clear) condition, but some do "oak" it or age it or both. Oak whiskey barrels are made of white oak but red oak imparts about the same flavor if you are just using "chunks" in a smaller quantity. I have put a couple of palm sized chunks to a gallon jar after charring them with a propane torch, and after just a couple of days you get some fair color change. In just about 2 weeks you get some fairly substantial taste change.

Many home distillers "oak" some of their product for special occasions and use the rest as is. It's all in what you like. I have never aged any for very long, but even short term makes a fair change.

You can legally make ethanol with proper licensing, but the record keeping is substantial and it has to be "denatured" so you can't drink it. In other words it's a PITA.

Some of the requirements for bourbon are the grain bill must be at least 50% corn, it must be made in the US, and it must be aged at least 2 years in new oak barrels. (to the best of my memory). Their definition of new I think is no more than 3 uses. Most are them taken apart and shipped to Scotland. Some are now turned into smoke wood.

Chuck


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## kathrynn

I have had some with the cherries that have been soaked.  The things were white when I saw them in the jar.  My friend has some Apple pie sitting ready for gifts for the Holidays right now.

Dr. Strangelove is one of my Husband's fav movies.  And yes---sigh....I was a Kiss fan myself!


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## ac45acp

http://stilldrinkin.com/


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## shoneyboy

Here is what I thought I had....... I'm not a big drinker these days, but I tried both of them.  The cherries are ok, if I was going to drink the Apple Pie would be the way to go for me.













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__ shoneyboy
__ Dec 13, 2012


















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__ shoneyboy
__ Dec 13, 2012


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## big twig

Haven't tried the legal versions yet (haven't seen them in the stores but did see it on tv). My dad used to always have a couple mason jars around he got from friends down south. I have tried the cherry one, its ok after 2 or 3 shots of it but the first one I didn't like, I have had it straight and that was the roughest thing I have even had. Now the apple pie is beyond delicious! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			










Can't wait to find that Ole Smokey Shine


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## diesel

I am not sure about everyone else but I have been seeing a lot more of the stuff around in the last few years.  Lots of flavors too.  Like blueberry, lemon, apple pie, vanilla.  

Call me crazy but I think the shine is on a comeback.  I have also read that a new distillery is opening  up in Town.  We have antiquated laws in this country and with today's technology there shouldn't be any reason for the small guy to get involved.  Look at the Micro brew laws that are changing now.  Good things coming.

my 2 cents.

I think that added a few oak chips to the jar is a good idea.  

Aaron.


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## JckDanls 07

I just finished up a jar of the Blueberry..  It had about about a cup of berry's in it...  it was pretty damn good...  don't know anything about making it, so no help from me...  but if you need an "official taste tester"  just let me know... lol


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## mdboatbum

I agree, it does seem to be on the comeback trail. With the economy the way it is, I'm sure more and more folks are going to be, er...experimenting. Not only that, but the whole local, sustainable fad (yes I say fad, I believe in the concept, but not as a fashion statement) more and more startup distilleries are appearing. In addition, thanks to the interwebs, home brewing, growing and producing of all sorts of things, as a hobby, is extremely popular. My interest is purely out of curiosity. We'll be heading down south just after Christmas and I think I'll pick up a quart or two to try adding a little oak. If it works, I'll try a larger quantity, legally acquired of course. I could always shell out the bucks for a 5 liter barrel, but that kinda defeats the purpose of the experiment.


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## shtrdave

It has been a long time since i have had actual Moonshine, our neighbor where I grew up always had some, would never tell anyone where he got it. as I grew up I had the chance to occasionally partake in some of enjoyment. It was a nice not harsh burn not much for flavor though.

The closest I get today is grain alcohol like Everclear, that is what we use for the apple pie.

I wonder what it would be like if I were to toss some in a jar with some blueberries or strawberries.


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## kathrynn

Don't forget about peaches!!!


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## michael ark

They make a funnel to clean your shine its 4ft long and you fill it with active carbonhttp://partyman.se/ They will ship to the U.S. they also sell essences to give it any flavor you want.  Another. Site some of you may wish to look at ishttp://moonshine-still.com/


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## timberjet

Mdboatbum said:


> I agree, it does seem to be on the comeback trail. With the economy the way it is, I'm sure more and more folks are going to be, er...experimenting. Not only that, but the whole local, sustainable fad (yes I say fad, I believe in the concept, but not as a fashion statement) more and more startup distilleries are appearing. In addition, thanks to the interwebs, home brewing, growing and producing of all sorts of things, as a hobby, is extremely popular. My interest is purely out of curiosity. We'll be heading down south just after Christmas and I think I'll pick up a quart or two to try adding a little oak. If it works, I'll try a larger quantity, legally acquired of course. I could always shell out the bucks for a 5 liter barrel, but that kinda defeats the purpose of the experiment.


fed


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## smokeamotive

KathrynN said:


> Don't forget about peaches!!!


Apricot might be good too!


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## timberjet

timberjet said:


> fed


maybe a bit harsh. you can buy grain alcohol in many states including oregon which is close to where I live. that stuff is crap. It is real good to defrost my window cleaning soloutiion when it is below freezing but other than parlor tricks, like blowing fire. nothing like shine. not good. you can buy nearly complete distillery equipment for making your own cleaning alcohol on line and that is allowed by law. If you are not going commercial in any way. it is a craft. draconian laws from bygone era's will persist but hey. to each there own. here in washington people are bending laws every which way. You will not be taken down if you do not try to make money off of something you like and are a productive tax paying worker bee. smoke on!!!


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## stovebolt

Go to homedistiller.org  read all you want in their forum or do a search for UJSM (Uncle Jessie's Sour Mash) one of the more popular recipes. You should find all the information you want.

Chuck


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## garand555

Putting oak chips rather than chunks will impart a flavor very rapidly compared to aging in barrels.  It won't impart the exact same flavor though.  Except for Bullet Bourbon and the really top shelf stuff that I can't afford, I'm not a huge fan of Bourbon, so I'm not sure what the charring will do if somebody were to make shine on that scale.  Theoretically speaking, though, if you wanted to steep a bunch of fresh mint plants in a honey-wart like you were making minted mead, then distill that and put a bunch of oak chips in it and let it sit for about 6-12 months, you would have something that serious single malt scotch drinkers would rave about.  I'm just sayin'


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## mneeley490

There is a distillery near me that sells kits to make your own. Comes with a couple bottles of white whiskey, and a little barrel.













woodinville-whiskey-co-age-your-own-whiskey-kit-2.



__ mneeley490
__ Dec 20, 2012


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## bdawg

Those look pretty cool.

I didn't know they were making them.  Several friends have gotten the larger barrels from there and are aging beers in them.  So far, all that I've tasted has been good.


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## thomas phillips

http://www.brewhaus.com/

check this site out for all your home distillation supplies

and

homedistiller.org for all your questions


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