Why is moonshine illegal

The practice can be traced back to the Prohibition era of the s and the drinks are often still mimicked and served in the southern states. Moonshine is a generic slang term that refers to potently strong and illegally made alcoholic spirits, why is moonshine illegal.

I recently attended a wedding where the groomsmen were passing around a bottle of what smelled like the strongest liquor known to man. One groomsman pocketed the bottle and smiled. My immediate thought was that moonshine is illegal. Yet everyone at the table confirmed they had already sipped moonshine at least once in their life. So, did the Dukes of Hazzard lie to me?

Why is moonshine illegal

Moonshine has been having something of a renaissance. The production of moonshine — or really any spirit — without a license is prohibited by the U. In fact, American bootleggers can face jail time for operating seemingly innocent home distilleries. The federal law states that breaking it can have offenders facing multiple federal felonies, including tax evasion, which can result in up to 10 years in prison on top of seizure and forfeiture of the land used for the illegal activity. The law seems unreasonable on the surface, but when you dig into its history, it becomes a little more clear. It all began right after the American Revolution, Spoelman explains, during which time the government began to place excise taxes on alcohol in order to pay off its debt from the war. This tension eventually led to the Whiskey Rebellion, in which George Washington lead a crackdown on farmers making money by distilling their grain into moonshine. Fast forward to the Civil War era, and making moonshine without paying taxes was officially deemed illegal. This act officially imposed a tax on alcohol, among other items, which made distilling without a permit even harder to get away with. One way the government has been able to market this law is by alluding to the idea that moonshine-making at home is unsafe, due to its potential to be tainted by toxic heavy metal particles. These arguably avoidable risks include tainting the spirit with methanol, which is known to cause blindness. Other risks that can come with distilling your own moonshine include amateur-related hazards like stills exploding. In general, alcohol has always been heavily scrutinized by the government. At this point, you may be wondering whether making your own moonshine is worth the trouble at all. While it is illegal, each state does crack down on moonshiners a little differently.

This number indicates the alcohol strength of a drink and is used in part for making popular cocktails and comparing different types of alcohol. The distilling process is the key to a spirit's alcohol why is moonshine illegal. Get our content in your inbox weekly.

Do you have a passion for distilling and want to sell your drinks in different types of marketplaces? Or maybe you just want to learn the essentials of home distilling? In either case, it's important to understand the legality of moonshine and its ABV. This number indicates the alcohol strength of a drink and is used in part for making popular cocktails and comparing different types of alcohol. Keep reading to learn what moonshine is, what the average ABV of moonshine is, what flavors it comes in, and more.

The practice can be traced back to the Prohibition era of the s and the drinks are often still mimicked and served in the southern states. Moonshine is a generic slang term that refers to potently strong and illegally made alcoholic spirits. The word was first associated with bootleggers who were attempting to make and sell alcohol during the Prohibition era. In modern times, Moonshine is still used to describe illegal homemade alcohol, some certified distillers will often sell beverages that are described as moonshine for novelty value or to describe its stronger-than-usual taste. Some moonshine producers will seek to offer reproductions of clear high-proof homemade alcohol from the Prohibition era. But moonshine can be used to describe anything that pertains to be strong, homemade, and illicit - such as strong types of whiskey or "bathtub" gin. Across the US and most parts of Europe , distilling is against the law. There are many reasons that governments choose to prevent their citizens from making their own alcohol. In fact, even buying or owning any type of still the vessel used to distill spirits is illegal in many countries.

Why is moonshine illegal

In this day and age, when many brew their own wine, beers, ciders, or meads, why is producing your own moonshine — and not just for sale, but for personal consumption, as well — still illegal? In fact, the federal government fears home-distilling so much that being caught in possession of unregistered stills or other moonshine production carries heavy penalties including hefty fines or possible imprisonment. Which begs the question: is any illegal liquor worth this hassle? Is it just about a loss of taxable revenue, as many suggest, or is the US government trying to protect us from poorly-made alcoholic spirits? Traditionally, it was made with corn, although it can be made with any fermented grains from rye to wheat or sometimes plain old sugar. Image by inkflo from Pixabay. Moonshine is deeply rooted in American history. Often presented as a part of Southern cultural history and heritage, its true origins can actually be traced back to Pennsylvania. In fact, moonshine had been so important to Americans, it nearly caused the first American Civil War.

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Take a look at our answers below:. Across the US and most parts of Europe , distilling is against the law. Yes, if you make moonshine without the proper permitting, it is a crime. However, farmers distilling moonshine from the comfort of their own homes were obviously not paying that tax. The Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster Dictionary both define moonshine quite simply as a kind of alcohol made illegally. Yet everyone at the table confirmed they had already sipped moonshine at least once in their life. However, distillers are required to hold permits to ensure both traceability and quality control of alcoholic beverages. Mustard Skittles Continue to Haunt Us. In , Ohio introduced legislation to do the same, with other states likely to follow. Facebook Twitter Email. Or maybe you just want to learn the essentials of home distilling? But moonshine can be used to describe anything that pertains to be strong, homemade, and illicit - such as strong types of whiskey or "bathtub" gin.

This may not be the same place you live. Historically, moonshine meant liquor that was made and distilled at home.

Advanced Mixology explains that moonshine is made by a similar process to vodka. Really, most people agree that they are simply using the term moonshine as a brand or restaurant marketing tool to increase sales as what they really distill is a clear alcohol. Facebook Twitter Email. One groomsman pocketed the bottle and smiled. In general, alcohol has always been heavily scrutinized by the government. Corn is often preferred both because of its abundance and because it is a good source of fermentable sugar. It is still made and consumed today. Last Name. The law seems unreasonable on the surface, but when you dig into its history, it becomes a little more clear. Name Email Address Thank you!