Alcohol-related startups have a lot to research. Where they can find their whiskey, how they want it to taste, branding considerations, and more will take a lot of time to figure out. However, another important factor to research beyond the nuts and bolts of how a business is run is the history of your product.
Whiskey has a long, rich history. There are a lot of factors that went into play to produce the various types of whiskey we can find today. One of the most important historical factors that produced the American whiskies such as bourbon that we know and love today is moonshine.
But what exactly is moonshine? And how does it relate to American whiskies we enjoy today?
The Brindiamo Group helps alcohol-related startups with everything from bulk liquid sourcing to branding assistance. Contact us today to see how we can help you.
Moonshine
Although it’s often associated with the American south, moonshine actually has roots that go back to England in the 18th century when the term (which had actually been around since the 15th century) was first used in reference to liquor.
American moonshine began in the early colonial times. Grain production in states like Pennsylvania often had excess product. This excess was distilled to keep it from spoiling.
1791 saw the introduction of the “whiskey tax” by the US government. Distillers held off the tax collectors for three years using tactics that were less than legal. This elicited the attention of a US marshall who came to Pennsylvania. The tax inspector general’s home was attacked by 500 men. The commander of these rebels was killed in the attack which led to a protest of about 6,000 people.
The tax was repealed in 1801 and these events became known as the Whiskey Rebellion.
So how does a whiskey tax relate to moonshine?
Moonshine is defined as “smuggled or illicitly distilled liquor.” Any liquor that is made in secret by distillers that refuse to pay taxes is illicitly distilled. American’s moonshine culture is rooted in an outlaw mentality.
Unregulated outlaw liquor is not without its risks, though. Questionable practices and ingredients led to bad batches that could make the drinker go blind, or even be fatal. Regulation was essential to producing safe products for the general public, and whiskey filled in the market.
How It’s Made
The base ingredients for moonshine are simple:
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Corn
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Sugar
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Yeast
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Water
Other ingredients can be included for flavor, but these are the essentials. The process is split into two parts, fermentation and distillation.
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First, the corn is ground into cornmeal.
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This meal is then soaked in hot water. This typically takes place in a still. Sugar can be added during this step, but traditional moonshiners added malt to turn corn meal’s starch into sugar.
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Yeast is added which starts the process of fermentation.
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The heat inside the still is brought up to about 172 degrees Fahrenheit.
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This causes the alcohol to evaporate which builds pressure in the still. The resulting steam is forced through a pipe that comes out of the top of the still.
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The steam is forced into what’s known as a thump keg, named so for the sound it makes when pieces of the mash drop into the barrel. The alcohol then re-evaporates which filters out these pieces of the mash.
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A coiled length of pipe tunnels into the inside of what’s known as the “worm box.” The alcohol stream is funneled into this pipe. The box itself is flush with cool water, so the steam condenses as it cools.
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A tap at the end of the worm box is opened to release the condensed steam which has formed into a liquid. An extra filter is something added at this stage.
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The liquid is clear and ready to be sold or consumed.
How It Relates to Bourbon
Moonshine might not have originated in America, but it definitely grew into its own thing here. Moonshine has been passed down for generations in certain parts of the country, even if the practice has evolved.
Bourbon, by definition, needs to be made with at least 51% corn in the mash. This directly relates to moonshine’s straightforward recipe. In fact, moonshine is often referred to as unaged whiskey. This is because the general fermentation and distillation processes between the two drinks are very similar except for one crucial step: whiskey is aged in oak barrels.
This aging is what gives bourbon its color as well as a lot of its flavor. Bourbon is also balanced out when bottled to be 40% alcohol by volume. Moonshine can be bottled at much higher concentrations.
Contact the Brindiamo Group for help with alcohol related startups today!