Saturday, September 3, 2016

Make Liquor At Home With A Moonshine Recipe

By Betty Perry


Making something from scratch is not only a great way to let your creative spirit soar but you are very likely to have an end product that is much better than what is available on the supermarket shelves. With the right equipment and ingredients it is possible to create homemade versions of almost anything, including liquor. A proven moonshine recipe and a distilling pot will help you make a drink that will surely put a smile on your face.

Moonshine goes by many names, depending on where in the world it is made and what the main ingredients are. However, no matter what you call it, the drink is essentially a very strong liquor with a high alcohol content and is distilled in small batches, usually illegally. Especially in the Appalachian region of the United States, farmers would often turn their harvests into drink because it was easier to transport over long distances and could earn them a handsome income.

To make a moonshine-type liquor, you first need to have the mash from which the drink will be distilled. The Appalachian version is made with corn mash, which contains water, yeast, sugar and, as its name suggests, corn. The amount of sugar will determine the alcohol content while the corn provides the flavor. The yeast allows the fermentation process to start.

When the mash has fermented for around four days, it forms a beer-like liquid which you can strain and drink. If you choose to take it a step further, though, you place the fermented mash in a distilling pot and heat it. Vapors will rise into the condenser part of the pot and when they've cooled, they turn liquid again. This clear, distilled liquid is extremely high in alcohol.

While the moonshine made in the Appalachian region normally has a base of corn, you can also try other starches instead, including wheat, barley or rice. Potatoes are commonly used in countries such as Finland, Iceland and Ireland. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, people sometimes use cassava or plantains to make what they call lotoko.

For a different flavor, you may use fruits instead of grains or starchy vegetables. Plums are widely used in Eastern Europe, while fruits like apricots, peaches or cherries are common ingredients in other European countries too. Haitians and Hondurans are just some of the people who prefer using sugar cane instead.

Where wine is made, grapes are abundant. For this reason, wine-producing regions are often home to home-distilled liquors with a grape base. These can be of very high quality, such as the 'witblits', which means 'white lightning', made in South Africa and sometimes sold in liquor stores in that country.

Before you rush out and buy a distilling pot, you first need to check the legality of producing alcoholic drinks in your area. In most countries it is highly illegal to make your own liquor and you can face hefty fines or even a prison sentence. However, it may be possible to get a distilling license in your country and make a drink that you can use for home consumption or for earning an extra income.




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