moonshining (London, Hardin: houses, lease, work)

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by cynthia007

I'm moving to Lexington from Hawaii this summer. I don't know how I am going to ever fit in with the moonshining, cousin kissing, outhouse crowd. You know cause I live in a grass hut, dance the hula, wear a ti leaf skirt and sit around drinking mai-tai' on the beach all day. You think I can make the switch?

Well darlin just be careful cause ya might just scortch that little grass skirt of yours while we're cookin our roadkill over the open fire....

[dixiegirl7]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

Well darlin just be careful cause ya might just scortch that little grass skirt of yours while we're cookin our roadkill over the open fire....

lol...no beach either but you can swim in the swimmin' hole.

[TexianPatriot]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

Well darlin just be careful cause ya might just scortch that little grass skirt of yours while we're cookin our roadkill over the open fire....

what do you have against road kill (assuming that you hit it)?

I didn't mean to play into some kentucky stereotypes by asking how to run a still. I really enjoy appalachian/southern culture and I just wanted a way to help me bring in some extra income on the side to help me out through school. I don't know anyone in Texas that runs a still so I figured I'd post here. But yea, if no one can help me out, I'll just disappear into the Texas sunset driving longhorns on the range.

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by TexianPatriot

what do you have against road kill (assuming that you hit it)?

I didn't mean to play into some kentucky stereotypes by asking how to run a still. I really enjoy appalachian/southern culture and I just wanted a way to help me bring in some extra income on the side to help me out through school. I don't know anyone in Texas that runs a still so I figured I'd post here. But yea, if no one can help me out, I'll just disappear into the Texas sunset driving longhorns on the range.

If you were sincere then I am sorry for my comments. We get alot of people who assume that we are just a bunch of toothless hicks who have nothing better to do than marry our cousins. BUT I don't know a soul who makes shine. Sorry.

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by TexianPatriot

what do you have against road kill (assuming that you hit it)?

I didn't mean to play into some kentucky stereotypes by asking how to run a still. I really enjoy appalachian/southern culture and I just wanted a way to help me bring in some extra income on the side to help me out through school. I don't know anyone in Texas that runs a still so I figured I'd post here. But yea, if no one can help me out, I'll just disappear into the Texas sunset driving longhorns on the range.

Dude, it's illegal. If you want "extra income" get a job somewhere......learn not to stereotype.

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

If you were sincere then I am sorry for my comments. We get alot of people who assume that we are just a bunch of toothless hicks who have nothing better to do than marry our cousins. BUT I don't know a soul who makes shine. Sorry.

He is not being sincere.

[Davart]

Originally Posted by TexianPatriot

I'm thinking about maybe running a still as a hobby and to help bring in some extra income. I've done a little bit of research into it, but I'm gunna need some help making a basic pot still. I've learned about discarding the early and late runs (methanol and fusel alcohols make for some nasty shine). Anyway, I figured this would be the best forum to ask since yall kentuckians have the moonshining heritage. So if anyone has some expertise in the art of shining, I'd appreciate you sharing some wisdom with me.

Most of the folks, myself included that have recipes don't normally post them on the internet.

That being said, the quality of the copper is important, the quality of the grain (corn meal), and the sugar, yeast, malt and water. Water quality is very important, spring water and far better than tap. Anyway, this mix is called MASH and you heat the mash in a the pot until it hits it's evaporation point about 175 degrees. This vapor goes into the coil to condense, this drips into jug or jar and this is moonshine. You can run the mash again, now called slop by adding more water, sugar, malt and corn meal.

Now how long to wait and what is the ratio of the mix ... well that part is the secret. Different amounts yield different flavors, if you want to convert it whiskey you have to age it in barrels, again the char, the wood and the length of time in the barrel dictates the flavor. It's a game of experiment the find the best mix (mash) for your process. Processes and mixes are handed down through family lines.

Moonshine is about 190 proof (95% pure alcohol) aging it allows the amount to alcohol to mature and evaporate thus giving it a lower more palatable taste. This is the basic info on making shine, there are as many ways to makes as there are gains of sand.

Not that I know anything, this is what I hear because 'shining is illegal and I wouldn't do anything like that, why that would be wrong. (Hear revenuer man.)

[TexianPatriot]

I always thought it took multiple runs with a pot still to get 190 proof shine. Or are you talking about a reflux still? To be honest, I'm more interested in making a vodka (use potatoes) instead of a corn liquor (the price of corn is just too high). I'm also aware that special brewers yeast can tolerate higher levels of ethanol in the mash before they die off. I'm assuming that while you get higher yields of ethanol with brewers yeast, you could probably recycle the mash more times by using regular bakers yeast. How long do you recommend letting the mash sit before running it? If I used regular yeast How long does it take for the yeast to do their work?

[TexianPatriot]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

If you were sincere then I am sorry for my comments. We get alot of people who assume that we are just a bunch of toothless hicks who have nothing better to do than marry our cousins. BUT I don't know a soul who makes shine. Sorry.

It's cool. Apparently, all there is in Texas is steers and *****s going off stereotypes. But yea, us southerners and westerners need to stick together to defend our heritage against the yankees and west coast yuppies that think they know how to live our lives for us better than we can ourselves. We are the very people that hold this country together. We are the gun toting, bible thumping, hunting/fishing, calf roping, horse riding, moonshining, farming, ranching, hard working people and we are proud of it. My heros are Washington, Jefferson, Sam Adams (some of the shenanigans the Sons of Liberty pulled against the British crown make me smile to this day), Jackson and Clay (though they differed vastly in politics and I indentify with Jackson more), Lee, Crockett, Bowie, Houston, and Travis (okay the last few are very special to Texans). Rugged individualism, self reliance, defiance to tyrannical governments, and strong family ties are certainly the things I hold most dear. Our heritage is worth fighting for. The yanks might right me off hillbilly hayseed, but we all know better than that. Without us, there would be no America.

[cynthia007]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

Well darlin just be careful cause ya might just scortch that little grass skirt of yours while we're cookin our roadkill over the open fire....

SO Funny!