Author Topic: MOONSHINE (Read 2780 times)

Sourdough · « **Reply #30 on:** December 14, 2009, 11:02:41 AM »

My Grandpa (Mothers side) was a shiner and bootlegger. Actually he was a Bootlegger first. Hauled it to Nashville by mules with his Daddy. When he got married my Grandma made him quite, she would not allow him to be gone overnight. So he built a still and made Shine the rest of his life. He had his still in a cave up up on the hill. Got his water from a stream in the cave. Good water too.

Talk about good Sheriffs I met one. When I was seven my teenage uncle (Dad's younger brother) started me driving the big truck in the tobacco fields one day when they were short a man. Soon I had moved up to the tractor, then the Pick-up, 1952 Chevy. One day when I was 10, Mama Hunter (my Grandma Dad's Side) wanted to go into Carthridge, the county seat. She could not drive, so she told me to drive her into town. I did not think anything of it, I just jumped into the car 1949 Chevy and drove her into town. Now I had to sit on a cushion to see over the steering wheel, and could just bearly reach the gas pedal. To start the car I had to slide off the cushion and use both feet. The starter was next to the gas pedal and my little feet would not cover both at the same time.

I dropped Mama Hunter off at Gores grocery, then went on up the street looking for a parking spot. Noticed the Sheriff looking at me rather hard, but did not think about it much. Parked and went into the drugstore for a nickle soda. Here came the Sheriff, he took the stool next to me and ordered a soda too. The Sheriff asked me if I was Kirk and Gladys grandson. I admitted I was. When the clerk brought the sodas I pushed my nickel forward. The Sheriff pushed it back and slid a dime up, saying I'm buying. We sat there making small talk, he asked about my Grandpa, his tobacco, about how that new mule was working out. All sorts of things.

Then he turned to me and said "Son, we need to have a serious talk". I felt my eyes get big, the whole world stopped, and my temperature went to 110 degrees, I started sweating bad. Trying to figure out what I had done wrong. Mama had always told me if I did something wrong the Sheriff would put me in jail, and I thought I had been caught doing something I could not remember. The Sheriff definitely had my full attention.

The Sheriff said "I saw you driving out there while ago, you drive on the road much"? I answered, "No sir, I only drove on the road today to bring Mama Hunter (my Grandma) to town". He replied, "OK, I don't want to ever see you driving without her in the car with you, till you are 14. Do I make myself clear"! "Yes Sir" was the only thing I could say.

As he got up to leave he turned and said, "Roggie, (I'm wondering how he knew my name, I did not tell him) you be careful driving Gladys around, she is a good woman and I don't want her to get hurt". All I could say was "Yes Sir". The Sheriff never spoke to me again about it, he would just wave when I passed him on the street or while driving down the road. I never drove on the road without Mama Hunter sitting beside me till I was 14 and got my driving permit.

rockbilly · « **Reply #31 on:** December 14, 2009, 11:10:40 AM »

Swampman, don’t ever think the bad whiskey campaign was a government propaganda program.

I grew up in a family that made and drank “shine” After loosing his job to a strike in the late fifties my father ran whiskey for a while, one uncle made it for years, they use to say he made the best whiskey in Mississippi, I remember someone saying that he made three grades of whiskey, one for his and the family use, one to sell to white folks and they the last run after being doctored with rubbing alcohol, paint thinner or battery acid for sell to the blacks. I now know why there were so many “Jake legged” blacks walking the streets of Brandon.

My Uncle died a very rich man; he owned a lot of land and raised 9 children by making and selling whiskey. I remember another man named “Red Hedrick” (spelling) his daughter wrote a book about his and his life as a bootlegger, he had the sheriff in his pocket so he was never caught on a bootlegging charge, they say he killed 12 men in his lifetime, I remember him killing three blacks just across the Pearle River bridge (old highway 80) in Rankin county, Seems he happened upon three trying to rob a white lady, he killed all of them on the spot and sent the lady up the road to phone the cops. When the law arrived he was setting on the hood of his car cleaning his gun, never did a day in jail.

In the early sixties he was arrested for assaulting Martin Luther King, he went in the front of the jail, was promptly escorted to the back door and sent on his way. It was rumored that the cops in Jackson hired him to do the job.

And my tale about “shine.” About 1959-60 we were stationed at Barksdale AFB near Shreveport, La. We had a party coming up and some wanted some shine, I called a friend in Mississippi who said he could get five gallons for us. A friend and his five year old son rode over with me to pick it up. I got the whiskey and put in a couple of aircraft thermos bottles. On our way home we were stopped for speeding, when the cop walked up to the car the kid asked the cop, “Wanna know what they have in those bottles?” The cop said what, the kid responded, “moonshine.” My friend and I just laughed, the cop never asked to look but it scared the crap out of me. I learned then; if you are going to do something illegal, don’t take anyone with you.

It wasn’t shine, but during the period I was stationed at Ft. Chaffee Ar I ran several loads of bonded whiskey across the border into Okholama, it was dry at the time and booze drew a premium price in Tulsa.. I could haul a load over, party all week-end and have enough left over to seed my next trip.

williamlayton · « **Reply #32 on:** December 14, 2009, 11:56:44 AM »

Life was too simple then. Folks lived and let live---hardly any hard crime---some killings but most of that was family stuff.I remember Sheriff Walker breaking up a dice game that was being run for profit in a mans barn.
Watson parked his car next to the RR tracks. jumped the train til he got near that farm and jumped off. He walked thru the woods with a cowbell in his hand and walked right up on that dice game.
How simple was life? Watsons son and I used to play in the jail.
I remember seeing a picture of a lynching behind the Jail.
There were some fine folks that raised me--taught me about life and let us experience growing up.
What is so funny about the whole party was it was all about getting drunk and sick and throwing up---you know just like we thought life was aall about---until you get so sick you doan want no part of that.
I bet he and a deputy drove up there that night just too make sure everything was going OK.
Blessings

Sourdough · « **Reply #33 on:** December 14, 2009, 12:08:23 PM »

Been looking for a story I did a few years ago, about being a teenage bootlegger.

Can't find it but when I was 16, got hired to haul illegal whiskey from Nashville to St Louis. They only used kids 16 to 17. Very strict rules, we were not allowed to speed. Must obey all traffic laws, and do nothing to attract attention. Had to check in at check points, along the way, and drive a specified route. We were allowed to be a little late, but never early. When In St Louis we had to stay in a private hotel. The old lady that ran the place took our clothes so she could wash them. She gave us Pajamas to wear while there. Easy way to keep us there and off the streets, so we would not get into trouble. The old lady fed us well, all the cokes we could drink, and the rooms were spotless. We had TV and pool tables downstairs, a small bowling lane in the basement.

Like I said very strict rules, if we got a speeding ticket while not driving for them we sat out two trips. That was money out of our pocket. We provided the car, they did the maintenance and modifications. I had two cars, a volkswagen type three, a 1954 Plymouth Savoy 4 door sedan.

The Plymouth turned out to be the best hauler. I spent money from my first few runs to buy it and change the engine, and rear axle. It was a real sleeper. Company put tanks in the walls, 50 gal per side. Large tank in the trunk, 100 gal there. They added leafs to the springs when loaded, and jacked up the air in the shocks. When in St Louis they would take out those extra leafs, and decrease the air in the shocks. Hated to lose that job, but when I turned 18 they did not want me anymore.

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #34 on:** December 14, 2009, 01:09:16 PM »

Hey, those are some pretty awesome stories... Wish I had 'em when I was teaching school... Kids loved stuff like that.....

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #35 on:** December 14, 2009, 01:09:55 PM »

Not only kids, but I do also.... thanks...

Clodhopper · « **Reply #36 on:** December 14, 2009, 01:41:11 PM »

When I was a kid in N. W. Florida my dad had a grocery store and sold sugar to the bootleggers. He would drive his 5 ton box van truck up into Alabama and stop at a couple of Piggly-wigglys and load up on sugar stacked in the front of the van. Then we would drive to the fertilizer plant and load the back of the truck with a couple of tons of fertilizer. When we got back to the store I would unload the fertilizer into the warehouse and park the truck with the back locked up. The next morning the sugar would be gone and a roll of money would be lying in the back of the locked truck.

A couple of times we got word that the feds were staking us out by lying in the woods back of the store and watching. My dad would organize a turkey shoot with the targets in front of where the feds were supposed to be hiding. The county sheriff and all the local police would come to the turkey shoots. They still have turkey shoots in the little town that I grew up in, quiet the social gathering.

When I was visiting this last Thanksgiving my brother and I were wandering around in the woods back of my dad's old house when we came up on this bunch of barrels and other stuff lying around by this creek. I asked my brother what this was and he said it was dad's still that he had going after he retired for a hobby. Said he never sold the shine, he just drank it and gave it away. One of my uncles gave me a bottle with some of my dad's shine in it, talk about potent! That stuff would probably make some real good rocket fuel!

pmeisel · « **Reply #37 on:** December 14, 2009, 02:21:10 PM »

My dad used to tell an absolutely hilarious story about bootlegging canadian and scotch whiskey across the Detroit River to sell in the NCO and enlisted men's clubs at the Detroit area airbases, back when there were a couple.... using government trucks and a government boat... Leavenworth for everybody if they got caught.

Swampman · « **Reply #38 on:** December 14, 2009, 02:38:25 PM »

I live in NW FL and I've found the remains of stills while hunting.

Clodhopper · « **Reply #39 on:** December 14, 2009, 04:47:10 PM »

Quote from: Swampman on December 14, 2009, 02:38:25 PM

I live in NW FL and I've found the remains of stills while hunting.

Where bouts?

Redtail1949 · « **Reply #40 on:** December 14, 2009, 06:37:29 PM »

my uncle told me of a story of buying some shine that some motor pool guys had cooking thru an old radiator. they were in new guiena. anyway 5 guys got went to an old hut and drank like there was no tommorrow. 3 died and he and his close buddy were in the aid station for two days. he said the only reason they did not die is that they had drank it since they were 12 years old.

williamlayton · « **Reply #41 on:** December 14, 2009, 10:26:37 PM »

You guys are a fun read.
Blessings

bobg · « **Reply #42 on:** December 15, 2009, 12:23:16 AM »

I lived in Tennessee for a few months. The chief of police in the town i lived in was the shine seller in that area.
Nice little operation he was running. My niece had been there before and she warned me. You do NOT get out of the car when you pull in. Some one will come out to see what you want.
A friend of mine picked some up in a trip through WV. I was the only one that would drink it. Sure was some powerful stuff. Gee come to think of it his son had to drive me home a couple of times after i had been drinking it.

bobg

JBlk · « **Reply #43 on:** December 15, 2009, 02:43:18 AM »

I don't know much about shine and never tasted any that I really liked.The only reason that making moonshine became illegal was because the government wasn't getting their share of the profits from someone elses work.Most of the rich people who lived in the small town that I grew up in made their money during proabition by supplying the needs of their customers thirst and their desendants still living well today.Sure there was some bad shine made that marred or killed the users, but defects in cars,guns, apliances and ect also claim victims.While in the military I was once assigned to conduct new background interviews for new enhanced security clearences.One of the questions you asked the person was have you ever been arrested.One of the GIs that I interviewed answered that he had.He futher indicated that he was in the Army because he found that preferable to going to prison.He indicated that his arrest had resulted because of moonshining and the Judge gave him a choice.He stated that he was from Kentucky and the only profitable employment was moonshining or coal mining and too many of his friends had died in the mines.Yep, he got his clearence.The Sheriffs and other law enforcement officers that you have experienced in your lives probably did more to put you on the right track than any arrest could ever have accomplished.Those fellows sounded like they had alot of experience tempered with common sense.The old policemen who coached me said that there is a spirit of the law and the letter of the law, and it was up to the officer to apply it correctly.

torpedoman · « **Reply #44 on:** December 15, 2009, 01:32:12 PM »

I come from a very long line of moonshiners, Helped Pa make some when i was a kid . He told me there was 2 ways to ruin good whiskey , Use yeast and use sugar. You can get a lot more whiskey from a run using them but it is not good whiskey. Good moonshine tastes just like corn on the cob and is sweet and not so strong it brings tears to your eyes when you drink it. most today is made by greedy people who care nothing about quality. Great grandpa always said "aint good enough for family, it aint good enough.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #45 on:** December 15, 2009, 01:40:01 PM »

Quote from: Swampman on December 14, 2009, 02:38:25 PM

I live in NW FL and I've found the remains of stills while hunting.

Is that what they call "still hunting"?

blind ear · « **Reply #46 on:** December 15, 2009, 01:42:17 PM »

Used to be a family in Carroll County, Mississippi that delivered moonshine to order to congressmen in Washington, DC back durring the depression. I tasted some of a couple of bottles. My folks kept a gallon mostly for eggnogg at Christmas. It would bead up on top when you shook it, a light honey gold color. Like scotch but better. I drank the last of it about 20 years ago. The family has played out now. It was good smooth whisky. eddiegjr

Clodhopper · « **Reply #47 on:** December 15, 2009, 03:38:54 PM »

My Grandmother never had much to do with the whiskey makin folks or whiskey in general being a God fearing Southern Baptist woman. But when one of us kids would get the "croup", sore throat and cough, she would contact the local bootlegger and he would bring her a small bottle of his best. She would mix it with pepperment candy and some other stuff and give us sick kids a couple of spoonfuls before bed time. I don't know if it helped the "croup" but we sure slept good.

The old men in the Choctawhatchee river swamp used to tell stories about, back during prohibition, running whiskey down the river to the bay and load it on this yacht that would pull in from up north. They would tell these stories sitting on my Dad's store front porch and all swore that the man that owned the yacht was named Kennedy and he paid them cash himself. They said that this boat would pull in a couple of times a month and would take all the whiskey that they could make.

Redtail1949 · « **Reply #48 on:** December 15, 2009, 04:12:48 PM »

cabin 4..funny thats a good one....lol

Sourdough · « **Reply #49 on:** December 15, 2009, 08:47:46 PM »

Clodhopper: My Grandma too was a Southern Missionary Baptist woman. She hated corn liker and anyone that sold it. But when us kids would get a bad cough she would tell my Grandpa to go get some Moonshine. She would put it in a saucer and burn off some of the Alcohol. Then she would mix in peppermint candy, to make it taste good. She would give us a dose of that and you better believe we slept through the night. And usually that was the end of the cough.l

williamlayton · « **Reply #50 on:** December 15, 2009, 10:07:45 PM »

Now boys--this is good coffee talk. Save these stories for the kids---they will never be able to experience this kind of freedom---soooo sad.

Now, East Texas, was not a hot bed of bootlegging. But there was a fair amount of cottage industry stuff going on. I think Mr. Walker was more than aware of this little enterprise but as long as it was kept under wraps he was willing to look the other way.

Things and Sheriffing were done a little different in those days. It wasn't about catching bad guys, it was about keeping the peace and letting life happen. Folks, well most of 'em where I grew up, had a sense of limits you don't find in most folks these days.

I do know that a widow lady did a fair amount of bootlegging from her home outside of town. I really think that Mr. Walker let this go on because he knew she had no other meands of support, she kept it low profile and never caused a problem, but this is just my observation of the way he handled things.

I do not believe he ever took a kickback--not from my observations.

he had the prettiest of nickle plated Colt Commercial---with a pair of Stag grips that I would die for today.
Dang---I am gettin too old--this nostalgia is getting too me.
Blessings

beerbelly · « **Reply #51 on:** December 16, 2009, 09:44:01 AM »

When I was a young fella, we had an older guy that was the local ABC agent. One Saturday morning he came over to my dad's house, sat down on the front porch and told me like it was! He said "son I don't want to but if you keep making whisky, I am going to have to put you in the pen for at least a year and a day! So why don't you quit that foolish-ness.
I took what he said to heart and joined the Marines the next Monday. They just don't make cops like that today! Damm shame.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #52 on:** December 17, 2009, 01:52:11 AM »

Beerbelly seems we don't make as many kids that way either

kyhareraiser · « **Reply #53 on:** December 17, 2009, 05:08:02 AM »

SHINE ON'''

. had somethin' like that happen once too.. bunch of us good ole' boys was gettin' our snouts full of election whiskey (real good ole' days) and the sheriff pulls up and spotlights us and we all beat feet.,ot knowing he was a local hollar boy''' he yelled out and said '''' alright ,i know who y'all are and i'm takin' everyone to jail,,,,,,unless you bring me a drank'' needless to say,none of us wanted to see if he was kid'in so we stayed up n the woods.. that won't ever happen again either i bet'ya

ToadHill · « **Reply #54 on:** December 17, 2009, 05:12:42 AM »

When I was almost finished with Basic Training one of the guys in my platoon went home for a weekend and brought back 2 gallons of grandpaw's "shine" I was down for a week.

kyhareraiser · « **Reply #55 on:** May 03, 2010, 10:54:32 AM »

reminds me of a sherrif we had at our home town hangout in ky.. we would be hittin' the jug under the streetlight ot the old pool hall,the sherrif would hit the blue lights ,go up and turn and by that time we would have scattered all over the hillside..he get out,slam the door loudly then walk over the bridge that crossed the creek (we could see the badge shining by the glare of the streetlight) then he'd yell out.......i know who you are and i'm gonna take you all in ,,if you don't throw me a drink of that whiskey out of where you're hiding.. after a few minutes you'd here a thud as a half pint bottle slid acrossthe ground ...he'd just laugh ,say thank's and head on down the road.. good ole'times there for sure

The Hermit · « **Reply #56 on:** May 03, 2010, 06:54:02 PM »

Having spent the last 75 years up by the Canadian border, I can remember making boat trips across the St. Lawrence river at night delivering "groceries". The "art" is still alive and practiced in some areas, so I been told.
If I was to make it again today, say in small batches, I would use 5# sugar, 3 gallons distilled water, and a package of brewers yeast. Bring the sugar and water to a boil, let it cool and add yeast at 110 @ F. Let it set 10-15 days, covered with muslin. When it quits bubbling, its ready. The trick to make smooth liquor is to control the leaks and the temperature. Alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature than water. When the spout pukes out a cup full of liquid, toss it on the fire and watch it flame. Catch the rest until you get water. Good liquor beads up when shaken and quickly goes back to liquid, so I been told.
If you were to use brown sugar, it tastes more like rum. When you use corn, you may have to use a Britta type filter to remove the harmfull stuff.
Just like burning wood, using kerosene lamps, snowshoewing, fishing, hunting etc., I think they're folks who like to keep some of the old ways alive. Gotta go find my trott line, catch you fellas later.

The Hermit

williamlayton · « **Reply #57 on:** May 03, 2010, 07:20:07 PM »

That is pretty close to the details I have been offered.
Blessings

Mikey · « **Reply #58 on:** May 04, 2010, 01:57:58 AM »

I am soooo glad this state isn't dry and that we don't have to mess with the law. My neighbor, a farmer, and I get together now and then and he will uncap a jug of his personal 'brewin's' and lemme tellya, it's some good stuff, and smooth to boot.

His is corn likker - he uses one of the sweet corn brands we grow locally and uses the kit you purchase to make ethanol fuel for your vehicles - he just does not add the red dye that poisons it, which is the last step after it has been brewed.

And it doesn't seem to matter how long, or not, he ages it, it will still leave you on your back lookin' up at the stars or the roof of the chicken shed or where-ever, and he uses plastic milk containers because they're bigger, and it doesn't matter because that stuff will whup ya sumpin fierce; and then we will have to wash it down with some of another buddy's home brewed beer.

Doesn't uncle sam allow you 200 gallons of beer or wine for free - just frown on corn???

MGMorden · « **Reply #59 on:** May 04, 2010, 08:16:21 AM »

Quote from: Mikey on May 04, 2010, 01:57:58 AM

Doesn't uncle sam allow you 200 gallons of beer or wine for free - just frown on corn???

Pretty much. Beer and wine are fine. TECHNICALLY corn is fine too if you just ferment it and drink it

(I sure don't even wanna know what that tastes like though). It's distilled spirits that's illegal, which you can make from any pre-distillate alcohol, including beer or wine. Distilling wine gives you brandy for example. Ironically it's also required that the alcohol specifically be for drinking that makes it illegal. You CAN operate a corn still for the purposes of producing fuel alcohol legally.

There have been efforts to change it recently, but to now avail. There's still too much stigma attached to it that gives people the impression that it's too dangerous for mere mortals to do. The reality is most of the bad moonshine back in the day was done by unscrupulous sellers doing STUPID things that people would never do with something they intend to drink themselves (ie, using a car radiator as a condenser or adding in chemicals to make the stuff burn better). Done right, with proper equipment, home distillation is safe.

I'm sure taxes have some part in it too (IIRC, the price of your average bottled of spirits is 30% taxes, and in some states only the state can sell bottled spirits so all the profit essentially becomes government revenue too).