The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Timothy on February 08, 2011, 08:09:40 PM
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Sitting here, watching Larry the Cable Guy making 'shine in Georgia somewhere.
What a hoot! ;D ;D
I can't believe that making corn liquor is still illegal. Don't the feds have enough to deal with without pestering hard working Americans with their hobby of choice?
;)
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It isn't. You are allowed to make up to 50 gallons for personal use. Making more is like buying a machine gun, do the paperwork and pay the tax.
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It isn't. You are allowed to make up to 50 gallons for personal use. Making more is like buying a machine gun, do the paperwork and pay the tax.
+1
Next time I'm at the liquor store, er, shopping center, (if they have a batch) I'll get one of the house favorites. Up by the register they actually sell half-pint bottles of the stuff. It has hand-made butcher paper labels (written with a sharpie) covered with clear shipping tape that just says "Peach Liquor" and has the maker's name and the GA tax stamp ID # on it.
No sh!t.
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And of course it isn't about the tax, it's about control.
(Another "dad" story.....I'm going to have lots of these for a while.)
Back in the '50s, Dad owned a wholesale grocery in Jenkins County, GA. Mean little county.....if you think Andersonville was a bad POW camp, Ft Lawton was worse. Anyway, Dad was one of the largest volume wholesalers of Dixie Crystal sugar. Sold in bulk directly to farmers....well anyone who wanted sugar in 50# bags. This in one of the smaller counties in GA. And there weren't any bakeries in the county. And the women folk didn't make that many pies, either. Oh and he also sold lots of cases of mason jars.
The feds came by once to pay a visit. Seems like he was suppose to be reporting multiple sales large bags of sugar (kind of like they do with handguns now.....same agency). They just wanted to let him know not to bother. They knew where all the stills were.......BUT, the county was so mean they never mounted a raid. At least not in the 13 years we lived there.
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Back in the 70's there was a commercial "Moonshine" that was sold in most well stocked liquor stores. It was called "Georgia Moon" and it was sold in a large mouthed mason jar. It was clear in color just like Vodka. I always wanted to buy some to try, but never did. I haven't seen it in years, so I don't know if it's still being produced. Perhaps locally somewhere. Bill T.
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Actually you can make Beer and Wine for your own consumption up to a certain amount but it is a Federal Crime to distill spirits even for your own use, and even if you do not sell it, without a license.
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Back in the 70's there was a commercial "Moonshine" that was sold in most well stocked liquor stores. It was called "Georgia Moon" and it was sold in a large mouthed mason jar. It was clear in color just like Vodka. I always wanted to buy some to try, but never did. I haven't seen it in years, so I don't know if it's still being produced. Perhaps locally somewhere. Bill T.
Ever Clear
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Actually you can make Beer and Wine for your own consumption up to a certain amount but it is a Federal Crime to distill spirits even for your own use, and even if you do not sell it, without a license.
Are you sure about that ? Home Brandy making seems to be rather popular.
http://www.brewhaus.com/
http://www.home-distilling.com/store/pc/Distilling-Supplies-c40.htm
http://www.thegrape.net/browse.cfm/distillation/2,1386.html
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After many readers requested information about home-distilling I decided to write to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) asking how one can legally make whiskey for personal use. I figured that it required extensive red-tape and paying taxes on the production. I discovered that it is illegal to make liquor at home under any circumstances:
26 U.S.C. 5178(a)(1)(B): No distilled spirits plant for the production of distilled spirits shall be located in any dwelling house, in any shed, yard, or inclosure connected with any dwelling house, or on board any vessel or boat, or on premises where beer or wine is made or produced, or liquors of any description are retailed, or on premises where any other business is carried on (except when authorized under subsection (b)).
Very similar language can be found in the regulations under 27 CFR 19.131. This regulation can be accessed through ATF's Web Site. Consider writing your congressman and senators to reduce the tax burden on liquor and to establish reasonable guidelines for personal-use distilling. It is legal in some parts of the world, such as New Zealand.
http://www.mindspring.com/~mccarthys/whiskey/corn.htm
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Ever Clear
Everclear is pure eythl alcohol at 190 proof. This stuff wasn't that high. 100 proof I think.
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After many readers requested information about home-distilling I decided to write to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) asking how one can legally make whiskey for personal use. I figured that it required extensive red-tape and paying taxes on the production. I discovered that it is illegal to make liquor at home under any circumstances:
26 U.S.C. 5178(a)(1)(B): No distilled spirits plant for the production of distilled spirits shall be located in any dwelling house, in any shed, yard, or inclosure connected with any dwelling house, or on board any vessel or boat, or on premises where beer or wine is made or produced, or liquors of any description are retailed, or on premises where any other business is carried on (except when authorized under subsection (b)).
Very similar language can be found in the regulations under 27 CFR 19.131. This regulation can be accessed through ATF's Web Site. Consider writing your congressman and senators to reduce the tax burden on liquor and to establish reasonable guidelines for personal-use distilling. It is legal in some parts of the world, such as New Zealand.
http://www.mindspring.com/~mccarthys/whiskey/corn.htm
If I read that right you cannot distill in:
1. Any dwelling house
2. Any shed, yard or incllosure connected with any dwelling house
3. Any boat or vessel
4. Any premise where beer or wine is made or produced or liquors of any description are retailed
5. Any premise where any other business is carried out (with some exceptions)
So, from all that, if I own a building not associated with any dwelling and it is not a boat and there is no business going on there, I can do my distilling there?
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If you want white lightning here in KY it's easy to find. Our office manager kept a mason jar on her shelf for snakebites ;D
She informed me that her dad always ran a still and made sipping whisky because he used corn mash and not just sugar.
It's got too much bite for me to enjoy.
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If I read that right you cannot distill in:
1. Any dwelling house
2. Any shed, yard or incllosure connected with any dwelling house
3. Any boat or vessel
4. Any premise where beer or wine is made or produced or liquors of any description are retailed
5. Any premise where any other business is carried out (with some exceptions)
So, from all that, if I own a building not associated with any dwelling and it is not a boat and there is no business going on there, I can do my distilling there?
it SEEMS like you could get away with that.
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It is legal to manufacture grain alcohol (like ethanol) to be used as fuel. The process is basically the same as making shine. The big difference is the amount of sugar present in the original source material (like corn, sugar beets, etc) and whether you have to add it or not.
I do not know if a permit is required, but I do know for a fact that it can be done legally because my son and his ag class made several batches of it on campus in their bio-fuels class a few years back. He was on the FFA bio-fuels resource team his junior year and they made multiple batches using a variety of ingredients. Heck, his ag teacher even printed off copies of the recipe and procedure for cooking it and said it was drinkable alcohol. He brought some home and I ran it in my lawn mower mixed 50/50 with gas.
He had his picture took with the Governor of GA and the governor was holding a Mason jar of the stuff.
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Hi;
Just to comment on Billt's post. Here in Pa you can buy the Georgia Shine to this day. It is a sippin brew for sure. Keep in mind that Junior Johnson of NASCAR fame is also a maker and distributor of his "Juniors Shine" brand. From a interview of him 1-2 years ago on the Sirius Nascar channel he sells it in Virginia and States south of there.
I have not come across his Brand of yet, but will buy a jar when I can.
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Our liquor stores sell a product called Georgia Moon. Pure corn, white liquor at 80 proof, and it comes in a 1qt mason jar!
For those of us that love the taste of good corn liquor it hits the spot! At 10 bucks a qt it's a fairly good deal! LOL!
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;D
http://www.liquorsnob.com/archives/2005/11/georgia_moon_corn_whiskey_review.php
(http://www.liquorsnob.com/archives/pictures/georgia-moon-corn-whiskey.jpg)
http://www.procyon.com/~froody/why/su/moon.html
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Yep, that's it, Peg! (good stuff, too!)
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Yep, that's it, Peg! (good stuff, too!)
Funny, mine never had labels........ :o :o ;)
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I've only had about four ounces of the stuff, in one sitting. I've had Everclear when mixed with punch on the beach in Key West. We could buy it at the PX on base for a couple of bucks a bottle.
A Navy buddy of mine managed to smuggle a jar of shine through customs when he came back from Virginia while were stationed in Iceland. It tasted like fire, kicked like a mule on crack and knocked my skinny little sailor ass pretty good.....
;)
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It is legal to manufacture grain alcohol (like ethanol) to be used as fuel. The process is basically the same as making shine. The big difference is the amount of sugar present in the original source material (like corn, sugar beets, etc) and whether you have to add it or not.
You need to denature it (make it poisonous) so it is not whiskey but rubbing alcohol.
But you are still playing with our favorite convenience store (ATF) so get your ducks in a row, don't turn your back, and don't pick up the soap.
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After many readers requested information about home-distilling I decided to write to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) asking how one can legally make whiskey for personal use. I figured that it required extensive red-tape and paying taxes on the production. I discovered that it is illegal to make liquor at home under any circumstances:
26 U.S.C. 5178(a)(1)(B): No distilled spirits plant for the production of distilled spirits shall be located in any dwelling house, in any shed, yard, or inclosure connected with any dwelling house, or on board any vessel or boat, or on premises where beer or wine is made or produced, or liquors of any description are retailed, or on premises where any other business is carried on (except when authorized under subsection (b)).
Very similar language can be found in the regulations under 27 CFR 19.131. This regulation can be accessed through ATF's Web Site. Consider writing your congressman and senators to reduce the tax burden on liquor and to establish reasonable guidelines for personal-use distilling. It is legal in some parts of the world, such as New Zealand.
http://www.mindspring.com/~mccarthys/whiskey/corn.htm
If I remember correctly when it's working the still is pressurized, there fore it can blow up.
Those sound similar to the regulations on "Pressure vessels".
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There is a documentry called " the last one" I'd highly recomend you guys watch it if your intrested in moon shine at all.
http://www.suckerpunchpictures.com/last_one_popcorn_sutton.html
It plays on the documentry channel every once and awhile. it was also on you tube for a bit.
it should be noted that the guy in the flim commited sucide right before going back to the federal pen for making moon shine. it would have been his 3 or 4 time in.
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You need to denature it (make it poisonous) so it is not whiskey but rubbing alcohol.
But you are still playing with our favorite convenience store (ATF) so get your ducks in a row, don't turn your back, and don't pick up the soap.
Yes.....You have to take the ethanol one more step to make it undrinkable for industrial/fuel use to be considered legal (usually by adding methanol to the the ethanol) but it will burn in a motor in the drinkable stage.
Just for reference: There are different bases for different types of alcohol. There are mainly three base types that are the most common used: Ethanol (grain-based), methanol (wood-based), and Isopropyl (rubbing, water-propene/propyline based).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol
"Grain alcohol" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Neutral grain spirit.
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a powerful psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a solvent, and as an alcohol fuel. In common usage, it is often referred to simply as alcohol or spirits.
Ethanol is a straight-chain alcohol, and its molecular formula is C2H5OH. Its empirical formula is C2H6O. An alternative notation is CH3–CH2–OH, which indicates that the carbon of a methyl group (CH3–) is attached to the carbon of a methylene group (–CH2–), which is attached to the oxygen of a hydroxyl group (–OH). It is a constitutional isomer of dimethyl ether. Ethanol is often abbreviated as EtOH, using the common organic chemistry notation of representing the ethyl group (C2H5) with Et.
The fermentation of sugar into ethanol is one of the earliest organic reactions employed by humanity. The intoxicating effects of ethanol consumption have been known since ancient times. In modern times, ethanol intended for industrial use is also produced from by-products of petroleum refining.[2]
Ethanol has widespread use as a solvent of substances intended for human contact or consumption, including scents, flavorings, colorings, and medicines. In chemistry, it is both an essential solvent and a feedstock for the synthesis of other products. It has a long history as a fuel for heat and light, and more recently as a fuel for internal combustion engines.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with formula CH3OH (often abbreviated MeOH). It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable, liquid with a distinctive odor that is very similar to but slightly sweeter than ethanol (drinking alcohol).[3] At room temperature it is a polar liquid and is used as an antifreeze, solvent, fuel, and as a denaturant for ethanol. It is also used for producing biodiesel via transesterification reaction.
Methanol is produced naturally in the anaerobic metabolism of many varieties of bacteria, and is ubiquitous in the environment. As a result, there is a small fraction of methanol vapor in the atmosphere. Over the course of several days, atmospheric methanol is oxidized with the help of sunlight to carbon dioxide and water.
Methanol burns in air forming carbon dioxide and water:
2 CH3OH + 3 O2 → 2 CO2 + 4 H2O
A methanol flame is almost colorless in bright sunlight.
Because of its toxic properties, methanol is frequently used as a denaturant additive for ethanol manufactured for industrial uses — this addition of methanol exempts industrial ethanol from liquor excise taxation. Methanol is often called wood alcohol because it was once produced chiefly as a byproduct of the destructive distillation of wood.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopropyl_alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol is produced by combining water and propene.[3] There are two processes for achieving this: indirect hydration via the sulfuric acid process, and direct hydration. The former process, which can use low-quality propene, predominates in the USA while the latter process, which requires high-purity propene, is more commonly used in Europe. These processes give predominantly isopropyl alcohol rather than 1-propanol because the addition of water or sulfuric acid to propene follows Markovnikov's rule.
The indirect process reacts propene with sulfuric acid to form a mixture of sulfate esters. Subsequent hydrolysis of these esters produces isopropyl alcohol. Direct hydration reacts propene and water, either in gas or liquid phases, at high pressures in the presence of solid or supported acidic catalysts. Both processes require that the isopropyl alcohol be separated from water and other by-products by distillation. Isopropyl alcohol and water form an azeotrope and simple distillation gives a material which is 87.9% by weight isopropyl alcohol and 12.1% by weight water.[4] Pure (anhydrous) isopropyl alcohol is made by azeotropic distillation of the "wet" isopropyl alcohol using either diisopropyl ether or cyclohexane as azeotroping agents.
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You need to denature it (make it poisonous) so it is not whiskey but rubbing alcohol.
But you are still playing with our favorite convenience store (ATF) so get your ducks in a row, don't turn your back, and don't pick up the soap.
RW fails his chemistry exam.
Rubbing alcohol is isopropal alchohol, not methanol..
Odd number BAD for you CH3OH (Methyl Alcohol) C3H7OH, Isopropanol or rubbing alcohol
Even number GOOD for You C2H5OH (Ethyl Alcohol)
Class dismissed