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Traditionally made moonshine at home or by a home distiller is illegal.  Moonshine can be made legally by a commercial distiller.  Moonshine is simply an unaged corn whiskey that historically has been made illegally. The simple answer when it comes to whether you can distill spirits like moonshine at home is- no, it is likely not legal to make.  This isn't true in a few places around the world like New Zealand or Russia where it's legal to distill at home. But, in most Western countries, including the United States, it is completely illegal to distill spirits at home, for...

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The art and science of distilling is what separates making beer from making whiskey. You might not realize it, but your beer is halfway to whiskey, the aged spirit of grain. Although numerous spirits can be made from grains like barley and corn, whiskey is the most recognized spirit that comes out of the still when you distill your beer, often referred to as a wash when it is coming out of the fermenter for distilling. Interested in making bourbon? Check out the full article here at BYO - https://byo.com/article/distillation-101-when-beer-becomes-bourbon/

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Hosted by Still Spirits via livestream on Facebook, Aaron Hyde joined Nick Wiseman of Bevie, and Mike Brennan of BSG Handcraft to talk about diving into distilling with botanicals.  if you're interested in the basics of botanicals and gin making, or looking for more info about using herbs and spices from your back yard, this webinar is a great place to start. From the host, Still Spirits:  Distilling with Botanicals is a vast and exciting topic, but it can be a little overwhelming knowing where to start. Join our knowledgeable team and special guest on Facebook Live to learn: - How...

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How to Distill book author Aaron Hyde will walk you through the small-scale distilling process over four hours. You’ll watch a live spirit distillation with cuts for whiskey, and Aaron will also discuss the distillation of most major spirits including moonshine, brandy, rum, whiskey, and gin. He’ll be answering your questions throughout the process as you learn the art of distillation using a small still. Please note this workshop will be recorded and as an attendee you will have full access to the video replay and course materials for up to nine months after the event. To sign up and...

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What is moonshine is a common question but also can be a complex question as it varied greatly. Simply put, moonshine is an unaged whiskey, which would typically be made with grain, usually a large amount of corn.  It's sometimes made with just a dextrose (corn sugar) base and flavored with corn during fermentation, or even post distillation.  It can be diluted, flavored or sweetened, or drank uncut (undiluted). Any way you enjoy moonshine, it should start as clear and unaged, having had no oak or barrel time, have a corn flavor and aroma, and between 80 proof and 180 proof, which...

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