Governor Phil Bredesen signed a measure to allow additional craft distilleries in Tennessee with potential for revenue and tourist development. Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and Rep. Joe Carr (R-Lascassas) sponsored this measure.Craft methods of distillation. Yeah. That's moonshine.
Craft methods of distillation means everything is hand-made. Every brand, every bottling reflects the creative individuality of a single human being, working with small, hand-operated equipment: his quirks and insights, his special talents, his innovations.
Daddy and Chester used to make moonshine at the body shop on Lee Street, back in the day. I understand that moonshining is legal now, if you're making it for your own use. I guess Gov Bredesenn is going to license moonshiners "for revenue and tourist development." Cool.
Still, it's moonshine. Those boys in Tennessee are good at making 'shine. So was Daddy and Chester, until the revenuers shut them down.
My Daddy, a Medical doctor, taught me how to make distilled spirits (a Doc would never call it 'shine).
ReplyDeleteWe made a fine water-cooled "worm", and turned out some decent applejack, but he had a better method up his sleeve.
Next, I experimented with his system of partially freezing the mash in shallow pans, scooping off the slush (water ice), and continuing with the remaining liquid. After two or three freezings/de-slushings, you have the best available hooch, since the high temperatures that result in fusel oils, an undesirable product of distillation, are not present.
First, strain the worked-up mash (corn mash, apple mash, whatever) to remove the solids, then place the remaining liquid in (preferably) aluminum pans (aluminum freezes faster) about 1.5 to 2" deep. Fill to within .25" of the top. Place on shelf in vertical freezer. If you have a good freezer, check in 20 minutes, if your freezer is slower, in 30 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, scoop off the slush that has formed on the top. Discard it or save it for distillation, it will have a little alcohol left in it, not much.
Freeze again, for a about the same amount of time. De-slush again.
Bottle and drink, you will have hooch of about 60-80 proof. It will have all the flavor it had in the mash, since there is no cooking process, there will be no flavor destruction.