Moonshine!: Recipes * Tall Tales * Drinking Songs * Historical Stuff * Knee-Slappers * How to Make It * How to Drink It * Pleasin the Law * Recoverin the Next Day

by Matthew Rowley

Now here’s a volume you can really drink to!  Something’s brewing in these pages, and it’s moonshine—a word that evokes fascination, curiosity, and a warm sense of nostalgia. Never before has there been such a richly illustrated, thorough, and entertaining celebration of the history of making fine distilled spirits. Take a trip through moonshining’s past: travel from its beginnings as a pioneer staple to the dark days of prohibition, from quickly produced urban rotgut to today’s carefully handcrafted artisanal libations. Get in on the fun with how-to instructions that take into account all legal regulations and requirements before covering ingredients, building a still, basic distilling techniques, and dozens of recipes, all adapted for the beginner. Whiskies, brandies, grappa, schnapps: they’re all here, along with dozens of page-turning quotes, song lyrics, and vintage photographs and illustrations.
“Making whisky or brandy is not the least bit difficult. Making something you’d want to drink…well, that may take some practice.”   —Matthew B. Rowley

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Booze, Brewing

176 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2007

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, here's the boring definition:Moonshine refers to illicitly distilled liquor - illicit because the distilleries are unregistered, contrary to the law, and the liquor untaxed, also contrary to the law.

I much prefer this definition by Irvin S. Cobb, an American humorist and bourbon aficionado : "It smells like gangrene starting in a mildewed silo, it tastes like the wrath to come, and if you absorb a deep swig of it you have all the sensations of having swallowed a lighted kerosene lamp. A sudden, violent jolt of it has been known to stop the victim's watch, snap his suspenders, and crack his glass eye right across ... If you drink it you must always do it while sitting on the floor. Then you don't have so far to fall."

Rowley's entertaining book provides info on the history of moonshine, plus how to make you own mash, detailed instructions on how to build a wide variety of stills, and a plethora of recipes - everything you'll need to become a certified moonshiner.

Just watch out for the revenuers.

[Robert Mckay · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for an entertaining examination of moonshine, here's the book for you. It is sometimes short on depth, but it doesn't pretend to be deep. It actually covers more than just moonshine, which really is unaged corn whisky (usually illegal), going on to all sorts of things you can distill. But when it talks about moonshine, this is the best explanation I've seen yet - I'm far from a scholar on the subject - of what it is, and how to make it. And this book is just plain fun.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and half stars. Tons of great history and practical advice compiled in a humorous and easy to read collection. Recipes too!

[Cissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a good and thorough resource for the next frontier in homebrewing, albeit that such is currently illegal in the USA. The book design deserves mention; it's very... individual, with a very specific aesthetic. The text, though, seems solid and informative, and reliable in that it fairly discusses the risks of distilling (and as a former chemist, I know something of the physical dangers thereof!), and the history info etc. are fascinating.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moonshine! Recipies, Tall Tales, Drinking' Songs, Historical Stuff, Knee-Slappers, How to Make It, How To Drink It, Pleasin' the Law, Recoverin' the Next Day by Matthew B. Rowley (Lark Books 2010)(641.874). This is a look at the history and traditions of homebrewed spirits. It includes recipes for those inclined to cook up a batch. My rating: 7/10, finished 2011.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enjoying this book but somebody swiped it out from under me. That's okay, I think they're going to encourage tinkerer/machinist Grandpa to assemble a modest contraption. We do love our whiskey.

[Tom M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew Rowley writes an entertaining and informative book on the history, culture, and creation of home distilled liquid refreshments. High marks to both Rowley and the book's designer for this one.

[Gabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very fun book full of history, terms, lore and even a few recipes.

[Damon · Rating 5 out of 5]

practical instruction, with great whiskey trivia. i'm certainly not making any illicit spirits (some revenuers may be able to read).

[Joshua]

Moderately entertaining and informative. It might be an OK primer text for a non-scientist course on whiskey making.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good fun introduction to moonshine history, facts, and distilling that strikes the right balance between being a bathroom reader and a basic get-started manual.

[Zach]

A charmingly written, super fun guide to moonshine that contains much neglected history.