Here in the South, when we say “Moonshine,” we’re probably not talking about the cosmos. “White lightning,” as many have called it, is not uncommon in liquor cabinets and comes from a tradition older than the United States. We set out this week to understand modern consumption of homemade corn whiskey, commonly known as white lightning moonshine.
After adding a little corn mash to a load of sugar, boiling twice at 176 degrees, and filtering into a clear mason jar, moonshine can be 150-proof and sell for less than Burnett’s Vodka. Making corn liquor for personal consumption is illegal in the U.S. and punishable by law. Yet North Carolina moonshine making is alive and well.
Just below the Virginia state line in Wilkesboro, the family tradition enjoys a particular stronghold. Those uninitiated may find the moonshiners’ circle a challenging one to break into, but we luckily had an inside man.
Our source, Glen Hendren, was able to shed some light on the fascinating white lightning industry, which started as a profitable livelihood but is quickly turning into an increasingly accessible hobby. The recent cultural obsession with the do-it-yourself ethos has spilled over into the home-brewed whiskey market — recipes and legitimate equipment can even be purchased at supply stores like Carrboro’s Fifth Season Gardening Co. or online.
Hendren counts many moonshining friends among his acquaintances, but they are mostly heritage hooch makers, people who’ve passed a home brew recipe down generational lines like a treasured family heirloom. “It’s all they’ve ever done, so they keep on makin’ it down in the hollers. It’s their livelihood,” he says.
Born in the 1930’s, Hendren has watched many a moonshiner go under.
“The law tightened up on ‘em,” he said. It started with the moonshine-inspired NASCAR races of old. Now, there’s competition with the local “likker” store.
“The ABC stores are on every corner and will get you drunk just as fast. Some families just about get driven out of business,” he said. “It’s gotten to where people who’ve been making moonshine for years are quitting that and growing marijuana.”
The low price of moonshine comes from relatively cheap ingredients and a lack of taxation. While both moonshine and marijuana are illegal to produce, many busted moonshine-makers are hit with little more than a slap on the wrist. Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton, one of the most infamous and productive moonshine makers of the South, offered to sell 800 gallons of white lightning to a federal agent.
