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 (Paperback)

~ Matthew Rowley (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Food historian Rowley wants readers of this home-distillation guide to know something about alcohol and the law: "Without inspection and proper approvals, you are not permitted to make any amount for personal use. Not one drop." That said, Rowley provides clear and well-illustrated instructions for building a still, preparing a mash and distilling alcohol right in your own backyard. It's a complicated process, requiring a fire extinguisher, the skills of a good metalsmith and plenty of patience. For those without the time or skill, however, Rowley includes plenty of appealing recipes for cordials and cocktails that don't require homemade spirits. Fish House Punch, rumored to have left George Washington with a "crippling hangover," is a powerful mix of bourbon, peach brandy, Benedictine and dark rum. Simpler, and similarly all-American, is Cherry Bounce, made with bourbon, honey and a gallon of sweet and sour cherries. But Rowley's mother provides perhaps the best recipe, an easy maceration of fruit and sugar that tastes great over ice cream or on its own. Rounded out with trivia, tall tales and a brief history of bootlegging, a list of home brewing resources and a few warnings for drinkers ("Even for accomplished boozers, moonshine can make off with your dignity before you understand what's happening"), this may be the last book one will ever need on the art of in-house hooch.
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Review

Food historian Rowley wants readers of this home-distillation guide to know something about alcohol and the law: "Without inspection and proper approvals, you are not permitted to make any amount for personal use. Not one drop." That said, Rowley provides clear and well-illustrated instructions for building a still, preparing a mash and distilling alcohol right in your own backyard. It's a complicated process, requiring a fire extinguisher, the skills of a good metalsmith and plenty of patience. For those without the time or skill, however, Rowley includes plenty of appealing recipes for cordials and cocktails that don't require homemade spirits. Fish House Punch, rumored to have left George Washington with a "crippling hangover," is a powerful mix of bourbon, peach brandy, Benedictine and dark rum. Simpler, and similarly all-American, is Cherry Bounce, made with bourbon, honey and a gallon of sweet and sour cherries. But Rowley's mother provides perhaps the best recipe, an easy maceration of fruit and sugar that tastes great over ice cream or on its own. Rounded out with trivia, tall tales and a brief history of bootlegging, a list of home brewing resources and a few warnings for drinkers ("Even for accomplished boozers, moonshine can make off with your dignity before you understand what's happening"), this may be the last book one will ever need on the art of in-house hooch. -- Publishers Weekly, March 26, 2007

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579906486
• ISBN-13: 978-1579906481
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #96,259 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VERY Good Guide to Real Hooch..., February 13, 2008

By	D. Jones "Grandpappy" (Appalachian Mountains) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Well, this will be short... The book covers everything you'll need to know to make REAL hooch, moonshine, "licker", etc. Whichever you call it, you'll know exactly the needed materials and methods to get the job done. Being an experienced brewer, I can tell you there are some pretty good (thou basic) recipes as well that'll get you started off in the right direction. After learning the basics, you'll be ready to venture off on your own in the recipe department and create virtually anything you can dream up. And as a passing point, if you get tired of making that ole 'Mountain Dew' and need to get to town, you can put that 'ole pot distiller' to use feedin' your work truck too. Lastly, the author really knows what he's talking about since he rates the other brewin books on the market in the back of his book, and I'd have to agree with his reviews since I've read many of the others as well. Here's to the freedom to create the drinks you like and to the "spirits" that's kept America goin' since before George Washington fired up his own personal still.
Cheers!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well researched, well written and attractively illustrated, a rare find!, May 7, 2009

By	Luis K. Ayala "Rum Consultant" (Round Rock, Texas USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

An extremely engaging book about an excellent subject! Behind each page a new jewel: be it an anecdote, a recipe, a quote, an illustration or a fact, each and every page was worth reading.

Most books about fermentation and/or distillation fall short in one area or another: some lack technical information, others lack historical facts; this book has it all and is written in a very clean and concise manner. If you are interested in makin' your own and only want to buy one book, this is it! Here is a list of the chapters to give you an idea:

Chapter 1: A Wet Goods Primer
Chapter 2: A Long And Storied History
Chapter 3: Moonshine Today
Chapter 4: Mashing And Fermenting
Chapter 5: Stills And How To Build One
Chapter 6: Distilling
Chapter 7: Recipes

To top it all, the book is attractive enough to make it a coffee table item, where I'm sure it will be the subject of many conversations.

Luis Ayala
Author & Rum Consultant
Rum Runner Press, Inc.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Read, October 6, 2008

By	M. Button - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you are looking for specifics into making your own whiskey, this may not be the book for you. But, if you want some basics and have fun reading them, then buy this. Easy nightstand reader that can be taken down to the basement when finished and put to good use. Good plans for making a still too.