It’s hard to believe that it’s 2016 and we’re talking about moonshine, but it is, and we are.
It isn’t just a relic of the past. Moonshine seems to be pretty popular these days. As with other types of alcohol and drugs, there’s a huge variety of moonshine out there. There can also be a huge difference in the safety of moonshine.
On a recent visit to the local liquor store (Don’t judge), I saw these cute little jars filled with clear liquid. When I picked up one of the jars, its label said it was moonshine. The jar was clean, the label was professional, and a reputable chain of liquor stores was selling the moonshine. (Yes, they exist.)
This moonshine seemed safer to drink, and yet, I’m still not 100% sure. It looked like a local manufacturer. Did inspectors from the state or federal government inspect the facilities where this was made to ensure that the facilities, equipment, and jars were clean? Did they check if the manufacturers were using the proper temperatures and other procedures to produce the moonshine? I’m not sure.
If I’m not sure about that professional-looking product, I’m definitely not sure about the moonshine produced by amateurs. My great-grandma was one of the many people who made moonshine during the Great Depression, but I’m not sure I would’ve have sampled all that homemade liquor.
Moonshine is hard liquor. It has a high percentage of alcohol. Producing moonshine can create methanol, a deadly type of alcohol. Usually, this methanol evaporates, but if it doesn’t, the results can be nasty. Yes, you can go blind from the methanol in moonshine—it’s not just an urban myth. Methanol can do great damage to your liver. (Brewing beer produces ethanol, not methanol, so it’s less dangerous than making hard liquor from your home.)
Am I against liquor? Certainly not. Am I against drinking unknown substances that can cause great harm? Definitely. It looks like moonshine, hooch, white lightning, rotgut, etc., might be one of those substances.
