What is Moonshine? Midnight Moon Explains All

Written by 'Midnight Moon Moonshine' on Moonshine 101
Moonshine has tons of different definitions, and Midnight Moon goes through them all. Moonshine can be defined by its history, illegality, ingredients and more.
What is moonshine? You are certainly not the first to ask this question, so Midnight Moon decided to go all-in on answering. Youâll get the cold, hard facts as well as the point of view of a true moonshiner.
âShine has a crime-ridden past that has led to its popularity and acceptance today. Whether you want to know about its legality, ingredients or its authenticity, Midnight Moon has all the answers you need before you sip some âshine.
For more fun facts about âshine, see our answers to the top 20 moonshine questions.
Moonshineâs Illegal Past
Moonshineâs history is one for the books, and its tumultuous past gave way to a spirit everyone has heard about. The product of tax evasion, moonshine became a risky yet effective way to circumvent revenuers, or tax collectors, monetize corn in a different way and enjoy a strong spirit.
In this sense, moonshine is a spirit made under the light of the moon whose identity is clear: illegality. Since âshine got its start in the American South, many southerners believe âshine is only real if itâs illegally produced. Itâs not just the liquor itself that is important to its identity, but the moonshiners and bootleggers who took the risks to provide untaxed alcohol to Americans. Moonshineâs legacy is completely wrapped in its legality.
Is moonshine illegal today? The short answer is yes and no. It depends whoâs making it and where. While there are still moonshiner descendants continuing their family legacy, making homemade moonshine can be a dangerous process. Thatâs why the federal and state governments require permits for companies to produce âshine legally.
Moonshine Ingredients
Another way to define âshine is its ingredients and how itâs made. Corn is the traditional âshine base, though some moonshiners use fruit and water to supplement the fermentation process if corn is unavailable.
However, ârealâ moonshine is 100% corn, just like how Midnight Moon makes it. And yes, the quality of the corn matters, because the smooth, sweet taste really shines through in a batch made with the right corn.
In this light, moonshine is real âshine because it is made with 100% corn mash. Some may call it âwhite lightningâ or even âwhite whiskeyâ because its ingredients and distillation process are so similar to whiskey. Again, the main difference here is that whiskey is made legally (and taxed), whereas authentic moonshine is made literally and figuratively under the light of the moon.
Is Midnight Moon Moonshine Really Moonshine? (Spoiler Alert: Yes)
Midnight Moon legally makes moonshine, but does that disqualify us from producing ârealâ âshine? No, because we have a secret ingredient: Junior Johnson.
Yes, we obtained the necessary permits to produce moonshine legally under federal law, but that was only so we could share Junior Johnsonâs recipe with the rest of the country. Junior Johnson came from a long line of famous moonshiners and was a notorious bootlegger himself.
Junior Johnson shared his centuries-old moonshine recipe with us and toured the U.S. promoting Midnight Moon as the real deal. His stamp of approval of our âshine is worth more than its weight in gold. Just because we produce âshine in a legal facility does not mean our roots arenât from moonshineâs illegal past. Everything about our âshine is the same as it was in Junior Johnsonâs prime – we just get to share it with more people.
Secondly, Midnight Moon moonshine is 100% corn. We spend tons of extra time and effort ensuring the best corn goes into our mash so you can sip the best âshine around. We know itâs not real âshine if itâs not 100% corn, so rest assured youâre getting authentic âshine when you buy Midnight Moon.
How to Buy Midnight Moon Moonshine Online
Donât believe weâre the real deal? Times are changing, which means you can buy moonshine online and get it delivered to you bootlegging-style. Just kidding, the Drizly delivery guy will drive safely in order to get the âshine to your door, but in record time. Just imagine itâs Junior Johnson pulling âBootleg U-Turnsâ and skirting the police while you wait.
No matter how it ends up in your hands, Midnight Moon moonshine is hard to beat. So, give it a shot. Between our 100 proof and 80 proof âshine, in addition to our many other moonshine flavors (apple pie moonshine recipes, anyone?), you have you and your friendsâ taste buds covered. Last optional step is dressing up your âshine with some of our favorite moonshine recipes – youâll be drooling, trust us.
At the end of the day, Midnight Moon âshine is authentic, delicious and accessible – itâs so real, it should be illegal. Between Junior Johnsonâs legacy and our pure ingredients, youâve found your new favorite âshine. Time to grab it, sip it, share it.