alcohol

Is Commercial Moonshine Really Moonshine?

Published

1 year ago

October 22, 2023

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With the boom in craft spirits of the last 15 years has come an avalanche of new-make spirits labeled “moonshine,” “white dog,” or “white lightning,” often flavored with everything from apple pie to jalapeño to pumpkin spice. But what exactly is the stuff? Is it just a gimmick?

Moonshine is high-proof liquor, traditionally made, or at least distributed, illegally. The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection. In the first decades of the 21st century, commercial distilleries have adopted the term for its outlaw cachet and begun producing their own legally sanctioned, novelty “moonshine,” including many flavored varieties, that in some sense continue its tradition, generally having a similar method and/or location of production.

Especially in the South, traditional moonshine still “homemade” and distributed to friends and family. Is can be made from any fermentable substrate, from sugar to grain to stone fruit. Whatever distillers can get their hands on and want to work with is fair game.

Commercial liquor labeled as moonshine is typically one of two things: neutral grain spirits or unaged whiskey. But what’s the difference there?

Related: Flavored Whiskey: More Common And Delicious Than You Think

In short, it’s a difference in proof at distillation. Neutral spirits—of which vodka is a subcategory—must be at least 95% alcohol coming off the still, whereas whiskey must be distilled to less than 95% ABV. American whiskeys like bourbon, rye, and corn whiskey can’t be distilled above 80% ABV. Those differences are important, because the lower the proof at distillation, the more flavorful congeners carry over from the grain to the final spirit. White whiskey, in other words, is different from vodka, but some of what gets sold as “moonshine” is legally vodka. Check the fine print—if the label says “neutral spirits,” it’s not whiskey.

So why are these spirits so trendy these days? You see brands like Ole Smoky on shelves in mason jars and people are buying them right and left.

RELATED: Rainy Weather Cocktails

In large part, it’s because whiskey, like other aged spirits, is expensive and time-consuming to produce. It can be years before newly-distilled bourbon or rye is ready to hit the shelves, and small start-ups usually can’t afford to sit around twiddling their thumbs while whiskey is maturing. That leaves them with two options: buy and bottle sourced whiskey, or make clear spirits that can be sold right away. Gin, vodka, and white rum are all options, but so-called moonshine has an outlaw mystique that fits well with the branding of a lot of small distilleries. Some large distilleries, like Buffalo Trace, have since jumped on the bandwagon with their own new-make bottlings.

RELATED: Building A Boilermaker: The Art Of Pairing Whiskey And Beer

The fact that white dog is usually either a marketing ploy or a financial stopgap doesn’t necessarily mean it’s to be avoided. For one thing, it can be a great mixer, serving as a more-flavorful substitute for vodka. It can also be interesting to taste various styles of whiskey in their new-make form, and even, if you have the space and patience, try aging it at home.

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The Best Cocktails To Make You Feel Festive

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

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Lean into the joy of the holiday season with this merry cocktails – delight your taste buds and favorite people!

According to TikTok, it s the most wonderful, stressful, fun, boozy time of year. So why not lean into the season and make merry with something fun. Here are the best cocktails to make you feel festive, no matter what the situation. Plus, these are drinks you can make quickly with minimum effort and maximum fun. Pour one of these concoctions and have a moment of peace or share them with the one you like, love or tolerate at work. Sip, savor and bring a little ho ho ho into the moment.

RELATED: Beer Sales Flatten Thanks To Marijuana

Christmas Old Fashioned

Here is a way to settle into a cozy beverage which will warm your body and soul. Bourbon has been part of the holidays for generations…and you can make this a new tradition.

Ingredients

2 oz bourbon
1/2 oz simple syrup
2 dashes bitters
2 dashes orange juice
Garnish: cinnamon stick and orange peel

Create

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and add ice
Stir for 20 seconds
Strain into a rocks glass with ice
Garnish with orange peel and a cinnamon stick

Easy, Tasty Egg Nog

You either you love it or hate it, but Egg Nog is a holiday staple. This recipe makes it lighter, tasty and a wee dangerous since it is so good. It bring a whole new take on a staid drink.

Ingredients

2 oz store bought egg nog
1 oz milk (2% is the best)
small splash vanilla
1 oz Licor 43

Create

Combine egg nog, milk and vanilla
Stir until well mixed
Add Licor 43 and stir again
Pour into a fun glass and enjoy

White Bishop

The Bishop’s Wife is a great holiday movie filled with the Christmas spirit and some never ending booze. This drink is an embraces the fun, warmth, snow, and spirit of the evening. Perfect as a dessert drink, a morning treat or just to lift your holiday mood.

2 oz vanilla vodka
1 oz heavy cream
1 oz Frangelico or Licor 43
Small splash of vanilla

Create

Combine all ingredients in shaker with ice
Shake for 20 seconds
Strain into a martini glass

RELATED: Rainy Weather Cocktails

Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail

Nothing says celebration like bubbles. Whether you use champagne or prosecco, this is bound to bring a smile to your face. And the poinsettia is Christmas tradition since

Ingredients

1/2 oz orange liqueur
3 oz cranberry juice
3 oz of champagne or prosecco
Garnish with fresh cranberries

Create

Pour orange liqueur and cranberry juice into a chilled champagne flute
Stir well
Top with champagne
Garnish with a few fresh cranberries

Have a great holiday season!

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Ready For Green And Blackout Wednesday

Published

4 weeks ago

November 26, 2024

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The day before Thanksgiving has the honor of being two of the biggest consumption days of the year – are you ready?

While some people are prepping for Thanksgiving Thursday, the big feast and the holiday season afterwards, a significant amount are looking forward to Wednesday. The day before Thanksgiving has become a mini-holiday in its own right. It has become a time of robust celebration, so much it is known as Green Wednesday and Blackout Wednesday. It is a significant consumption day for both marijuana and alcohol imbibers.

Blackout Wednesday, also known as Drinksgiving, has grown to rival major drinking holidays like New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day in terms of alcohol consumption. And cannabis is not far behind seeing a big spike in dispensary purchases on the same day. As legal cannabis moved across the nation, it caught on and gave options to people who want to “unplug” at the start of the holiday weekend.

green smoke on dim light

Green Wednesday is a cannabis-centric moment the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. In in 2016, the phrase was coined when California cannabis delivery service noticed a significant uptick in orders the week before Thanksgiving. With over 50% of the country having access to legal weed, each year has only gotten bigger!

“Last year’s Green Wednesday had sales 72% higher than the average day. Flower accounted for 39.5% of sales with Vape at 23.7%, pre-rolled at 16.9% and edibles at 10.6%. Pre-rolled showed the biggest increase compared to the week before when it accounted for only 11.9%, so sales on Green Wednesday of pre-rolls specifically, were more than double a normal day.” shares Roy Bingham, Co-Founder and CEO of BDSA, one of the cannabis analytics firms.

The original partakers start Blackout Wednesday, also known as Drinksgiving or Thanksgiving Eve. They helped make it become a significant cultural phenomenon. This unofficial holiday takes place on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and has gained notoriety as one of the busiest drinking nights of the year. The exact origins of Blackout Wednesday are not precisely documented, but the phenomenon is believed to have started decades before it was named. The term “Drinksgiving” dates back to 2007, while the first Google searches for “Blackout Wednesday” were recorded in 2014.

If you choose to celebrate, be safe, have fun, and have the ingredients for a hangover cure come the morning.

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Science Says Cannabis Can Be Making Us Healthier

Published

1 month ago

November 8, 2024

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As it it becomes available to more people, there is a positive health change going on according to data.

Cannabis is becoming more mainstream and and the side effects are doing even better than expected. It seems the availability of legal marijuana is helping with the health of the general population. Studies in California, Canada and the now New Zealand have shown the upside of legalization. While cannabis has been used for health benefits for millions of years, reduction in more harmful intoxication products is another important wellness trend.

Alcohol consumption is associated with significant health risks, including liver damage, cardiovascular issues, and certain cancers. In contrast, marijuana has not been linked to the same level of severe physical health consequences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that over 36,000 annual U.S. deaths are attributed to chronic alcohol use, while there is no comparable category for marijuana-related deaths. Alcohol is also much more addictive than marijuana, causing long term physical and mental issues.

A study from New Zealand has found some interesting trends regarding the relationship between marijuana legalization and the consumption of alcohol and opioids.

heart cannabis — Photo by megaflopp/Getty Images

Following the legalization of marijuana in New Zealand, researchers observed a notable decline in alcohol consumption:

There was a 6-9% decrease in the frequency of binge drinking among adults aged 21 and older.
The study found no significant impact on underage drinking rates among those aged 12-20.

This suggests for adults, marijuana may be serving as a substitute for alcohol in some cases, particularly when it comes to heavy drinking episodes.

The relationship between marijuana legalization and opioid use appears more complex:

There was no clear evidence of marijuana legalization directly reducing opioid use or abuse.
However, some research indicates that people who use cannabis are more likely to initiate opioid use, with an odds ratio of 2.76 compared to non-cannabis users.
The likelihood of transitioning from opioid use to opioid use disorders among cannabis users was found to be 2.52 times higher than non-cannabis users.

The study also revealed some additional findings regarding substance use patterns:

Marijuana use increased by 16% among adults aged 21 and older following legalization.
There was a 5-6% increase in marijuana use initiation among adolescents and young adults aged 12-20. This would be go with the greater North American trend of California sober and Gen Z drifting away from alcohol and more into marijuana.
No significant changes were observed in the use of hard drugs like cocaine or heroin in any age group.

These findings suggest while marijuana legalization may lead to decreased alcohol consumption among adults, it does not necessarily translate to reduced use of other substances, particularly opioids. The relationship between cannabis use and other substance use behaviors is complex and multifaceted. Time and more research should yield more benefits.

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