Craft Distillers/Carolina Moonshine

I've recently had cause to spend a bit of time with this Directory of Craft Distillers.

Some of these products are very familiar to me, others not at all. It's not always clear when you've got a superior product and when you've got a marketing gimmick, but sampling new or obscure regional spirits is certainly the kind of thing I wouldn't mind doing in my free time.

So I thought I'd point this out to other like-minded individuals who may be traveling to parts with limited regional distribution. And also to solicit comments about particularly curious products.

For example, Piedmont Distillers makes two "moonshine" products billed as "a family of competely new products that stir your imagination and deliver the most unique and satisfying experience ever" and one that "draws on a private-batch recipe that contains ingredients not used in any other product."

Hmmm....

Some kind of corn whiskey perhaps?

"Smoother than vodka. Better than whiskey. Best shine ever."

What the heck is this stuff?

No KS or MO distribution, but it should be available in Chicago.

It's made from possum.

Thanks, Mike.

Another liquor of interest, from Integrity Spirits in Portland:

12 Bridges Gin, an attempted combo of London dry style and genever. Anyone had this?

Distillery also produces Lovejoy vodka and Trillium Absinthe.

Seriously, reading that moonshine site I can't help but think there's a pretty ordinary flavored grain alcohol lurking behind a lot of marketing mystique.

Mike G wrote:Seriously, reading that moonshine site I can't help but think there's a pretty ordinary flavored grain alcohol lurking behind a lot of marketing mystique.

Oh, yeah, I think you're probably right...but it's unlike anything you've ever tasted!!!

Especially if you're drinking it while watching NASCAR.

Aaron Deacon wrote:Another liquor of interest, from Integrity Spirits in Portland:

12 Bridges Gin, an attempted combo of London dry style and genever. Anyone had this?

I have not had that, but a few weeks ago at The Violet Hour, the bartender gave me a taste of Anchor's genever-style gin, Genevieve (which features in one of the cocktails on the current drinks menu). I suspect that this is an acquired taste that I shall never acquire, although I will allow that it could conceivably work in the right cocktail (if I could just pull myself away from ordering whiskey drinks every damn time). Big fan of Junipero, though.

I have seen "Virginia Lightning" and "Georgia Moon" corn whiskeys at Binnys, but have never felt much desire to try them out. I believe they are about $15 a bottle, and appear to be a bit less spiffy on the marketing/labeling front than the Piedmont Distillers products.

Incidentally, one of the moonshines from Piedmont is branded as "Junior Johnson's Midnight Moonshine." Johnson is an old-time NASCAR legend and convicted moonshiner (later pardoned by Reagan) and the subject of Tom Wolfe's "The Last American Hero," a 1965 article from Esquire that was selected as one of the seven best stories to ever appear in that publication and is well worth a read.

Matt wrote:I have seen "Virginia Lightning" and "Georgia Moon" corn whiskeys at Binnys, but have never felt much desire to try them out. I believe they are about $15 a bottle, and appear to be a bit less spiffy on the marketing/labeling front than the Piedmont Distillers products.

Yeah, I've tried the Georgia Moon stuff, and it's pretty bad. I'm not quite sure how they'd go about making it high end and wonder if it's process or just marketing.

the Catdaddy is delicious. nutmeg, vanilla flavors. great to sip. only $20 a bottle, too.

is this sold in chicago area?

philw wrote:is this sold in chicago area?

Phil-

It looks like Wirtz is an authorized distributor. You could give them a call to see what stores might carry it.

Wirtz Beverage Group:
1501 Michael Drive
Wood Dale, IL
Phone: 847-228-9000

The GP wrote:

philw wrote:is this sold in chicago area?

Phil-

It looks like Wirtz is an authorized distributor. You could give them a call to see what stores might carry it.

Wirtz Beverage Group:
1501 Michael Drive
Wood Dale, IL
Phone: 847-228-9000

thanks