Now is the time for the  manufacture of moonshine whiskey. I read in this very newspaper of confiscated still and saw a picture of it. It looked like something I’d enter into a science fair as a child.

It appeared to be clean and I know it was functional because it was discovered due to a domestic violence call.

Obviously it was a Mom and Pope operation and they were consuming too much of the recipe during the quality control process.

They make a device called a hydrometer which measures the alcohol content or proof. It is cheap and readily available over the internet but that would take all the fun out of it.

Besides their are other time-proven methods.

For instance if it will crank a Harley it’s close to 200 proof. When the Harley will crank but idles rough the proof has fallen to 125 proof.

Then you go to the spoon test.

If it will burn a steady blue flame the proof is between the 160 and 100.

When the flame turns red and begins to flicker it’s 90 or better. Keep all this separate and keep cooking. Test periodically by pouring it on top of the hot still.

As long as it ignites upon contract it is 60 or better. When it gets to this point and will no longer self ignite keep cooking and strike it off on the still with a match. When it will be no longer burn using this process the proof is below 40 and you can shut her down.

An occasional taste test is permissible but only a spoonful at a time and remember to get rid of the phones and firearms and don’t let your wife have any of it til the still has been disassembled and scattered. Good luck cause luck is one of the main ingredients.

Cheers,
Ricky Harpole