Moonshine is a term typically used to refer to illicitly distilled liquor. The word is derived from the notion of the liquor being made and distributed at night, under cover of darkness. Makers of moonshine are called moonshiners.
While moonshine continues to be made illegally in some places in the U.S. today, commercial distillers are also producing a range of varieties and expressions under the name.
That’s all it is: a name. There is no legal designation for “Moonshine”. It’s what the federal government calls a fanciful name. Nearly any concoction you can think of can be called “Moonshine”.
Many commercially available “moonshines” are flavored neutral grain spirits bought in bulk and are a higher proof making them more symbolic than tasteful to the pallet.
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