moonshine

High-proof distilled spirit, generally produced illicitly

Moonshine was originally a slang term for high-proof liquor that was and continues to be produced illicitly, without government authorization. The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, as to avoid detection. Distilling such spirits outside a registered distillery remains illegal in most of the United States and most countries around the world. In recent years, however, commercial products labeled as moonshine have seen a resurgence of popularity.

Back