Hooch. White lightning. Mountain dew. Moonshine’s had a lot of names over the years, but it’s about to be redefined, courtesy of Stillhouse. The distillery’s CEO, Brad Beckerman, and cofounder, celebrity chef and restaurateur Adam Perry Lang, aim to have you mixing and drinking their Original Moonshine like no other whiskey prior.
“Moonshine is traditional corn whiskey, but what we’re doing here that’s different is positioning clear whiskey as a new category of spirit,” Beckerman says. “Typically you wouldn’t think of making cocktails with whiskey. Outside of maybe a whiskey sour, people don’t mix whiskey with tonic. Original Moonshine is positioning as a premium clear whiskey that is not only mixable, but also tastes great on the rocks.”
It’s a common misconception, Beckerman says, that corn whiskey itself is illegal. Illegally produced alcohol dates back centuries, when it was first traded in different areas of Europe, but the term “moonshine” is probably most infamous for its association with Kentucky mountain men who hustled the liquid under the light of the moon during Prohibition. But it’s not the corn whiskey that’s illegal— it’s the act of producing it without a license. Fortunately for us, Stillhouse’s Distillery is fully licensed and legal—and helping erase moonshine’s taboo.
Original Moonshine is handcrafted from 100 percent estate-grown corn and distilled four times in a Prohibition-era copper pot still in the same tradition that moonshine has been made for hundreds of years, and charcoalfiltered for the best purity, quality and taste. The 80-proof spirit can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks and in a variety of mixed cocktails.
“It’s about craftsmanship,” explains Lang, father of the proprietary recipe. “Creating Original Moonshine was about accessing the best flavors and textures of an American tradition and perfecting it in its purest form.”
Original Moonshine launched this September in New York and LA, with more cities expected to take hold this year. We can’t wait to throw back a few. moonshine.com
Mix It Up
Give Original Moonshine a shake to create these fabulous cocktails.
GINGER SHINE
2 oz. Original Moonshine
+ 3⁄4 oz. fresh lemon juice
+ 3⁄8 oz. ginger syrup
+ 3⁄8 oz. Curaçao
+ 2 dashes Angostura orange bitters
Shake lightly. Build over ice in a double old-fashioned glass. Garnish with orange peel.
SHINE TEA
2 oz. Original Moonshine
+ 6 oz. sweetened iced tea
+ 1⁄2 oz. peach schnapps
+ Juice of one half lemon
Build over ice in a highball glass and stir. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
