Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/57654
them all the time. I fi gured I could do alright if I tried to introduce people to real moonshine that was legitimate, because a lot of people never had it before." It wasn't until 1980 that a regular Joe could afford to even consider opening a still. After Prohibition, the ATF required a federal worker open all locks to the distillery; the fed was paid by the distillery. Shortly after this law was revoked, Miller began the proper yet complex process of starting a distilling operation. "Heck, I couldn't get the paperwork right," he says. "They kept sending it back to me. I felt like I was in the second grade." In Miller's defense, it was one of the fi rst applications for a still outside of the large distilleries. But he managed to work through the details, and the Stillhouse Distillery at Belmont Farm became legal in February 1987. This year marks its 25th anniversary. Bullet holes still riddle the truck Chuck Miller's grandfather drove while making moonshine runs. He used his grandpa's recipe, and before he knew it, Miller had cranked out enough moonshine from his old 1933 copper still to fi ll 90 cases. That fi rst run sold out within a week, Miller says. Today, Miller's spirit, now called The Original MOONSHINE, is produced using that same copper pot still, and Miller has eyes on expanding to all 50 states. Smooth 'Shine, Smooth Sales Miller is no longer the sole owner of the brand, thanks to a partnership with W. J. Deutsch & Sons and several other investors, including celebrity chef Adam Perry Lang. Under the new partnership, Miller worked with Lang to create a new recipe. The Original MOONSHINE is still 100-percent corn, but now it's four- times-distilled, charcoal-fi ltered and bottled at 80 proof. Every kernel of corn still comes from Miller's estate, giving the whiskey a low-impact on the environment. "Today, people like moonshine a whole lot smoother than they did back in Grandpa's time," he says. "This is some smooth moonshine now." And there's one other difference between The Original MOONSHINE and his grandpa's hooch, quips Miller: "Grandpa had to pay off the sheriff to stay in business." The Original MOONSHINE is available from W. J. Deutsch & Sons. 'Shineberry Cocktail The problem many bartenders have with mixing with moonshine is that they try to make it a vodka replace- ment. It's not going to work. Think whiskey when mixing with moon- shine. I like to use anise and subtle sweet fl avors to complement 'shine's grainy notes, which stand out too strongly when it's a vodka replacement. Here's one of my own concoctions. —Fred Minnick ◗ 1½ oz. The Original MOONSHINE ◗ ¾ oz. Green Chartreuse ◗ 10 succulent blueberries ◗ ¼ oz. fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice ◗ Ice ◗ Muddle blueberries in cocktail shaker until the skins are separated and the berries and well mashed. Pour in The Original MOONSHINE and stir. Let it sit for a minute, giving the moonshine a quick infusion. Add ice, Green Chartreuse and grapefruit juice. Hard-shake and double-strain the pink-colored drink into a Martini glass. Garnish with a single blueberry in the middle. The corn used to make The Original MOONSHINE is grown on Miller's farm. City-Slicker 'Shine Moonshine isn't just for hillbillies anymore! Here's a short list of swank, citifi ed spots that serve up The Original MOONSHINE: Lure, NYC Standard Hotel, NYC Viceroy Hotel, Santa Monica Craft, Los Angeles Elixir, San Francisco Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas New York, New York, Las Vegas Prime 112, Miami W Hotel, Miami Delilah's, Chicago march 2012 / the tasting panel / 73