Moonshine and bootlegging are terms that are now associated with the production, sale and distribution of illegal alcohol, especially during the time of Prohibition in the United States.
However, the term moonshine originated in Europe and was used in England in the 1700's. It originally referred to "occupational pursuits which necessitated night work, or work by the light of the moon."
The expression bootlegging has an long history itself. It originated in colonial America, and is believed to have been used in reference to selling alcohol to Native Americans. Some colonists tried to prevent this practice, but those that were more determined attempted to trade spirits for material goods. These colonists concealed bottles of liquor in the top of their boots and covered the bottles with their pants leg; hence the term bootlegger.
Lots of colorful code words are attched to the practice of bootegging moonshine. Fun terms like White Lightning, Happy Sally and Hillbilly Pop are all just clandestine names for this style of distilled liquor, often made from corn. There's another name for this Hooch that was popular in the 1920s and that's Catdaddy. Piedmont Distillers has taken that wildly thematic name and attached it to one of its own moonshines varieties, and is marketing it to we modern Good Time Charlies. Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine.
Sippity Sup Continues »
