Family Memorys an Miners an Moonshinerby jack

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Den034071
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Post by Den034071 » Sat. Feb. 03, 2018 10:11 am

I try to visit my 90 year old every week .Over coffee invariably we talk about our childhood rearing in the coal town .My sister said to me did you know your grandmother made moonshine .What I laughed .Grams house up the rear yard backed up to the woods .She had a still there. There was a small shed there and the sugar an grain was kept inside .My sister went on some Saturdays I helped bottle the whisky .Grandmaw had I system now pay attention .Her home had a vestibule in front of the cellar Miners who worked at nearby Number 10 mine would leave 50 cents on the vestibule table or 2 dollars for a quart of whisky .They Did this on there way to work at the mine on there way to work at 6.30 am . Fifty cents bought a pint .I laughed.Gram would checkthe table around noon an put the pints or quarts of shineon the table .Honor system .She said I never was cheated .My sister started to laugh .After a batch of moonshine was done cooking gram threw the Mash on the ground in the woods .Every one had chickens an they were pecking the grain mash .They chickens Wobbled Home Drunk as sailors .Jack .

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Sat. Feb. 03, 2018 12:37 pm

Nice Jack!! LOL

 
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Hambden Bob
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Post by Hambden Bob » Sat. Feb. 03, 2018 6:50 pm

Jack,only You could tell it like You do ! Drunk Cluckers ! We're always in the Mood for You Pennsy Tales ! Take Care,My Friend !!


 
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lsayre
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Post by lsayre » Sun. Feb. 04, 2018 6:57 am

Mashing = mixing sprouted grains with water at just the right temperature to activate the enzymes within the grains. The activated enzymes break down starches and convert them into sugars.

No fermentation stage post mashing = no alcohol in sight yet

Mash, fed to chickens as described above, is merely "spent grains". The sugar rich liquid drawn off of the mash is what subsequently undergoes downstream fermentation (as for beer), followed by further downstream distillation (as for hard liquor).

The chickens are safe.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Sun. Feb. 04, 2018 9:11 am

Larry, how can you take something funny & turn it into a science project? LOL Jack didn't say the chickens weren't safe!! Just drunk! LOL Come fall ya can watch cows around silo's licking up leakage of fermented silage with the same results. :)

 
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Hambden Bob
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Post by Hambden Bob » Sun. Feb. 04, 2018 10:17 pm

Well,Larry,it could have been Granny's very early attempt at making the Slovak variation of "Bourbon Chicken" by Trial and Error !

Wait till Jack expounds on her Beer making attempts-"Kegs and Eggs"

I will now step away from the keyboard.....


 
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Post by hank2 » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 1:35 am

Nice story Jack! I have seen Grouse staggering around in the Fall after feeding on late fermented wild grapes.

I recall old timer's stories of most of the old county hotels in northern Berks county having their own stills during Prohibition. Those who had law enforcement for customers or had the sugar delivered by the same were not bothered. Most of those places are long gone. There was an old hobby distiller in those parts that would make a batch of Sneaky Pete fortified apple wine and also 140 proof pot still straight rye. He's been gone for about 35 years. About the mid 70's, he tried to relate the recipe to me, but I couldn't remember much of it the next day!

 
Den034071
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Post by Den034071 » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 10:06 am

Hank as a mason one time me an my brother did a chimney for a Slovak owner .After work he brought us Some Peach Brandy .I felt the brandy down to my toes . jack

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