Tag: Moonshine

Pure distilled spirits, including traditional, unflavored moonshine, contain absolutely zero grams of carbohydrates. This is because the distillation process effectively separates the alcohol from the carb-containing mash. However, this fact comes with a major caveat, as the total carb count changes dramatically when considering how many carbs are in moonshine that has been sweetened, flavored, or mixed into cocktails.

Yeasts consume sugar and convert it into alcohol and carbon dioxide during fermentation, a crucial step in creating any distilled spirit. To determine what is the best sugar for distilling, you must first define your desired outcome, as different sugar sources offer distinct advantages in speed, flavor, and purity.

According to regulatory bodies like the EU, commercially-produced vodka must contain a maximum of 10 grams of methanol per hectolitre of pure alcohol, a negligible and harmless amount. While trace amounts of methanol can be a natural byproduct of fermentation, commercial vodka is highly purified to remove toxic levels.

According to the World Health Organization, methanol poisoning incidents occur globally, often linked to illicit alcohol consumption. This raises a critical question for consumers: is methanol present in spirits? The definitive answer is yes, but the context of commercial versus illicit production is everything.

Despite its wild reputation, traditional moonshine is not pure alcohol; unregulated batches often contain dangerous impurities, with the ABV typically ranging from 40% to 80%, not the mythical 100%. The misconception that moonshine is a pure spirit stems from its high proof, but the reality is far more complex and hazardous.

According to Beyond Celiac, pure, distilled liquor is considered gluten-free, even if made from gluten-containing grains. This fact is critical for understanding whether moonshine beer is gluten-free, as the key difference lies in the production process—distillation versus fermentation.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), all distilled alcohol is considered gluten-free, even if made from a gluten-containing grain, because the distillation process effectively removes the gluten protein. However, this safety can be compromised when additives are introduced, raising the critical question: are moonshine cream liquors gluten-free once flavorings and cream are added after distillation?

According to the official O'Donnells Crisps website, their entire range of hand-cooked potato crisps is gluten-free. However, the name "O'Donnell's" also refers to other products like O'Donnell Moonshine and O'Donnell's Market crab cakes, which requires closer inspection to determine if they are all gluten free.