Now here's a volume you can really drink to! Something's brewing in these pages, and it's moonshine-a word that evokes fascination, curiosity, and a warm sense of nostalgia. Never before has there been such a richly illustrated, thorough, and entertaining celebration of the history of making fine distilled spirits. Take a trip through moonshining's past: travel from its beginnings as a pioneer staple to the dark days of prohibition, from quickly produced urban rotgut to today's carefully handcrafted artisanal libations. Get in on the fun with how-to instructions that take into account all legal regulations and requirements before covering ingredients, building a still, basic distilling techniques, and dozens of recipes, all adapted for the beginner. Whiskies, brandies, grappa, schnapps: they're all here, along with dozens of page-turning quotes, song lyrics, and vintage photographs and illustrations. "Making whisky or brandy is not the least bit difficult. Making something you'd want to drink . . . well, that may take some practice." -Matthew B. Rowley
