MOONSHINE

The name Moonshine in it’s true form almost defines itself. In true form is an illegally made, high proof,

copper pot still, clear unaged spirit made by the light of the moon to camouflage the location where it is being 

made. Moonshine, (Commonly known as shine), can be made from any fermentable grain, fruit, starch or 

sugar source. In my opinion the best shine is made from a sweet bourbon mash grain bill, multiple run to

151 proof or above. Shine from a sugar-based mash is rum (made from sugar cane) which tends to be

hot in the mouth. High proof runs while cleaning up the shine of off flavors and eliminating “pop skull” 

bad hangovers are the goal. The double thumper is believed to be adapted hundreds of years ago in the US from

the Caribbean rum makers. A single barrel, (thumper), was added between the pot still and condenser, (A copper

coil known as the worm), designed to catch boil over foam that destroys that collected spirits. American ingenuity 

quickly found the thumping barrels did catch common boil over foam but cleaned up the spirit and increased the proof.  

The double thumper, (doubler), soon become a gold standard for whiskey makers to make a clean high proof shine

and bourbon. When using the cleaned up previous stripping runs in different configurations in the 2 charred white oak

thumper barrels very clean cuts can be made. Technically distilling the spirits 3 to 6 times in 2 runs. One so called

whiskey expert was sampling my bourbon run coming out of the worm at 156 proof said This is 10 year old smooth,

I said you age bourbon in new charred white oak barrels, right? Yes, he said. I then asked what you think happens

when you slow boil unaged bourbon (shine) in 2 charred white oak barrels for hours, (double thumpers) in the last

spirit run? He looked like a deer caught in headlights - speechless. With a smile on my face I said magic. I welcomed

him to the lost art of sampling from a real double thumper still. Nowadays the column still takes the place of the 

double thumper and makes a great clean shine but not Bourbon. My master select bourbon best ran through our slow 

double thumper. Below pictured is what I believe is the first legal double thumper permitted in the USA, using real

white oak bourbon barrels. I’m finishing up some of the last welding on the crown.  

Ed Beasley

Master Distiller, Whiskey Hollow Distilleries