The Moonshine Community Isn’t What Most People Think

When people find out I make moonshine, they usually picture fast cars, revenuers, hidden stills, and family feuds. Those stereotypes make for good television. They don't do much to explain the people I've actually met.

The reality has been a lot different.

Over the past several years, as I've learned the craft, I've met some genuinely generous people. People who enjoy talking about grain bills, debating cuts, showing off a new still build, preserving history, and helping the next person avoid making the same mistakes most of us have made.

That's the moonshine community I've come to know.

More Than a Hobby

People are drawn to different crafts for different reasons. The interesting part isn't why someone chooses a craft. It's what they do once they're part of that community.

“Why do you like making moonshine?”

"I don’t know. Why do you like weaving baskets?"

Every hobby has people who are willing to share what they've learned. The moonshine community seems to have an abundance of them.

People like Jb Wagonmaker, who introduced thousands of people to the hobby through Moonshine Life. Shawn Rigsby, whose Still Talk'n community keeps the conversations going. Matt Brown, who answered more questions than I can count. Bill Hockett, whose knowledge bridges old-time moonshining and today's legal distilling. Along with many others, they've answered questions, shared stories, and deepened my appreciation for both the craft and its history.

Each of them graciously permitted me to tell a small part of their story in Against the Grain. Jb was kind enough to write the foreword and welcome me to promote the book in his Moonshine Life Facebook group. During the launch, the Still Talk'n crew, including Shawn, welcomed me onto their live show to talk about the book, the history, and the craft.

None of them had to do any of that. They did it because that's who they are. As varied as our backgrounds and professions are, we share at least one thing in common.

That's worth celebrating.

Keeping the Tradition Alive

The equipment is interesting. The recipes are interesting. The history is fascinating.

What keeps drawing me back, though, are the people.

Every time someone posts a photo of a new build, shares an old family story, helps troubleshoot a run, or takes the time to answer a beginner's question, they're doing more than talking about moonshine.

They're helping preserve a unique tradition that has been passed from one generation to the next for centuries.

That's also worth celebrating.

One of the lessons I included in Against the Grain is that knowledge grows when it's shared. The moonshine community lives that lesson every day.

I'm grateful to everyone who has been part of my journey. You've made me a better distiller. You've deepened my appreciation for the history. And you've reminded me that the best traditions survive because people are willing to share them.

A Businesswoman to the End

Birdie’s story also has one final twist that seems almost too remarkable to be true. In 1933, an explosion occurred at her home. Birdie operated a dry-cleaning business that used gasoline. She also had a still operating with a fire underneath it. Gasoline and an open flame made for a dangerous combination.

Sadly, the resulting blast mortally injured Birdie.

It’s a tragic ending to a remarkable life, but it also leaves us with an image that is hard to forget: a woman on her own Montana homestead, running multiple enterprises and finding her own ways to make a living.

Nearly a century later, we have new terminology for much of what Birdie was doing.

Entrepreneur.

Business owner.

Woman in leadership.

Birdie Brown was all of them before anyone needed to give her the title.

‍Call to Action

Who has had the biggest influence on your moonshining journey? Give them a shout-out in the comments. I'd love to hear their story.

Enjoy business lessons from the history and craft of moonshining? Explore more posts in The Stillhouse Blog, listen to the Against the Grain Podcast, or learn more about my upcoming book, Against the Grain: Business Lessons from the Still.