moonshine

Editor’s Note: We enlisted the help of world traveler and sometimes moonshine shopper Sondra Morin for this review.

Driving north on I-95 from Massachusetts to Maine, the highway winds through a small patch of tax-free New Hampshire. Located on either side of the highway is the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet, a must-stop for any traveler seeking tax-free spirits. Of course, there are two types of consumers who enter the store:

1. The consumer who stops by just to see what’s on the shelves and if it might be worth it to buy a tax-free bottle of whiskey, and
2. The consumer who plans to stockpile a grocery basket with as much tax-free wine, beer, and liquor as possible.

I happen to be the first type of consumer, so I went straight to the whiskey.

Moments before walking away with a bottle of Knob Creek, I noticed rows of fancy black-and-white-labeled Mason jars on the lower shelf that read “Midnight Moon.”

Moonshine! I put the Knob Creek back and inspected the jars. Cherry moonshine caught my eye first, then I noticed that there were jars of straight moonshine, blueberry moonshine, and blackberry moonshine. Blackberries being my favorite New England berry, I opted for that jar. $18.99. Blackberries soaked and floating at the bottom. Tax-free.

Midnight Moon Moonshine Review

The company behind this exotic elixir is Junior Johnson, specifically “Junior Johnson’s Family Recipe.” Midnight Moon Moonshine: Distilled from Corn is an excellent way to brighten up a party, but be sure shots are taken lightly or not at all.

Taste:

Sipping it straight or on the rocks is not recommended – even with blackberries, it tastes like cough medicine and torch ignition. You could blow fire with this stuff. One berry is about the equivalent of a whole shot, so eat one slowly. Though quaint, a jar is not ideal for pouring any alcoholic liquid. Use a small ladle, tablespoon, or melon spoon to serve the liquid – pouring straight from the jar causes spillage.

Profile:

It’s Moonshine. 50% ABV. 100 Proof. Whoa!

For me, I figured the best way to put this through its paces was by making a recipe of my own.

The recipe I concocted for the elixir is a Moonshine Spritzer:

2  Ice cubes

2  Tbs Blackberry Midnight Moon Moonshine
1  Fermented berry from the bottom of the jar
6-8oz  Lime Seltzer

Slice of lime (for garnish and to squeeze in the juice)

For more sophisticated recipes, Junior’s Midnight Moon has a list of fancy drinks on the website, including a Strawberry Shortcake Martini.

Value:

$18.99 – but tax-free. So if you’re in a tax-heavy state (I’m looking at you, Illinois), jack that up by $2 or more a jar. And, if you use it in recipes like the one above, or you take your time sipping it straight (RECOMMENDED!) then, you’ll get a lot out of one jar.

Metasip Grade: B.

It wins in character, but loses for practicality.