Henry McKenna has a reputation as a whiskey maker who got his start selling moonshine to farmers. Today, he is part of the craft whiskey movement, and while you wouldn’t know it to look at his current production, he has a long history with moonshine.

Producing whiskey isn’t easy, and even the best-intentioned distillers have trouble getting their product to meet the standards for quality. For some people, it’s a matter of luck. They strike gold in their first batch, and everything goes smoothly from there.

For others, it’s a matter of patience. They go through a long period of trials and errors before they find the recipe that works. Still others don’t start until they’re sure they can make it work. There’s no one right way to get started, and the path that works for you might be different from what someone else finds.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the whiskey-making journey of Henry McKenna. This is not your typical “how to make whiskey” article. Instead, we’ll talk about the challenges he faced and how he learned to overcome them. We’ll also examine his recipes, his methods, and the whiskey he has created since he left his old ways behind.

The Rise of Moonshine

Moonshine isn’t something you’re going to find at your local corner store. It’s not particularly legal, either, unless you’re in a rural area where liquor laws are loosely enforced. For the most part, it’s illegal.

Legal moonshine is expensive and only available in small quantities. It’s usually made from corn, with a small amount of molasses thrown in. Stronger varieties of corn whiskey are also available, but they can cost as much as $100 per gallon.

Moonshine is usually produced by hand. The biggest issue is storage. It’s often stored in barrels and tin cans, which are far too bulky to easily conceal. This makes it much easier to spot and much more likely to get confiscated.

There are some advantages to moonshine. It’s usually less expensive than legal liquor, and it’s much stronger. Some people believe that the higher alcohol content of moonshine can help with hangovers. However, this is not an accepted medical usage.

Moonshine is made from corn, but it can be made from other ingredients as well. Apple cider, for example, is often used for flavoring. The corn base makes it very easy to add other ingredients, since corn is so cheap. This is one of the reasons that corn is the most common base for moonshine.

The Fall of Moonshine

Moonshine, while not legal, is still a source of revenue in many areas. These areas are called “moonshine capitals,” and they have been largely affected by the craft whiskey movement.

With craft whiskey becoming more popular, the demand for moonshine has decreased, and some people have felt pressure to get rid of their old stocks.

The Journey of Henry McKenna’s Whiskey

Henry McKenna does not fit the typical profile for a moonshine maker. He grew up in a large family in rural Tennessee, where he was part of the bootlegging scene. Once he’d begun distilling, he applied for a business license and was officially recognized as a distiller.

He had been distilling his own whiskey for years, but he wasn’t able to sell it. Once he had the license, however, he was finally able to start selling his whiskey.

The majority of his whiskey is made from corn, with a small amount of other ingredients thrown in. The most important part of his whiskey, however, is how he makes it.

Henry is a self-taught distiller. He’s never taken a class on how to distill (obviously), but he’s been distilling since he was 15 years old. This is his third still, and he’s not even close to being done.

He lets the whiskey sit for several months, then racks it onto new oak barrels. He does this three times, then ages the whiskey in a barrel that previously held sherry.

After it’s been aging for several months, he bottles it. He bottles it below the legal minimum, which helps to protect against it being seized.

The whiskey has been aging for a total of seven years, and it’s bottled at 79% alcohol. It retails for about $35 per bottle.

Conclusion

For many people, moonshine is a symbol of the old days. It’s a reminder of a time when everything had to be done by hand and people worked hard to make a living.

Today, however, there are many benefits to modern technology. You can order moonshine online and have it delivered to your door without ever having to set foot in Tennessee.

You can also buy moonshine with a few clicks of a mouse. There are many places online where you can find moonshine, so you can indulge in your hobby without breaking the law.

If you’re interested in making your own whiskey, however, there are some things you should keep in mind. First, you should always follow the recipe. Do not deviate from the recipe in any way. If you make a mistake, you could end up with some very bad whiskey. Second, you should always use the highest quality ingredients.

Finally, do not be afraid to experiment. Moonshine is an old, time-honored method of making whiskey, but it’s not the only way. There are many other methods that can be used to make whiskey, and some of them are very effective.