MOON SHINE THAT’S THE SPIRIT:

Moonshine Mojito

Like many distilleries producing moonshine, Toledo Spirits demonstrates just how versatile the liquor can be by creating tailor-made recipes and substituting it for bourbon, rum, and vodka.

Moonshine often gets a bad rap — usually seen as a cheap spirit distilled by an older generation — when in fact it enjoys a rich and storied history all across Ohio and the surrounding regions. During Prohibition, moonshine out of Southeast Ohio (like the fabled Straitsville Special) became a desired commodity, produced in secret in abandoned coal mines and even traded by the likes of Al Capone and other infamous Chicago bootleggers.

Today the traditions have been kept alive by regional distilleries large and small. Hocking Hills Moonshine makes it their business to keep family traditions alive. Brothers Brian and Eric St. Clair craft several different flavors at their distillery and tasting room in Logan. A tour of their facility highlights original copper stills, old grain bins, and other artifacts from their family’s 1800s farm. They use old-time recipes to distill a smooth-drinking, 45-proof moonshine, and they offer a variety of flavors like granny apple, blackberry, peach tea, and raspberry. Fans of moonshine looking for a serious kick should try the 120-proof Buckeye Lightning or 151-proof Buckeye Thunder.

Amongst its diverse lineup of liquors, Toledo Spirits Company distills the Maumee Moonshine, a 100-proof spirit built on Ohio apples and corn, with a touch of sugar. The result is a balance between a white rum and a whiskey, with a sweet, sugary opening followed by a dry, apple peel flavor (“Johnny Appleseed would be proud,” they say). Maumee Moonshine works well

1 oz. moonshine

1 oz. rum

3/4 oz. simple syrup

1 oz. lime juice

Soda to taste

Mint leaves as a sipper or mixed into your favorite cocktail.

Gently muddle 7-8 mint leaves in a glass. Fill glass with ice, add ingredients, top with soda, stir, and serve.

The glass jars of Ole Smoky are a common sight in OHLQ locations. Ole Smoky crafts dozens of flavors, from classic moonshine to flavored varieties to seasonal specials. They come in flavors like buckeye or butter pecan, margarita or apple pie, sour watermelon, or banana pudding cream. In the warmer weather, you’ll find yourself wanting to sip the summery Some Beach with hints of coconut. Likewise, Buffalo Trace Distillery’s White Dog moonshines draw on time-honored recipes to create smooth-sipping spirits, from the vanillatinged Mash #1 to the spicy Wheated Mash to the earthy Rye Mash.

Hocking College’s robust Fermentation Science program teaches students the art of brewing and distilling. Its Black Diamond Distillery in New Straitsville features a variety of moonshines, including one made with the state native fruit: the pawpaw. You can taste moonshine and learn about the process at the annual Moonshine Festival in New Straitsville held over Memorial Day weekend.

Curious about trying moonshine? Make a trip to one of the distilleries, or search OHLQ.com to find the spirit near you.

Rum Blueberry Peach Mojito

1 1/2 oz. white rum

2 oz. blueberry mint simple syrup

1 oz. peach juice

3 to 4 oz. club soda

Blueberries

Peach slices

Add rum, simple syrup, and peach juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a Collins glass with ice. Top with soda and stir gently to incorporate. Garnish with blueberries and/or peach slices.

Gin 24 Carrot

1 1/2 oz. Old Tom Gin

3/4 oz. Aperol

2 oz. carrot juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup

1/2 oz. lemon juice (freshly squeezed, if possible)

2 dashes cardamom bitters

Carrot top

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a glass with ice and serve. Garnish with a frond of carrot top.