Peach Moonshine Cocktail

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

Strong and fruity, each sip of the Peach Moonshine Cocktail is like a little bolt of delicious lightning.

Moonshine is some mighty powerful stuff. Whenever its name is invoked, I think of singing and dancing, and strumming some chords on what the old-timers might refer to as a gee-tar. The jug comes out and the shine is passed around, hitting everybody right where it needs to. The kids are shuffled off to bed and the hootenanny really begins.

Sounds like something out of a movie, and you’d be half right in a way. In college, I was in a production of Dark of the Moon, about a witch boy coming down into a mountain community and falling in love with young Barbara Allen. I played Floyd, Barbara’s super cute younger brother who loved strumming on the git-fiddle and sneaking sips of that lovely mountain corn when his folks weren’t looking. The scene that sticks out in my memory is my character’s family, along with young Floyd, getting drunk off of moonshine with Preacher Haggler and singing the praises of the sweet, strong mash.

So when I sipped on tonight’s drink, the fruity and muddled Peach Moonshine Cocktail, each robust taste brought me right back to that time, especially closing night. That was when a few cast members had a few nips of some actual “mountain dew” in between scenes (not me) and well, things got very interesting, but in a fun and unforgettable way that we still laugh about.

You had to be there.

What Is The Best Moonshine To Use In A Peach Moonshine Cocktail?

The best moonshine. Hmm. Well, in most countries making and distributing your own moonshine is against the law. In four states in the U.S., people can manufacture moonshine for personal use: Alaska, Arizona, Massachusetts and Missouri. Funnily enough, North Dakota is the fifth state that allows for production and consumption, but at zero gallons… meaning it’s illegal there as well. The name for this high-proof illicit liquor comes from the fact that to avoid the authorities and detection of their stills, bootleggers would make their shine under the light of the moon. So, where can you get some? Turns out there are a number of companies that sell very high and overproof booze that is labeled as moonshine and made using similar distilling methods and ingredients, such as corn mash and rye. The difference is that these companies are legally allowed to produce and sell alcohol, whereas the average person at home is not.

FAQs & Tips

WHAT GLASSWARE AND GARNISH ARE USED?

You’ll need a chilled rocks glass for this cocktail. Fill it with ice and garnish with a basil leaf and a peach slice when you’re ready to drink.

CAN YOU STORE THE PEACH MOONSHINE COCKTAIL?

Because we’ll be muddling peaches for this recipe, it is recommended to make and serve this beverage fresh and on a drink-by-drink basis.

WHAT IS A GOOD SUBSTITUTE FOR MOONSHINE?

If you don’t have any of that mountain dew handy, or your uncle’s still got shut down by the fuzz, a high-proof vodka is a suitable substitute, or Everclear if it is legal and available where you live.

Similar Drinks To The Peach Moonshine Cocktail

After celebrating any occasion with a few Peach Moonshine cocktails, your head might be feeling a little larger than usual. So the next time Happy Hour arrives and you’re in the market for a lighter tipple than some jarred lightning, check out some of these muddled mixed drinks at Twist & Toast.

• Whiskey Smash – Smash some citrus to go with your whiskey in this refreshing dram.
• Caipiroska – Vodka and limes star in this intriguing sipper.
• Mezcal Mule – Muddle agave and cucumber to help make this smoky tipple a bright one, too.
• Brandy Old Fashioned – A fine elixir that starts with some muddled cherry, orange, sugar and bitters.