When one thinks of survival they don’t associate moonshine or the stills used to make the spirits with the word. However since about the 18th century moonshine and its stills have been helping people survive and profit.
In modern usage, the term "moonshine" ordinarily implies that the liquor is made illegally. The term has also been used on the labels of some legal products as a way of marketing them as providing a similar drinking experience as found with old time moonshine recipes.
The word "moonshine" is said to evolve from the term "moonrakers." The word was used to describe English smugglers and illegal Appalachian distillers who produced and sold whiskey. The distillation was done at night to avoid discovery, hence the use of the word moon.
Moonshine was especially important to the Appalachian area. This white whiskey most likely entered the Appalachian region in the late 18th century to early 1800s. Scots-Irish immigrants brought their recipe over. The immigrant settlers made their whiskey without aging it, and this the recipe became traditional in the Appalachian area.
In the early 20th century, moonshine became a major source of income for many Appalachian residents. The limited construction of roads at the time made it difficult and expensive to transport corn crops. One could transport much more as whiskey than corn. Making it more profitable.
Back in the 18th, 19th, and 20th century trading and bartering for goods was a normal way of life. Some food for your horse bought by some moonshine you made in your backyard. In today’s world money, gold, silver and other precious gems are a way of currency. That’s because we can use that currency to buy food, drink and roofs over our heads. However what if money couldn’t buy you what you needed? The world is crumbling society no longer exists and you need food, water and shelter?
Look no further to your still it will save you and everyone around you. You see a still can be used for many different tasks! Stills are not only used to make moonshine they have other valuable qualities. You can distill water, make essential oils, perfume, cosmetics and soaps. They can also be used for making food flavoring, adding senses to incense and house hold cleaning products. More important uses for a still would include making your own medical antiseptics and ethanol gas.
As you can see the early moonshiners used their spirits to make a living for them and their families. You can do the same now and also save your future self if ever you needed to. Having a still on hand is like having multiple tools in your tool box! One copper still and multiple forms of currency! So what are you waiting for?