Moonshine Has Become Synonymous With Hillbilly
One of the most pervasive tropes used in movies and television is the hillbilly making – and often drinking – moonshine in jugs marked with three Xs. Moonshine is a home-brewed whiskey brewed from local crops (usually corn mash). While home brew had been around since the Scots-Irish immigration to the southern region, it really took off during Prohibition, when demand exploded. Moonshiners often covertly brewed their moonshine at night to hide it from the authorities. As iconic as it is, moonshine has a shaky relationship with the law. Brewers crafted it without a permit or oversight, letting the brewer control the process and product. Despite this, it has become such a cultural icon that June 5 is National Moonshine Day in the United States. And those infamous three Xs on the jugs? That is how many times the brew ran through the still. Three Xs was a high-quality brew.