Moonshine Done Wrong Can Injure And Kill
Moonshine brewers had to be incredibly careful about their product, especially since there is no oversight in their brewing process. They were distilling 170 proof (85%) alcohol, but there was a huge risk. Less ethical or careless distillers let wood alcohol, containing methanol, remain in the brew instead of distilling it for the ethanol. Ethanol is the alcohol found in safely produced beverages. Methanol is stronger and less expensive, but has a significant drawback. Methanol acidifies the blood. Victims of methanol poisoning don’t feel anything unusual at first, perhaps their drink seems stronger than normal, but everything seems fine. But after a few hours go by an the methanol is metabolized, victims start to notice things going wrong. They can go blind, have seizures, or get Jake Leg Syndrome, a partial paralysis of the feet and legs. And in the worst case, they die from poorly distilled liquor.