Hey Callisto, what area of NC are you in? I can assure you there is plenty of homemade shine around. Many times in the fall of the year it is made as apple or peach brandy and has whole apples and peaches in the jar. I grew up around the stuff and have hung onto a tree limb several times in younger years throwing up and having to push my butt hole back down my throat.
I have been to many chicken stews and if you would look around and see 4 or 5 men off to the side standing around the back of a pickup truck, they are not trading hunting dogs. If you walk up and look in the bed you will almost always see one or more fruit jars sitting their. It is fairly plentiful in the Stokes County area of the state and as I said sort of a tradition at stews. I have turned up jars with lawyers, politicions and Superior Court judges.
I just looked in my refridgerator in the basement and saw 2 fruit jars on the bottom shelf with peaches and a sip or 2 left in them. Eating the peaches or apples from this can put you on your knees. LOL! Most of the brandys come in quart jars and is available by the case so you can hand them out to friends at Christmas. Most of the plain clear is in half gallon jars and is good kept in the freezer.
Just had to jump in here after seeing this thread. Brought back so many memories, or ones that I can remember!!!
Hope you get to try it sometime. Good homemade is much better than that store bought clear.
Hooz
Oh, bought a half gallon of clear about a year ago and paid $20.00. And by the way, if you get offered a drink, turn up the jar and drink it straight from there. Bad manners to pour you a drink in a cup. Believe me, no germs on the jar.