Best Books to Make Moonshine (2023) – Top 6 Compared
You wouldn’t bake a cake without a recipe. And you shouldn’t make moonshine without a guide, either. With the right tools and ingredients, you can make one-of-a-kind moonshine that people will talk about for ages.
So what are the best moonshine book titles? In this guide, we’ll review six of the top books on the subject and examine their pros and cons so you can find the book that’s right for you.
Keep reading to find out some of the top books on moonshine, as well as the one that best fits your current needs!
Read Also: Making Moonshine: Step by Step Recipe
Top 6 Books on How to Make Moonshine Compared
The following table shows our top picks with the estimated price range and our final rating. There is also a link placed on each option so it will be easier for you to find the product (Amazon links).
The table is ranked from the most affordable product first to the most premium choice at the bottom.
| Name | Price Range |
Homebrew Rating |
| 1. How to Master Moonshine: Modern, safe methods for making your own alcohol | $ | 4/5 |
| 2. The Joy of Home Distilling: The Ultimate Guide to Making Your Own Vodka, Whiskey, Rum, Brandy, Moonshine, and More | $ | 4,5/5 |
| 3. Moonshine Distiller’s Training Manual | $ | 4/5 |
| 4. Moonshine! | $ | 4/5 |
| 5. The Alaskan Bootlegger’s Bible | $$ | 4/5 |
| 6. The Artisan’s Guide to Crafting Distilled Spirits | $$$ | 4,5/5 |
My #1 Pick
The Joy of Home Distilling.
Best value for the money on the list, especially if you are a beginner.
Now, let’s jump to the list, and take a look at the 6 best options for books on how to make moonshine. I hope this list can be helpful and you can find what you need to start making your own moonshine in no time.
Cheers!
List of 6 Best Books on How to Make Moonshine
Book #1: How to Master Moonshine: Modern, safe methods for making your own alcohol (recipes included!)
Prefer the actual making of moonshine over reading the scientific process behind them? How to Master Moonshine is for you.
This informative book teaches you how to make a variety of alcohols and spirits, including rum, vodka, whiskey, gin, and moonshine. Designed to combat questionable information on the Internet, author R.W. Marshall goes through safety tips and proven-effective recipes to help you make and enjoy spirits that are sure to be a hit.
How to Master Moonshine.
On a budget guide for beginners.
Pros
These pros make How to Master Moonshine an almost for-sure purchase.
At 181 pages, Marshall’s comprehensive guide on moonshine and spirit making is one of the most thorough currently on the market. Introducing readers to both the lore and the how-to of moonshine and other spirits, this detailed guide provides so many recipes that you’ll have a hard time choosing which one to try first.
How to Master Moonshine is full of interesting tidbits and other trivia that make it one of the most engaging of its kind. If you’re looking for a book that’s not only useful to follow but also fun to read, you’ll want to make sure you have this one for your shelf.
Cons
Before making your purchase, however, be wary of this con:
Designed for beginners, this book may not satisfy all the needs of more experienced moonshiners. If you’ve already got a background in the field, you may opt for a more in-depth book.
Book #2: The Joy of Home Distilling: The Ultimate Guide to Making Your Own Vodka, Whiskey, Rum, Schnapps, and Brandy
One of the most comprehensive guides on the market, The Joy of Home Distilling is a must-have for any beginning looking to get into moonshining. From step-by-step instructions that go over the different distillation processes to one-of-a-kind recipes you’ll want to try, this book has everything you need (and more) to make the perfect batch of moonshine.
What’s more, the book covers important legal information that can help you make sure you’re doing everything by the law and staying out of trouble when you make your brew.
The Joy of Home Distilling.
Extensive guide ideal for all types of distillers
Pros
What makes me choose this book?
Simply put, there’s nothing this guide doesn’t cover.
Concepts as deep as carbon filtering, flavoring and aging, and the post-distillation process are also covered to make sure you have everything you need to get started.
Both beginners and intermediate distillers can get use out of this book, making it a more advanced guide. Even if you’ve already got a background in the field of moonshining or alcohol distillation, you can get a bunch of use out of this guide.
Cons
No book is perfect, however. Keep the following in mind:
Though the book covers a wide range of distillation techniques, it pays more attention to some (column distillation) than others (pot distillation). This means you may not get everything you want from the book.
Book #3: Moonshine Distiller’s Training Manual
Written by moonshine expert Christopher G. Yorke, Moonshine Distiller’s Training Manual boasts that it contains “everything you need to know to make quality moonshine.” The manual is designed for those who are starting out and contains complete moonshine recipes and equipment lists that can really get your foot in the door of the moonshining process.
Moonshine Distiller’s Training Manual
Detailed guide for beginners
Pros
There are a number of benefits to buying and using this manual:
Want to learn all the technicalities behind the distilling process? Moonshine Distiller’s Training Manual will help you do just that. Become an expert of the distillation process before you ever brew your first batch of moonshine. Author and former lecturer Christopher Yorke uses his three decades of technical expertise to simplify complex terms and share the science behind the distillation of moonshine.
From equipment to recipes, this training manual gives you everything you need to make moonshine for yourself.
By following the information in this guide, you’ll never be at a loss when it comes to making moonshine in the real world.
Cons
You’ll want to keep this con in mind, however:
If this isn’t your first rodeo, so to speak, you might not get as much use as you want out of this training manual. As the name implies, this is a book for beginners, so only buy it if you’re looking for a good starting point.
Book #4: Moonshine!
With “recipes, tall tales, drinking songs, historical stuff, knee-slappers” and more, Matthew Rowley’s Moonshine is one of the definitive works on America’s most-guarded drink. Learn about the history of moonshine, how to drink it, and more in this illustrated tome that covers everything you ever needed to know (and more) on the subject of moonshine.
Moonshine!
Engaging and comprehensive guide about moonshine and its story in the United States.
Pros
Here’s what I love about the book:
- Informative
Teaching the history, traditions, and creation processes behind American moonshine, Moonshine! not only gives you the means to create your own moonshine, but it also provides a comprehensive overview of the alcohol’s storied existence in the United States.
- Creative
Rowell uses both wit and humor to craft a book that’s as engaging as it is informative. This, combined with whimsical illustrations, makes Moonshine! a really good book on the subject.
Cons
You’ll want to understand the book’s flaws before purchasing it:
- Not for the Experts
If you’re already an expert on moonshine, this cute starter book won’t do much for you. Though Moonshine! is expansive in its knowledge and great at providing recipes, it’s not quite as in-depth as aficionados of this drink might want.
Book #5:The Alaskan Bootlegger’s Bible, Second Edition
Looking for something more straightforward and just as useful? You can’t go wrong with The Alaskan Bootlegger’s Bible, a detailed instruction manual for the making of moonshine and other alcohols. Learn how to make wine, beer, hard cider, and lacquers in addition to the strong moonshine whiskey the book will teach you how to make.
The best part? This book doesn’t just teach you how to make moonshine and other good spirits—it also tells you in detail the equipment you’ll need so you’ll get it right the first time.
The Alaskan Bootlegger’s Bible.
Easy-to-follow most complete guide on the list.
Pros
There are some definite pros to this book by Leon W. Kania, Sr. Let’s take a look:
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more detailed book on the making of moonshine and other alcohols. With over three decades of experience in the craft, author Kania, Sr. knows what he’s talking about—and how to get that information to you on the page. Experience the fun of several different recipes in this tell-all guide that will have you making legendary spirits for both you and your friends.
The Alaskan Bootlegger’s Bible replaces specific jargon with simple-to-understand and easy-to-follow terminology and guidelines that will have even the newest of brewers making the perfect batch.
Cons
What didn’t we like about the book? Have a look:
Because the book primarily focuses on the Alaskan bootlegging tradition, it does not include other regional varieties that some consumers may be seeking.
Book #6: The Artisan’s Guide to Crafting Distilled Spirits
Find out why Die Zeit magazine called The Artisan’s Guide to Crafting Distilled Spirits “the standard reference work for all home distillers.
A detailed dive into the process of distilling moonshine and other spirits, this timeless work looks at the distillation process from every angle—starting from the molecular one.
The book, written by Bettina Malle and Helge Schmickle, is broken up into twelve chapters, including “The Foundations and Traditions of Distilling Alcohol,” “Mashes,” “Stills,” “Distilling,” and more.
The Artisan’s Guide to Crafting Distilled Spirits.
Scientific approach and high level of detail. Great for experts.
Pros
What makes this book a great reference for anyone looking to learn more about moonshine and the distillation process in general?
Compared to the other guides on the market, The Artisan’s Guide to Crafting Distilled Spirits offers unmatched scientific precision and explanation. Both Malle and Schmickl are experienced distillers with a strong foundation in chemical science, knowledge that shines through in the text.
Even if you’re a competent at-home distiller, there’s likely something you can learn from this book. With tons of tips and tricks on how to make a better batch, this guide, has something for everyone when it comes to making moonshine.
Cons
The book isn’t without its flaws, however:
Unfortunately, the book contains few recipes, and the ones it does contain generally concentrate on fruit schnapps, meaning it may not be the best for someone looking to make more proper shine.
The Bottom Line
The perfect batch of moonshine is just around the corner. With the best moonshine book titles featured in this guide, you’ll be able to make a variety of moonshine and spirit recipes and gain a better understanding of the distillation process.
Whether you’re looking to make simple whiskeys or flavored moonshine, you can do it all with the information contained here.
Make sure to use this guide to find the right book for your purposes!
