Moonshine is illegally
distilled homemade
whisky, usually with a very high alcohol content. It got its name because it was normally distilled at night "by the light of the moon." Most
moonshine is distilled in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia.
The only reason that moonshine is illegal is because there anyone who distills spirits in the U.S. has to pay a federal tax.
Moonshiners don't pay the tax. Local police usually ignore
moonshiners because "they ain't
hurtin' anyone."