The Red Flannel Rag

The first time he got caught, Dad served four months in prison. He got out of

prison and went to work for the same woman and two weeks later was caught again.

The second time he served eight months.

Uncle Rob, Aunt Goldie’s husband, started out as a small-scale moonshiner but

rapidly expanded his business so he had to hire helpers. He was successful because he

came up with creative ways to make his moonshine more attractive to his customers.

Mom told me, “Rob stored his moonshine in wooden kegs. Before using a new keg he

poured in a little moonshine, soaked the inside of the keg, then set it on fire. This

charred the inside of the keg. He left the whiskey in the keg for several weeks.”

Mom explained, “The charred keg turned the whiskey a golden color; and after

ten days, you could drink it straight without makin’ a face. Rob was clean with his

whiskey, and he was well known for makin’ the best moonshine. He didn’t drink a drop

himself. That was how he got away from the law so many years. He never got drunk

and let his guard down.”

Aunt Goldie told me how she used to help Uncle Rob gather wild grapes for

making wine. She also helped make peach brandy from peach peelings and applejack

from apple cider. They experimented by adding dried fruit, such as peaches, pears, and

apples, to the moonshine to give it amber color and a fruity flavor. Uncle Rob supplied

many bootleggers, and also had a booming business working right out of his home.

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