Moonshine classification? Infusion classification?

[ADKdistiller]

Hi Everyone,

I'm starting the process of my submitting my formulas. What would moonshine be classified as for class/type? Would it be whiskey? Or spirit whiskey? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

While I'm at it we're also making vodka/fruit infusions, where we just soak fruit in vodka and filter out the solids. The spirit takes on a nice color of and tastes like the fruit you soaked it in. I classified this is a distilled spirit speciality product. Would they let me call it infused vodka on the label if i classified as that? Or should I try to classify it as a flavored vodka?

Thanks everyone!

[bourbonstill]

What proof are you distilling your moonshine to?

Are you adding sugar?

That should help decide the classification.

Some moonshines are whiskey, while I've seen some that are grain neutral spirits.

You can also refer to the ttb regulations.

I hope this helps.

[ADKdistiller]

Our moonshine is a whiskey - all grain, no sugar added, we'll distill it to ~70-75%. So would I classify it as just whiskey? Would they still let us call it moonshine on the label? Sorry for the newbie questions, your help is greatly appreciated.

[bourbonstill]

It is a whiskey, but I think you can market it as a moonshine.

I know other companies market whiskey as moonshine.

You may have to whiskey somewhere on the label.

[Michaelangelo]

Many classify as "Corn Whisky", unaged and all corn

[dhdunbar]

In spite of evidence to the contrary found on many labels, unless you have a corn whiskey, which must be labeled as corn whiskey - (see 5.22((2), "Whisky conforming to the standard of identity for corn whisky must be designated corn whisky - you must age whiskey and if it is aged for less than 4 years you must state the period that it was aged. .

What is corn whiskey? It's a standard of identity product. "(ii) “Corn whisky” is whisky produced at not exceeding 160° proof from a fermented mash of not less than 80 percent corn grain, and if stored in oak containers stored at not more than 125° proof in used or uncharred new oak containers and not subjected in any manner to treatment with charred wood; and also includes mixtures of such whisky."

Spirits identified as "moonshine," or "white dog" are "fanciful names" used in when a prodcut does not fiit any standard found in 5.22. They are specialty items, and the rules found at 5.35(a) apply, including a the need for a truthful and accurate statement of compositon. I know that the public COLA database has many examples counter to this advice. What can I say? All I can do is tell uyou the rules and shrug in the direction of what actually goes on.

Finally, someone wrote you can also refer to the TTB regulations. The best advice I can give you is that if you want to know something, you must go to the TTB regulations. What someone else says, including me, does not matter. All advice should be based on citations to which you can tunr to decide whether the persons giving the advice really knows what they are talking about.

[boognish]

We had to settle for the specialty distilled spirits category since we don't use corn, but rather barley.