While embracing The City of Brotherly Love’s history of moonshine production, Philadelphia Distilling is putting its own spin on “white lightening” with their smooth, versatile and legal XXX Shine Corn Whiskey.
Unaged and unadulterated, the craft distiller’s corn whiskey has a pureness from the moment it touches the tip of your tongue. “No sugar, no color, no wood, no bullshit,” they advertise. Indeed, no bullshit. While most “moonshines” on the market are rum or grain based, Philadelphia Distilling uses locally sourced heirloom corn, giving it a rich flavor profile of fresh corn notes with a smooth mouthfeel and clean finish.
“Many people describe it as eau de vie or blanco tequila,” says co-founder and president Andrew Auwerda. “It tastes like an unaged tequila.”
Triple-distilled and bottled at 88.8 proof, XXX Shine Corn Whiskey has higher alcohol content than your typical vodka. But, unlike most corn whiskeys, it’s less challenging to drink. Philadelphia Distilling meticulously controls the distillation process, cutting away all astringent tastes and flavorful alcohol. “We are always after 100 percent ethanol,” says Auwerda. From seed to spirit—milling, brewing and fermenting—Philadelphia Distilling has a heavy hand in the production of their corn whiskey.
In the end, XXX Shine Corn Whiskey is a rich, clear and complex spirit that is versatile enough to add to a “moonshine” margarita, mix with a ginger beer or serve simply on the rocks. Here are five moonshine cocktail recipes to add to your repertoire.
The Jackass
Ingredients
2 ounces of XXX Shine Corn Whiskey
3 ounces of ginger beer
1/4 ounce of fresh lime juice
Lime wheel, for garnish
Directions: 1. Combine the ingredients in a collins glass filled with crushed ice. 2. Stir well to chill. 3. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Moonshine Margarita
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces of XXX Shine Corn Whiskey
1 ounce of orange liqueur
1 ounce of simple syrup
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Juice from 1/2 lime
Juice from 1/2 orange
Lime, for garnish
Directions: 1. Combine the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. 2. Shake with vigor and strain over ice. 3. Garnish the margarita with a lime.
White Whiskey Old Fashioned
Ingredients
2 ounces of XXX Shine Corn Whiskey
1 sugar cube
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
1 splash of club soda
2 Maraschino cherries
1 orange
1 lemon slice
Directions: 1. Place a sugar cube in the bottom of an old fashioned glass and saturate with the bitters. 2. Add the cherries, lemon slice, orange slice and then muddle. 3. Fill the glass with ice cubes, add whiskey and top off with club soda.
Whiskey Sour
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces of XXX Shine Corn Whiskey
4 ounces of sour mix*
1 Maraschino cherry, for garnish
*Sour mix
1/2 ounce of lemon juice
1/2 ounce of lime juice
1 ounce of simple syrup
2 ounces of water
Directions: 1. Add all ingredients to a Boston shaker filled with ice. 2. Shake with vigor and strain over fresh ice in a collins glass. 3. Garnish the cocktail with a Maraschino cherry.
Boilermaker
Ingredients
1 ounce of XXX Shine Corn Whiskey
Lager beer
Directions: 1. Fill a beer mug with your favorite lager beer. 2. Pour the XXX Shine Corn Whiskey in a shot glass. 3. Drop the shot glass of XXX Shine Corn Whiskey into the glass of beer.
Distillery: Philadelphia Distilling
City: Philadelphia, Penn.
Style: Moonshine (unaged corn whiskey)
Proof: 88.8