How to Make Moonshine Cherries

How to Make Moonshine Cherries

Making moonshine cherries is easy if you know what you're doing. In this article, we'll show you how to do it right!


Cherries are a delicious addition to any dessert or cocktail, with the addition of moonshine they go from great to really freakin’ awesome. 


One of the best things about moonshine cherries are how easy they are to make. Not only does it only take two ingredients and about five minutes, the end result is fantastic. 


How to Make Moonshine

 

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There are two different ways to make moonshine cherries. The first is to start by making your own moonshine. 


When making your own shine, you need to first consider your desired final result. A grain-based mash will give you a better ABV (alcohol by volume) or proof than a  sugar-based mash


A fruit based mash will give your shine a subtle fruity flavor but it may be lost in this recipe. 


Making a Mash

 

 

Once you have selected your recipe, you can get down to the business of making a mash. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on the type of mash you are making. 


Fruit-based mash recipes often involve a longer prep time as you usually have to cut and prepare the fruit. Grain-based mash requires a lengthy cook time as it needs time to convert the starches in the mash into fermentable sugar. 


You can ensure this process has been completed with an iodine test. 


Fermentation

 

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Fermentation is the process in which the fermentable sugars in your mash are converted into alcohol. 


This step requires very little work and a whole lot of patience. Once your mash has reached room temperature you need to ‘pitch your yeast’ by adding your yeast and shaking or pouring your yeast from bucket to bucket to aerate it. 

Some people choose to strain their mash before fermentation to remove all the solids and others wait until after fermentation. This comes down to personal preference. It is not generally recommended to leave the solids in during distillation as they may scorch and create an unpleasant taste in your moonshine. 


Once your mash is prepared for fermentation, it is placed in an airtight fermentation vessel with an airlock which allows the carbon dioxide to escape. 


During fermentation carbon dioxide will bubble up much like how bubbles rise to the surface in a glass of soda. This is why an airlock is necessary for fermentation. 

 

The duration of fermentation varies depending on the type of yeast used. You can use a simple bread yeast, however, some choose to use a turbo yeast for quicker results. 


Distillation

 

 

 

The final step of making moonshine is distillation. This step can be the most intimidating for many new moonshiners. 


While distillation may seem complicated, it can be easily mastered with some simple instruction. This is why at How to Moonshine we offer a FREE e-book that takes you through the process of moonshine step-by-step. 


Get Your FREE E-book


Speaking of distillation, you can't get much better than our Moonshine Cherry Air Still. 

This compact and efficient still is a simple way to make delicious spirits at home. The Moonshine Cherry is about the size of your kitchen kettle and just as easy to use. 

Its plug and play design means you can literally make moonshine at the press of a button. The Moonshine Cherry has an internal fan for cooling so there is no need to use any water for external cooling. It really couldn't be any easier!

Get your Moonshine Cherry Air Still

 

How to Make Cherry Moonshine


How to Make Moonshine Cherries with Everclear

 


Once you have mastered making moonshine, making moonshine cherries is a breeze. In fact, you only need two ingredients and about five minutes of prep time. 


However, not all are brave enough to make their own shine. That is okay and certainly not a reason to miss out on this delicious recipe! Simply swap out the homemade shine for the store bought variety and follow the same procedure. 


Moonshine Cherry Recipes


Of course once you have your moonshine cherries you will want some inspiration on how best to enjoy them. Here are some of our favorite options below. 



Moonshine Cherry Coke 

 

 

This recipe is a great nod to a favorite childhood drink with a very adult twist. 


Ingredients:


  • One can of the cola of your choice
  • Approximately 8 moonshine cherries (you can add more or less depending on how much of a kick you want your drink to have
  • 2 Tbsp of moonshine cherry juice. 

Instructions: 


  1. Fill a large glass with ice and add the cherries.
  2. Add the moonshine cherry juice
  3. Fill the rest of the glass with cola, stir and enjoy! 

Moonshine Cherry Coke Float 

 

 

This recipe kicks up the sweetness and the nostalgia


Ingredients



  • One can of the cola of your choice
  • Approximately 8 moonshine cherries (you can add more or less depending on how much of a kick you want your drink to have
  • 2 Tbsp of moonshine cherry juice. 
  • Approximately 1 cup of vanilla ice cream
  • Whipped cream

Instructions


  1. In a large glass add the ice cream and moonshine cherry juice
  2. Add all but one of the moonshine cherries
  3. Fill the rest of the glass with the cola of your choice 
  4. Top with whipped cream and a moonshine cherry! 

Cherry Limeaid Cocktail

 


 

This refreshing drink is a sweet and just a little bit sour. Perfect for warm summer days. 


Ingredients: 


  • 8 Moonshine Cherries
  • 1 tbsp of moonshine cherry juice
  • Lemon Lime Soda
  • 1/2 Lime plus 1 wedge for ganish

Instructions


  • In a small bowl, muddle the cherries to help release their flavor
  • Add the muddled cherries to your glass of choice
  • Add the moonshine cherry juice
  • Fill the rest of the glass with lemon lime soda
  • Squeeze half a lime into the glass
  • Finish with a wedge of lime on the side 

 

Moonshine Cherry Bombs

 

 

This recipe is the sweet way to get a kick of moonshine within a delicious dessert. 


Ingredients 


  • Chocolate cake mix 
  • 3 eggs
  • ⅔ cup melted butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup coconut oil 
  • ¾ cup chocolate frosting 
  • Approximately 2 cups melted chocolate of your choice 
  • Moonshine cherries 
  • Sprinkles (optional) 
  • Cake pop sticks


  1. In a large bowl combine the cake mix, eggs, milk and butter. 
  2. Combine well and prepare according to the package instructions
  3. Once the cake is baked, allow to cool and then crumble into a large bowl. 
  4. Combine the crumbled cake and frosting. 
  5. Chill the cake/frosting mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes. 
  6. Once your mix has been chilled you are ready to assemble your cherries. 
  7. Remove your moonshine cherries from their jar and dry on a paper towel. 
  8. Remove your cake frosting mix from the fridge 
  9. Using your hands, mold a small amount of mix/frosting mix around each one of your cherries. Your cherry bombs should be about the size of donut holes. 
  10. Place completed bombs on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. 
  11. While your cherry bombs are chilling, you can start melting your chocolate
  12. Melt ⅓  your chocolate in the microwave in a glass bowl heating in 30 second increments and stirring every 30 seconds. 
  13. Adding a little coconut oil to your chocolate will help keep it nice and smooth. 
  14. Remove your cherry bombs from the freezer and dip in chocolate. 
  15. Melt more chocolate as necessary until all of your cherry bombs are covered
  16. Dip in sprinkles and add sticks (optional) 
  17. Enjoy








What proof are moonshine cherries? 


The proof of your final product will depend on the moonshine used. 



How Many Moonshine Cherries Can you Eat? 


The amount of moonshine cherries you can eat will depend on your weight, tolerance and your desired buzz. 


A rough guideline is that a lightweight drinker would feel a buzz after about 8 cherries in an hour and drunk after 20 cherries in an hour. Of course, actual results will vary depending on the proof of the moonshine cherries and metabolism of the individual consuming them. 





Can I Make Moonshine Cherries with Flavored Moonshine? 


Making moonshine cherries with flavored moonshine will give your final result an interesting and delicious twist. 

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