Updated April 2026.
“Moonshine” is not a TTB standard of identity. Legal US jars are labeled as something else: often corn whiskey (unaged is allowed) or a distilled-spirits specialty. Whiskey under 27 CFR 5.143 is a grain distillate stored in oak — except corn whiskey — and bottled at ≥40% ABV. A 1.5-ounce 40% pour is one NIAAA standard drink; 50% is 1.25. Read the class line, not the mason-jar font.
Illicit “moonshine” is just untaxed distilled spirits. That is a crime problem, not a flavor note. Related: whiskey types, bourbon vs whiskey, proof.
What the label has to say
| Word on the label | What TTB actually requires | Not |
|---|---|---|
| Whiskey (most types) | Grain distillate; oak storage; ≥40% ABV | A jar font |
| Corn whiskey | ≥80% corn mash; oak optional; no charred-wood treatment | Automatically “moonshine” |
| Bourbon | ≥51% corn; new charred oak; US (5.143) | Unaged white dog sold as bourbon |
| “Moonshine” as a fanciful name | Must still carry a real class (or DSS + composition) | A federal type |
| Flavored / apple-pie jars | Often a specialty; ABV can be 20–40% | Straight whiskey |
A 750 mL 40% bottle is about 17 drinks; 750 mL at 50% is about 21. Four 40% pours are four drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. High-proof unaged spirit hits faster per ounce because the math is higher, not because “shine is different ethanol.” Hours to buy a legal jar are state law. No 2026 MSRP.
Sources
- 27 CFR 5.143 whisky / corn whisky (oak exception). 27 CFR 5.156 distilled-spirits specialty.
- TTB labeling: fanciful names do not replace class/type.
- NIAAA standard drink (December 2025). No invented “traditional” ABV for illicit stills.