Moonshine has had a lot of nicknames throughout the years: White Lightning. Mountain Dew. Tennessee white whiskey. Hooch.
But modern moonshine has come a long way since it risked blinding Appalachian imbibers in the 1800s.
Thanks to changing liquor laws and a renewed interest in artisanal and local products, you can now order "moonshine" — a term that generally refers to unaged white whiskeys — online and at a number of restaurants across the country.
According to TIME's Josh Sanburn, making moonshine is now legal in Tennessee, and big brands such as Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, and Ole Smokey are cashing in on the growing trend.
Though true aficionados will tell you that moonshine is best consumed by its lonesome, the stuff still packs a punch. Here are some delicious moonshine cocktails for those of us who can no longer stomach straight shots.
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Bee Sting Cocktail: Tennessee restaurant The Loveless Cafe is proud to show off its collection of moonshine cocktails. The Bee Sting in particular stands out — it's made with honey, squeezed lemon and a half a cup of sweetened or unsweetened ice tea. This is quite the Southern treat.
Grown Up Shirley Temple: Ole Smoky Distillery makes moonshine in several flavors, but a must-try is the company's Smoky Tennessee Moonshine Cherries. Add two moonshine-infused cherries to lime juice and ginger ale, plus and a shot of the juice from the jar, and you have a lightly-alcoholic take on a virgin classic.
Jungle Juice: The whole point of Jungle Juice is to mix everything you have on hand — why not add in some moonshine? There are a ton of different recipes, but a good rule of thumb is to add fruit juices, sprite, fruit punch, and pre-cut fruit into a huge cooler with 2 liters of alcohol. There go your memories!
Raspberry Fizz: Dark Corner Distillery has a slew of yummy moonshine recipes, but the most delicious-sounding is the Raspberry Fizz: It's made with moonshine, orange liqueur, raspberries, egg whites, and seltzer water. Muddle the raspberries with the orange liqueur, add the rest of the ingredients and shake vigorously, drop in ice, strain, and top off with seltzer water.
White Julep Moonshine Cocktail: Update the classic summer Mint Julep cocktail with some good ole' fashioned moonshine. Prepare a classic Mint Julep (here's a great recipe), but in lieu of bourbon, add some moonshine. Just be careful — this will knock you off your feet.
SEE ALSO: 7 Tasty Dishes To Get You Started On The Mediterranean Diet
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