A wash was created and fermented before the distillation began. [9], The quality of poitín was highly variable, depending on the skill of the distiller and the quality of their equipment. The fighting Irish had a few more tricks up their selves. Those still producing Poitin have not changed their production methods for centuries. Irish moonshine, or poitín, was illegal for 150 years, but now you can try poitín and learn how it's made at the Micil Distillery in Galway, founded by a man from generations of poitín distillers. Poitín remains illegal in the northern counties, however. It is now served in pubs and off licenses and produced by several companies. It derived its name from how it is distilled in small pots, in Irish Pota. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Bourbon is a whiskey made with at lease 51% corn, but it has been aged in oak which imparts a lot of the bourbon flavor. This means that from 2008, real poitín can only come from Ireland – making it similar to Champagne. The Irish musician Christy Moore has also preformed many of these songs. Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection. A fun fact about Poitin is that the Irish (Gaelige) word for hangover is Poit. Smoke was a giveaway for the police, so windy, broken weather was chosen to disperse the smoke. Poitín (Irish pronunciation: [ˈpˠotʲiːnʲ]), anglicized as potcheen, poteen or potheen (/ˈpʊtʃiːn/ PUUT-cheen), is a traditional Irish distilled beverage (40–90% ABV). Only the Irish could be proud to have one of the strongest alcoholic beverages in the world made here on this island. Poitin remained illegal in Ireland from 1661 until the 7th March 1997 but it still remains illegal in Northern Ireland. Poitin is a traditional Irish high percentage distilled drink. Colourless. s.async = true;s.src = '//cdn.viglink.com/api/vglnk.js'; The page you are looking for has not been found. Reputations were built on the quality of the distiller's poitín, and many families became known for their distilling expertise, where a bad batch could put a distiller out of business overnight. Buy Rare and Exclusive World Whiskies at Whiskey Sales .Com. var s = d.createElement(t);s.type = 'text/javascript'; Poitín was produced on small pot stills, originally over peat fires. Poitín recently got a protected status in the eu. Glendalough Distillery can deliver but they do require ID and some countries may be restricted for delivery. The fires to heat the Poitin were fueled by peat or turf from local bogs. By definition, poteen is illegal and can't be sold. In 1989, though, the Irish Republic loosened legislation. r.parentNode.insertBefore(s, r); The persecution of the poitín-maker by the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1880s Cavan is treated in The Hackler from Grouse Hall and its reply The Sergent's Lamentation. Poitin was traditional made using whatever was available at that particular time of the year in Ireland. [5], In 2015, in consultation with producers and stakeholders, the Irish Government adopted the Geographical Indication technical file for poitín, outlining the production methods that must be used in order for a spirit to be called Irish Poitín. The legal Poitin that can be found in Ireland today is much smoother and more palatable to drink at approx 40% – 45%. In Frank McCourt's book 'Tis, he recalls his mother Angela telling him that when his brother Malachy visited her in Limerick, he obtained poitín in the countryside and drank it with her. The legal Poitin that can be found in Ireland today is much smoother and more palatable to drink at approx 40% – 45%. Today, two distilleries export poitín to the United States: Bunratty Winery and Knockeen Hills. Poitín (Irish pronunciation: [ˈpˠotʲiːn]), anglicized as potcheen, poteen or potheen (/ˈpʊtʃiːn/ PUUT-cheen), is a traditional Irish distilled beverage (40%–90% ABV). About 5 companies in Ireland produce Poitin. When made properly, it is simply very strong alcohol with a very hard taste, or “kick,” because it hasn’t been aged. The key ingredients were Potatoes + Sugar + Yeast, very different to today’s whiskey with Barley + Water + Yeast. People would make it out of whatever they had to spare which was usually potatoes or apples. 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Poitín was traditionally distilled in a small pot still and the term is a diminutive of the Irish word pota, meaning “pot”. Even though punching making is illegal, police have a hard time making arrests because the law States that moonshiners have to be caught Red handed. [9][10] It has been claimed that the drink can cause blindness[11] but this is possibly due to adulteration rather than lack of quality.[12]. They decided to introduce a tax based on pot still capacity. The legal Poitin that can be found in Ireland today is much smoother and more palatable to drink at approx 40% – 45%. For … I think moonshine smells closer to turpentine than it does to vodka. The Irish word for a hangover is póit. Poitin distilling started to rise when, on Christmas Day 1661, taxation on alcohol was first introduced. Quick Answer: What Fruit Can You Put In Moonshine?? I've only tried the illegal kind once and it was fairly disgusting but there's nothing stopping it from being nice in theory. It is also known as Poteen. While the ban was lifted in 1997, the date was chosen to name what is set to be the “global flagship for Irish poitín”, as founder Dave Mulligan refers to Bar 1661, located on Green Street and dedicated to craft cocktails that exalt the original uisce beatha, as well as Irish whiskey, gin and other local spirits and drinks. [3], To authorise the distillation of spirits a requirement was introduced at the parliament at Drogheda in 1556 which necessitated a licence under the great seal. Often dubbed as Irish moonshine, the spirit was traditionally distilled from malted grains, usually barley, wheat, oats, or rye, but through history, many other base ingredients were used such as beets or sugar, and in the 19th century many farmers distilled poitín from potatoes Poitin can be spelled in many different ways Poitin, Potcheen or Potheen. In accordance with the Irish Poteen/Irish Poitín technical file, it can only be made from cereals, grain, whey, sugar beet, molasses and potatoes. The Irish critic Sinéad Sturgeon has demonstrated how the illegality of the substance became a crucial theme running through the works of Maria Edgeworth and William Carlton.