People prepare to place the body of a toxic liquor victim onto a truck outside a hospital in Diamond Harbour, near Kolkata, India, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. Bootleg liquor laced with toxic methanol killed scores of people and sickened dozens more who bought the illegal brew at small shops in eastern India, officials said Thursday. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Police in India have arrested ten people on suspicion of producing and distributing illegal moonshine that is responsible for killing upwards of 200 people and injuring hundreds more. Those injured were mostly manual laborers that purchased the liquor for around 20 cents for a half liter, which is around a third of the price of state-sanctioned alcohol. The drink, which is believed to have been mixed with methanol, can induce comas, cause blindness or death if consumed in high doses and it is estimated that one or two people across India die from tainted liquor every week.

The Discovery Channel will debut Moonshiners this December, an all new series with a real life look at the moonshining men of Appalachia. Discovery says the show “tells the story of those who brew their shine – whether in the woods behind their house using camouflaged equipment or legally in their garages for local distribution – and the local authorities who try to keep them honest. The series show what life is like in the Appalachian Mountain region, a close-knit society where survival depends on resourcefulness and endurance. From hunting bear and raccoon to catching frogs and catfish, theirs is a world forgotten by modern conveniences.”

To me, it looks and sounds like they took the cast of Discovery’s Sons of Guns, put them in overalls and threw them in the mountains in Appalachia. We’ll see. Stay tuned this December.

Mutineer Interview: Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson

Mutineer Editor in Chief and Sommelier Alan Kropf sits down with Master Sommelier, author and James Beard Award winner Andrea Robinson to discuss wine, culinary school, popcorn wine pairings and her signature stemware line.

Moonshine: Spirit of the South

From Junior Johnson to Popcorn Sutton, Mutineer Chris D’Amico takes you deep into the world of prohibition, moonshine running and NASCAR and gives you a glimpse of the modern moonshine revival.

Doi Chaang Coffee: The Elephant in the Roast

An incredible story of northern Thailand’s Doi Chaang Coffee Company and their efforts to produce world class coffee and to more than fairly compensate the producers and workers. Meet the Akha hill tribe families and Wicha Promyong, a former entrepreneur from southern Thailand who “adopted ” the Akha hill tribe families in the Chiang Rai region and helped them organize, improve, and market their coffee.

Absinthe Visions: The Photography of Damian Hevia – Inspired by the World of Absinthe

Follow Damian Hevia, photographer extraordinaire, as he shares with you his incredible original photos of how he sees absinthe and with his gifted “through the lens” photographic style of approach. No photoshop here!

Cooking With Tequila

Mutineer Food Editor Erin Jimcosky has done it again, this time with tequila! Watermelon lime salad, tequila spiked prawn coctel, and more … all made with tequila. Perfect dishes you won’t want to miss and just in time for the start of summer.

The May/June issue also includes:
Civilization and Its Discontents: Counter Insurgency
The Plaid Avenger: Scotland
What People Drink: Geoff Tate, Frontman of Band Queensryche
What People Drink: Jeremy Cowen, Founder of Shmaltz Brewing Co.
Wine Steals: Sauvignon Blanc
Behind The Bottle: Stockholm Syndrome
Beer Styles: Trappist Beers
Classic Cocktails: The Singapore Sling
Left Coast Libations: Los Angeles
Sake Renegade, Pecorino Cheese, The Adventure of Lewis and Cork, and much, much, more…

Subscribe today for only $14.99 for a full year to make sure you don’t miss out.

Catdaddy Moonshine is giving both amateur and professional mixologists the chance to submit their original Catdaddy cocktail recipes, with the top three entrants each receiving $500, six tickets to Tales of the Cocktail seminars, two nights at the Hotel Monteleone during Tales of the Cocktail, and their recipe published in Mutineer Magazine. At Tales of the Cocktail, the three finalists will prepare their Catdaddy creations for a panel of judges including Alan Kropf and Jeff Dorenbush of Mutineer Magazine, Joe Michalek of Piedmont Distillers, King Cocktail himself Dale Degroff, and Paul Tuennerman. The judges will award the “Golden Mason Jar” trophy, with attendees voting on the recipient of the Moonshine Still trophy.

Submission Deadline: May 10, 2010
Finalist Event: July 22, 2010 – New Orleans, Louisiana

Enter the Catdaddy Bar Chef Challenge

This image clearly explains why you don’t mess with Texas, taken from Walker Texas Ranger’s’ first mention on the Mutineer Blog on March 4, 2009 with Chewbacca and Jack Bauer to demo the Mutineer fine beverage super-weapon.

“Hooch” is apparently still alive and well is Texas, and is still highly prized by some of the more ambitious and thirsty locals.

According to the Star-Telegram:
Authorities broke up a moonshine operation this week when they seized a 55-gallon still, burners, copper wire, two propane bottles and about 9 gallons of hooch, according to a news release from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission on Tuesday. Continue Reading »