Hooch

How is it Made?

Although hooch can be made from any grain or fruit, the easiest and most common way of making it is with fruit juice, which can be obtained from sympathetic staff, kitchen personnel, or the commissary. Either by using yeast as a starter or by the more difficult way of attempting a natural fermentation, the concoction is distilled for a few days and then immediately consumed because of the short shelf life. This process requires practice and patience to perfect the timing and proportions of ingredients. Once some has been made to satisfaction, the starter can be saved for future batches. The fruity syrup in canned cherries or berries provides one of the best sources of making hooch. The heavy sugar content and fruit residue in the hands of a skilled practitioner provide a flavorful wine-like beverage with high alcohol content. Staff who have tested hooch made from this syrup during shakedowns claim that it contains as much as 10% alcohol, far higher than the more common 2% to 5% in hooch made from fruit juice or sugar-enhanced Tang.

A second way of obtaining alcohol is by filtering commissary or kitchen items, such as mouthwash or artificial food flavorings, through bread. The filtering helps remove impurities and concentrate the alcohol. Prisoners with access to refrigeration may also take mouthwash or similar products, freeze [Page 444]them several times, and pour off the alcohol, which does not freeze. If done successfully, this produces a high-content alcoholic liquid that can either be consumed directly or mixed. Although this method can produce some exemplary high-quality alcohol, it requires access to a freezer that is relatively secure from staff scrutiny for at least a few days to allow freezing. It is also expensive because of the costs of obtaining commissary items. However, because of the high alcohol content, it can be more easily stored, and its manufacture does not produce the fermentation odor that can alert staff.

Hooch can be made in any container, including individual-sized milk cartons or the preferred plastic gallon containers. Although open containers such as large cans be used, those with lids are far better in order to prevent impurities or insects from contaminating the product, and to reduce odor. Inexperienced hooch makers often ignore the need to make the product in sanitized, or at least clean, containers. Neglecting this detail risks disrupting proper fermentation and decreases the potability.

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