MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WV News) — White lightning, hooch, mountain dew, firewater, rotgut. All of these terms refer to the same piece of Appalachian iconography that has long been woven into West Virginia’s heritage; moonshine.

In the Mountain State, moonshine isn’t just alcohol. It’s tradition, rebellion, survival and pride, distilled into a clear, fiery liquid passed down through generations.

“It’s who we are,” said Frank Dix, owner of Isaiah Morgan Distillery in Summersville. “It goes back through Appalachian history to when it started, and it’s still being made today.”

The term “moonshine” comes from the practice of producing liquor by the light of the moon to avoid detection. During Prohibition, from 1920 to 1933, the practice boomed. Law enforcement often found themselves outmatched b

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