Medicinal Moonshine: A Prepper’s Remedy for Stubborn Coughs
I sometimes wish I had an old-fashioned gypsy wagon to peddle my own line of medicinal moonshine. Maybe I’d call it “Crazy James’ Snake Oil Wagon of Wonder.” If this whole Survivalpunk gig doesn’t pan out, perhaps that’s my next business venture.
A few weeks ago, I came down with a nasty stomach virus. Just as I started to recover, a sore throat and relentless cough set in. I felt achy, exhausted, and run down. My nose wouldn’t stop running, and each cough rattled my chest like an out-of-tune drum. Flu? Bronchitis? Who knows. I didn’t visit a doctor—I rarely do. I’m no medical expert, and I certainly don’t play one online. All I knew was that the cough wouldn’t let up, and I needed a remedy fast.
That’s when a good friend, far more knowledgeable about herbal remedies (and moonshine) than I am, suggested a dose of the good stuff. Never one to turn down a potential cure involving moonshine, I decided to give it a go. Here’s how medicinal moonshine came to my rescue.
Medicinal Moonshine: The Classic Recipe
After I already concocted my own remedy, my friend texted me her go-to recipe:
- One shot of moonshine
- A spoonful of honey
- A squeeze of lemon juice
Simple, right? I tucked that recipe away for later, but at the time, I found myself Googling moonshine remedies while waiting for her message. I stumbled across a treasure trove of medicinal moonshine recipes. One, labeled as “Pleasant-Tasting Syrup for a Nagging Cough,” caught my eye. Nagging cough? Say no more.
Gathering Ingredients
You’ll only need three key ingredients to make this syrup:
- Moonshine
- Honey
- Lemon
I appreciate a short shopping list. If you can score real moonshine or craft your own, that’s the best option. Living in Tennessee, I figured moonshine wouldn’t be hard to track down. Surprisingly, even here, I couldn’t get my hands on the authentic stuff quickly enough. Thankfully, most liquor stores now sell legal moonshine. It’s not as strong as the underground kind, but it works well in a pinch.
As for honey, I recommend buying local if possible. I picked up a jar of raw honey with the comb still intact. If you can get it straight from a beekeeper, even better. When it comes to lemons, just grab a fresh one. Unless you’re lucky enough to live in Florida with citrus trees in your backyard, the grocery store will suffice.
Crafting the Moonshine Cough Syrup
Here’s the recipe I followed:
- 1/4 cup of moonshine
- 1/4 cup of honey
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
I combined the ingredients in a Pyrex measuring cup and popped it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. After a quick stir, the mixture blended beautifully. I expected a thicker syrup, but it turned out surprisingly smooth.
Pouring the concoction into a coffee cup, I took my first sip. Instantly, I knew this was unlike any store-bought cough syrup I’d ever tasted. The flavor was rich, sweet, and warming. The honey soothed my throat while the moonshine brought a delightful heat that seemed to melt away the scratchiness.
First Impressions and Effectiveness
Let me be clear—this syrup is sweet. I rarely consume sugary foods or drinks, so the honey hit me hard. But I didn’t mind, as the sweetness helped mask the sharpness of the moonshine. The warmth spread through my chest, calming my cough almost immediately.
As for effectiveness, time will tell. After finishing the cup, I felt relaxed and sleepy—always a good sign when you’re sick. The next morning, my throat felt less irritated, and the cough had lessened significantly. I wasn’t cured, but I felt better than I had in days.
Why Medicinal Moonshine Works
Moonshine, honey, and lemon create a trifecta of healing. Here’s why:
- Moonshine (or any high-proof alcohol): Alcohol dilates blood vessels, improving circulation and potentially helping the body fight infections. It also numbs the throat, reducing the urge to cough.
- Honey: A natural antimicrobial, honey coats and soothes the throat. It has been used for centuries as a cough suppressant.
- Lemon: Packed with vitamin C, lemons boost the immune system and help break down mucus. The acidity also cuts through the sweetness of the honey, balancing the flavors.
Tips for Making the Best Medicinal Moonshine
- Use High-Quality Ingredients: The better the moonshine, honey, and lemon, the more effective the remedy.
- Don’t Overdo It: A little goes a long way. Too much alcohol can dehydrate you, making symptoms worse.
- Store Leftovers Properly: Keep any extra syrup in a sealed container at room temperature. Use within a few days.
- Experiment with Additions: Some people add ginger or cinnamon for extra flavor and health benefits.
The Tradition of Medicinal Moonshine
Moonshine has long held a place in Appalachian folk medicine. Families passed down recipes designed to cure everything from colds to aches and pains. During Prohibition, moonshine wasn’t just recreational; it served as a crucial medicinal tool, often the only remedy available to remote communities.
Modern preppers can learn a lot from these old traditions. In a world where supply chains are unpredictable and pharmaceutical drugs may be scarce, knowing how to craft simple, effective remedies from natural ingredients is invaluable.
Prepping for Health: More Than Just Stockpiling
As preppers, we often focus on accumulating food, water, and gear. But health and wellness are just as important. A strong body is better equipped to handle emergencies. Learning how to create remedies like medicinal moonshine adds another skill to your preparedness toolkit.
If you’re new to herbal and home remedies, start simple. Experiment with honey, lemon, and alcohol. Learn to grow herbs like mint, thyme, and chamomile, which also have medicinal properties. Building a small apothecary at home can provide peace of mind and practical benefits.
Final Thoughts
Medicinal moonshine isn’t just a nostalgic folk remedy; it’s a practical, effective way to tackle lingering coughs and colds. Whether you’re a seasoned prepper or just starting out, adding this recipe to your repertoire can bring comfort and healing when you need it most.
So, what do you take for a cough? Are you a fan of over-the-counter syrups, doctor visits, or home remedies? Share your thoughts in the comments. And who knows—maybe one day, Crazy James’ Snake Oil Wagon of Wonder will roll through your town, offering a cure in every sip.
Medicinal Moonshine
The recipe my friend gave me, after I already made this one, is as follows:
- One Shot of Moonshine
- A spoon full of Honey
- A squeeze of Lemon juice
I might try that when I wake up but right now I’m drinking another recipe. She had said to combine Moonshine, Honey and Lemon and Googled that while waiting for her to text me back with her recipe. I came across a whole slew of mecicinal Moonshine remedies on this site. What I followed was his Pleasant-tasting syrup for a nagging cough, and a nagging cough was exactly what I have. The recipe looked super easy so let’s make some medicinal Moonshine cough syrup.
You will need three things to make this cough syrup. Moonshine, Honey and a lemon. I love short shopping lists. If you can get real Moonshine or make it then that’s the best. I was in a rush and even living in Tennessee couldn’t get any quickly. The local liquor stores now sale moonshine. It is not as strong as the real stuff but close enough for me. For the honey I suggest going local if you can. I bought the most local stuff I could get with the cone still in it. For the lemon just get one, unless your Florida Hillbilly you probably don’t have them growing in your backyard.
The Recipe
For this recipe, it calls for 1/4 a cup of Moonshine, 1/4 a cup of honey, and 1 tbsp of lemon. I mixed this together in a Pyrex measuring cup and then heated it in the microwave. Stirred it when it came out, and it combined really well and was not as thick as I expected. I poured this into my coffee cup and started sipping. This stuff is by far the best cough syrup I’ve ever had. It taste amazing and is both soothing my throat and warming me up from the moonshine. The concoction is very sweet though, I normally don’t consume any sweet things and this much honey is overpowering. It does make the moonshine easy to get down though. As for the overall effectiveness, I will have to get back to you. So far I’m feeling better and getting very drowsy. So I’m going to finish off my drink and go to sleep. Hopefully, I wake up with no cough and feeling great.
What do you take for a cough? Store-bought over the counter, Doctor visit, or home remedies? Let me know in the comments!
I may have lemons growing in my back yard, but I can’t grow corn very well here….
So I get my corn from a jar…..and never have a cough, oddly enough 🙂
My Grandma use to make this for us.
It works….
So obviously we need to trade. I have Tennessee Hillbilly moonshine I’ll trade for Florida Hillbilly lemons
What is the exchange rate? 🙂
Sounds good, I might add a bit of powdered cayenne to that as well.
My mom used to make a remedy like this when I was sick but moonshine is an optional upgrade, we just used whatever whiskey was on hand. and that recipe doe seem heavy on the honey. I think mom made my medicine by the shot .. 3/4 shot glass of moonshine/whiskey/?? .. heated up .. stir in 1 tablespoon of honey .. 1 tablespoon of lemon .. makes one dose.
Rob .. a health tonic I make now when i’m sick is a shot of warm apple cider vinegar .. with a spoonful of cayenne pepper powder .. clears your throat, makes you warm .. good cleanser.
Hi Gregory,
Yes I likes me some Braggs, but anything with the mother in it is still the key I think. Dr Christopher promoted that the honey kept the “medicine” on the back of the throat, Could be he did not like alcohol other than using it in tinctures. There are some Dr. Shultz stuff that is pricey but contains about the same stuff but he goes crazy wild with hot pepper (African Bird and others), I love it but it is not for a pepper novice, he adds horseradish as well.
Buckwheat honey is actually prescribed by mainstream medical docs to help with coughs and bronchial issues. I got it in my preps for cough medicine. Something about buckwheat honey is better than others for coughs? I’d do tequila, lemon, buckwheat honey and cayenne, might taste nasty, but beats NyQuil! Also chew a garlic clove before bed at the onset of any throat issues, BAM, ive knocked out several colds and flus this way, if it repels vampires how do you think viruses feel about it:))))))
That’s almost the same as our recipe. We use Jack instead of shine and add the whole thing to a cup of hot tea. Works like a champ.
Are you kidding? We had that for coughs all the time when we were kids! Back in the late 60’s-early 70’s! (Cough, cough! MOOOOOM I’m SICK!!) I currently have a concoction of syrup made by infusing fennel, slippery elm, licorice, valerian, wild cherry bark, cinnamon, ginger and orange peel. Recipe comes from a herbal by my favorite wise woman Rosemary Gladstar. The Valerian smells like socks that had been worn for a month…pretty grim…..but it is a sedative and kinda melds with the other herbal so it’s not so bad. Also—sedative properties are great for when you are coughing at night.
That concoction is still one of the best I know. My parents and grandparents always used a similar mix be it whiskey or brandy but the lemon and honey were constant. I used to like getting a cough or cold. BTW that recipe does not require you drink it all at once, it is just what we do. Besides honey and lemon juice are good for so many things.
Hola Este blog podría no mejor mucho mejor
! Mirando post Me recuerda a mi compañero de cuarto anterior!
Él siempre mantuvo hablando esto. voy adelante
esta información para él. Bastante seguro él han una gran ver .
Muchas gracias por !
My grand parents used moon shine, rock candy, glycerin, lemon, honey, very small ammount of red pepper. They would shake the gar till the rock candy was dissolved, They w ould add moonshine to cover the ingredients.
I used peach moonshine from Kentucky helped my cough.
My aunt used to make a similar brew w/”Everclear”, if you can’t get ‘shine. Works like a charm.
For folks who may want to avoid alcohol:
A few years ago, I worked w/a native-Chinese woman whose Mom was a traditional herbalist. She gave me 2 “recipes” that work amazingly well, when I had cold/flu symptoms that were not life-threatening, but I was at the point that I almost wished they were fatal FAST 🙁 .
Take 1 fresh pear, cut up the “meat” (not the core), about 1 inch of fresh ginger root, sliced, and about 1 cup of water. Boil about an hour, until pear is soft Add a tablespoon of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of honey. cook until dissolved. Strain and cool. A teaspoon of the “syrup” every couple hours is amazing for coughs.
Make a cup of plain ol’ green tea (grocery store green teabags work) and add about a nickel-size slice of fresh ginger root. Let it steep about 5 minutes and drink. (delicious, too). When you have the flu, this stuff can just about raise you from the dead.
Thanks For those two recipes. Since I quit drinking that might be my new go to.
My Mama use to make a pint or quart size jar of a homemade cough syrup recipe using Moonshine (White-Lighting) Rock Candy and Honey. She kept it in the refrigerator and gave us a shot anytime we needed it for coughing. I remember it being quite strong but effective and that is why I want to make some now for myself.
I have had a horrible, very deep cough so bad that I was not only wheezing, but gurgling in my chest for 5 days. Last night I was debating on going to the ER when my friend brought me some moonshine and made this exact recipe (the one with one tbs. of honey). I took 2 doubleshot doses before bed and I woke up this morning cured! I’m amazed at how well it works.
Glad it worked so well for you. Way better than an ER trip for sure
I’ve had bronchitis for almost 7 days now. Gonna try the moonshine honey recipe. I don’t have any lemons or lemon juice so…. gonna do without. Hope if has the same effect.
Any pine needles? You’d get the vitamin c boost that way