CULLMAN, Ala– Alabama Shine Co., a newly federally licensed moonshine distillery based off County Road 222 in Cullman donated its first jar of legally distilled moonshine on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, to the Cullman County Museum. The freshman “Blackberry” blend is the first legally distilled moonshine to be produced in Cullman County since before the state’s early prohibition era in 1915 as a result of the “bone dry” law, passed four years before the federal era of prohibition in 1919.
“Alabama Shine Co. started because we wanted to introduce a local product here in Cullman,” explained CEO Preston Prewett, a Hueytown native and alcohol aficionado. With years of consulting experience in the alcohol industry, he said, he wanted to bring a fresh take to the local watering holes after calling Cullman home for years.
“I’ve been a moonshiner my whole life – been around liquor, been a consultant in the industry for many years – but we just wanted to have a homegrown product for Cullman,” he smiled.
Prewett also shared an interesting fact about Alabama Shine Co.; being right across the street from the (wet) Good Hope city limits, they’re technically producing in a dry county – though, they have received all proper federal licensure to do so. Distributing, however, more red tape to cut through.
“We’re kind of an anomaly with that!” laughed Prewett. “We have our federal licensing, you know, it takes a long time to get through all that red tape. We’re currently working with the State to get on the shelves through the ABC Board.” He said the move will open doors to legal and wide distribution, including restaurants, tasting rooms and liquor stores.
On the heels of a growing trend of flavored shines, Alabama Shine Co. is starting strong with four distinct flavors, and more to come. “We starting with four flavors, and from there we expect to expand to anywhere from 12-15 within the first 18 months,” said Prewett.
Current flavors include “Black and Blue,” a blackberry and blueberry fusion; “Red Velvet Cake,” a sweet and decadent dessert flavor; “Hippie Juice,” with summery notes of coconut and watermelon; and “Lemon,” a basic citrusy flavor ideal for mixing cocktails.
Prewett and Alabama Shine Co. CFO Darryl Talley hinted at future combination possibilities like banana pudding, peach cobbler and even a few featuring one of Cullman’s biggest agricultural exports: sweet potatoes or strawberries.
Alabama Shine Co. hopes its product will be hitting the shelves by spring 2024. Prices are expected to range from $18-$30 per jar. Get more info at www.facebook.com/alshineco.
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