North Georgia Moonshine and Craft Distilleries
From backwoods stills to tasting rooms you can visit within an hour of Helen
The short answer
Moonshine and the Georgia mountains go way back. The story runs through Scots-Irish farmers, a tax fight with the federal government, Prohibition, and the fast cars that became NASCAR. Today the legal version is made in craft distilleries, a few of which are an easy drive from Helen. The history below comes from the New Georgia Encyclopedia.
How moonshine took hold
From practical economics to outlaw trade
Georgians started making moonshine in the late 1700s, and the Scots-Irish settlers from Ulster are credited with bringing the know-how. In the mountains, roads were poor, so it made sense to turn corn into whiskey before taking it to market: a jug is lighter and worth more than a bushel of grain. For a long time, distilling was a respectable way for small farmers to bring in cash.
That changed with federal liquor taxes after the Civil War. Making the whiskey wasn't the crime; dodging the tax was, and people who ran their stills at night to avoid it became known as moonshiners. Clashes with revenuers turned violent in north Georgia, and the Ku Klux Klan sided with moonshiners against federal enforcement in the early 1870s. By 1900 public opinion had shifted, helped by the temperance movement.
Timeline
Key dates in Georgia's moonshine story
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Late 1700s | Georgians begin making moonshine; Scots-Irish settlers bring the practice |
| After the Civil War | Congress sets up federal liquor taxes; farmers who refuse to pay become moonshiners |
| Early 1870s | Conflict with federal revenuers turns violent in north Georgia |
| 1876 | Historian Wilbur Miller estimates four-fifths of federal law enforcement in the Georgia mountains involved illegal liquor |
| 1880s to 1900 | The temperance movement shifts public opinion against moonshining |
| 1907 | Georgia passes prohibition |
| 1920 | Federal Prohibition begins under the Volstead Act, raising demand for moonshine |
| 1930s and 1940s | High-speed chases between moonshiners and revenuers in counties like Dawson and Union help give rise to stock car racing |
Prohibition and stock car racing
Prohibition turned a fading mountain craft into a big business. Organized crime moved in, and the mountains supplied the cities. Drivers known as trippers hauled liquor down winding roads in souped-up cars, often 1940 Fords, built to outrun revenuers, and those chases are where the sport that became NASCAR is traced to. If that story interests you, Dawsonville, home to Grandaddy Mimm's second location, is a good stop.
Distilleries you can visit
Drive times are from downtown Helen
| Distillery | Where | Hours | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grandaddy Mimm's, The Co-op | 112 Wellborn St, Blairsville (about 50 minutes) | Mon to Thu 11 to 6; Fri and Sat 11 to 8; closed Sunday | Phone 706-781-1829. Moonshine flavors, vodka, barrel-aged whiskey; tours and tastings recommended |
| Grandaddy Mimm's, The Garage | 415 Hwy 53 E, Suite 130, Dawsonville (about an hour) | Wed and Thu 3 to 9; Fri and Sat noon to 10; Sun 1 to 7 | Same phone, 706-781-1829 |
| Moonrise Distillery | 31 Webb Rd, Clayton (about 55 minutes) | Mon to Thu 11 to 7; Fri and Sat 11 to 9; Sun 1 to 6 | Double-distilled bourbon, rye, gin and vodka; tours, tastings and a 1920s-themed speakeasy bar. Phone 844-994-4759 |
| Big Creek Distilling Co. | Dahlonega (about 40 minutes) | See bigcreekdistilling.com | Family-owned; bourbon, gin and other spirits; tasting room and tours |
Hours are from Grandaddy Mimm's, Moonrise and Big Creek, and can change. In town, R.M. Rose and Company Distillers is at 8160 S Main St. See our North Georgia distilleries guide for more.
Combine it with
Dahlonega is the easiest pairing: gold-rush history, the town square and Big Creek in one trip. Clayton adds a Moonrise visit to the Rabun County side of the mountains. If you'd rather stay close to Helen, try the wineries near town.
Moonshine questions
Is there a distillery in Helen?
R.M. Rose and Company Distillers is on S Main Street in Helen (listed by the Helen CVB). The larger moonshine distilleries on this page are 40 minutes to an hour away.
Do the distilleries offer tours?
Grandaddy Mimm's, Moonrise and Big Creek all list tours and tastings. Call or check their sites for times.
Did moonshine really lead to NASCAR?
That's the usual story. The New Georgia Encyclopedia says chases in counties such as Dawson and Union produced the modified cars that grew into stock car racing.
Can I drive back after a tasting?
Plan on a designated driver. Tastings are small, but the drive home from Clayton or Blairsville is 50 minutes or more.
Related Imagery from Around Helen
