About Midnight Moon Moonshine

Midnight Moon Moonshine was inspired by Junior Johnson, one of the inaugural inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, who honed his driving skills running moonshine for his family. His ancestors were some of the first to make ‘shine in Appalachia.  Years later, the Johnson family kept on with the tradition of making moonshine in order to survive. 

Joe Michalek, a native New Yorker who moved to North Carolina in 1995, developed a quick passion for moonshine after his first sip. In 2005, Michalek founded Piedmont Distillers, North Carolina’s first legal distillery since Prohibition, and spent the next ten years or so innovating unique, finely crafted, all-natural spirits. In May of 2007, Junior Johnson became part owner of Piedmont Distillers, and shortly there after Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon was introduced.  It is based on the Johnson family’s generation-old moonshine recipe. It is born in a copper still, made from corn, crafted in small batches, and triple distilled. No colors, additives, preservatives or artificial sweeteners or flavors are added to the Midnight Moon fruit infused Moonshine.

Junior Johnson is the stuff of legends. He truly became a legend following a March 1, 1965 article by Tom Wolfe in Esquire Magazine entitle “The Last American Hero is Junior Johnson. Yes!” The revenuers could never catch him in his cars, but early in his racing career, Junior was caught at the family still. He served 11 months and returned to racing where he ultimately won 50 races. Many years later, President Ronald Reagan granted a pardon to Junior – restoring his civil right and reinforcing his legacy. The legacy lives on in all the Midnight Moon Moonshine offerings.