Al Saucier, a Gulf Coast writer who has researched the southern moonshine culture gave a presentation on Kiln Moonshine at the Margaret Reed Crosby Memorial Library Wednesday for members of the Picayune Historical Society.

Saucier’s family had made moonshine since Iberville founded the colony of Biloxi in 1699.

Saucier said moonshine is a type of whiskey that is clear as water and one of the oldest alcoholic drinks made in the South.

Saucier said that anything related to moonshine production in Mississippi continues to remain a secret.

“I’m here to present a 300 year national moonshine illusion,” Saucier said.

His website states that everything in Kiln involved large families, huge land-grant farms and the production of moonshine in secret wilderness locations.

Saucier said that in 1910, Kiln was given the distinction of being the “Moonshine Capital.”

The production of moonshine is said to have begun in Asia before being picked up in Europe.

In the South, the production of moonshine has been active for 125 years starting in the 1840s before being abruptly brought to an end in 1965, when helicopters were used to bust those producing the product in the wilderness.

Saucier said that when Kiln was the epicenter of moonshine production nationally, shipments involved over one million gallons. The production was in such large quantities that railroad shipments went as far as Chicago and New York from the 1880’s to the 1920’s.

For anyone interested in knowing more about moonshine production in the Kiln area, Saucier said he provides tours where people can learn about the secrets of wilderness moonshine production.

To learn more about the tour visit www.KILNMoonshineTours.com.