One of the many artifacts found in the basement of the old library. (Photo by J. Beam)
Workers preparing the old library for temporary occupancy by Town Hall employees were surprised this week to discover an operating still for making corn whiskey in the building’s utility room. The discovery was prompted in part by a recent 10,000-gallon-a-day leak in the town center water system. The break was thought to be nearby, and an analysis of water use in the area showed the old library to be a big user, even though it’s been closed to the public for many months.
The still was nicely plumbed into the building’s water system and clearly had seen recent use.
According to a local whiskey expert—and fan of the “Moonshiners” on cable TV—all it takes to make corn whiskey is corn mash, lots of sugar, water, and yeast. “Anyone can make a still,” he said. “I’ve thought of doing it myself.” You also need a gas burner, which the old library has.
Building the still right in the center of town was a stroke of genius, this expert said: “Moonshiners tend to work in secluded spots deep in the woods, but what could be more out-of-sight than a closed library’s utility room?”
Town officials still haven’t decided what to do with the still. On TV and in the movies, revenuers come in and destroy a still with axes and explosives. But a hastily formed Old Library Distillery (OLD) study committee concluded that it’s not a good option in the library basement. The three-member committee quickly agreed that the full bottles of Harvard-quality white lightning found in the basement should be taken to a secure location—three secure locations, actually. Meanwhile, police have asked anyone with information about the still to step forward, if they can do so in a straight line.
