mountain dew

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "mountain dew" originally meant homemade moonshine or illicit whiskey. Long before the soda, it was a colorful nickname for corn liquor brewed in the hills.

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Hillbilly Dude Says...

You'll hear moonshine described as all kinds of things around here, including 'mountain dew'

Pronunciation

[MOUNT-in DOO]

Meaning & Usage

- Homemade whiskey or moonshine (noun/dialect)

Mae:

What’s in that jug?

Earl:

A little mountain dew - smooth as silk.

- Brand name soft drink (noun/modern)

Mae:

You want a soda?

Earl:

Yeah, grab me a Mountain Dew.

other spellings: moonshine

★ The soda company borrowed "Mountain Dew" as a nod to moonshine culture. In older Appalachian talk it always meant whiskey, never soda. ★

Origin

From 19th-century Scottish and Irish ballads using "mountain dew" as a poetic term for illicit whiskey. Adopted in the Appalachian Mountains to mean local moonshine. The soft drink trademark "Mountain Dew" appeared in the 1940s in Tennessee, originally marketed as a mixer for whiskey.

Notes

Still widely recognized in the South/Appalachia as a moonshine nickname among older generations. Younger folks mostly think of the soda, but the original meaning lives on in folk songs, jokes, and local lore.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "mountain dew." In older speech, often drawn out: "mountain doo."

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Did "Mountain Dew" mean moonshine first?

Yes - the soda name came later, borrowing the moonshine term.

Do people still use it that way?

Older Southerners and moonshine enthusiasts still do, though younger folks mostly associate it with the drink brand.

Is it only Southern?

Strongest in Appalachia and the rural South but known elsewhere through music and pop culture.