Pony Jug
In Appalachian and Southern speech, a "pony jug" is a small jug or bottle of whiskey - especially moonshine - typically pint-sized or smaller. It’s the mountain way of saying "a little jug" or "a nip’s worth."
Hillbilly Dude Says...
'Pony jug' is an old one - you'd only hear old timers use this one. Hillbilly Dude Says...
'Pony jug' is an old one - you'd only hear old timers use this one. Pronunciation
[POH-nee JUG]
Meaning & Usage
- A small jug of whiskey or moonshine (noun/dialect)
Mae:
That all you’re bringin’?
That all you’re bringin’?
Earl:
Yep - just a pony jug for the road.
Yep - just a pony jug for the road.- A personal-sized container (noun/dialect)
Mae:
He kept a pony jug in his lunch pail back in the day.
He kept a pony jug in his lunch pail back in the day.variations: pony bottle
★ A "pony jug" was the opposite of a gallon jug - handy to tuck under your arm or in a pocket. In old saloon slang, "pony" also meant a small beer or a small glass of liquor. ★
Origin and Etymology
From 19th-century American slang. "Pony" was already a nickname for small quantities (pony beer, pony shot). In Appalachian and Southern speech it became "pony jug" for a small moonshine container. Documented in regional newspapers, folk songs, and raid reports.
Usage Notes
Still remembered among older Southerners and in moonshine lore. Rarely used by younger speakers, but sometimes revived in craft distillery branding or antique jug collecting.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "pony jug." Often contrasted with "gallon jug" or "half-gallon jug."