Stillhouse

A stillhouse is a Southern and Appalachian term for a structure or shelter used to hide and operate a moonshine still, often tucked away in remote hollers or near creeks.

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #Moonshine

synonyms: shack, shed, shine cabin, moonshine shack

Hillbilly Dude Says...

There's still a 'smokehouse' on the old homeplace, but not a 'stillhouse.' We were more into pork than shine.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

There's still a 'smokehouse' on the old homeplace, but not a 'stillhouse.' We were more into pork than shine.

Pronunciation

[STILL-houss]
/ˈstɪlˌhaʊs/

Meaning & Usage

- Structure for operating a moonshine still

Harlan:

We’d haul the mash in after dark and leave it to work in the stillhouse.

Enid:

Was it that old plank thing back past the ridge?

variations: still house, still-house

★ The stillhouse was often disguised with brush or built deep in the woods to stay hidden from the law - or from nosy neighbors. ★

Origin and Etymology

The term dates back to at least the 19th century in the rural South and Appalachia. A "stillhouse" was any outbuilding - purpose-built or makeshift - where the distillation of liquor occurred, often illegally. It typically housed the still, mash barrels, firebox, and condenser coil. These sites were kept hidden due to anti-distilling laws and were part of a broader tradition of homemade spirits in isolated regions.

Usage Notes

Though the term still appears in storytelling and moonshine tourism, it’s largely fallen out of everyday use. "Stillhouse" may now refer metaphorically to a place of secrecy or to moonshine nostalgia.

Found in historical accounts of mountain distilling.
Often built near water for cooling and mash mixing.
Sometimes passed down through families as secret locations.
Now also used as a brand or nostalgic reference in whiskey marketing.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Was a stillhouse always a full building?

Not always. Some were little more than lean-tos or dugouts with enough cover to hide the still from aerial view or foot patrols.

Why were they hidden in the woods?

To avoid detection by law enforcement. Prohibition laws - and later liquor taxes - made unlicensed distilling illegal.

Are stillhouses still used today?

Rarely in the illegal sense, but the term lives on in storytelling, reenactments, and even some modern distilleries that honor the name.

What was inside a stillhouse?

A still, mash barrels, sometimes a fire pit or boiler, cooling coils, and plenty of smoke, heat, and danger.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, December 3). Stillhouse. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/stillhouse
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Stillhouse." HillbillySlang.com, 3 Dec. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/stillhouse.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Stillhouse." HillbillySlang.com. December 3, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/stillhouse.