National symbols of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland with Jameson Irish Whiskey and Tullamore Dew the main whiskey brands. Poitín, made from potatoes and with an alcohol content of up to 90% ABV, is the traditional Irish moonshine, brewed illegally since 1661, when a duty was placed on whiskey and other spirits were made illegal. According to one guidebook, ""If you see a product labelled "poteen" in an airport or a bar, it's simply a white duty-paid Irish schnapps. By definition, poteen is illegal and can't be sold."" Stout, a dark beer made using roasted oats or barley, is the national beer, with Guinness heavily promoted as a
Whiskey Hill death, a still and a still were listed, as were a wheat fan, oats, barrels, funnels and of barley. All of these items were essential in the making of beer, ale, and whiskey. In the early 19th century, the two most important cash crops going from the Piedmont to Tidewater were wheat flour and whiskey. Because food storage was always an issue for people of this time, any surpluses could be converted to whiskey and then used as currency. The operation on the hill overlooking the Catoctin was well sited for distilling spirits and sending them to market via Catoctin