Illegal Alabama Winery Uncovered - in a Sewage Plant

Ever hankered for a gulp of Alabama moonshine?

If so — and if you’re lucky enough to find it — you might wanna gather some info before the first swig.

Something key to know: where it was made.

Such seems to be a lesson from DeKalb County, nestled in the state’s northeast corner and nearly butted-up to the Georgia line.

As reported by The Roanoke Times, police recently received a tip that an illegal alcohol operation was taking place in the town of Rainsville, pop. 5,100.

And boy was it: Investigators uncovered what’s been described as a large, illegal winery.

Law enforcement photos from the bust-up show buckets, glass containers, a fermenting rack, and other gear used for making homemade haughty hooch.

According to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, a whole lot of illegal intoxicant was seized.

But perhaps the most stunning part of the raid was its whereabouts.

As it turns out, the malefactors were making Mommy’s Medicine at a most unusual locale.

Guzzling Guys and Gals, enjoy your adult beverage compliments of…the local sewage plant.

You, drooling into a $60 glass of pinot: bunky, now, Im a big stupid baby, why do you love alabama so much?

Me, ascendant: DeKalb County Sewage Winehttps://t.co/OtCaAnNrFA

— YakkoPilled & BasedCarp (@Bunky_Choner) December 19, 2020

The Associated Press notes the fermented fun-juice was being manufactured inside the Rainsville Waste Water Treatment Plant.

Deeee-lish!

And since the discovery, cops have made an arrest:

[O]fficers…arrested Allen Maurice Stiefel, 62, of Fyffe. He faces a felony charge of use of official position for personal gain and a misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of an illegally manufactured alcoholic beverage.

Per the sheriff’s office, Allen is the plant’s chief of operations.

He’s currently on suspension without pay.

Huntsville’s ABC 31 relays that “multiple local and state agencies” are still investigating.

Meanwhile, at a Friday night press conference, Mayor Rodger Lingerfelt seemed to brush off the crappy story of an apparently-longtime operation cranking out fermented festivity from the bowels of a poop plant:

“Things happen like that, and it’s something where you can’t protect every little things. We try, but you can’t stop every little thing that goes on.”

Sheriff Nick Welden expressed gratitude to Rodger:

“I want to thank the mayor for his cooperation and willingness to allow law enforcement to do our job and shut something like this down. This is definitely one of the biggest operations we’ve seen in our county and possibly our state. A big thanks to the public and their tips against all illegal activities.”

So back to my opening, if you’re in Alabama and get your hands on some homemade wine, beware: That shimmering Chardonnay…could be Shartonnay.

[Language Warning]