white mule
Clear homemade corn whiskey that kicks hard.
Also called moonshine, white lightning, corn liquor.
Updated September 24, 2026
white mule pronunciation
/WITE myool/
Meaning
White mule is moonshine, the colorless jar liquor cooked off a still. White because it never sat in a barrel. Mule because one swallow can kick. Kin to white lightning and corn liquor. Prohibition talk still hangs on it in Southern and Midland country.
How folks use it
- “He passed around a mason jar of white mule after the hunt.”
- “That white mule will drop you faster than store whiskey.”
Origin and etymology
American slang from the Prohibition years, chiefly Midland and Southern. White names the clear look of unaged corn whiskey. Mule names the kick. Same drink as moonshine and white lightning, just another barn-side name.
Frequently asked questions
Is white mule the same as white lightning?
Same idea. Both mean clear homemade whiskey. Different nicknames for the same kick.