Born in September of 1922, Lewis Clyde May knew from a very early age that life would not come easy.

 

Like a lot of southerners in the early 20th Century, Clyde relied on the fruit of his labor to build a life for himself. Some might say that he was nothing more than just another blue collar man living in rural America; however, he became more than that on April 6, 1943, the day he married Mary Cynthia Petty. On that day, he became a family man. 

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The two newlyweds did not get to enjoy very much time together before Clyde was shipped overseas to serve his country in WWII. He served in the Southwest Pacific Theatre as a squad leader with the 77th Infantry Division. He was injured in action on Ie Shima, Ryukyu Islands on April 13, 1945. He was later awarded the Purple Heart because of the sacrifices he made while fighting for his country.

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Clyde returned home to recover from his injuries and to begin his new life with Mary C. As they began to raise a family, Clyde wanted nothing more than provide the best possible life for his wife and children. It was in 1946 that he decided what he was going to do to fulfill his goal of providing that excellent life for his family even if it meant breaking the law.

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By no means was Clyde the first moonshiner in Bullock County, Alabama. He, like every other moonshiner, had to learn the trade in order to make the best possible product. The hard work ethic that was instilled in him at a very early age played a major role in him being able to master his craft so quickly; however, he never stopped figuring out ways to make his moonshine better than all his competitors. While he sold a majority of his product as strait moonshine, he also charred some of his product in oak barrels using dried green apples. This created a unique whiskey that was highly sought after by his customers.

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Clyde did eventually pay the price for moonshining and spent eight months in a federal penitentiary. Doing time did little to stop his ambitions. He knew that moonshing is what helped provide the life that he wanted his wife and children to have.

 

Clyde also continued making his famous craft for another reason. It is natural instinct for humans to want to do what they are good at. Knowing you are the best at something is quite the motivator. Still, Clyde did not boast in his accomplishments. Instead, he let his product do the talking for him.

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Clyde's death in January of 1990 brought great sadness to a countless number of people that he had an impact on. Fortunately, Clyde's legacy lives on today through his family members and his whiskey.

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Clyde May's Whiskey is the only Alabama Style Whiskey on the market, and in 2004 it was named the Official State Spirit of Alabama. You can quite literally taste the fruits of Clyde May's labor in his whiskey, and we can guarantee that there is no other whiskey quite like his.

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