Start with the highest quality fresh cherries you can find, choosing fruit that's deep red or dark burgundy and yields slightly to pressure when squeezed. Rinse them thoroughly under cool running water and pat them completely dry with clean paper towels.

Use a cherry pitter or small paring knife to remove the pit from each cherry, working over a bowl to catch any juice that escapes. Halve each pitted cherry to increase surface area.

Add half of your pitted cherries to the bottom of your clean glass jar. Sprinkle one cup of sugar evenly over the cherries, then add the remaining cherries, followed by the second cup of sugar, creating distinct layers.

Slowly pour your high-proof alcohol over the sugar and cherry layers, filling the jar to about one inch below the rim.

Measure one cup of cool water and add it to the jar, stirring gently with a wooden spoon to help dissolve the sugar. Pour in the vanilla extract and fresh lemon juice, stirring once more to combine all ingredients evenly.

Screw the lid tight onto your jar and place it in a cool, dark location away from direct sunlight. Label the jar with the date.

Every seven days for the first month, gently shake the sealed jar for about thirty seconds to redistribute the cherry solids and sugar settling at the bottom.

At the four-week mark, open the jar and taste a tiny sample to gauge the cherry flavor intensity. If you love the flavor, proceed to straining; if you want deeper cherry notes, seal it again and wait another week or two.

Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour the moonshine through, letting gravity do the work and catching all cherry solids. For crystal-clear results, pour the strained liquid through a coffee filter.

Pour your filtered cherry moonshine into clean glass bottles with tight-fitting lids, leaving about a quarter inch of space at the top. Store the sealed bottles in a cool, dark place for at least one week before drinking.