At the risk of going off topic (and kudos for citing the wurzels) but isnt it strange that moonshining like the US model has never taken off here? Ive not even read of anyone doing it during the war, when you would have assumed it would have gone through the roof. Strange thing that.
I think we got off lightly because bureaucracy was well prepared, with a memory of what happened in ww1. Somehow you just know it wouldnt work as well if it happened today.
I think that traditionally, Brits haven't been big spirits drinkers especially in rural communities who might be expected to give moonshining a go. Scotch and brandy have always been a bit of a toffs' drink and gin was more for people in the cities.
I also think that the Powers That Be did a really good job of getting the psychology right with rationing. Giving the King and Queen a ration book was a masterstroke and making sure that they only rationed things that they could always provide was a good idea too.
Going off topic a bit, I was reading some of the comments on that youtube video and there was a bloke on there who reckons he saw Adge performing at the national cider drinking championships in a field in Somerset some time in the 1960's. The winner ended up vomiting all over poor old Adge. I bet he was an absolute bloody legend down the pub for the rest of his days.