Moonshiners (2011–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Point of No Return - full transcript
As Moonshiner Tim prepares to run this season's first batch of 'shine, he is feeling paranoid that ABC Agents are waiting around every corner. Meanwhile, in his effort to bust a still site, Special Agent Jesse puts new tactics int...
Narrator: hidden deep within
The hollows of a forgotten
Corner of America...
A battle is raging.
This is probably the most
Paranoid time it is.
Narrator: it's moonshine
Season.
It's a season lived under the
Gun.
We in the hunt.
We're gonna stay in the hunt.
We've been in the hunt for a
Long time.
Only takes one mistake.
One mistake, and you messed up.
Narrator: the next three
Months can mean over 100 grand,
Tax free.
If you really love your
Country, you're gonna have to
Love moonshine.
Narrator: the season's under
Way.
Tonight, one moonshiner fires
Up a sacred rite few ever see.
Once you put the fire under
That mash, we really don't want
Any interruptions.
Narrator: one lawman makes
His first big move.
We got two undercover agents
Getting ready to go into a nip
Joint.
So the potential for violence is
Very high.
Narrator: with only a short
Window of opportunity to produce
Moonshine...
We got to hurry up and get to
Making something here.
I don't know.
Everybody wants some damn
Liquor.
Narrator: ...Tim must stay
One step ahead of the law.
I do see a track right there.
And that's not my boot.
Once they start to fire this
Baby up, then they're committed
Then.
They're gonna see it through.
[ beeping ]
[ alarm blaring ]
I got an emergency.
I'm gonna have to go.
Fire!
Moonshine is a part of our
History.
It exists, but it doesn't,
Almost like a myth.
Bootlegging is more risky
Now.
All right.
You're gonna win, or you're
Gonna lose.
Cop.
Change vehicles and change
Tags.
That's what you got to do.
[ siren wails ]
It's the end of the season.
Money's running out.
We got to do something to make
Some more.
Every day, it's like I'm
Getting deeper.
Trying to get out of the getting
Deep.
This is how we make the
Moonshine.
[ laughs ]
Narrator: it's two weeks into
Moonshine season in the heart of
Appalachia.
Tim is a third-generation
Moonshiner.
My name is Tim.
Through my dad and through the
Family, I kind of grew up around
Moonshining all my life.
It's just a normal thing,
Growing up in this part of the
Country.
Narrator: Tim’s partner,
Tickle, and his son, j.T., are
On the move.
After finding a perfect site,
They set up shop deep in the
Mountains.
Yeah, that's good water.
That's gonna make some good
Liquor right there.
We got a lot of cover.
The bank is covered up
Pretty good.
It's pretty thick.
[ airplane whirring ]
Airplane.
I hear it. I don't see it.
[ whirring continues ]
You get caught, you know,
You're going to jail.
You'll probably lose your house,
And then, you know, the old lady
Gonna leave you.
Ultimately, we are the ones
Taking the risk for this.
There's just a whole lot at
Stake, you know?
[ birds chirping ]
Narrator: Tim presses on.
He'll soon fire up his still for
The first time -- a sacred rite
Among moonshiners.
Look at them ants.
I can't show you everything
About the mash process.
I may get into trouble with the
Law, maybe.
Moonshining is a special art.
It's something kind of hard to
Learn from reading a book.
It's kind of hard to learn on
The internet.
People talk about mixing
Different ingredients and this
And that, but you do need to
Know how to do it.
You can make a product that's
Very dangerous, and you could
Wind up killing someone.
Narrator: moonshine is made
Up of three main ingredients --
Water, corn, and sugar.
Once it's boiled in the pot, it
Becomes what 'shiners call mash.
When the mash cools, yeast is
Added, and the mash ferments.
We're gonna come back and
Check this a little later.
Narrator: now that the pot is
Full of mash, Tim needs to get
Propane gas to heat the still.
Across America, moonshine is a
$100 million-a-year industry,
Tax free.
Early on, the first settlers
Were free to shine.
That all changed in the 1790s
When George Washington decided
To tax whiskey to keep America
From going broke.
Americans rioted in what was
Called the whiskey rebellion,
But the liquor tax stuck.
The liquor tax continues today,
And moonshiners continue to
Rebel.
With moonshine season in full
Force, alcohol beverage control
Agent Jesse Tate has his work
Cut out for him.
The season runs from June to
October.
That's when corn, moonshine's
Main ingredient, is harvested.
It's also when the forest
Foliage is dense enough to cover
The still sites.
We're gonna head up here and
See if we can get us a little
Hiding spot to kind of see if
Some activity's coming in, maybe
See if somebody might be making
Some deliveries today.
Narrator: in his final season
As an ABC agent, jesse's
Predecessor caught nearly 200
Moonshiners.
Jesse is working hard to bag his
First takedown of the season.
You get that one break, that
One vehicle on the move that you
Know is hauling liquor or making
A move, all of those hours that
You've put into it, you know, is
Worth it.
Narrator: Jesse had to abort
His last surveillance.
His position may have been
Compromised by a moonshiner's
Dog.
[ dog barking ]
Let's pull back.
Narrator: Jesse is taking a
New approach.
He'll focus his efforts on the
Demand side of the moonshine
Supply chain, then work the
Links back to the still site.
What I'm gonna do is we'll go
Up here and we'll find us a
Little spot, kind of blend in a
Little bit, kind of see if
Anybody's bringing any product
Into town for a little while.
Narrator: jesse's first stop
Is a stash house.
That's where the fresh moonshine
Is dropped before it's
Transported to the next
Location.
Once they run it at the
Still, they'll put it in a stash
House, and they'll make
Deliveries down into town here.
So we'll sit out here and see if
Anybody's off moving today.
You know, there's no rhyme or
Reason to when they're moving.
So, you know, that's why it
Takes patience on a day like
Today just to kind of set up and
Kind of watch and see who's
Moving.
All right, we're going back
In to take the gas tanks in.
Narrator: propane is the fuel
Of choice for moonshining
Stills, but it's also a target.
Anyone seen buying large
Quantities of propane is a red
Flag for the law.
I like to put everything in
Place before you bring in the
Stuff they get you in trouble
With.
Narrator: a few days ago, Tim
Dropped off his empty propane
Tanks in the middle of the
Night.
Now they're full and ready to be
Picked up at a hidden spot.
And once we get to running,
We'll bring in some full gas
Tanks and empty jugs, vice
Versa.
So it takes a whole lot of
Traffic.
Most of the time, that's what
Gets you in trouble.
All right, we're gonna stop
Right here.
I got some gas tanks dropped off
Right here.
Narrator: while Tim’s moving,
Jesse's waiting.
He's staked out at a stash
House, ready for the first
Moonshiner of the season to drop
Off his shine.
We can find out who's making
Deliveries, and we work it
Backwards all the way back to
The still site and put him out
Of business, too.
That's just not stuff that you
Find out overnight, but the end
Results is you can completely
Shut down the whole criminal
Network.
It's a lot of hard work, but
It's well worth the investment.
Nothing happening here, so we're
Gonna head back to the station.
People can hear from a mile
Away in the woods in the
Country.
You can just listen and hear
Things.
Beating and banging and stuff
Like that happens.
There could be anyone out there
In these woods right now.
I just got a feeling somebody's
Out there watching.
Narrator: coming up...
Tim heightens security at his
Site.
Each day, we get closer and
Closer, that's where we get a
Little bit more jumpier.
Narrator: and popcorn fuels
His still, old school.
Flip it up.
Narrator: Tim and his son,
J.T., are picking up the filled
Tanks of propane that he'll need
To heat his still.
It's expensive, but for Tim,
It's essential.
It heats up quick and doesn't
Create smoke that could alert
The ABC.
[ breathing heavily ]
Somebody said they could set up
A still for $2,000.
If they set up a still on
$2,000, must be a
Popcorn Sutton still.
You may set up a popcorn Sutton
For $2,000, but you won't set
This one up.
That's $1,000 worth of gas right
There.
It ain't cheap.
Narrator: popcorn Sutton was
One of the most notorious
Moonshiners that has ever lived.
Popcorn didn't use propane to
Heat his still.
Wood-burning stills are cheaper
To make but take much more time
To build.
Propane-burning stills are
Preferred by the modern-day
Moonshiner.
Hey, everything is going up.
Copper's going up.
Sugar's going up.
Sugar $30 a day, 50-pound bag.
That means liquor's going up,
Too.
Everything's going up.
Narrator: with the final
Pieces of the still in place,
Tim is primed to brew his first
Batch of moonshine.
Across the county to the south,
Jesse's heading to a large
Warehouse that supplies another
Key moonshine ingredient --
Sugar.
Tonight, I've got several
Warehouses where the violators
Have been have going to get
Supplies.
What we're particularly looking
For is transactions of large
Amounts of sugar.
Narrator: Jesse was tipped
Off that large amounts of sugar
Are being moved after hours.
Of course, it takes a large
Amount of sugar to run an
Illegal whiskey outfit.
You know, these guys out here --
They're not loading these vans
Up at this time of night to go
Home, make coffee or tea in the
Morning.
They've got somebody on the
Inside most of the time.
They'll meet after dark, or
They'll meet after the close of
Business.
A little cash, a transaction
Will take place.
They'll load the supplies, and
Everybody's going on their merry
Way.
On this particular
Investigation, this particular
Violator, this has been going on
Coming up on a year.
They got to have sugar.
They got to have propane.
They got to have water.
Narrator: the moonshiners are
A no-show.
Some nights, you get that
Lucky break, and some nights,
You don't get it.
Tonight, we just didn't get it,
And that's just part of the job.
That's just part of the game.
So, we'll be back to fight
Another night, stay in the hunt.
Narrator: but jesse's got one
More trick up his sleeve.
Coming up...
Jesse's informant drops a
Bombshell.
And things get serious with Tim.
You're not coming around once
You let that many rounds off.
Narrator: for many people in
Appalachia, distilling moonshine
Has always been a way of turning
Surplus corn into cash.
By 1939 in Franklin county,
Virginia, an estimated 99% of
The residents were involved in
Moonshining.
[ birds chirping ]
Right now is a key period.
Nothing's been done that can
Really get you in trouble.
We haven't really broken the law
Yet, so we're just working at
It.
As soon as we can get everything
In place, then we'll fire the
Thing up.
Narrator: the last thing Tim
Has to do before cranking up his
Still is secure the site.
Even if a hunter, somebody
Walks through the woods, if they
See a beaten-down path pretty
Good, they want to go down it,
See what's down the path.
We have to deal with that
Situation as it comes.
Hopefully, we'll know who it is
And they'll know us if it is
Someone hunting.
[ birds chirping ]
Most of the time, the guys come
In here, they don't know where
They're at.
They might've been given a GPS
Coordinate or something and come
In, and that's all they know,
You know?
Be around in here somewhere if I
Was an ABC agent.
See how that road is coming in
Right there, coming down.
And then look. See the truck?
You see the truck is sitting
Right there.
Can't really see the still site
Too good.
Get that little camera out of
The truck.
We're gonna figure out where
We're gonna put it.
Narrator: modern-day
Moonshiners use the latest
Technology to protect their
Assets.
Tim is using a hunter
Surveillance camera to alert him
To intruders.
We're gonna mount a camera so
We know when we are gone,
Somebody else comes in and looks
At it, we can get their picture
Just to let us know that, hey,
Someone is here.
Someone saw it.
I don't care who it is.
Maybe I won't get killed trying
To do this.
You have to look at this
Still site and take care of it
Like it's one of your own kids,
You know?
You don't want nothing happen to
It because it's making you
Money, and it costs us money to
Replace it if something breaks
Or anything.
It's taking my picture now.
See what it looks like here.
Each day, we get closer and
Closer, and when we're getting
Ready to cook it, then that's
When we get a little bit more
Jumpier, and then we got to take
A little bit more precaution.
I think it looks pretty good.
I got a phone call today from
One of my informants.
Been working with him.
He got some pretty good
Information he wants to relay to
Me today, and most of the time
When -- he's very reliable.
Narrator: jesse's informant,
Code named smoke, has a tip.
In the next couple of days,
There's gonna be a lot of
Moonshine moving across town,
Ending up in the nip joints.
Nip joints, also known as shot
Houses, are private residences
Where illegal alcohol is sold
And consumed.
You're very lucky.
A good police officer's got to
Have good informants.
[ speaking indistinctly ]
Hot out there.
Yes, it is.
Hey, got some good info?
They're gonna have it.
They're gonna be rolling.
Yeah.
Right.
It ain't bad at all.
Narrator: smoke drops a
Bombshell.
Someone may be mixing moonshine
With bleach.
It's potentially lethal.
I heard that. Is that true?
Why would they cut it with
Bleach?
Why wouldn't they just cut it
With water?
Give me a call back.
Right on.
Smoke, I'll be talking to
You, man.
Be careful, man.
Holler if you need something.
Right on.
One of my informants gave me
Some information that really
Concerns me.
I got information on the street
That a nip joint was selling
Liquor and the guy at the house
Was cutting their bootleg with
Clorox to make it go a little
Bit further.
They think it may actually taste
Like it's a lot more potent than
It actually is, and that bothers
Me, 'cause I don't want that
Stuff anywhere, let alone, you
Know, right here on top of me.
I don't see any difference than
Just pure out poisoning people.
Somebody could die.
Let's check this mash over
Here.
Narrator: mash takes five to
Seven days to ferment.
Once it's ready, it's important
To start distilling right away
Or the batch could be lost and
Thousands of dollars go down the
Drain.
This fermented mash -- we've
Already had this sitting about
Six days.
It's been so hot, it's a little
Bit hard for it to work.
But it's coming.
I think as soon as it cools down
Tonight, I believe it'll be
Ready.
Don't look worth a *bleep*
But it's pretty good.
Right now, it ain't too bad.
Once we start cooking, the aroma
Starts going out in the woods.
The more you cook, you more you
Got.
And we'll have all kinds of
Animals around here -- deer and
Raccoons and rabbits and ABC
Agents and everything else,
'cause they'll smell that stuff
For miles.
Narrator: one signal that
Will give away any moonshiner is
The sweet smell of corn coming
Off the mash.
The smell can drift for miles.
That's why they say, "They're
Cooking something down there."
Then it'll be time for us to go.
Be time for us to move on.
Narrator: in less than 24
Hours, the mash will be ready to
Distill.
Coming up...
Tim's distributor pours on the
Pressure.
We got to hurry up and get to
Making something here.
I know.
Everybody wants some damn
Liquor.
Narrator: and Jesse is one
Step closer to a big bust.
You know they're in there
With large amounts of money.
They're in there drinking.
Somebody in there I'm pretty
Confident has got a weapon on
Them.
[ birds chirping ]
Narrator: with the mash
Almost ready, Tim, tickle, and
J.T. Put the final touches on
The site.
[ engine whirring ]
Pump's got to work good.
The burner's got to work good.
If none of that works, then we
Got a bunch of mash and we can't
Do nothing with it.
Just get it clean right now so
We can put the cap on it.
Makes a good, tight seal.
Pressure goes under that and
Kind of pushes up a little bit.
And once we get it balling and
Bubbling, we got to have it
Sealed so steam won't come out.
Once you done cap it, then you
Can seal it.
And you just catch the vapor,
Which is about 175 degrees.
Kind of want everything level.
Need level and level and level,
You know?
Makes it flow a little bit
Better.
See, you got to know what you're
Doing.
I mean, you could get burned or
Scalded or something.
Next thing you know, your cap
Will come off.
Now, that's very dangerous.
Narrator: when Tim fires up
For the first time, he's walking
Into another potential disaster.
The most vulnerable part of the
Still is the cap, which is
Secured by a grooved seal.
If the seal isn't secure, the
Steam generated from the heat
Will create extreme pressure,
Causing the cap to explode.
Oh, yeah, that's gonna work
Fine now.
This filter is just a homemade
Filter.
Every once in a while, you may
Get some stuff that comes out at
The still.
Right now, we're just trying to
Get everything in position so
We'll be ready.
[ birds chirping ]
Narrator: with less than 12
Hours left before they fire up
The still, Tim gives his son one
Final test.
You remember all the pieces
Of the puzzle?
What do you call this part --
This part right here?
The pot.
Yeah, that's the pot.
What I have here is a model
Of an illegal whiskey still site
Would look like.
This is his cap that goes on the
Top of his pot.
The cap.
Put the cap on it like a lid,
Seal it up, build up the
Pressure.
When he cranks this thing up
To run it, you can hear it.
It sounds like a jet engine,
Just... [imitates whooshing]
And then the vapor comes over
To this thing here.
The thumper.
The thumper, yeah.
What the thumper does is it
Catches a lot of the big
Impurities that kind of just
Comes up through the still that
Doesn't turn into a vapor.
Call this the thumper because
When it builds up pressure, it
Goes tha-thump, tha-thump,
Tha-thump.
That's how you get that
Blip-blip, blip-blip, blip-blip.
Now, what is this?
It's the worm.
Yeah, that's the worm, and
This acts as a condenser.
This is the cold water.
Now, as the vapors come back
Over into here, of course the
Cooling box has the worm set
Inside of it, and it's filled
Full of water.
And the effect of this going
From hot to cold turns that
Vapor back to...
Liquid?
Yeah.
So, as we catch it and filter it
Here, then we put it in this
Tank here.
The proofing barrel?
Proofing barrel.
How about that? [ laughs ]
You know everything, all the
Steps.
[ laughs ]
We'll take all the alcohol out
Of here.
We'll put it all in the proofing
Barrel.
So it's kind of like
Consolidating the proof.
Mixing.
Yeah, it's blending and
Mixing it to get one proof.
And that's when the little
Tricks of their trade will come
In to proofing it.
The first run will probably be
About 110-proof liquor.
Sometimes they'll cut it with
Some water.
Generally, the end results will
Be about 85- to 88-proof liquor.
And then you jug it up.
If you do it all right, you
Should get about 10% of what
Mash you got.
From this 800-gallon pot, he
Could produce anywhere from 100
To 120 gallons per run.
A lot of work, but they can do
It.
Narrator: 120 gallons at $40
A gallon can mean close to
$5,000 on each run alone, tax
Free.
What do you think?
Lots of hard work.
Lots of hard work.
But it's also extremely
Dangerous.
There have been some pretty bad
Accidents because sometimes the
Propane tanks have fallen over,
Caused an explosion.
I was always taught by the old
Legends, you know, we're gonna
Have people lay hands on the bad
Guys.
We'll also have guys that stop
The flow.
It's very dangerous.
And we get to this part.
I think that's where you ought
To cut out 'cause this is, like,
The dangerous part.
So, this would probably not be a
Good time for you to be around,
You know?
So, tomorrow, I want to see you.
Narrator: it's the end of the
Road for j.T.
Tonight, Tim and tickle fire up
The still alone.
And once it's started, there's
No stopping until moonshine is
Flowing.
Once they go ahead and they
Start firing this baby up, they
Put the flame to it, that's
Distilling the spirits.
And then they're committed then.
They're gonna see it through.
Narrator: coming up...
We got two undercover agents
Getting ready to go into a nip
Joint.
Narrator: jesse's on the
Homestretch to a big bust...
It's a whole lot of
Responsibility on our part
Because their safety's in our
Hands.
[ beeping ]
Narrator: ...As a setback
Threatens Tim’s entire
Operation.
Hey, Steve?
I hope he gets back before
Light because, you know, we got
To get this still going.
Narrator: before they fire up
The still, Tim, tickle, and j.T.
Decide to blow off a little
Steam, southern style.
I got to show you this rifle
I got.
Hold onto that thing.
That's a nice firearm right
There.
You can never go wrong with
Something like that.
Look, made in Russia.
They're made in Russia.
At least it ain't made in
China.
Damn right.
Ready?
Yeah, let's see this.
How fast can you shoot it?
Yeah! Yeah!
Is it hot?
Yeah, they're hot.
Ready? You're gonna shoot it?
Yeah, I reckon I can hit that
Hood there.
All right.
[ laughs ]
Let's see what this hood
Looks like.
Well, I think we put some
Trouble in it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
There's a couple of holes in
That thing.
Look, it don't get a whole
Lot better, now does it?
Yeah, it just gets all good.
What do you think --
Moonshining with a machine gun?
Sounds like a dangerous
Person.
[ laughs ]
It boils down to this.
You're not coming around once
You let that many rounds off.
They'll be ducking.
Damn right you're ducking.
You'll be ducking.
You're ducking, and you're
Leaving.
You know what?
Terrorists ever come around, you
Know who the hell they got to
Worry about?
Moonshiners.
This is what this country was
Founded on was moonshine,
Actually.
That's where this country made
Its money.
[ ringtone plays ]
Somebody keeps calling me,
Man, I'll tell you.
Narrator: it's Tim’s
Distributor.
He's putting pressure on him to
Have 100 gallons of moonshine
Ready for pickup by tomorrow
Morning.
We got to hurry up and get to
Making something here.
I know.
Everybody wants some damn
Liquor.
Narrator: work resumes in
Four hours by the light of the
Moon.
50 miles to the north,
Lynchburg, Virginia.
Jesse catches a big break.
His informants have led ABC
Agents to an alleged nip joint.
Jesse preps for the big
Takedown.
Thank y'all for coming out
Tonight.
Going to 435 *bleep* street here
In the city of lynchburg.
Was able to get a couple of
Officers in there, make
Controlled buys.
The alcohol based off the c.I.S
Has been in the kitchen.
They've actually got a bar set
Up.
Tonight's objective -- we'll
Obtain a search warrant after
The c.I.S see the illegal
Activity taking place.
Narrator: two confidential
Informants, or c.I.S, will be
Wired and sent into the nip
Joint to purchase alcohol.
If the buy is successful, a
Judge can sign a warrant needed
For the bust.
C.I.S should be here in a
Little bit.
We'll get them wired up.
That's all I have right now.
10-4.
Sounds good.
[ cicadas chirping ]
Narrator: the big moment has
Finally arrived.
It's time to make moonshine.
I've got my running shoes on
Today.
Knew it was over here somewhere.
All right.
Tell what you I'm gonna do --
You hold tight right here.
I'm gonna go walk around and see
If anybody's close by.
That way, we interrupt them
Before they interrupt us.
You got your little
Walkie-talkie there?
Yeah.
I got you.
I'm gonna check the creek out.
Sometimes they like to surprise
You at the creek when you go put
The pump on.
Then you can't hear nothing.
Once you get that motor running,
You can't hear anything, and
They walk up on you.
See if we see any new tracks
Around here down in the creek.
Yeah, I do see a track right
There.
That's a boot track right there,
And it's not my boot.
It's not mine or Steve’s or
J.T.'s, and it looks like the
Heel was here.
That's the toe.
So they were going in that
Direction, away from the still
Site.
So maybe somebody came in, and
They're going away.
Sometimes they like to follow
The creek up.
That way, they know where
They're at.
It looks a little fresh, but
Then again, it's in the creek,
Too.
So there's a lot of moisture in
It right there.
Right now, in the dark, I can't
Really tell, but I can tell
Somebody's been through here
Before in between me.
You okay, Steve?
I did see a footprint down
Here at the creek, but it
Doesn't look too fresh.
Hopefully, something old or
Somebody just came by and didn't
Even notice what we got over
Here.
It's hid that good.
Yeah, I hope so.
I'll be out there in a few
Minutes.
I just want to check a few more
Things.
I noticed something else, so
Just hold tight.
Can't ever be too careful.
You can see that spider web.
It's still intact.
The spider's in the middle.
He hasn't moved.
So, if anything had been through
That way or came, it would've
Knocked that web down.
So nothing's disturbed.
Nothing's been that way.
Not even a deer has been through
Here.
So that's pretty good right
There.
That's a good sign.
[ beeping ]
[ alarm blaring ]
Hey, Steve?
Yeah.
I got an emergency.
I'm gonna have to go.
Hey, Steve?
I hope he gets back before
Light because, you know, we got
To get this still going.
[ siren wailing ]
[ fire truck beeping ]
[ indistinct radio chatter ]
False alarm.
I joined the fire department in
1999.
Get these coats off.
Kind of warm, ain't it?
Six years ago, I was elected as
Chief.
We got a call there was a
Structure fire, and I think it
Was just the smoke alarm went
Off, and it was just a false
Alarm.
But, hey, you just got to be
Ready.
You never know.
You get there, and the whole
House is on fire.
Does that ladder need to stay
Like it is, or do we need to lay
It down?
When I was 16 years old, my
House burned down Christmas
Night.
My mother and I were trapped in
The house, and it was a pretty
Tough situation.
I was scared of fire for a long
Time, but I always can remember
That a volunteer fireman came to
My house and was helping me in
The time of my need.
It stuck with me for a long
Time.
And there's no pay involved.
You know, there's no cash profit
Made here.
Sometimes it is kind of scary.
You get in some difficult
Situations.
You never know what you're gonna
Run in to.
It could be 2:00 in the morning.
I leave my wife and son at home,
And they don't know if I'm
Coming back or not.
So, let's go home and be ready
For next time.
All right, see you.
Narrator: what Tim’s fellow
Firefighters don't know is he's
Not going home.
Jesse and a team of ABC agents
Are preparing undercover
Informants for a controlled buy
Of illegal alcohol at a nip
Joint.
Yes, sir.
Narrator: Jesse and his team
Will stake out in a secluded
Area near the nip joint.
If the informants make a buy,
Jesse can get his warrant and
Make a bust.
This nip joint's known for
Illegal sale of alcohol.
Large amount of gambling has
Been going on.
It's a whole lot of
Responsibilities on our part
Because their safety, you know,
Is in our hands, and we take
That very seriously.
I worked a case one time, they
Sent an informant in.
They said, "You're working for
The police."
Take him in the back room and
Kill him.
When we got there, the c.I. Had
Jumped out of a window, and they
Were beating him in the yard.
That wasn't a good day.
We got our agents inside, so
Everything's good so far.
Sounds like it's a lot of people
In there tonight, too.
But he did buy one.
Now the undercover has done got
Approached by a prostitute.
They've gone in.
They've made contact.
They've bought liquor.
So now we're gonna come back
Out, debrief them, and we'll
Get a search warrant.
So, we good?
Yeah, we're good.
What's happening, man?
About 40 people inside. Okay.
Is that y'all coming across the
Bridge?
All right, just follow us back,
And we'll debrief back at the
Garage.
All right, good job, guys.
Thank you.
We got our agents out of the
House now.
You know they're in there with
Large amounts of money from
Gambling.
They're in there drinking.
Somebody in there I'm pretty
Confident has got a weapon on
Them.
So the potential for violence is
Very high.
It's just like a textbook nip
Joint.
We're good to go, and we're in
The process of going ahead and
Getting our search warrant.
Narrator: it's jesse's first
Big win.
With the search warrant in hand,
They can now go back and storm
The nip joint.
Now we're ready to take it to
The next level.
Steve?
Yeah.
Hey, you're still there now,
Right?
Yeah, I'm still down there.
I'm waiting on you.
Okay, I'm on my way down.
I had a false alarm at the fire
Department, so everything's
Okay.
All right, sounds good.
Come on down.
We'll get this thing cooking.
Narrator: the clock's
Ticking.
Tim's distributor is expecting
Him to have 100 gallons of
'shine ready for pickup by
Tomorrow.
To limit their risk, moonshiners
Want to truck their moonshine
Away from the site as soon as
It's ready.
This is probably the most
Paranoid time it is, is when you
First go in to start it up like
This because once you put the
Fire under that mash and we get
Rolling, we really don't want to
Stop, and we don't want any
Interruptions.
And that's kind of like the good
Time for guys to come in and
Look at you, see what you're
Doing.
That first point of lighting it
Up, we'll be looking around and
Checking things to see what...
Anything comes up on us.
Only takes one mistake.
One mistake, and you messed up.
All right, I'm gonna put a
Little fire under there and get
A little fire going, and then
We'll get the cap on.
All right, you unwrap that cap.
I'm gonna start the fire.
We got to make sure cap's tight.
Mash is fermented.
Propane is full.
Pump works good.
[ grunts ]
Everything is tight because once
We start, it ain't backing up.
Birds singing -- you can hear
Those birds singing.
That's a good sign.
'cause nothing's around.
If something comes through the
Woods, everything becomes quiet.
So as long as they're making
Noise, then that's a good sign.
Let's go to work.
Steve, you go over there and cut
My gas.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, you can see it coming up.
Hear popping, Steve.
Yeah.
Getting hot.
Trying to get it up to about 200
Degrees, anyway, then we'll see
How it starts working.
Won't be long.
She might be old, but she's
Still cooking.
Oh, yeah.
All right, looks good.
Put this in front.
We leave it there to block it so
They...
Can't see us.
And we'll let the heat roll up
The side, but we knock the light
Out.
We don't want that light coming
Out.
Biggest danger in moonshining is
Getting caught by the law.
I want to feed my family and
Take care of my family, but I
Don't want to do it from prison.
So you got to watch everything.
You know, you're looking behind
You, on top.
You're watching for airplanes.
You'll listen to anything that
Moves.
Got to be ready to run.
Oh, yeah.
Look at that right there --
Probably 162 already.
So that's getting good.
Says 100 right there now.
175, you'll have alcohol coming
Out.
Oh, yeah.
So, right now, we're just
Right here at the bottom.
We're 175 at the bottom, so as
Soon as it comes up and over,
We'll be ready.
We're fixing to make money.
Yeah, I hope so.
What's -- you hear that noise,
Steve?
Dogs hollering more and more.
I see the leaves are moving a
Little bit.
I can't really tell if someone's
Walking or if it's just the
Leaves moving.
Narrator: next time on
"Moonshiners"...
And that guy is gonna be
Coming in a little while, so we
Ain't got much time.
Narrator: ...The moonshine
Pipeline is in full effect.
If the ABC guys is out there
In the woods, when you get it
All jugged up and ready is when
They're waiting for you.
I'm getting edgy.
[ dog barks ]
Narrator: and the first
Moonshiners of the season are
Taken down.
Hands on your head!
Everybody, just chill out!
We picked up large amounts of
Liquor and a couple of weapons.
That's why it's a great, big
Public-safety issue.
You're getting ready to go to
Jail.
You just lay right there and be
Quiet.
The hollows of a forgotten
Corner of America...
A battle is raging.
This is probably the most
Paranoid time it is.
Narrator: it's moonshine
Season.
It's a season lived under the
Gun.
We in the hunt.
We're gonna stay in the hunt.
We've been in the hunt for a
Long time.
Only takes one mistake.
One mistake, and you messed up.
Narrator: the next three
Months can mean over 100 grand,
Tax free.
If you really love your
Country, you're gonna have to
Love moonshine.
Narrator: the season's under
Way.
Tonight, one moonshiner fires
Up a sacred rite few ever see.
Once you put the fire under
That mash, we really don't want
Any interruptions.
Narrator: one lawman makes
His first big move.
We got two undercover agents
Getting ready to go into a nip
Joint.
So the potential for violence is
Very high.
Narrator: with only a short
Window of opportunity to produce
Moonshine...
We got to hurry up and get to
Making something here.
I don't know.
Everybody wants some damn
Liquor.
Narrator: ...Tim must stay
One step ahead of the law.
I do see a track right there.
And that's not my boot.
Once they start to fire this
Baby up, then they're committed
Then.
They're gonna see it through.
[ beeping ]
[ alarm blaring ]
I got an emergency.
I'm gonna have to go.
Fire!
Moonshine is a part of our
History.
It exists, but it doesn't,
Almost like a myth.
Bootlegging is more risky
Now.
All right.
You're gonna win, or you're
Gonna lose.
Cop.
Change vehicles and change
Tags.
That's what you got to do.
[ siren wails ]
It's the end of the season.
Money's running out.
We got to do something to make
Some more.
Every day, it's like I'm
Getting deeper.
Trying to get out of the getting
Deep.
This is how we make the
Moonshine.
[ laughs ]
Narrator: it's two weeks into
Moonshine season in the heart of
Appalachia.
Tim is a third-generation
Moonshiner.
My name is Tim.
Through my dad and through the
Family, I kind of grew up around
Moonshining all my life.
It's just a normal thing,
Growing up in this part of the
Country.
Narrator: Tim’s partner,
Tickle, and his son, j.T., are
On the move.
After finding a perfect site,
They set up shop deep in the
Mountains.
Yeah, that's good water.
That's gonna make some good
Liquor right there.
We got a lot of cover.
The bank is covered up
Pretty good.
It's pretty thick.
[ airplane whirring ]
Airplane.
I hear it. I don't see it.
[ whirring continues ]
You get caught, you know,
You're going to jail.
You'll probably lose your house,
And then, you know, the old lady
Gonna leave you.
Ultimately, we are the ones
Taking the risk for this.
There's just a whole lot at
Stake, you know?
[ birds chirping ]
Narrator: Tim presses on.
He'll soon fire up his still for
The first time -- a sacred rite
Among moonshiners.
Look at them ants.
I can't show you everything
About the mash process.
I may get into trouble with the
Law, maybe.
Moonshining is a special art.
It's something kind of hard to
Learn from reading a book.
It's kind of hard to learn on
The internet.
People talk about mixing
Different ingredients and this
And that, but you do need to
Know how to do it.
You can make a product that's
Very dangerous, and you could
Wind up killing someone.
Narrator: moonshine is made
Up of three main ingredients --
Water, corn, and sugar.
Once it's boiled in the pot, it
Becomes what 'shiners call mash.
When the mash cools, yeast is
Added, and the mash ferments.
We're gonna come back and
Check this a little later.
Narrator: now that the pot is
Full of mash, Tim needs to get
Propane gas to heat the still.
Across America, moonshine is a
$100 million-a-year industry,
Tax free.
Early on, the first settlers
Were free to shine.
That all changed in the 1790s
When George Washington decided
To tax whiskey to keep America
From going broke.
Americans rioted in what was
Called the whiskey rebellion,
But the liquor tax stuck.
The liquor tax continues today,
And moonshiners continue to
Rebel.
With moonshine season in full
Force, alcohol beverage control
Agent Jesse Tate has his work
Cut out for him.
The season runs from June to
October.
That's when corn, moonshine's
Main ingredient, is harvested.
It's also when the forest
Foliage is dense enough to cover
The still sites.
We're gonna head up here and
See if we can get us a little
Hiding spot to kind of see if
Some activity's coming in, maybe
See if somebody might be making
Some deliveries today.
Narrator: in his final season
As an ABC agent, jesse's
Predecessor caught nearly 200
Moonshiners.
Jesse is working hard to bag his
First takedown of the season.
You get that one break, that
One vehicle on the move that you
Know is hauling liquor or making
A move, all of those hours that
You've put into it, you know, is
Worth it.
Narrator: Jesse had to abort
His last surveillance.
His position may have been
Compromised by a moonshiner's
Dog.
[ dog barking ]
Let's pull back.
Narrator: Jesse is taking a
New approach.
He'll focus his efforts on the
Demand side of the moonshine
Supply chain, then work the
Links back to the still site.
What I'm gonna do is we'll go
Up here and we'll find us a
Little spot, kind of blend in a
Little bit, kind of see if
Anybody's bringing any product
Into town for a little while.
Narrator: jesse's first stop
Is a stash house.
That's where the fresh moonshine
Is dropped before it's
Transported to the next
Location.
Once they run it at the
Still, they'll put it in a stash
House, and they'll make
Deliveries down into town here.
So we'll sit out here and see if
Anybody's off moving today.
You know, there's no rhyme or
Reason to when they're moving.
So, you know, that's why it
Takes patience on a day like
Today just to kind of set up and
Kind of watch and see who's
Moving.
All right, we're going back
In to take the gas tanks in.
Narrator: propane is the fuel
Of choice for moonshining
Stills, but it's also a target.
Anyone seen buying large
Quantities of propane is a red
Flag for the law.
I like to put everything in
Place before you bring in the
Stuff they get you in trouble
With.
Narrator: a few days ago, Tim
Dropped off his empty propane
Tanks in the middle of the
Night.
Now they're full and ready to be
Picked up at a hidden spot.
And once we get to running,
We'll bring in some full gas
Tanks and empty jugs, vice
Versa.
So it takes a whole lot of
Traffic.
Most of the time, that's what
Gets you in trouble.
All right, we're gonna stop
Right here.
I got some gas tanks dropped off
Right here.
Narrator: while Tim’s moving,
Jesse's waiting.
He's staked out at a stash
House, ready for the first
Moonshiner of the season to drop
Off his shine.
We can find out who's making
Deliveries, and we work it
Backwards all the way back to
The still site and put him out
Of business, too.
That's just not stuff that you
Find out overnight, but the end
Results is you can completely
Shut down the whole criminal
Network.
It's a lot of hard work, but
It's well worth the investment.
Nothing happening here, so we're
Gonna head back to the station.
People can hear from a mile
Away in the woods in the
Country.
You can just listen and hear
Things.
Beating and banging and stuff
Like that happens.
There could be anyone out there
In these woods right now.
I just got a feeling somebody's
Out there watching.
Narrator: coming up...
Tim heightens security at his
Site.
Each day, we get closer and
Closer, that's where we get a
Little bit more jumpier.
Narrator: and popcorn fuels
His still, old school.
Flip it up.
Narrator: Tim and his son,
J.T., are picking up the filled
Tanks of propane that he'll need
To heat his still.
It's expensive, but for Tim,
It's essential.
It heats up quick and doesn't
Create smoke that could alert
The ABC.
[ breathing heavily ]
Somebody said they could set up
A still for $2,000.
If they set up a still on
$2,000, must be a
Popcorn Sutton still.
You may set up a popcorn Sutton
For $2,000, but you won't set
This one up.
That's $1,000 worth of gas right
There.
It ain't cheap.
Narrator: popcorn Sutton was
One of the most notorious
Moonshiners that has ever lived.
Popcorn didn't use propane to
Heat his still.
Wood-burning stills are cheaper
To make but take much more time
To build.
Propane-burning stills are
Preferred by the modern-day
Moonshiner.
Hey, everything is going up.
Copper's going up.
Sugar's going up.
Sugar $30 a day, 50-pound bag.
That means liquor's going up,
Too.
Everything's going up.
Narrator: with the final
Pieces of the still in place,
Tim is primed to brew his first
Batch of moonshine.
Across the county to the south,
Jesse's heading to a large
Warehouse that supplies another
Key moonshine ingredient --
Sugar.
Tonight, I've got several
Warehouses where the violators
Have been have going to get
Supplies.
What we're particularly looking
For is transactions of large
Amounts of sugar.
Narrator: Jesse was tipped
Off that large amounts of sugar
Are being moved after hours.
Of course, it takes a large
Amount of sugar to run an
Illegal whiskey outfit.
You know, these guys out here --
They're not loading these vans
Up at this time of night to go
Home, make coffee or tea in the
Morning.
They've got somebody on the
Inside most of the time.
They'll meet after dark, or
They'll meet after the close of
Business.
A little cash, a transaction
Will take place.
They'll load the supplies, and
Everybody's going on their merry
Way.
On this particular
Investigation, this particular
Violator, this has been going on
Coming up on a year.
They got to have sugar.
They got to have propane.
They got to have water.
Narrator: the moonshiners are
A no-show.
Some nights, you get that
Lucky break, and some nights,
You don't get it.
Tonight, we just didn't get it,
And that's just part of the job.
That's just part of the game.
So, we'll be back to fight
Another night, stay in the hunt.
Narrator: but jesse's got one
More trick up his sleeve.
Coming up...
Jesse's informant drops a
Bombshell.
And things get serious with Tim.
You're not coming around once
You let that many rounds off.
Narrator: for many people in
Appalachia, distilling moonshine
Has always been a way of turning
Surplus corn into cash.
By 1939 in Franklin county,
Virginia, an estimated 99% of
The residents were involved in
Moonshining.
[ birds chirping ]
Right now is a key period.
Nothing's been done that can
Really get you in trouble.
We haven't really broken the law
Yet, so we're just working at
It.
As soon as we can get everything
In place, then we'll fire the
Thing up.
Narrator: the last thing Tim
Has to do before cranking up his
Still is secure the site.
Even if a hunter, somebody
Walks through the woods, if they
See a beaten-down path pretty
Good, they want to go down it,
See what's down the path.
We have to deal with that
Situation as it comes.
Hopefully, we'll know who it is
And they'll know us if it is
Someone hunting.
[ birds chirping ]
Most of the time, the guys come
In here, they don't know where
They're at.
They might've been given a GPS
Coordinate or something and come
In, and that's all they know,
You know?
Be around in here somewhere if I
Was an ABC agent.
See how that road is coming in
Right there, coming down.
And then look. See the truck?
You see the truck is sitting
Right there.
Can't really see the still site
Too good.
Get that little camera out of
The truck.
We're gonna figure out where
We're gonna put it.
Narrator: modern-day
Moonshiners use the latest
Technology to protect their
Assets.
Tim is using a hunter
Surveillance camera to alert him
To intruders.
We're gonna mount a camera so
We know when we are gone,
Somebody else comes in and looks
At it, we can get their picture
Just to let us know that, hey,
Someone is here.
Someone saw it.
I don't care who it is.
Maybe I won't get killed trying
To do this.
You have to look at this
Still site and take care of it
Like it's one of your own kids,
You know?
You don't want nothing happen to
It because it's making you
Money, and it costs us money to
Replace it if something breaks
Or anything.
It's taking my picture now.
See what it looks like here.
Each day, we get closer and
Closer, and when we're getting
Ready to cook it, then that's
When we get a little bit more
Jumpier, and then we got to take
A little bit more precaution.
I think it looks pretty good.
I got a phone call today from
One of my informants.
Been working with him.
He got some pretty good
Information he wants to relay to
Me today, and most of the time
When -- he's very reliable.
Narrator: jesse's informant,
Code named smoke, has a tip.
In the next couple of days,
There's gonna be a lot of
Moonshine moving across town,
Ending up in the nip joints.
Nip joints, also known as shot
Houses, are private residences
Where illegal alcohol is sold
And consumed.
You're very lucky.
A good police officer's got to
Have good informants.
[ speaking indistinctly ]
Hot out there.
Yes, it is.
Hey, got some good info?
They're gonna have it.
They're gonna be rolling.
Yeah.
Right.
It ain't bad at all.
Narrator: smoke drops a
Bombshell.
Someone may be mixing moonshine
With bleach.
It's potentially lethal.
I heard that. Is that true?
Why would they cut it with
Bleach?
Why wouldn't they just cut it
With water?
Give me a call back.
Right on.
Smoke, I'll be talking to
You, man.
Be careful, man.
Holler if you need something.
Right on.
One of my informants gave me
Some information that really
Concerns me.
I got information on the street
That a nip joint was selling
Liquor and the guy at the house
Was cutting their bootleg with
Clorox to make it go a little
Bit further.
They think it may actually taste
Like it's a lot more potent than
It actually is, and that bothers
Me, 'cause I don't want that
Stuff anywhere, let alone, you
Know, right here on top of me.
I don't see any difference than
Just pure out poisoning people.
Somebody could die.
Let's check this mash over
Here.
Narrator: mash takes five to
Seven days to ferment.
Once it's ready, it's important
To start distilling right away
Or the batch could be lost and
Thousands of dollars go down the
Drain.
This fermented mash -- we've
Already had this sitting about
Six days.
It's been so hot, it's a little
Bit hard for it to work.
But it's coming.
I think as soon as it cools down
Tonight, I believe it'll be
Ready.
Don't look worth a *bleep*
But it's pretty good.
Right now, it ain't too bad.
Once we start cooking, the aroma
Starts going out in the woods.
The more you cook, you more you
Got.
And we'll have all kinds of
Animals around here -- deer and
Raccoons and rabbits and ABC
Agents and everything else,
'cause they'll smell that stuff
For miles.
Narrator: one signal that
Will give away any moonshiner is
The sweet smell of corn coming
Off the mash.
The smell can drift for miles.
That's why they say, "They're
Cooking something down there."
Then it'll be time for us to go.
Be time for us to move on.
Narrator: in less than 24
Hours, the mash will be ready to
Distill.
Coming up...
Tim's distributor pours on the
Pressure.
We got to hurry up and get to
Making something here.
I know.
Everybody wants some damn
Liquor.
Narrator: and Jesse is one
Step closer to a big bust.
You know they're in there
With large amounts of money.
They're in there drinking.
Somebody in there I'm pretty
Confident has got a weapon on
Them.
[ birds chirping ]
Narrator: with the mash
Almost ready, Tim, tickle, and
J.T. Put the final touches on
The site.
[ engine whirring ]
Pump's got to work good.
The burner's got to work good.
If none of that works, then we
Got a bunch of mash and we can't
Do nothing with it.
Just get it clean right now so
We can put the cap on it.
Makes a good, tight seal.
Pressure goes under that and
Kind of pushes up a little bit.
And once we get it balling and
Bubbling, we got to have it
Sealed so steam won't come out.
Once you done cap it, then you
Can seal it.
And you just catch the vapor,
Which is about 175 degrees.
Kind of want everything level.
Need level and level and level,
You know?
Makes it flow a little bit
Better.
See, you got to know what you're
Doing.
I mean, you could get burned or
Scalded or something.
Next thing you know, your cap
Will come off.
Now, that's very dangerous.
Narrator: when Tim fires up
For the first time, he's walking
Into another potential disaster.
The most vulnerable part of the
Still is the cap, which is
Secured by a grooved seal.
If the seal isn't secure, the
Steam generated from the heat
Will create extreme pressure,
Causing the cap to explode.
Oh, yeah, that's gonna work
Fine now.
This filter is just a homemade
Filter.
Every once in a while, you may
Get some stuff that comes out at
The still.
Right now, we're just trying to
Get everything in position so
We'll be ready.
[ birds chirping ]
Narrator: with less than 12
Hours left before they fire up
The still, Tim gives his son one
Final test.
You remember all the pieces
Of the puzzle?
What do you call this part --
This part right here?
The pot.
Yeah, that's the pot.
What I have here is a model
Of an illegal whiskey still site
Would look like.
This is his cap that goes on the
Top of his pot.
The cap.
Put the cap on it like a lid,
Seal it up, build up the
Pressure.
When he cranks this thing up
To run it, you can hear it.
It sounds like a jet engine,
Just... [imitates whooshing]
And then the vapor comes over
To this thing here.
The thumper.
The thumper, yeah.
What the thumper does is it
Catches a lot of the big
Impurities that kind of just
Comes up through the still that
Doesn't turn into a vapor.
Call this the thumper because
When it builds up pressure, it
Goes tha-thump, tha-thump,
Tha-thump.
That's how you get that
Blip-blip, blip-blip, blip-blip.
Now, what is this?
It's the worm.
Yeah, that's the worm, and
This acts as a condenser.
This is the cold water.
Now, as the vapors come back
Over into here, of course the
Cooling box has the worm set
Inside of it, and it's filled
Full of water.
And the effect of this going
From hot to cold turns that
Vapor back to...
Liquid?
Yeah.
So, as we catch it and filter it
Here, then we put it in this
Tank here.
The proofing barrel?
Proofing barrel.
How about that? [ laughs ]
You know everything, all the
Steps.
[ laughs ]
We'll take all the alcohol out
Of here.
We'll put it all in the proofing
Barrel.
So it's kind of like
Consolidating the proof.
Mixing.
Yeah, it's blending and
Mixing it to get one proof.
And that's when the little
Tricks of their trade will come
In to proofing it.
The first run will probably be
About 110-proof liquor.
Sometimes they'll cut it with
Some water.
Generally, the end results will
Be about 85- to 88-proof liquor.
And then you jug it up.
If you do it all right, you
Should get about 10% of what
Mash you got.
From this 800-gallon pot, he
Could produce anywhere from 100
To 120 gallons per run.
A lot of work, but they can do
It.
Narrator: 120 gallons at $40
A gallon can mean close to
$5,000 on each run alone, tax
Free.
What do you think?
Lots of hard work.
Lots of hard work.
But it's also extremely
Dangerous.
There have been some pretty bad
Accidents because sometimes the
Propane tanks have fallen over,
Caused an explosion.
I was always taught by the old
Legends, you know, we're gonna
Have people lay hands on the bad
Guys.
We'll also have guys that stop
The flow.
It's very dangerous.
And we get to this part.
I think that's where you ought
To cut out 'cause this is, like,
The dangerous part.
So, this would probably not be a
Good time for you to be around,
You know?
So, tomorrow, I want to see you.
Narrator: it's the end of the
Road for j.T.
Tonight, Tim and tickle fire up
The still alone.
And once it's started, there's
No stopping until moonshine is
Flowing.
Once they go ahead and they
Start firing this baby up, they
Put the flame to it, that's
Distilling the spirits.
And then they're committed then.
They're gonna see it through.
Narrator: coming up...
We got two undercover agents
Getting ready to go into a nip
Joint.
Narrator: jesse's on the
Homestretch to a big bust...
It's a whole lot of
Responsibility on our part
Because their safety's in our
Hands.
[ beeping ]
Narrator: ...As a setback
Threatens Tim’s entire
Operation.
Hey, Steve?
I hope he gets back before
Light because, you know, we got
To get this still going.
Narrator: before they fire up
The still, Tim, tickle, and j.T.
Decide to blow off a little
Steam, southern style.
I got to show you this rifle
I got.
Hold onto that thing.
That's a nice firearm right
There.
You can never go wrong with
Something like that.
Look, made in Russia.
They're made in Russia.
At least it ain't made in
China.
Damn right.
Ready?
Yeah, let's see this.
How fast can you shoot it?
Yeah! Yeah!
Is it hot?
Yeah, they're hot.
Ready? You're gonna shoot it?
Yeah, I reckon I can hit that
Hood there.
All right.
[ laughs ]
Let's see what this hood
Looks like.
Well, I think we put some
Trouble in it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
There's a couple of holes in
That thing.
Look, it don't get a whole
Lot better, now does it?
Yeah, it just gets all good.
What do you think --
Moonshining with a machine gun?
Sounds like a dangerous
Person.
[ laughs ]
It boils down to this.
You're not coming around once
You let that many rounds off.
They'll be ducking.
Damn right you're ducking.
You'll be ducking.
You're ducking, and you're
Leaving.
You know what?
Terrorists ever come around, you
Know who the hell they got to
Worry about?
Moonshiners.
This is what this country was
Founded on was moonshine,
Actually.
That's where this country made
Its money.
[ ringtone plays ]
Somebody keeps calling me,
Man, I'll tell you.
Narrator: it's Tim’s
Distributor.
He's putting pressure on him to
Have 100 gallons of moonshine
Ready for pickup by tomorrow
Morning.
We got to hurry up and get to
Making something here.
I know.
Everybody wants some damn
Liquor.
Narrator: work resumes in
Four hours by the light of the
Moon.
50 miles to the north,
Lynchburg, Virginia.
Jesse catches a big break.
His informants have led ABC
Agents to an alleged nip joint.
Jesse preps for the big
Takedown.
Thank y'all for coming out
Tonight.
Going to 435 *bleep* street here
In the city of lynchburg.
Was able to get a couple of
Officers in there, make
Controlled buys.
The alcohol based off the c.I.S
Has been in the kitchen.
They've actually got a bar set
Up.
Tonight's objective -- we'll
Obtain a search warrant after
The c.I.S see the illegal
Activity taking place.
Narrator: two confidential
Informants, or c.I.S, will be
Wired and sent into the nip
Joint to purchase alcohol.
If the buy is successful, a
Judge can sign a warrant needed
For the bust.
C.I.S should be here in a
Little bit.
We'll get them wired up.
That's all I have right now.
10-4.
Sounds good.
[ cicadas chirping ]
Narrator: the big moment has
Finally arrived.
It's time to make moonshine.
I've got my running shoes on
Today.
Knew it was over here somewhere.
All right.
Tell what you I'm gonna do --
You hold tight right here.
I'm gonna go walk around and see
If anybody's close by.
That way, we interrupt them
Before they interrupt us.
You got your little
Walkie-talkie there?
Yeah.
I got you.
I'm gonna check the creek out.
Sometimes they like to surprise
You at the creek when you go put
The pump on.
Then you can't hear nothing.
Once you get that motor running,
You can't hear anything, and
They walk up on you.
See if we see any new tracks
Around here down in the creek.
Yeah, I do see a track right
There.
That's a boot track right there,
And it's not my boot.
It's not mine or Steve’s or
J.T.'s, and it looks like the
Heel was here.
That's the toe.
So they were going in that
Direction, away from the still
Site.
So maybe somebody came in, and
They're going away.
Sometimes they like to follow
The creek up.
That way, they know where
They're at.
It looks a little fresh, but
Then again, it's in the creek,
Too.
So there's a lot of moisture in
It right there.
Right now, in the dark, I can't
Really tell, but I can tell
Somebody's been through here
Before in between me.
You okay, Steve?
I did see a footprint down
Here at the creek, but it
Doesn't look too fresh.
Hopefully, something old or
Somebody just came by and didn't
Even notice what we got over
Here.
It's hid that good.
Yeah, I hope so.
I'll be out there in a few
Minutes.
I just want to check a few more
Things.
I noticed something else, so
Just hold tight.
Can't ever be too careful.
You can see that spider web.
It's still intact.
The spider's in the middle.
He hasn't moved.
So, if anything had been through
That way or came, it would've
Knocked that web down.
So nothing's disturbed.
Nothing's been that way.
Not even a deer has been through
Here.
So that's pretty good right
There.
That's a good sign.
[ beeping ]
[ alarm blaring ]
Hey, Steve?
Yeah.
I got an emergency.
I'm gonna have to go.
Hey, Steve?
I hope he gets back before
Light because, you know, we got
To get this still going.
[ siren wailing ]
[ fire truck beeping ]
[ indistinct radio chatter ]
False alarm.
I joined the fire department in
1999.
Get these coats off.
Kind of warm, ain't it?
Six years ago, I was elected as
Chief.
We got a call there was a
Structure fire, and I think it
Was just the smoke alarm went
Off, and it was just a false
Alarm.
But, hey, you just got to be
Ready.
You never know.
You get there, and the whole
House is on fire.
Does that ladder need to stay
Like it is, or do we need to lay
It down?
When I was 16 years old, my
House burned down Christmas
Night.
My mother and I were trapped in
The house, and it was a pretty
Tough situation.
I was scared of fire for a long
Time, but I always can remember
That a volunteer fireman came to
My house and was helping me in
The time of my need.
It stuck with me for a long
Time.
And there's no pay involved.
You know, there's no cash profit
Made here.
Sometimes it is kind of scary.
You get in some difficult
Situations.
You never know what you're gonna
Run in to.
It could be 2:00 in the morning.
I leave my wife and son at home,
And they don't know if I'm
Coming back or not.
So, let's go home and be ready
For next time.
All right, see you.
Narrator: what Tim’s fellow
Firefighters don't know is he's
Not going home.
Jesse and a team of ABC agents
Are preparing undercover
Informants for a controlled buy
Of illegal alcohol at a nip
Joint.
Yes, sir.
Narrator: Jesse and his team
Will stake out in a secluded
Area near the nip joint.
If the informants make a buy,
Jesse can get his warrant and
Make a bust.
This nip joint's known for
Illegal sale of alcohol.
Large amount of gambling has
Been going on.
It's a whole lot of
Responsibilities on our part
Because their safety, you know,
Is in our hands, and we take
That very seriously.
I worked a case one time, they
Sent an informant in.
They said, "You're working for
The police."
Take him in the back room and
Kill him.
When we got there, the c.I. Had
Jumped out of a window, and they
Were beating him in the yard.
That wasn't a good day.
We got our agents inside, so
Everything's good so far.
Sounds like it's a lot of people
In there tonight, too.
But he did buy one.
Now the undercover has done got
Approached by a prostitute.
They've gone in.
They've made contact.
They've bought liquor.
So now we're gonna come back
Out, debrief them, and we'll
Get a search warrant.
So, we good?
Yeah, we're good.
What's happening, man?
About 40 people inside. Okay.
Is that y'all coming across the
Bridge?
All right, just follow us back,
And we'll debrief back at the
Garage.
All right, good job, guys.
Thank you.
We got our agents out of the
House now.
You know they're in there with
Large amounts of money from
Gambling.
They're in there drinking.
Somebody in there I'm pretty
Confident has got a weapon on
Them.
So the potential for violence is
Very high.
It's just like a textbook nip
Joint.
We're good to go, and we're in
The process of going ahead and
Getting our search warrant.
Narrator: it's jesse's first
Big win.
With the search warrant in hand,
They can now go back and storm
The nip joint.
Now we're ready to take it to
The next level.
Steve?
Yeah.
Hey, you're still there now,
Right?
Yeah, I'm still down there.
I'm waiting on you.
Okay, I'm on my way down.
I had a false alarm at the fire
Department, so everything's
Okay.
All right, sounds good.
Come on down.
We'll get this thing cooking.
Narrator: the clock's
Ticking.
Tim's distributor is expecting
Him to have 100 gallons of
'shine ready for pickup by
Tomorrow.
To limit their risk, moonshiners
Want to truck their moonshine
Away from the site as soon as
It's ready.
This is probably the most
Paranoid time it is, is when you
First go in to start it up like
This because once you put the
Fire under that mash and we get
Rolling, we really don't want to
Stop, and we don't want any
Interruptions.
And that's kind of like the good
Time for guys to come in and
Look at you, see what you're
Doing.
That first point of lighting it
Up, we'll be looking around and
Checking things to see what...
Anything comes up on us.
Only takes one mistake.
One mistake, and you messed up.
All right, I'm gonna put a
Little fire under there and get
A little fire going, and then
We'll get the cap on.
All right, you unwrap that cap.
I'm gonna start the fire.
We got to make sure cap's tight.
Mash is fermented.
Propane is full.
Pump works good.
[ grunts ]
Everything is tight because once
We start, it ain't backing up.
Birds singing -- you can hear
Those birds singing.
That's a good sign.
'cause nothing's around.
If something comes through the
Woods, everything becomes quiet.
So as long as they're making
Noise, then that's a good sign.
Let's go to work.
Steve, you go over there and cut
My gas.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, you can see it coming up.
Hear popping, Steve.
Yeah.
Getting hot.
Trying to get it up to about 200
Degrees, anyway, then we'll see
How it starts working.
Won't be long.
She might be old, but she's
Still cooking.
Oh, yeah.
All right, looks good.
Put this in front.
We leave it there to block it so
They...
Can't see us.
And we'll let the heat roll up
The side, but we knock the light
Out.
We don't want that light coming
Out.
Biggest danger in moonshining is
Getting caught by the law.
I want to feed my family and
Take care of my family, but I
Don't want to do it from prison.
So you got to watch everything.
You know, you're looking behind
You, on top.
You're watching for airplanes.
You'll listen to anything that
Moves.
Got to be ready to run.
Oh, yeah.
Look at that right there --
Probably 162 already.
So that's getting good.
Says 100 right there now.
175, you'll have alcohol coming
Out.
Oh, yeah.
So, right now, we're just
Right here at the bottom.
We're 175 at the bottom, so as
Soon as it comes up and over,
We'll be ready.
We're fixing to make money.
Yeah, I hope so.
What's -- you hear that noise,
Steve?
Dogs hollering more and more.
I see the leaves are moving a
Little bit.
I can't really tell if someone's
Walking or if it's just the
Leaves moving.
Narrator: next time on
"Moonshiners"...
And that guy is gonna be
Coming in a little while, so we
Ain't got much time.
Narrator: ...The moonshine
Pipeline is in full effect.
If the ABC guys is out there
In the woods, when you get it
All jugged up and ready is when
They're waiting for you.
I'm getting edgy.
[ dog barks ]
Narrator: and the first
Moonshiners of the season are
Taken down.
Hands on your head!
Everybody, just chill out!
We picked up large amounts of
Liquor and a couple of weapons.
That's why it's a great, big
Public-safety issue.
You're getting ready to go to
Jail.
You just lay right there and be
Quiet.