Moonshiners (2011–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - A Price to Pay - full transcript
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...
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.
Yeehaw!
If you really love your
Country, you're gonna have to
Love moonshine.
Narrator: the season's coming
To a close, but one moonshiner
Is upping the ante by expanding
His operation.
Now we got two pots set up.
That's gonna double the
Capacity.
Narrator: but his partner is
Out of commission.
Watch! Watch! Watch!
I got hurt making moonshine.
But what's making me feel a
Whole lot better?
Narrator: one lawman is
Closing in on an active still
Site.
There it is.
Narrator: tim and tickle hope
To double their payday.
There's hundreds of thousands of
Dollars in play, if they can
Churn out enough 'shine before
The leaves fall.
You're buried up deep, man.
I don't know if you're gonna get
Out.
[ engine revs ]
Narrator: but with twice the
'shine comes twice the risk.
Get on!
All right, here we go right
Here.
Ah, damn!
What in the world did you do?
[ dogs barking ]
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.
[ gunshot ]
You're gonna win, or you're
Gonna lose.
[ beep ]
Is that a cop?
Change vehicles and change
Tags -- that's what you got to
Do.
[ siren wailing ]
It's the end of the season.
Money's running out, and we got
To do something to make some
More.
Every day, it look like I'm
Getting deeper.
I'm trying to get out of the
Getting beaten.
[ siren wails ]
This is how we make the
Moonshine.
[ laughs ]
Narrator: fall is in full
Swing in the mountains of
Southwestern virginia.
And that means the end of
Moonshine season is near.
Tim's still will be exposed and
Easy prey for the law.
All right, now we need to
Spin it.
The abc is really destroying a
Whole lot of our heritage.
If you look back in the past, in
The 1700s, 1800s, and stuff,
Moonshine is really where it was
At.
We were exporting it.
It was a cash crop for the
United states of america.
Try to work your corner
Around.
Hold right there.
Narrator: tim, along with his
Still hand tickle and his son
J.T., are in a race against time
To build a camouflage shelter
Over their still site.
Tim's at a crossroads -- either
Stay an outlaw and preserve the
Tradition of his fathers and
Ancestors or go legit for j.T.
All right, look, I'm gonna
Hand you the drill.
You put some screws in there.
Narrator: before he can even
Think about going legal, tim
Needs to come up with a huge
Chunk of the $200,000 bond he'd
Need to get his foot in the
Door.
Problem is, he has to do it in
Less than a week.
The only way he's going to get
There is to expand his business.
We're gonna go in and fully
Camouflage the roof, and then
We're gonna move another pot in
Place.
Then have two of them in place,
Which that will put us about
1,500, 1,600 gallons of mash.
So that ought to get us going
Where we can get a little gravy
Money, and then maybe we do an
Investment, and then we can move
On up to a little bit more.
Narrator: 1,600 gallons of
Mash will produce up to 150
Gallons of moonshine per run --
A solid start.
But that means a lot of runs.
Tim's never run this much
Moonshine so late in the game.
I'm gonna pull the truck up.
Well, hang on.
Let me jump down there.
Don't you fall.
Watch! Watch! Watch!
Watch it.
What did you break?
Nothing.
Stand still.
You landed on your ribs.
I saw you.
Okay.
I saw you land on your ribs.
Went to go jump off of the
Roof that we just had pretty
Much finished other than the
Tin, and, well, I said, "I'm
Gonna jump on right down in the
Bed of the truck.
It ain't that far away."
Well, the side of that truck was
A little slick.
So, uh, soon as I landed on it,
Feet went out from under me,
Come down on my side.
Okay.
You gonna be all right?
Mm-hmm.
Yep.
Narrator: but tickle's having
Problems breathing.
And so I've got the pain on
My back and the pain in my chest
And the pain on the side.
It's all the way around.
But kind of one thing about what
Moonshining is about.
You got to be tough.
You know, that's just what it
Takes.
It takes a real man to do it,
And that's the only way that
It's gonna get done.
All right.
Lost your cigarettes.
Yep.
All right.
All good.
Moonshining is dangerous
Work.
Narrator: for tickle, there's
No way he's going to the
Hospital.
You're gonna be sore as hell
Tomorrow.
I know it.
You'll be sore as hell in a
Minute if we don't hurry up and
Get the roof on.
Yeah.
You just stay right there.
Don't go nowhere.
Don't go running through the
Woods, all right?
You probably done broke three
Ribs.
Yeah, I think so.
There's a whole lot of
Different risks making
Moonshine.
Number one is being burned.
[ laughs ]
You can accidentally get shot
By your buddy, you know.
Sometimes you lay the shotgun
Up, and it falls over and goes
Off.
[ gunshot ]
And then, you know, like tickle,
You can fall off the roof, too.
And then the whole time, you got
Somebody trying to catch you and
Arrest you for breaking the law.
Moonshining ain't for everybody.
Some of the moonshiners kind of
Get out of it because it's kind
Of a rough occupation.
We got to get this tin up here,
Cover it up.
Running out of time.
That's what's going on right
Now.
Narrator: tim's rushing to
Put eight sheets of tin on the
Roof.
But the only person who can help
Is j.T.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,
Wait, wait, wait.
J.T. -- you know, he can do just
What he can do, but he's kind of
Limited, too, with his abilities
And age, too.
You know, I need somebody with
A little more age on him and can
Handle a situation a little bit
Better.
It's all right. We got it.
We got it.
You take a break a minute, all
Right?
Hung on my watch.
I'm hung on my watch.
Hold on.
This is about the worst time
That anything can happen like
This, for him to get hurt right
In the middle, when we're trying
To get the roof on the thing.
Now I got a shelter built out in
The middle of the open and
Leaves falling off, and I don't
Have a roof on it.
I can't put the camo on it until
I get the roof on it.
So I got to get this thing done.
[ sighs ]
Narrator: 20 miles away, abc
Agent jesse tate needs to finish
His season strong.
[ dog barking ]
After a barking dog shut down
His first surveillance...
That's a big dog.
Narrator: ...He pulled down
His first big bust.
Police! Stop!
Stop!
Tell you right now, you stay
Right there.
Narrator: since then, a few
Leads have run dry.
Last week, he had a chance
Run-in with a bootlegger.
It was tim's brother.
Be careful.
Take care of yourself.
Narrator: but now, not far
From tim, jesse is on the move
Pursuing a hot lead.
It's the moment he's been
Waiting for.
Myself and my partner, we've
Gotten some information from two
Reliable informants that are
Giving us information about the
Same subject.
My partner conducts some covert
Surveillance in the area.
He spotted the vehicle that we
Know that's transporting and
Going to the still site.
And what I'm gonna do is I'm
Gonna come by in another
Vehicle to see if we can get
Some information about this tank
And who might be operating it.
Right now, all the information
On the suspect is a lot unknown.
Narrator: what he does know
Is that the still site is
Potentially massive.
I do know that one of the
Informants had bought liquor
From him.
He might have died down for a
Little bit just to kind of see
How the activity was in the
Area.
So evidently he feels pretty
Confident now.
And he's probably back up and
Running.
Well, hopefully it is not a
Little bitty outfit.
It is a pretty substantial-size
Outfit going.
We're getting close to the
Target location.
There it is.
Narrator: coming up...
Tim rolls out a new still.
Put the block under it.
Whoa-ho!
Wait a minute!
Narrator: jesse hits the
Jackpot.
Popcorn packs it up.
But the news on tickle isn't
Good.
I'm bandaged up pretty good.
It even hurts to *bleep*
We're getting close to the
Target location.
Narrator: jesse has intel on
A suspected moonshiner, and he's
Closing in.
There it is.
Narrator: jesse hits the
Jackpot.
The suspected moonshiner is in
Full view.
Looked like the driver had on
A red shirt.
Narrator: the next step --
Get some boots on the ground for
A closer look.
I think it's time for us to
Get back up here and put some
Boots on the ground.
It's all right. We got it.
We got it.
You take a break a minute, all
Right?
Narrator: with tickle
Sidelined, tim and his son are
Left to complete the roof of the
Shelter on their own.
J.T. Is struggling.
Hold on.
You all right, tickle?
Yeah.
It's all right.
That's beautiful on 20 feet,
Ain't it?
Yep.
It really is.
That's beautiful.
Worked out great.
Whew!
And now we got to nail it down.
We'll be good to go.
Narrator: with the leaves
Falling, tim has to camouflage
The site.
Not only will it be undetectable
By law enforcement aircraft,
Agents on the ground won't see
It either.
I think it looks good.
We got the top put on it.
Next task is gonna be some
Internal camouflage.
Once we get done piling stuff on
Top to cover the tin up and we
Got some more leaning on it,
It's just gonna be looking like
A big brush pile from the air.
So when you fly over it, it's
Just a big brush pile in the
Middle of the woods.
And it'll be hard for them to
Actually get a good, clear
Picture of who is actually
Working, and, you know,
Worst-case scenario, things go
Bad, it'll be hard for it to
Hold up in a court of law.
I'm sorry, dude.
I'm sorry.
I'm just glad you're all
Right.
Yeah.
No, they're broke.
Yeah.
It's a nice shelter.
I am very pleased with it.
It is very sturdy.
We're looking at putting us
Another pot in, so that's gonna
Double our output.
Let's go, man.
Wintertime is coming.
So we got to get this thing
Done, and we just got a little
Short window we got to get it
Complete.
So hopefully we can get some
Help and get this thing
Together, 'cause I just got too
Much money invested in it, and
I'm just running out of time on
It.
Narrator: tim's adding a
Second pot to double his
Production.
Just one run can net him over
$6,000, tax-free.
The type of pot a moonshiner
Uses depends on where he's from.
Different regions have different
Pots.
Tim's pot is called a submarine
Pot, which is typical in
Southwestern virginia.
In kentucky and tennessee, they
Use what's called a turnip pot.
That's the kind of pot that
Legendary moonshiner
Popcorn sutton uses.
Little bit rough on the side,
Ain't it?
Narrator: tim's got a lot to
Do, but tickle's out of action.
Those kind of things come
Along with the job.
You know, moonshining is an
Experience.
You live and you learn.
Narrator: so tim's old friend
Bill steps up, pitches in.
It's been a while, huh?
Been a while. Been a while.
I've known tim probably 15,
20 years.
Tim called me up and said, "Need
A little help."
I'm always there.
Same goes for tim.
If I called him up and needed
Some help, he'd be right there,
I do believe.
All right.
You're good on this side.
Watch your step on this thing.
Come off for you, j.T.
Move that copper pipe.
Narrator: tim will need to
Retrofit an 8-foot copper pipe
So that the cap will reach both
Pots.
Then when we connect that...
See, the other pot's got to be
Right in there, and then you got
To have enough to come in here.
That other pot's gonna be
Real close to this pot.
Yeah. Pretty close.
Narrator: distilling
Moonshine out of one 800-gallon
Pot is a feat in itself.
Adding a second one is a whole
Other ball game.
But it's the only way a
Moonshiner can make 'shine
Around the clock.
To do this, a moonshiner needs
Several pots.
Once distillation of the first
Pot is complete, the moonshiners
Simply move the cap to the
Second pot and remash the first
Pot.
Moonshiners have been known to
Have operations as large as 30
Pots distilling 24/7.
The end result -- 90,000
Tax-free dollars per week.
Even a two-pot operation can
Produce $6,000 to $8,000 every
Run.
The cement blocks provide the
Necessary space for the burner
And must be leveled so that the
Heat is evenly distributed.
A little bit here on this
End.
Oh, yeah, quite a bit off.
Narrator: if the pot isn't
Level, the 800 gallons of mash
Could topple the still.
We just leveled out another
Set of cinder blocks.
We're gonna put another pot in.
Try to get that up.
You got to have it equal and
Flat, and that way you get
Everything cooked right.
Once you fill this thing up,
You're talking about 1,500,
2,000 pounds.
You're not gonna move it.
After you set it in place,
That's it.
So you better do it right.
Got it?
Yeah, I got it.
Y'all got it over there?
Right now we do.
All right. Go on up with it.
Gonna put the block under it.
Whoa-ho!
Wait a minute now!
Y'all pushed it over instead of
Picking it up.
Me and bill will pick up while,
J.T., you get the blocks.
No, no, no.
Right here.
All right, we got to put that
Straight and hold it.
Yeah, that's good right there.
Narrator: meanwhile, the news
On tickle isn't good.
He's got three broken ribs.
He never did go to the hospital.
He just bandaged himself, drank
Some home-grown medicine.
It hurts to laugh.
It hurts to do all kinds of
Things -- laugh, breathe real
Hard, anything like that.
It even hurts to *bleep*
I mean, you know, it really
Does.
He hit that thing, I mean,
Hard.
Bam!
And, hell, he wanted to keep on
Going.
The cause and the remedy was
One and the same.
So, I got hurt making moonshine.
But what's making me feel a
Whole lot better?
Ah.
This is more of that moonshine.
Now, see, this is what I'm
Getting at.
You take this -- man, this is a
Heavy piece of copper, isn't it?
It is.
That's a nice piece.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
See that?
Oh, yeah.
Want to get my measure.
About 16 inches. Two blocks.
Narrator: now that tim's
Installed the second pot, he
Has to reconfigure the still
Site, including positioning the
Thumper and caps so they're
Level with both pots.
From the bottom to the
Bottom -- 4 inches.
That'll be perfect.
Yeah. Just two small blocks.
Pick it straight up and set
It down.
You good?
Yeah.
Oh, look at that.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Looking good.
Yeah, that's good right there.
All right, now, this is in
Place.
Now I'm gonna take this off, put
It back over there, run the pipe
All the way across to see where
It is.
Narrator: the pipe will
Transfer the alcohol vapor over
To the thumper and worm.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah, man.
That thing is perfect, too.
And then we got two pots set
Up.
That's gonna double the
Capacity.
So instead of putting out, say,
70 gallons, we're gonna make 140
Gallons.
It's kind of rough picking that
Pot up and getting it on.
There's only three of us.
We miss tickle.
Narrator: tim's way behind
Schedule.
And there's no way to know if
The still even works.
The only way he'll get caught up
Is by pulling tickle off the
Bench.
I'm gonna try to call him in
A little while, see if he's
Feeling up to it.
I need his help.
Narrator: coming up...
Jesse is closing in on his lead.
Person said they'd been up in
The area, said they smelled some
Mash.
Narrator: tim gets hung up.
The pressure's getting to
Tickle.
Ah, damn!
Narrator: soon tim will be
Firing up the two pots.
With up to $6,000 per run on the
Line, time is in short supply.
I think I went too far.
Narrator: there's only one
Person tim trusts to help him
Finish the camouflage...
Yeah, yeah, you're all up
Into all kinds of mess, man.
Narrator: ...Tickle.
I don't know.
You're buried up deep.
You're buried up deep, man.
I don't know if you're gonna get
Out.
Narrator: but three broken
Ribs aren't about to slow him
Down.
I'm glad I was driving and
Not him.
Damn.
Ah! All right!
We got out now.
[ laughs ]
Well, we're gonna move some
Of this stuff that we had laid
Up against it, and we're gonna
Put some pine on top.
At this stage, you can see the
Leaves.
The leaves is drying up and
Coming off of these trees here.
'cause we cut them down, they're
Dying.
Pine -- that'll last a long
Time.
Narrator: in 1920, the game
Of moonshining changed forever.
When prohibition passed,
'shiners had to change their
Ways and conceal their
Operations.
Hiding places ranged from the
Simplest structures to the most
Unlikely locations.
Secret stills were set up in
Caves, behind walls, and even
Hidden underground.
But most innovative still site
On record was built in
Franklin county, virginia.
In the late 1970s, moonshiners
Dug a hole the size of a room
And covered it with sod.
They disguised the area to look
Like a cemetery, complete with
Headstones and flowers.
In 1979, irs agents finally shut
It down.
The site has gone down in
History as the cemetery still.
Listen.
They heard us over here with
That truck making that noise.
So we have to be quiet and
Reorganize.
Go that way.
For some reason, I like to
Cover up everything, even though
I'm under the shelter.
Narrator: tim takes extra
Caution by camouflaging the
Shelter from any aerial
Surveillance and the still
Itself from abc agents
Approaching on foot.
Most times, them abc agents,
When they come up and they see
Something like that, they keep
Distance.
They don't get up on it.
They keep back.
But they try to get all the
Pictures they can.
They take pictures of it.
See, when you take pictures of
It looking like this, how are
They explaining what's under it?
That look good?
Yes, it's beautiful.
Got two pots sitting in here,
That's so beautiful.
Look at that moon right
There.
I see it.
Coming right over the pots.
The moon is shining on the
Moonshine.
Yeah, I know it.
[ both laugh ]
It's beautiful.
And it's coming right up.
It's beautiful.
Narrator: less than 30 miles
To the east, jesse and jim are
Prepping for what could be their
Biggest bust of the season.
Jesse's learned something new.
Six 800-gallon pots are being
Used near the target area.
Jimmy got this phone call
About some pretty good
Information.
Person said they'd been up in
This area, said they smelled
Some mash.
They think a liquor still might
Be going.
Pulled up a map here.
This is what it looks like.
Look like a pretty steep
Drop-off.
Is that water?
Got a good water source going
Right there.
Looks like he's got plenty of
Cover.
He's got easy access.
Looks like he's got all the
Components he needs -- good
Road, good transportation area,
Good water, good cover.
This looks like it may be some
Good information.
I think it's gonna turn out
Something pretty good for us.
We just got to be mindful of
Any soft soil or anything like
That we step on.
We don't want to leave any
Tracks anywhere.
It looks like we can probably
Drop off pretty close to this
Road intersection right up here,
Make our way through the woods
Until we get to the target area
To take a look around.
If we have to make emergency
Exit and kind of get out, we'll
Head back to the west right
Here, and that'll be a second
Rendezvous point to get picked
Up at.
Let's get a drop-off man and get
Geared up and we'll go see what
We can come up with here.
Narrator: coming up...
Jesse's closing in.
I think we're right on target
Here.
Don't let it slide out the
Back, all right?
All right.
Narrator: and tickle's losing
His grip.
Ah, damn!
Narrator: after spotting a
Suspected moonshiner in broad
Daylight, jesse moves in.
For jesse and the team, it could
Be the mother lode.
Six pots, holding 4,800 gallons
Of mash, are reportedly firing
Up near a small shed.
They got a good supply of
Water close by, so that's a good
Sign.
Yeah.
But he's probably done wore that
One out.
Good indication something's
Taking place here.
Yeah, I think we're right on
Target here.
Narrator: this suspected
Moonshiner is at the top of the
Feeding chain.
Sometimes we've been on the
Ground, and they're already in
Operation, so then we really
Have to drop back and say,
Okay, what are we gonna do?
How are we gonna take them down?
Narrator: the moonshiner
Hasn't fired up his still yet,
So jesse decides to return in
The dead of night to catch him
Red-handed.
Okay.
Okay.
Our goal is to catch them during
The manufacturing process.
But we catch them at the end of
Their level right there while
They're manufacturing liquor,
Then they're going to jail and
We know we done took care of
That problem both on the liquor
Still site and back at the
Community where the liquor's
Going out to.
Narrator: the second pot is
In place, but before they can
Start brewing, bill and tickle
Need to pick up one last
Thing -- a larger worm.
Let's put this thing in here.
Let's do it.
Whoa.
It ain't gonna fit past the
Wheel well.
Let's let it ride right there.
What I'll do is let you ride in
The back.
Narrator: the worm condenses
The alcohol vapor that boils off
The heated mash and turns it
Into moonshine.
You get right here and hold
On to it and don't let it slide
Out the back, all right?
All you got to do, man.
Hey, I got it.
Narrator: even with three
Broken ribs, tickle is still in
The game.
Right now, we're fixing to
Move this worm.
It's a bigger worm.
It's gonna increase our
Productivity, because we done
Put in another pot.
We can't get the amount of
Condensation out of that smaller
Worm that we can this bigger
Worm.
Tim really needs it.
All I know is he asked me to
Bring it to him.
And here it comes.
Narrator: while tim pulls
Together all the pieces he needs
To start brewing, another
Moonshiner is winding down.
Yes, sir.
All right. Good to go.
I'm coming up on a hill right
Here.
Be careful.
All right.
Here we go right here.
Ah, damn!
Narrator: coming up...
What in the world?
Narrator: tim's plan to
Increase production could go
Bust.
It was either that went out
The back of the truck or I did.
Narrator: tickle and bill are
Bringing the new larger worm to
Tim.
If they're caught, there'll be a
Lot of questions to answer.
All right, bro, you got it.
All right, you good back
There, man?
Yes, sir.
All right. Good to go.
All right, we're coming up on
A hill right here.
Be careful.
All right.
Ah, damn!
What in the world did you do?
We got to get this damn thing
Up, man.
That thing landed straight up!
Can you believe that?!
Maybe it's in better
Condition than we thought.
I don't feel good sitting
Here in the middle of the
Country with my flashers on...
I don't either.
...And a damn worm sitting
In the road.
You get that side.
Get that -- whoa. Easy, now.
Easy. Easy.
Raise it up. There you go.
Now slide it up on the back of
The truck.
Get this box out of the road.
Get this thing out of the road,
Get out of here.
[ grunts ]
Man, we tore the bottom all
Out of this son of a bitch.
Let's do it.
Let's get out of here.
What in the world?
What in the world happened?
Good news and bad news.
Damn, y'all tore it all to
Pieces.
Yeah.
Y'all didn't tie it up in the
Back?
Y'all didn't have a rope?
Well, I was holding it.
Oh, that's the problem.
You was holding it.
Well, I was trying to hold
On to it, but, you know,
That's -- that's a good 200
Pounds and stuff right there.
It was either that went out the
Back of the truck or I did.
Good thing there wasn't
Nobody behind y'all.
Yeah, you're right about
That.
That's all right.
Narrator: though the coil
Itself wasn't damaged in the
Fall, tim will have to build
A new box for it before they can
Get that larger worm in place.
You got to have two more of
These.
Have to have two more of these.
And that there -- you need to
Know what you're doing to cut
Them out right there.
That's right.
And then we have to make a
Box.
I'm just glad y'all didn't get
Caught in the middle of the road
With a worm laying in the middle
Of the road.
Somebody may have figured out
What it is.
Anybody seen that gonna know
What that is.
Yeah, they gonna know what
That is.
Narrator: luckily, bill and
Tickle weren't spotted.
But with time running out, the
Worm is another thing for tim to
Fix before he can put his new
Still setup to the test.
Tickle's careless mistake has
Put the operation behind
Schedule.
Without a working worm, there is
No moonshine.
While tickle and j.T. Start
Rebuilding the worm box, tim is
Busy crafting new wooden slats
To keep the worm securely in
Place.
It fell off the truck and
Busted the box, but it could
Have been a lot worse.
But at least we got the worm.
We got about $700 worth of
Copper here, so we're good
There.
Hopefully I cut this thing
Right.
I'm not a carpenter here.
So I don't know.
What do you think about it,
Tim?
That looks like a box to me.
Yeah! There we go.
There we go.
That's looking good.
See how it's gonna fit in
There.
Grab it right there, j.T.
Oh, yeah.
Well, it looks a whole lot
Better than it did before.
Yeah, it looks good.
Worm most important.
'cause if nothing else works,
You've got to have the worm.
Anytime you see a still site
Busted up, they always take the
Worm with them.
Narrator: with the worm box
Rebuilt and camouflaged, tim and
Tickle rush to install it.
All right.
You know, I'm trying to get this
About right.
But it look like they're too
Long.
Narrator: tim is forced to
Modify the connecting copper
Pipe to accommodate the new
Larger worm.
There we go.
Oh, yeah, that's nice and clean,
Nice and pretty.
Make me a bumper sticker that
Says, "Moonshiners do it in the
Dark."
There you go.
Either that or "Moonshiners do
It all night."
"In the dark."
Yeah.
All right.
Get this in.
This right here, we don't have
To worry about it getting too
Hot.
We're gonna have about 150,
Maybe 200 gallons of water right
Here.
Oh, yeah, at least.
And that other one only had
About 50 gallons of water.
Yeah.
I'm good.
I'm happy.
Yeah.
Narrator: everything's ready
To go except the propane tanks,
Which tim picked up from an
Undisclosed location.
They're used to fuel the
Operation.
Tim won't know if the worm
Actually works until he fires
Up.
It's all or nothing.
It's getting cold, and we got
To keep this warm.
So that means we're gonna have
To keep somebody down here at
All times.
You can't just set a fire down
Here and, you know, set a burner
On and have nobody watching it.
Because we could burn the whole
Site down.
In addition to the leaves
Falling, there's another reason
Why moonshine season ends in the
Fall.
When temperatures drop below 50
Degrees, the yeast in the mash
Becomes inactive.
That means it won't ferment,
Resulting in a low alcohol
Yield.
Moonshiners who want to brew in
The winter need to keep the mash
Warm over a very low flame, and
The propane burner needs to be
Monitored 24 hours a day.
In the dead of winter, it can
Take over a month just to run
One pot of 'shine.
Hang on. Let me come up here.
Get that down.
Get that thing down.
Yeah.
Narrator: the final parts of
The still are put into place.
Everything's locked and loaded.
Tim and tickle are ready to fire
Up the still.
This is going great.
We got two pots in there.
I'm wanting to expand farther,
But right now, we're a little
Short on help, and me and tim
Can spread ourselves but so
Thin.
Narrator: once tim and tickle
Light up this pot, they'll be
Kicking off a marathon brewing
Process.
You don't leave a whole lot
Of time for sleep or family, but
That's what it takes to make
This money, you know?
So, we're gonna see if we
Can't do this without getting
Burnt up.
Lay it right there on that like
That.
Get the gas on, tickle.
All right.
All right, you got it.
That's good.
Get the burner going.
That's good.
It's gonna blow in a minute.
There we go.
Narrator: tim and tickle are
Back in business.
That was the easy part.
If they want to reach their goal
Of making enough money to go
Legal, they'll need to brew
Around the clock, no
Interruptions.
That's nice.
Narrator: coming up...
We got to put our skills to
Work tonight 'cause we don't
Want to get caught.
What are you here for?
Get on!
Narrator: jesse and jim are
Hot on the trail of a
Moonshining operation running
Six 800-gallon pots.
There's an active liquor
Still going.
This is the area that it's in,
And we don't have a whole lot of
Information to go on other than
The general area that we'll be
In, so we're just gonna have to
Kind of work with what we got
And hope for the best.
Narrator: now it's time to go
To work.
One thing that we have to be
Very mindful of -- this time of
Year, hunting season comes in,
You see these trail cams.
They can set these trail cams up
Around the areas.
They're pretty sophisticated
Equipment.
Now they can actually watch it
And never leave the residence.
Narrator: the trail cams are
Just like the ones tim set up in
The beginning of the season.
I think it looks pretty good.
One thing that worries me a
Lot about doing night ops -- you
Know, we got equipment, but the
Bad guys have night equipment,
Too, so we got to be mindful of
That.
My unit is a night-vision
Unit.
It's also infrared, as well.
So if we get in a dark location,
I can turn on the infrared so we
Can see.
You know, even with the night
Vision, you can tell that it's a
Bright light.
Need to be real cautious.
On top of it being bright, it's
Very, very quiet.
So we got to put our skills to
Work tonight, 'cause we don't
Want to get caught.
Listen.
That sounds good.
We didn't see that last time we
Was here.
We done picked up a noise.
Sounds like a -- to me, it
Sounds like the roar of an
Engine.
When I say the roar of an
Engine, maybe they're burning
Like a jet engine.
That's the sound that it puts
Off.
That's what we hope we hear.
I want to see what's going on
Over there.
Y'all get down.
Narrator: just 5 miles to the
West of jesse, tim and tickle
Have been hustling to bottle
Up a batch of 'shine from their
Newly configured still.
Both pots have produced 150
Gallons of 'shine, and they're
Still running strong.
I can't show you everything.
I don't want you looking inside
The still, 'cause then we may
Get in trouble with the law.
All right, one, two, three,
Four, five, six...
Narrator: now tickle's
Waiting for the first pickup of
The night.
40.
All right.
20 plus 20 is 40.
There we go.
Man, we been running like hell
All night.
And we're getting it out of
Here, and now it's coming to
Pickup time, and it's still
Coming out the worm.
All right, tickle, how you
Looking?
I'm looking good right now.
Ain't nobody come down yet, but
They should be here any time
Now.
Just make it fast as you can.
I'm gonna need some help down
Here.
I know that.
Soon as they come in, I'll get
Them loaded up as fast as I can.
Yeah, this must be this guy
Right now.
What are you here for?
How much you supposed to pick
Up?
All right, come on back over on
Here.
We'll load you up.
All right, hold right there.
Don't get out. I got it.
I'll tell you what.
This is the part of the job
Right here where it gets really
Tense.
In just a couple minutes, it's
Gonna be his problem, not mine.
All right.
Get on.
'cause you don't know who you
Got coming down here.
This could be an agent.
This could be anybody.
Right now we're just trying
To follow up on this noise we're
Hearing.
Sounds to me -- sounds like to
Me and jimmy that it's a burner
Possibly burning.
We might be on the right night.
They might be running it right
Now.
So we're trying to get it on
Location before we can determine
What this noise is.
[ dog barks ]
He's getting worried enough that
He's got to put some dogs into
The area.
That tells us we're getting
Close.
'cause, you know, last time we
Checked up on some of this
Information, he didn't have any
Dogs.
Narrator: suddenly, the
Tables turn.
Camera.
Something's going on.
Narrator: next week on the
Season finale of
"Moonshiners"...
Do you smell that?
Narrator: as moonshine season
Comes to a close, all bets are
Off as tim goes for broke to
Reach his goal.
We got 450 gallons in there.
We got to get this order to
Tennessee.
I think we're right on them.
Narrator: jesse's stakeout
Takes a dangerous turn.
Something is going on.
Damn, it looks like a police
Car, man.
Narrator: one moonshiner goes
Down.
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...
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.
Yeehaw!
If you really love your
Country, you're gonna have to
Love moonshine.
Narrator: the season's coming
To a close, but one moonshiner
Is upping the ante by expanding
His operation.
Now we got two pots set up.
That's gonna double the
Capacity.
Narrator: but his partner is
Out of commission.
Watch! Watch! Watch!
I got hurt making moonshine.
But what's making me feel a
Whole lot better?
Narrator: one lawman is
Closing in on an active still
Site.
There it is.
Narrator: tim and tickle hope
To double their payday.
There's hundreds of thousands of
Dollars in play, if they can
Churn out enough 'shine before
The leaves fall.
You're buried up deep, man.
I don't know if you're gonna get
Out.
[ engine revs ]
Narrator: but with twice the
'shine comes twice the risk.
Get on!
All right, here we go right
Here.
Ah, damn!
What in the world did you do?
[ dogs barking ]
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.
[ gunshot ]
You're gonna win, or you're
Gonna lose.
[ beep ]
Is that a cop?
Change vehicles and change
Tags -- that's what you got to
Do.
[ siren wailing ]
It's the end of the season.
Money's running out, and we got
To do something to make some
More.
Every day, it look like I'm
Getting deeper.
I'm trying to get out of the
Getting beaten.
[ siren wails ]
This is how we make the
Moonshine.
[ laughs ]
Narrator: fall is in full
Swing in the mountains of
Southwestern virginia.
And that means the end of
Moonshine season is near.
Tim's still will be exposed and
Easy prey for the law.
All right, now we need to
Spin it.
The abc is really destroying a
Whole lot of our heritage.
If you look back in the past, in
The 1700s, 1800s, and stuff,
Moonshine is really where it was
At.
We were exporting it.
It was a cash crop for the
United states of america.
Try to work your corner
Around.
Hold right there.
Narrator: tim, along with his
Still hand tickle and his son
J.T., are in a race against time
To build a camouflage shelter
Over their still site.
Tim's at a crossroads -- either
Stay an outlaw and preserve the
Tradition of his fathers and
Ancestors or go legit for j.T.
All right, look, I'm gonna
Hand you the drill.
You put some screws in there.
Narrator: before he can even
Think about going legal, tim
Needs to come up with a huge
Chunk of the $200,000 bond he'd
Need to get his foot in the
Door.
Problem is, he has to do it in
Less than a week.
The only way he's going to get
There is to expand his business.
We're gonna go in and fully
Camouflage the roof, and then
We're gonna move another pot in
Place.
Then have two of them in place,
Which that will put us about
1,500, 1,600 gallons of mash.
So that ought to get us going
Where we can get a little gravy
Money, and then maybe we do an
Investment, and then we can move
On up to a little bit more.
Narrator: 1,600 gallons of
Mash will produce up to 150
Gallons of moonshine per run --
A solid start.
But that means a lot of runs.
Tim's never run this much
Moonshine so late in the game.
I'm gonna pull the truck up.
Well, hang on.
Let me jump down there.
Don't you fall.
Watch! Watch! Watch!
Watch it.
What did you break?
Nothing.
Stand still.
You landed on your ribs.
I saw you.
Okay.
I saw you land on your ribs.
Went to go jump off of the
Roof that we just had pretty
Much finished other than the
Tin, and, well, I said, "I'm
Gonna jump on right down in the
Bed of the truck.
It ain't that far away."
Well, the side of that truck was
A little slick.
So, uh, soon as I landed on it,
Feet went out from under me,
Come down on my side.
Okay.
You gonna be all right?
Mm-hmm.
Yep.
Narrator: but tickle's having
Problems breathing.
And so I've got the pain on
My back and the pain in my chest
And the pain on the side.
It's all the way around.
But kind of one thing about what
Moonshining is about.
You got to be tough.
You know, that's just what it
Takes.
It takes a real man to do it,
And that's the only way that
It's gonna get done.
All right.
Lost your cigarettes.
Yep.
All right.
All good.
Moonshining is dangerous
Work.
Narrator: for tickle, there's
No way he's going to the
Hospital.
You're gonna be sore as hell
Tomorrow.
I know it.
You'll be sore as hell in a
Minute if we don't hurry up and
Get the roof on.
Yeah.
You just stay right there.
Don't go nowhere.
Don't go running through the
Woods, all right?
You probably done broke three
Ribs.
Yeah, I think so.
There's a whole lot of
Different risks making
Moonshine.
Number one is being burned.
[ laughs ]
You can accidentally get shot
By your buddy, you know.
Sometimes you lay the shotgun
Up, and it falls over and goes
Off.
[ gunshot ]
And then, you know, like tickle,
You can fall off the roof, too.
And then the whole time, you got
Somebody trying to catch you and
Arrest you for breaking the law.
Moonshining ain't for everybody.
Some of the moonshiners kind of
Get out of it because it's kind
Of a rough occupation.
We got to get this tin up here,
Cover it up.
Running out of time.
That's what's going on right
Now.
Narrator: tim's rushing to
Put eight sheets of tin on the
Roof.
But the only person who can help
Is j.T.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,
Wait, wait, wait.
J.T. -- you know, he can do just
What he can do, but he's kind of
Limited, too, with his abilities
And age, too.
You know, I need somebody with
A little more age on him and can
Handle a situation a little bit
Better.
It's all right. We got it.
We got it.
You take a break a minute, all
Right?
Hung on my watch.
I'm hung on my watch.
Hold on.
This is about the worst time
That anything can happen like
This, for him to get hurt right
In the middle, when we're trying
To get the roof on the thing.
Now I got a shelter built out in
The middle of the open and
Leaves falling off, and I don't
Have a roof on it.
I can't put the camo on it until
I get the roof on it.
So I got to get this thing done.
[ sighs ]
Narrator: 20 miles away, abc
Agent jesse tate needs to finish
His season strong.
[ dog barking ]
After a barking dog shut down
His first surveillance...
That's a big dog.
Narrator: ...He pulled down
His first big bust.
Police! Stop!
Stop!
Tell you right now, you stay
Right there.
Narrator: since then, a few
Leads have run dry.
Last week, he had a chance
Run-in with a bootlegger.
It was tim's brother.
Be careful.
Take care of yourself.
Narrator: but now, not far
From tim, jesse is on the move
Pursuing a hot lead.
It's the moment he's been
Waiting for.
Myself and my partner, we've
Gotten some information from two
Reliable informants that are
Giving us information about the
Same subject.
My partner conducts some covert
Surveillance in the area.
He spotted the vehicle that we
Know that's transporting and
Going to the still site.
And what I'm gonna do is I'm
Gonna come by in another
Vehicle to see if we can get
Some information about this tank
And who might be operating it.
Right now, all the information
On the suspect is a lot unknown.
Narrator: what he does know
Is that the still site is
Potentially massive.
I do know that one of the
Informants had bought liquor
From him.
He might have died down for a
Little bit just to kind of see
How the activity was in the
Area.
So evidently he feels pretty
Confident now.
And he's probably back up and
Running.
Well, hopefully it is not a
Little bitty outfit.
It is a pretty substantial-size
Outfit going.
We're getting close to the
Target location.
There it is.
Narrator: coming up...
Tim rolls out a new still.
Put the block under it.
Whoa-ho!
Wait a minute!
Narrator: jesse hits the
Jackpot.
Popcorn packs it up.
But the news on tickle isn't
Good.
I'm bandaged up pretty good.
It even hurts to *bleep*
We're getting close to the
Target location.
Narrator: jesse has intel on
A suspected moonshiner, and he's
Closing in.
There it is.
Narrator: jesse hits the
Jackpot.
The suspected moonshiner is in
Full view.
Looked like the driver had on
A red shirt.
Narrator: the next step --
Get some boots on the ground for
A closer look.
I think it's time for us to
Get back up here and put some
Boots on the ground.
It's all right. We got it.
We got it.
You take a break a minute, all
Right?
Narrator: with tickle
Sidelined, tim and his son are
Left to complete the roof of the
Shelter on their own.
J.T. Is struggling.
Hold on.
You all right, tickle?
Yeah.
It's all right.
That's beautiful on 20 feet,
Ain't it?
Yep.
It really is.
That's beautiful.
Worked out great.
Whew!
And now we got to nail it down.
We'll be good to go.
Narrator: with the leaves
Falling, tim has to camouflage
The site.
Not only will it be undetectable
By law enforcement aircraft,
Agents on the ground won't see
It either.
I think it looks good.
We got the top put on it.
Next task is gonna be some
Internal camouflage.
Once we get done piling stuff on
Top to cover the tin up and we
Got some more leaning on it,
It's just gonna be looking like
A big brush pile from the air.
So when you fly over it, it's
Just a big brush pile in the
Middle of the woods.
And it'll be hard for them to
Actually get a good, clear
Picture of who is actually
Working, and, you know,
Worst-case scenario, things go
Bad, it'll be hard for it to
Hold up in a court of law.
I'm sorry, dude.
I'm sorry.
I'm just glad you're all
Right.
Yeah.
No, they're broke.
Yeah.
It's a nice shelter.
I am very pleased with it.
It is very sturdy.
We're looking at putting us
Another pot in, so that's gonna
Double our output.
Let's go, man.
Wintertime is coming.
So we got to get this thing
Done, and we just got a little
Short window we got to get it
Complete.
So hopefully we can get some
Help and get this thing
Together, 'cause I just got too
Much money invested in it, and
I'm just running out of time on
It.
Narrator: tim's adding a
Second pot to double his
Production.
Just one run can net him over
$6,000, tax-free.
The type of pot a moonshiner
Uses depends on where he's from.
Different regions have different
Pots.
Tim's pot is called a submarine
Pot, which is typical in
Southwestern virginia.
In kentucky and tennessee, they
Use what's called a turnip pot.
That's the kind of pot that
Legendary moonshiner
Popcorn sutton uses.
Little bit rough on the side,
Ain't it?
Narrator: tim's got a lot to
Do, but tickle's out of action.
Those kind of things come
Along with the job.
You know, moonshining is an
Experience.
You live and you learn.
Narrator: so tim's old friend
Bill steps up, pitches in.
It's been a while, huh?
Been a while. Been a while.
I've known tim probably 15,
20 years.
Tim called me up and said, "Need
A little help."
I'm always there.
Same goes for tim.
If I called him up and needed
Some help, he'd be right there,
I do believe.
All right.
You're good on this side.
Watch your step on this thing.
Come off for you, j.T.
Move that copper pipe.
Narrator: tim will need to
Retrofit an 8-foot copper pipe
So that the cap will reach both
Pots.
Then when we connect that...
See, the other pot's got to be
Right in there, and then you got
To have enough to come in here.
That other pot's gonna be
Real close to this pot.
Yeah. Pretty close.
Narrator: distilling
Moonshine out of one 800-gallon
Pot is a feat in itself.
Adding a second one is a whole
Other ball game.
But it's the only way a
Moonshiner can make 'shine
Around the clock.
To do this, a moonshiner needs
Several pots.
Once distillation of the first
Pot is complete, the moonshiners
Simply move the cap to the
Second pot and remash the first
Pot.
Moonshiners have been known to
Have operations as large as 30
Pots distilling 24/7.
The end result -- 90,000
Tax-free dollars per week.
Even a two-pot operation can
Produce $6,000 to $8,000 every
Run.
The cement blocks provide the
Necessary space for the burner
And must be leveled so that the
Heat is evenly distributed.
A little bit here on this
End.
Oh, yeah, quite a bit off.
Narrator: if the pot isn't
Level, the 800 gallons of mash
Could topple the still.
We just leveled out another
Set of cinder blocks.
We're gonna put another pot in.
Try to get that up.
You got to have it equal and
Flat, and that way you get
Everything cooked right.
Once you fill this thing up,
You're talking about 1,500,
2,000 pounds.
You're not gonna move it.
After you set it in place,
That's it.
So you better do it right.
Got it?
Yeah, I got it.
Y'all got it over there?
Right now we do.
All right. Go on up with it.
Gonna put the block under it.
Whoa-ho!
Wait a minute now!
Y'all pushed it over instead of
Picking it up.
Me and bill will pick up while,
J.T., you get the blocks.
No, no, no.
Right here.
All right, we got to put that
Straight and hold it.
Yeah, that's good right there.
Narrator: meanwhile, the news
On tickle isn't good.
He's got three broken ribs.
He never did go to the hospital.
He just bandaged himself, drank
Some home-grown medicine.
It hurts to laugh.
It hurts to do all kinds of
Things -- laugh, breathe real
Hard, anything like that.
It even hurts to *bleep*
I mean, you know, it really
Does.
He hit that thing, I mean,
Hard.
Bam!
And, hell, he wanted to keep on
Going.
The cause and the remedy was
One and the same.
So, I got hurt making moonshine.
But what's making me feel a
Whole lot better?
Ah.
This is more of that moonshine.
Now, see, this is what I'm
Getting at.
You take this -- man, this is a
Heavy piece of copper, isn't it?
It is.
That's a nice piece.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
See that?
Oh, yeah.
Want to get my measure.
About 16 inches. Two blocks.
Narrator: now that tim's
Installed the second pot, he
Has to reconfigure the still
Site, including positioning the
Thumper and caps so they're
Level with both pots.
From the bottom to the
Bottom -- 4 inches.
That'll be perfect.
Yeah. Just two small blocks.
Pick it straight up and set
It down.
You good?
Yeah.
Oh, look at that.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Looking good.
Yeah, that's good right there.
All right, now, this is in
Place.
Now I'm gonna take this off, put
It back over there, run the pipe
All the way across to see where
It is.
Narrator: the pipe will
Transfer the alcohol vapor over
To the thumper and worm.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah, man.
That thing is perfect, too.
And then we got two pots set
Up.
That's gonna double the
Capacity.
So instead of putting out, say,
70 gallons, we're gonna make 140
Gallons.
It's kind of rough picking that
Pot up and getting it on.
There's only three of us.
We miss tickle.
Narrator: tim's way behind
Schedule.
And there's no way to know if
The still even works.
The only way he'll get caught up
Is by pulling tickle off the
Bench.
I'm gonna try to call him in
A little while, see if he's
Feeling up to it.
I need his help.
Narrator: coming up...
Jesse is closing in on his lead.
Person said they'd been up in
The area, said they smelled some
Mash.
Narrator: tim gets hung up.
The pressure's getting to
Tickle.
Ah, damn!
Narrator: soon tim will be
Firing up the two pots.
With up to $6,000 per run on the
Line, time is in short supply.
I think I went too far.
Narrator: there's only one
Person tim trusts to help him
Finish the camouflage...
Yeah, yeah, you're all up
Into all kinds of mess, man.
Narrator: ...Tickle.
I don't know.
You're buried up deep.
You're buried up deep, man.
I don't know if you're gonna get
Out.
Narrator: but three broken
Ribs aren't about to slow him
Down.
I'm glad I was driving and
Not him.
Damn.
Ah! All right!
We got out now.
[ laughs ]
Well, we're gonna move some
Of this stuff that we had laid
Up against it, and we're gonna
Put some pine on top.
At this stage, you can see the
Leaves.
The leaves is drying up and
Coming off of these trees here.
'cause we cut them down, they're
Dying.
Pine -- that'll last a long
Time.
Narrator: in 1920, the game
Of moonshining changed forever.
When prohibition passed,
'shiners had to change their
Ways and conceal their
Operations.
Hiding places ranged from the
Simplest structures to the most
Unlikely locations.
Secret stills were set up in
Caves, behind walls, and even
Hidden underground.
But most innovative still site
On record was built in
Franklin county, virginia.
In the late 1970s, moonshiners
Dug a hole the size of a room
And covered it with sod.
They disguised the area to look
Like a cemetery, complete with
Headstones and flowers.
In 1979, irs agents finally shut
It down.
The site has gone down in
History as the cemetery still.
Listen.
They heard us over here with
That truck making that noise.
So we have to be quiet and
Reorganize.
Go that way.
For some reason, I like to
Cover up everything, even though
I'm under the shelter.
Narrator: tim takes extra
Caution by camouflaging the
Shelter from any aerial
Surveillance and the still
Itself from abc agents
Approaching on foot.
Most times, them abc agents,
When they come up and they see
Something like that, they keep
Distance.
They don't get up on it.
They keep back.
But they try to get all the
Pictures they can.
They take pictures of it.
See, when you take pictures of
It looking like this, how are
They explaining what's under it?
That look good?
Yes, it's beautiful.
Got two pots sitting in here,
That's so beautiful.
Look at that moon right
There.
I see it.
Coming right over the pots.
The moon is shining on the
Moonshine.
Yeah, I know it.
[ both laugh ]
It's beautiful.
And it's coming right up.
It's beautiful.
Narrator: less than 30 miles
To the east, jesse and jim are
Prepping for what could be their
Biggest bust of the season.
Jesse's learned something new.
Six 800-gallon pots are being
Used near the target area.
Jimmy got this phone call
About some pretty good
Information.
Person said they'd been up in
This area, said they smelled
Some mash.
They think a liquor still might
Be going.
Pulled up a map here.
This is what it looks like.
Look like a pretty steep
Drop-off.
Is that water?
Got a good water source going
Right there.
Looks like he's got plenty of
Cover.
He's got easy access.
Looks like he's got all the
Components he needs -- good
Road, good transportation area,
Good water, good cover.
This looks like it may be some
Good information.
I think it's gonna turn out
Something pretty good for us.
We just got to be mindful of
Any soft soil or anything like
That we step on.
We don't want to leave any
Tracks anywhere.
It looks like we can probably
Drop off pretty close to this
Road intersection right up here,
Make our way through the woods
Until we get to the target area
To take a look around.
If we have to make emergency
Exit and kind of get out, we'll
Head back to the west right
Here, and that'll be a second
Rendezvous point to get picked
Up at.
Let's get a drop-off man and get
Geared up and we'll go see what
We can come up with here.
Narrator: coming up...
Jesse's closing in.
I think we're right on target
Here.
Don't let it slide out the
Back, all right?
All right.
Narrator: and tickle's losing
His grip.
Ah, damn!
Narrator: after spotting a
Suspected moonshiner in broad
Daylight, jesse moves in.
For jesse and the team, it could
Be the mother lode.
Six pots, holding 4,800 gallons
Of mash, are reportedly firing
Up near a small shed.
They got a good supply of
Water close by, so that's a good
Sign.
Yeah.
But he's probably done wore that
One out.
Good indication something's
Taking place here.
Yeah, I think we're right on
Target here.
Narrator: this suspected
Moonshiner is at the top of the
Feeding chain.
Sometimes we've been on the
Ground, and they're already in
Operation, so then we really
Have to drop back and say,
Okay, what are we gonna do?
How are we gonna take them down?
Narrator: the moonshiner
Hasn't fired up his still yet,
So jesse decides to return in
The dead of night to catch him
Red-handed.
Okay.
Okay.
Our goal is to catch them during
The manufacturing process.
But we catch them at the end of
Their level right there while
They're manufacturing liquor,
Then they're going to jail and
We know we done took care of
That problem both on the liquor
Still site and back at the
Community where the liquor's
Going out to.
Narrator: the second pot is
In place, but before they can
Start brewing, bill and tickle
Need to pick up one last
Thing -- a larger worm.
Let's put this thing in here.
Let's do it.
Whoa.
It ain't gonna fit past the
Wheel well.
Let's let it ride right there.
What I'll do is let you ride in
The back.
Narrator: the worm condenses
The alcohol vapor that boils off
The heated mash and turns it
Into moonshine.
You get right here and hold
On to it and don't let it slide
Out the back, all right?
All you got to do, man.
Hey, I got it.
Narrator: even with three
Broken ribs, tickle is still in
The game.
Right now, we're fixing to
Move this worm.
It's a bigger worm.
It's gonna increase our
Productivity, because we done
Put in another pot.
We can't get the amount of
Condensation out of that smaller
Worm that we can this bigger
Worm.
Tim really needs it.
All I know is he asked me to
Bring it to him.
And here it comes.
Narrator: while tim pulls
Together all the pieces he needs
To start brewing, another
Moonshiner is winding down.
Yes, sir.
All right. Good to go.
I'm coming up on a hill right
Here.
Be careful.
All right.
Here we go right here.
Ah, damn!
Narrator: coming up...
What in the world?
Narrator: tim's plan to
Increase production could go
Bust.
It was either that went out
The back of the truck or I did.
Narrator: tickle and bill are
Bringing the new larger worm to
Tim.
If they're caught, there'll be a
Lot of questions to answer.
All right, bro, you got it.
All right, you good back
There, man?
Yes, sir.
All right. Good to go.
All right, we're coming up on
A hill right here.
Be careful.
All right.
Ah, damn!
What in the world did you do?
We got to get this damn thing
Up, man.
That thing landed straight up!
Can you believe that?!
Maybe it's in better
Condition than we thought.
I don't feel good sitting
Here in the middle of the
Country with my flashers on...
I don't either.
...And a damn worm sitting
In the road.
You get that side.
Get that -- whoa. Easy, now.
Easy. Easy.
Raise it up. There you go.
Now slide it up on the back of
The truck.
Get this box out of the road.
Get this thing out of the road,
Get out of here.
[ grunts ]
Man, we tore the bottom all
Out of this son of a bitch.
Let's do it.
Let's get out of here.
What in the world?
What in the world happened?
Good news and bad news.
Damn, y'all tore it all to
Pieces.
Yeah.
Y'all didn't tie it up in the
Back?
Y'all didn't have a rope?
Well, I was holding it.
Oh, that's the problem.
You was holding it.
Well, I was trying to hold
On to it, but, you know,
That's -- that's a good 200
Pounds and stuff right there.
It was either that went out the
Back of the truck or I did.
Good thing there wasn't
Nobody behind y'all.
Yeah, you're right about
That.
That's all right.
Narrator: though the coil
Itself wasn't damaged in the
Fall, tim will have to build
A new box for it before they can
Get that larger worm in place.
You got to have two more of
These.
Have to have two more of these.
And that there -- you need to
Know what you're doing to cut
Them out right there.
That's right.
And then we have to make a
Box.
I'm just glad y'all didn't get
Caught in the middle of the road
With a worm laying in the middle
Of the road.
Somebody may have figured out
What it is.
Anybody seen that gonna know
What that is.
Yeah, they gonna know what
That is.
Narrator: luckily, bill and
Tickle weren't spotted.
But with time running out, the
Worm is another thing for tim to
Fix before he can put his new
Still setup to the test.
Tickle's careless mistake has
Put the operation behind
Schedule.
Without a working worm, there is
No moonshine.
While tickle and j.T. Start
Rebuilding the worm box, tim is
Busy crafting new wooden slats
To keep the worm securely in
Place.
It fell off the truck and
Busted the box, but it could
Have been a lot worse.
But at least we got the worm.
We got about $700 worth of
Copper here, so we're good
There.
Hopefully I cut this thing
Right.
I'm not a carpenter here.
So I don't know.
What do you think about it,
Tim?
That looks like a box to me.
Yeah! There we go.
There we go.
That's looking good.
See how it's gonna fit in
There.
Grab it right there, j.T.
Oh, yeah.
Well, it looks a whole lot
Better than it did before.
Yeah, it looks good.
Worm most important.
'cause if nothing else works,
You've got to have the worm.
Anytime you see a still site
Busted up, they always take the
Worm with them.
Narrator: with the worm box
Rebuilt and camouflaged, tim and
Tickle rush to install it.
All right.
You know, I'm trying to get this
About right.
But it look like they're too
Long.
Narrator: tim is forced to
Modify the connecting copper
Pipe to accommodate the new
Larger worm.
There we go.
Oh, yeah, that's nice and clean,
Nice and pretty.
Make me a bumper sticker that
Says, "Moonshiners do it in the
Dark."
There you go.
Either that or "Moonshiners do
It all night."
"In the dark."
Yeah.
All right.
Get this in.
This right here, we don't have
To worry about it getting too
Hot.
We're gonna have about 150,
Maybe 200 gallons of water right
Here.
Oh, yeah, at least.
And that other one only had
About 50 gallons of water.
Yeah.
I'm good.
I'm happy.
Yeah.
Narrator: everything's ready
To go except the propane tanks,
Which tim picked up from an
Undisclosed location.
They're used to fuel the
Operation.
Tim won't know if the worm
Actually works until he fires
Up.
It's all or nothing.
It's getting cold, and we got
To keep this warm.
So that means we're gonna have
To keep somebody down here at
All times.
You can't just set a fire down
Here and, you know, set a burner
On and have nobody watching it.
Because we could burn the whole
Site down.
In addition to the leaves
Falling, there's another reason
Why moonshine season ends in the
Fall.
When temperatures drop below 50
Degrees, the yeast in the mash
Becomes inactive.
That means it won't ferment,
Resulting in a low alcohol
Yield.
Moonshiners who want to brew in
The winter need to keep the mash
Warm over a very low flame, and
The propane burner needs to be
Monitored 24 hours a day.
In the dead of winter, it can
Take over a month just to run
One pot of 'shine.
Hang on. Let me come up here.
Get that down.
Get that thing down.
Yeah.
Narrator: the final parts of
The still are put into place.
Everything's locked and loaded.
Tim and tickle are ready to fire
Up the still.
This is going great.
We got two pots in there.
I'm wanting to expand farther,
But right now, we're a little
Short on help, and me and tim
Can spread ourselves but so
Thin.
Narrator: once tim and tickle
Light up this pot, they'll be
Kicking off a marathon brewing
Process.
You don't leave a whole lot
Of time for sleep or family, but
That's what it takes to make
This money, you know?
So, we're gonna see if we
Can't do this without getting
Burnt up.
Lay it right there on that like
That.
Get the gas on, tickle.
All right.
All right, you got it.
That's good.
Get the burner going.
That's good.
It's gonna blow in a minute.
There we go.
Narrator: tim and tickle are
Back in business.
That was the easy part.
If they want to reach their goal
Of making enough money to go
Legal, they'll need to brew
Around the clock, no
Interruptions.
That's nice.
Narrator: coming up...
We got to put our skills to
Work tonight 'cause we don't
Want to get caught.
What are you here for?
Get on!
Narrator: jesse and jim are
Hot on the trail of a
Moonshining operation running
Six 800-gallon pots.
There's an active liquor
Still going.
This is the area that it's in,
And we don't have a whole lot of
Information to go on other than
The general area that we'll be
In, so we're just gonna have to
Kind of work with what we got
And hope for the best.
Narrator: now it's time to go
To work.
One thing that we have to be
Very mindful of -- this time of
Year, hunting season comes in,
You see these trail cams.
They can set these trail cams up
Around the areas.
They're pretty sophisticated
Equipment.
Now they can actually watch it
And never leave the residence.
Narrator: the trail cams are
Just like the ones tim set up in
The beginning of the season.
I think it looks pretty good.
One thing that worries me a
Lot about doing night ops -- you
Know, we got equipment, but the
Bad guys have night equipment,
Too, so we got to be mindful of
That.
My unit is a night-vision
Unit.
It's also infrared, as well.
So if we get in a dark location,
I can turn on the infrared so we
Can see.
You know, even with the night
Vision, you can tell that it's a
Bright light.
Need to be real cautious.
On top of it being bright, it's
Very, very quiet.
So we got to put our skills to
Work tonight, 'cause we don't
Want to get caught.
Listen.
That sounds good.
We didn't see that last time we
Was here.
We done picked up a noise.
Sounds like a -- to me, it
Sounds like the roar of an
Engine.
When I say the roar of an
Engine, maybe they're burning
Like a jet engine.
That's the sound that it puts
Off.
That's what we hope we hear.
I want to see what's going on
Over there.
Y'all get down.
Narrator: just 5 miles to the
West of jesse, tim and tickle
Have been hustling to bottle
Up a batch of 'shine from their
Newly configured still.
Both pots have produced 150
Gallons of 'shine, and they're
Still running strong.
I can't show you everything.
I don't want you looking inside
The still, 'cause then we may
Get in trouble with the law.
All right, one, two, three,
Four, five, six...
Narrator: now tickle's
Waiting for the first pickup of
The night.
40.
All right.
20 plus 20 is 40.
There we go.
Man, we been running like hell
All night.
And we're getting it out of
Here, and now it's coming to
Pickup time, and it's still
Coming out the worm.
All right, tickle, how you
Looking?
I'm looking good right now.
Ain't nobody come down yet, but
They should be here any time
Now.
Just make it fast as you can.
I'm gonna need some help down
Here.
I know that.
Soon as they come in, I'll get
Them loaded up as fast as I can.
Yeah, this must be this guy
Right now.
What are you here for?
How much you supposed to pick
Up?
All right, come on back over on
Here.
We'll load you up.
All right, hold right there.
Don't get out. I got it.
I'll tell you what.
This is the part of the job
Right here where it gets really
Tense.
In just a couple minutes, it's
Gonna be his problem, not mine.
All right.
Get on.
'cause you don't know who you
Got coming down here.
This could be an agent.
This could be anybody.
Right now we're just trying
To follow up on this noise we're
Hearing.
Sounds to me -- sounds like to
Me and jimmy that it's a burner
Possibly burning.
We might be on the right night.
They might be running it right
Now.
So we're trying to get it on
Location before we can determine
What this noise is.
[ dog barks ]
He's getting worried enough that
He's got to put some dogs into
The area.
That tells us we're getting
Close.
'cause, you know, last time we
Checked up on some of this
Information, he didn't have any
Dogs.
Narrator: suddenly, the
Tables turn.
Camera.
Something's going on.
Narrator: next week on the
Season finale of
"Moonshiners"...
Do you smell that?
Narrator: as moonshine season
Comes to a close, all bets are
Off as tim goes for broke to
Reach his goal.
We got 450 gallons in there.
We got to get this order to
Tennessee.
I think we're right on them.
Narrator: jesse's stakeout
Takes a dangerous turn.
Something is going on.
Damn, it looks like a police
Car, man.
Narrator: one moonshiner goes
Down.