Moonshiners (2011–…): Season 4, Episode 12 - Bootleg or Bust - full transcript
Josh & Bill go into the water business to secretly sell their shine. Tim returns to Virginia to fill a huge last-minute order. Mark takes a second shot at delivering his liquor by boat. And Tickle's deal with a moonshine savior almost breaks down.
Jim tom:
Somebody said, "jim tom,
Do you ever plan on
quitting moonshining?"
I said, "when you come
to the graveyard
And look on
my tombstone,
It said,
'here lays the moonshiner.'"
I said,
"that's when I'll quit."
My tombstone's gonna look like
a liquor still...
Oh, is it?
...With my picture
on my scooter right in there.
And I said,
"the moonshiner."
Yeah.
Jim tom -- 1940.
If I live
20 more years,
You put the date
in there.
[ laughs ]
Narrator:
Tonight on "moonshiners"...
Lance:
Slow, slow, slow.
...Caught in the dragnet.
Officer:
What are you doing out this way?
Jeff:
We're just out loafing.
You got anything illegal?
Nope. Sure don't.
Can I take a look, then?
...Threat from above...
I hear a helicopter.
[ helicopter blades whirring ]
...And tickle
hits the wall.
We are
running out of gas.
[ engine rattles ]
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[ clatter ]
[bleep] damn.
Man: This is how
we make the moonshine!
Captions paid for by
discovery communications
Narrator: The approaching
appalachian winter
Has shiners preparing
for the endgame.
An estimated 1/3
of appalachia's moonshiners
Have packed it in
for the year.
For those who remain,
It's time
to fire up the still
For the last run
of the season.
As the clock winds down
to zero hour,
Josh and bill
have a king's ransom in shine
Ready to sell.
Josh: Come on.
[ clicks tongue ]
There's just
one problem.
We're gonna have to cut
that notch a little bigger
Or we ain't gonna get
no liquor out of there.
Their liquor's
stuck underground.
I'm gonna crawl my happy butt
down there.
Or do you
want to cut it?
No, I figured you was
volunteering me
For the damn
corporate projects anyway.
I saw that
the plumbing had been crimped,
And that's
what our problem was.
I decided that we needed
to get our saws out,
And we're gonna have to then
cut it out
And put a new piece in.
I'm about nervous
to turn you loose with it.
You trying to beat
the damn thing out with a hammer
Knowing it serves a purpose.
I won't cut the pipe.
Narrator: With the law
breathing down their necks,
Josh and bill
put 300 gallons of shine
In an 8-foot-deep pit
Hidden beneath
an old scrap pickup truck.
That's a lot of damn cash.
Bill: Yeah.
But the huge truck's weight
has constricted the piping,
Trapping their shine.
We can't pump no shine,
And now we're
about to lose our sale.
Narrator:
They're supposed to make
a delivery in four hours,
But they're shut down
until they fix the pipe.
Damn it.
You're like a damn monkey
screwing a football.
All right.
Let's get this thing done.
The weight of this beam
is on top of this plywood here,
And it's got everything
pinched down on top of
Our little
3/4-inch pipe here.
Our lift looks good.
Our pump's good.
But we're pinched down by
the weight of the whole truck,
So we got to
cut her out here.
Damn it.
You been in there
for 15 minutes, man.
Did you tear it up?
You busted the pipe,
Didn't you?
No.
Well...
That didn't work
exactly like I wanted it to,
But I got her freed up.
Is it freed up?
Yeah. Yeah.
I think I got it
this time.
This has been taking forever,
and I'm ready to be done.
I really hope it works
'cause we need to make
some of this money.
Hurry up.
Hook that thing up.
I'm ready
to get out of here.
Bill: Flip the switch.
We'll get some liquor running.
She's flowing.
All right.
Today's the first time
we've actually cut the switch on
And pumped any moonshine out.
We got a really big sale.
Guy's waiting on us.
We got to get out here
And collect some of that
hard-earned cash.
Locked and loaded.
Narrator: As the birthplace
of american whiskey,
Virginia has been home
To some of the nation's
most famous moonshiners.
And today,
one of them has returned.
You know, it's done been
over a year now.
Now I'm back in virginia.
Narrator:
Tim smith has spent decades
Trying to transition
from outlaw moonshiner
To legal liquor producer.
But even after giving up
the outlaw life,
Getting approval from virginia's
authorities seemed impossible...
It is kind of a big pill
to swallow here.
Narrator: ...Until now.
Tim: I got a letter
from the state of virginia
Saying that they gonna
accept my product in virginia.
After all of this time,
We've been trying to get in
in the state of virginia.
But then, now we need
to make more product.
Narrator: In virginia,
the state abc board
Dictates which
and how much of each brand
Can be sold in stores.
Now they've given tim
just 2 weeks
To deliver 2,000 gallons
of his shine.
But the north carolina
distillery
Is already three months behind
And won't be able
to cover the order.
I need some help
in making more product.
I'm already in
10 or 12 different states
And working out of
the other distillery.
And if the state of virginia
sells like the other states,
We're gonna have to have
a whole lot more product.
Narrator: So tim's calling on
a trusted friend.
We're gonna meet chuck miller
Back at
the belmont farms distillery.
I've been knowing chuck
for about 20 years.
Narrator: Descended from
several generations
Of virginia moonshiners,
Chuck has moonshine
in his blood.
My grandfather started here
back in the '30s,
And I was lucky I got to work
with him back in the '60s.
Narrator: He also operates
the largest still in the state.
He's tim's only shot
At meeting the deadline
on the 2,000-gallon order.
Chuck,
what are you doing?
Chuck:
How you doing, man?
What's going on?
We're gonna really have to make
some corn whiskey now.
We got to make some
climax moonshine.
Well, you know,
I got that tank --
That tank
all ready for you.
Yeah, I see you got
it all plumbed up and
piped up and everything.
Yeah, but you told me
you wanted to clean it,
So I know how picky you are
about cleaning things.
Oh, I got to clean it.
But that's
stainless steel,
Once you get it clean,
you got it.
But you got to clean it.
Narrator: If tim has any hope
of meeting the abc deadline,
He needs to be mashed in
and ready to ferment
In just under two days.
Tim: We gonna get
the new batch of mash going,
Which is
about 2,500 gallons.
But then we only got about
15 to 20 days to get it done.
That's the problem.
I haven't told chuck that yet.
Narrator: Tim will be cooking
5,000 gallons of mash
In a stainless steel pot
Fitted with
a copper heating coil.
There it will be transferred
to a large fermentation tank.
After five days,
The mash will be moved to
chuck's 3,000-gallon copper pot,
Where it will be distilled
into moonshine
Through a doubler
and two-inch thick copper worm.
It's backwoods-style brewing
on an industrial scale.
You be
careful up there, tim.
Tim: Yeah, well...
That's a long way
up there.
Looks like you got it
all hooked up here now.
Yeah, take a look now.
Yeah.
Take a look up in there.
Yeah, it's got some crud.
Crud in there?
Well, boy, you got to
go in there and clean it.
All right, so, tim,
what we're gonna do is
I'm gonna feed you
this thing,
So what you need is
the last rung first.
Tim: Oh, I forgot
to tell you something.
You know what?
What's that?
Uh...We kind of
got a deadline.
Tim, you done
put the pressure on us now.
They want it like
by the 15th of the month.
We only got
about 15 days.
That's why I wanted to hurry up
and get this tank going.
You better get in there
and get it clean
So we can start cooking
tomorrow.
Yeah, I know.
All of a sudden,
today he shows up and he says,
"we got a big order
in the state of virginia.
We got to have it ready
in two weeks."
He's talking about
a couple thousand cases
He wants done in two weeks.
This is gonna be
a trick and a half.
It's not easy.
Got to stand
on my head already.
You got
that leg in there.
[ laughs ]
this is crazy.
I'm gonna move this ladder
back a little bit.
You're going, tim.
Tim, I got faith in you,
though.
Chuck: I'll be right here.
Don't worry, buddy.
Tim: You know,
the big thing here is
Chuck has a larger still,
has a larger operation,
So it actually makes it
run faster...
Are you all right?
I don't hear any noise!
Yeah, it's all right!
All right!
It's just
kind of hot in here!
...Also has the biggest,
largest copper pot
In the United States,
which is good.
I need as much as I can get
as fast as I can get it.
All right, chuck,
I think I'm ready.
All right, I think you
better get out of there!
It's too hot in there!
It's not safe!
[ grunts ] okay.
Now, you be careful, tim.
Think we need
a bigger building.
Tim: Chuck, we only got
about 15 days.
We're gonna have --
we're gonna get it done.
If we got to work all night,
we're gonna get it done.
We're gonna have it.
Tim: We got to get the corn
out of this silo,
We got to get it into
the mixer/grinder, grind it up.
Importance is time here.
There's just too much to do
in a short period of time.
And I'm running out
of that time.
That's the problem.
Narrator: But tim doesn't know
that another factor
Is jeopardizing his plan to be
a legal virginia distiller --
His former partner, tickle.
I got a sale lined up.
It's not a guy I really know.
He's a friend of a guy
that I've sold to before.
I don't want tim
to find out that I'm doing this.
I took special precautions
To call around and make sure tim
didn't know this guy.
Tickle's partnership
with chico and tyler
Is on the rocks.
I'm not
gonna dwell on tickle.
We're gonna get
what we got to get done.
Narrator:
So he's hustling to sell
the remaining gallons of shine
Brewed with tim's recipe.
But now...
Tickle.
Tim!
...Tim is back
in his old territory.
Look at that.
This right here
says I can sell it
Anywhere in
the state of virginia.
Tim:
The state of virginia --
I don't think
they're playing any jokes.
I trust tickle,
But whatever's in kentucky
stays in kentucky.
You know, I don't want tim
to find out that I'm doing this.
I know he'd be upset.
It's tim's recipe I'm selling.
He don't want me selling it
out here on the street
While he's selling it
in the liquor store.
I can understand that.
But it's not just for me.
I got tyler and chico.
They're sending up shine.
I got to keep
sending money back to them.
This is what I got to do
to survive.
[ car door closes ]
It's always good
to make new contacts, you know,
But in this line of work,
You don't get to know
these people.
They're not your buddies.
They're not your friends.
Instantly when they pulled up,
I see it's two guys.
That right there --
I don't like that.
Tickle: Not a lot.
Just working on my truck.
Yeah, man.
I got it fixed, man.
It was only supposed to be
one guy,
And this is the first time
I'm meeting this guy.
This is not where you bring
a friend along for the ride.
Yeah.
Uh, no, man.
My truck just messed up.
I just got it fixed, man.
I'm sitting over here
on the side of the road
Working on my truck.
I don't know
what you're talking about.
That's all I can --
No, you ain't here
to meet me, man.
Well, you know what?
I'm a guy that's got a truck
that he just got fixed.
You don't worry about that.
That is my damn box.
You don't worry about
what's in that box.
You go to talk to the
man you're supposed to
be [bleep] talking to,
Because you ain't talking to me,
all right?
Hey, you know.
I don't know what the hell
you talking about.
[ car door closes ]
[ engine turns over ]
Tickle: You know, I am not
in no way, you know,
Stupid enough to think
That something
was not going on there.
It didn't smell right.
I don't like this.
I don't like this at all.
I got to figure
something else out.
Narrator: Coming up,
lights in the darkness...
...A tennessee mash-up...
We've got quite a bit of work
ahead of us for the day.
Digger:
Your britches is unzipped.
Any moonshine delivery
is dangerous.
Narrator:
...And running on empty.
[ engine rattles ]
Tickle:
We are running out of gas.
Narrator: Today, moonshine
is synonymous with corn whiskey,
But true shiners
have always known
That relying on any single
ingredient for their liquor
Was a recipe for trouble.
Them people
don't see this [bleep]
They think it's easy.
And on a tennessee hilltop,
Two shiners are rolling
with mother nature's punches.
Mark: I have a notion
it's the new stuff.
I don't know.
Digger: I believe this is
the last trip
We're gonna
have to worry with.
Narrator: After a decade away
from moonshining,
Two of popcorn sutton's
former stillhands
Are back in the saddle.
Yeah.
Here's to you, old man.
Damn, popcorn.
What have you got us into?
Popcorn was known
For making more
than just corn whiskey.
That's given digger
an idea.
Popcorn made apple brandy
and rye whiskey before,
So we're gonna
mix the two up,
Make a mash
with apples and rye,
And we're gonna make
a little apple rye.
I want to kind of
get this over with.
I'm nervous.
I don't want to be
running this generator
more than we have to.
Narrator: In addition to
the usual mash components
Of corn, barley, sugar,
yeast, and mountain water,
Digger is adding
over seven pounds of ground rye,
As well as apples.
Mark: This burner
makes a lot of fuss.
Yeah, we need to get this
[bleep] done and over with.
This mashing process
is gonna be a little bit longer.
We've got to
grind up our rye.
And then we've got to
mash these apples up
And make a slurry
out of those.
We've got quite a bit of work
ahead of us for the day.
It's a little more technical,
a little more complicated,
But we just want to experiment.
We're gonna make a small run.
Narrator:
Apples already contain
Enough natural sugars
for fermentation,
But the alcohol content
is usually low.
Digger is hoping
that by adding more sugar,
He'll be able to keep the proof
whiskey-grade.
In the late 1600s,
A scottish whiskey distiller
living in colonial new jersey
Decided to make alcohol
using apples
Instead of traditional
barley malt.
The spirit was called applejack,
or jersey lightning.
It was actually used
as currency to road workers
During the colonial period.
The beverage was once so popular
that george washington,
Who had his own distillery,
Asked the scottish inventor
for his secret recipe.
Digger: Let's put hot water
in there,
And that way it won't
clump up at the bottom
and continue to cook.
That water in there
is good and hot, too.
Don't scald it.
Oh, no.
Digger: A lot of my ancestors
on both sides of the family
Were involved in making
moonshine back years ago.
Papaw made liquor here,
Then the grandchildren
made liquor here,
The children made liquor here,
And it just became
like a cookbook
That a grandmother passes on
to a granddaughter.
Ain't no telling
what this tastes like.
It'll either be
damn outstanding
Or worser than [bleep]
I'm hoping for outstanding.
Yeah, worser than [bleep],
it's hard to sell.
Yeah.
It's hard enough to say.
[ laughs ]
It turns out good.
Well, there's that
little bit of yeast
I saved off of
that last run.
We'll dump it in there.
Narrator: For digger,
perfecting this apple rye mash
Isn't just about making
first-rate liquor.
It's a chance to contribute
to a craft
That is always changing
and evolving.
Popcorn's legacy
comes from the fact
He didn't hide what he did.
You went into convenience store
or getting gas,
And they ask,
"well, what do you do?"
He'd say,
"I'm a moonshiner."
That's ready to take off.
Why the gnats
ain't so bad today?
You figured they're be here
Hell west and crooked
over them apples and that sugar.
Digger:
Your britches is unzipped.
[ laughs ]
Narrator:
130 miles to the southeast,
Josh and bill are racing
To meet up with
their first buyer in months.
Lawmen, they're breathing
down the back of our necks.
Man, the more small sales
we're making,
I mean, the bigger chance
we're taking.
I don't like
being out here,
Damn running up and down
the roads,
Selling
this [bleep] either,
But we got to make
some of this money back.
10 gallons
is a pretty small sale.
Josh:
The last thing I want to do
Is get caught
transporting moonshine,
But we've done spent
all our money on this new still.
We're back down
to about being bust again,
So we got to make some runs
one way or another.
If we can just
keep the law off our back,
Keep our noses clean,
we're gonna make some money.
They should be here
waiting on us.
We're running
a little bit behind.
Keep going. Keep going.
Keep going.
That's good.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Stop, stop.
Oh, god,
I hate this part.
We're taking
all kind of risk
By trying to sell
our own liquor.
We need to be selling it
to one or two people
And let them
distribute this [bleep]
Is that him?
Is that his truck?
I don't know.
I hope so.
How's it going?
Man: Good, man. Good.
I sure do
appreciate it.
Cash in hand.
I'm literally
rushing right now.
I don't even know why.
Bill: I agree with you.
We just need to make
a couple of big sales.
That's how
you make a lick.
Don't need to be making it
And trying to damn
get it spread out everywhere.
Narrator: The sale made them
a grand richer,
But they still have 290 gallons
back in the tank.
If they can't move
larger amounts,
It could be months
before they've sold it at all.
Just across the border
in graham county,
Two shiners are still
running in the dark.
Lance, we'll slip around
these back roads here.
Jeff, mark,
and lance's plans
To smuggle shine
to a big player in tennessee
Suffered a major setback.
We got
a lot of bad news.
What's wrong?
Every jug
we got's gone.
Narrator:
To keep their season afloat,
Jeff's convinced
their tennessee buyer
To give them another chance.
There shouldn't be
nothing out tonight.
Let's try to get rid of
this moonshine we got.
Narrator: Now they're
on their way to drop off
Another 50 gallons of shine
at their stash house
For mark to bootleg.
Stash this stuff
in the stash house
And then mark,
he'll pick it up
And take it on
to tennessee.
We don't want to lose
no more.
With the cops
wise to their operation,
They're sticking to back roads
and traveling at night.
Even with the extra precautions,
this is a huge gamble.
Yep.
Slow, slow, slow, slow.
All right, well,
you got to get out right now.
You don't want to be
a part of this.
[ car door opens ]
Officer:
How you doing tonight?
Jeff:
I'm doing pretty good.
How are you?
We're just out loafing.
Nope. Sure don't.
Nope,
I don't want you to.
You done
just harassed me enough.
I'm not gonna let you
search my vehicle.
You done just never
found nothing.
Well, if you want to
go get a search warrant,
I'll let you
go through it.
Narrator: Coming up,
turning shine into water.
Quit. You're stretching it.
Quit.
Does that mountain
match that mountain?
It's close enough.
Narrator: ...And tim's plans
come grinding to a halt.
The only way to solve the
problem quickly
Is to send you in there
with a shovel!
Narrator: After nightfall,
The twisting mountain roads
of north carolina
Can provide perfect cover
for illegal activity.
I see flashing lights.
Slow, slow, slow.
You got to get out
right now.
Unfortunately
for jeff and lance,
They picked the wrong night
to set out
With a truckload
of white lightning.
Officer:
How you doing tonight?
Jeff: I'm doing pretty good.
How are you?
We're just out loafing.
Nope. Sure don't.
Nope.
Every time I get out,
I'm gonna get harassed.
I can't even go
to the grocery store anymore
Without getting stopped,
Pulled over,
want to search my truck.
Well, if you want to go get
a search warrant,
I'll let you
go through it.
If the police find the cargo,
Jeff and lance could be facing
five years behind bars.
Go get you
a search warrant.
Man, I'll tell you what.
Oh, yeah.
All right,
have a good night.
Jeff: Lance, I tell you,
we just made another enemy.
Lance: Yeah, we did.
We better get out of here
right now.
'cause someone's
gonna be calling backup.
As soon as we get outside
of his lights, we're going on.
That was the closest
we've come so far.
So, from now on,
we've got to get everything
In my corner
before we head out.
Narrator: For most shiners,
The constant threat of arrest
is just a fact of life.
But in bustling spartanburg,
josh and bill think
They found a way to keep the law
out of their hair for good.
I'm hoping this sticker ain't
gonna give us too much trouble.
I mean, I know
it ain't gonna be easy.
Josh: There ain't nothing
me and you can't do, brother.
They're so confident, josh has
already arranged a huge sale --
70 gallons of shine
to a major distributor.
All right.
I got this side.
You stay on your side, damn it.
To ensure
the sale goes smoothly,
The guys invested the money
from their last sale
In the perfect disguise.
Meet south carolina's newest
distributors of spring water.
We've been throwing
a bunch of ideas around,
But josh was able
to score us a truck.
We got a big sticker
gonna go on the side,
And it's under the guise
of selling spring water.
Hopefully we're gonna be able
to stay up under the radar
And move as much liquor
as we're making.
Let's just stick it in there.
Just stick it on there.
It'll stick right now.
I hung wallpaper before,
But I ain't never hung wallpaper
in a damn 15-mile-an-hour wind,
And we're about to damn wrassle
this thing on the truck.
I won't say we bit off
more than we can chew,
But if we booger it up,
We're gonna have to start back
from scratch.
I feel like
our mountains are --
Well, we're low
in the middle here.
[ sighs ]
We're good on the ends,
And it's almost like we're
a little bit low in the middle.
It's close enough.
Quit. You're
stretching it. Quit.
Does that mountain match
that mountain?
It's close enough.
You can't tell
from a distance.
Man, a blind man can tell that
from a distance.
Just pull it back
and hold it.
Isn't that
what I just said?
Is that not --
is that not what I just said?
Just pull it back,
ass-wipe.
[bleep] you, man.
This is what
I was talking about.
You said,
"no, no, don't do that!"
And then you did exactly
what I was talking about doing.
Josh:
I really just kind of wanted
to get it lined up in place
And get it stuck up there
and then work out the problems.
And bill was just, like,
trying to work his end
While I was working my end,
and that never works.
That's like mopping yourself
into the middle of a floor.
I thought this thing's
supposed to say
"mountain spring water."
what's it say?
No, it's supposed to say
"can of spring water."
Can-oh --
can of spring water!
How you spell that?
Can of...
Of?
...Spring water, yeah.
How do you spell "of"?
What do you mean,
how do you spell "of"?
[ chuckles ]
You're not looking at
the same thing I'm looking at.
Man, you're
looking at bubbles.
"can" --
"can-ow."
"o."
"can-ow."
"can-oh."
"can-ow."
"con-oh."
Well, we're just about done
sticking this thing on there.
Bill realized that it didn't
say "of," it said "ow."
It was supposed to say
"can of spring water."
Yeah, I misspelled on my text,
and it's...
[bleep] happens.
We can't use that.
We're gonna have to use it.
I mean --
We can't use that.
That don't make no sense.
Well, we do a lot of things
that don't make any sense.
But then we sure can't afford
to damn shell out any more money
For another damn --
for another sticker.
At least not until
we damn sell some liquor.
Bill: We got every dime we got
into these things.
As long as it don't look
like it's total crap
Once we put it up, I mean, it's
just gonna have to work for us.
You can't be serious.
I am serious.
It'll work.
I mean, it's them
purty appalachian mountains.
It's got
bottles of water on it.
Spring water.
Can-ow-pure.
Hell, that might be somebody's
last name. I don't know.
It is what it is.
What a ginormous
pain in the butt.
[ sighs ]
Narrator: Back in virginia,
for the first time in years,
Tim smith is going to make
liquor in his home state.
All right,
wayne, fire that thing up.
We got this huge order,
and we got to get it done.
Yeah, I know, I know.
In order to make
the 2,000 gallons,
He first needs
nearly 20,000 gallons of mash.
Normally that would require
Trucking in over 15,000 pounds
of rye, corn, and barley,
But chuck's distillery has
a unique advantage.
Chuck: It's considered
an agricultural distillery.
Narrator:
Chuck grows barley, rye, and
corn right there on his farm.
We got this big order
we got to do
For the state of virginia,
you know?
They want
a couple thousand cases,
And they want it in two weeks,
so we are in a hurry.
We got things to do, man.
Put some more corn
in there.
There ain't nothing
coming out.
Yeah, there's something wrong,
I'm telling you.
There should be more corn
coming out than that!
Pouring out.
It's not.
Narrator: Tim needs
about 2,000 pounds of corn
For his first batch of mash,
But the auger that feeds
the grinder
Is ready for the scrap heap.
Tim: We hit some problems.
The auger in the bottom
of the silo stopped working.
Chuck: A big order.
The only way
to solve the problem quickly
Is to send you in there
with a shovel.
Can you go
in there, tim?
I guess.
That thing ain't gonna, like,
suck me in, is it?
Tim, now,
I'm gonna tell you,
You got to watch
that center hole.
It would suck you in there, too,
so you be real careful.
All right, but you got to
be careful in there
'cause it ain't safe
in there.
All right, how you feel?
Comfortable?
[ laughing ] yeah.
Huh?
You be nice and safe
in there now.
All right,
give me the shovel.
And when you walk on it, see,
You fall and you sink in it
like quicksand,
And it'll smother you
before you know what happened.
All right, what I got to do?
Put it in there?
Chuck: That's right.
Yeah, shovel it up there.
Over in there?
Yeah, keep shoveling.
Shovel faster.
I got a big order.
Oh, my god.
You ready?
I'm gonna turn that motor on.
[ engine turning over ]
It's working.
Corn's coming out.
Good job, tim.
Good job.
Once we just
get this moonshine made
And make the state happy,
then I'll be happy.
Narrator: Coming up, mark's got
that sinking feeling...
Got to run it slow
Because we'll sink the thing
again if we don't.
...And eyes in the sky.
Digger:
I hear a helicopter.
[ helicopter blades whirring ]
Narrator: In the shadowy heart
of the smoky mountains,
Mark and digger
are sweetening their still pot
With a new recipe...
Ready to run.
...Apple rye.
If this turns out good,
this will be high-dollar liquor,
As popcorn would call it.
Well, let's check it, make sure
the cap's dropped on it.
Narrator: They're creating
an original concoction
That mixes two of their mentor,
popcorn sutton's, favorites...
Oh, yeah.
...Rye whiskey
and apple brandy.
Oh, that's good.
Mark: You happy with it?
Hell yeah.
Taking your word
for it, brother.
We're in dandy shape.
Digger: Yeah, boy.
That apple, you can taste
that apple stout in it.
What do you want to call
this [bleep]
Apple rye.
Apple rye or apple fire?
Apple fire
would be all right.
Get this [bleep]
to the still.
I'm about tired
of carrying these buckets.
We're going to set a still
Up close to the mash
from now on.
[ grunts ]
I'ma tell you what,
that's some of
The best-smelling mash
I've ever seen in my life.
It smells good, don't it?
Well, this is true.
I guess now it's just a matter
of getting a fire started.
Cap's going on.
Digger: Mark?
[ helicopter blades whirring ]
Mark.
Huh?
I hear a helicopter.
[ whirring continues ]
[ whirring fades ]
I believe we're good.
Too late now, digger.
Burners are running.
Narrator: By lighting up,
mark and digger are gambling
That the passing helicopter
isn't local law enforcement.
Okay.
If they're wrong, their plans
To restore traditional shine to
the area could go up in smoke.
Mark: After our visit from
law enforcement a few days ago,
We're nervous.
We got to be more vigilant
And maybe not letting people
know our business so much.
Of course, nobody knows
you have it, you can't sell it.
We're getting warm down here
on the thump post.
Mark: It getting warm?
It getting warm.
Get that coon pecker
in there.
Narrator: Many shiners use
the penis bones of raccoons
To help direct the flow of shine
into a jar.
I wonder who
the first man ever was
That thought about using
a coon pecker.
And they also make great
toothpicks.
I think just any minute, we
ought to be seeing some liquor.
It's been 35 minutes.
Oh, oh, lookie here.
There we go.
Oh, my. That liquor
is buttermilk.
Yep, we've got that fine,
little stream right there.
You want
a little horn of it?
Yeah, go ahead. It's your mash.
You get the first.
Mmm.
It's loud. Whoo.
After you get your breath,
You'll taste that little bit
of apple on the back end.
[ clears throat ]
Damn, that's kind of like
eating a big bite of horseradish
There for just a second.
Yeah, you don't breathe out
through your nose first thing.
With almost eight gallons
of premium apple rye produced,
Mark and digger have breathed
new life
Into traditional shining.
That rye's strong.
All that's left
is to set up some sales
And finally share their product
with the people of tennessee.
We need
to just keep the look-out,
Catch the jug, it comes out
exactly 100 proof.
Yeah.
That'd be the one for us
to put up and keep.
Yeah, we'll drink that
At special occasions
like birthdays.
Going to bed, weekdays,
and weekends.
[ both laugh ]
Just across fontana lake
in north carolina...
If this don't work,
I don't know what we'll do.
...Mark's whole season rests
On successfully off-loading
his shine on tennessee shores.
What we need to do is
put us some hooks on it.
We can hook it fast
and unhook it fast.
Because jeff and lance
are busy at the still
Making up
for the lost shine...
You got her pasted up?
I'ma getting it.
...Mark's cousin huck will
be helping with the delivery.
Mark: That's a load of liquor
right there.
And I'm gonna tie it off,
and we'll be ready to go.
Mark: I was probably running
a little too fast.
Water come over the top,
blowed it out the back.
Lost every bit of it.
I'll guarantee you, son.
I am, too.
Still nervous.
Narrator: While risky,
running shine during the day
Ensures they can easily recover
any lost jugs.
Law will show up anytime,
anywhere.
I tell you what I got to do --
I got to run it slow
Because we'll sink the thing
again if we don't.
We just got to run slow
till we get there.
Don't want to do that again.
Nope.
Narrator:
This is their one shot at making
good on their failed transport.
Coming up, josh and bill make
a special delivery...
It's going straight
to voice mail?
Let me shoot him a text.
Let me shoot a text.
[ sighs ]
...And tickle goes off-road.
We are running out of gas.
Mm, come on.
Bill: I figure we can knock
a couple shells off
Before we got to make
that run today.
Josh:
Here, you can go first.
Yep, yep.
All right. Pull.
[ gunshot ]
Oh, I missed.
Man!
[ both laugh ]
It's all right, brother.
Man!
All right. Pull.
[ shotgun clicks ]
Oh! What the hell?
Josh: I'm glad we're practicing
before we go duck hunting.
[ shotgun cocks ]
all right. My turn.
Pull.
[ gunshot ]
[ gunshot ]
Heck, yeah.
Busted it.
We kind of need a damn
quick dicking around
With the damn skeet
and then get back to work.
I mean, I'm --
pull.
[ gunshot ]
God, I love this.
Narrator: On a busy country
highway in south carolina,
A one-of-a-kind delivery service
has just been launched.
Right now, we look legit.
Just some
good, ol' country boys
Damn earning
some hard-earned money, right?
Posing as water delivery men,
Josh and bill
have arranged a deal
With one of the county's
largest distributors.
I'm excited, man.
We're about to make
some serious dust.
We need to be doing big sales
to one or two or three people
And make it where
we don't have to do
A whole lot of traveling
with it.
Are we in business?
Hell, yeah.
Narrator:
They're moving 7 grand worth of
shine, their largest sale ever.
When you quit
getting scared
Or worried
about what you're doing,
You let your guard down,
you go to prison.
I didn't see his car
when we pulled in. We're late.
Is the man even here?
I don't know.
The truck looks good.
It looks like we're running
a legitimate water company.
But the law already knows
who we are.
We're running around
in damn stilling overalls,
Damn unshaven, and acting like
we're selling water.
I don't think we're gonna fool
too many people
If the right people see us.
It's going straight
to voice mail?
Let me shoot him a text.
Let me shoot a text.
[ sighs ]
just relax a second.
Relax.
We're moving damn 70 gallons
of liquor.
I know that, but it looks like
water, so chill.
Bill's getting antsy,
So I decided to call the guy --
nothing.
Left him a voice mail,
Sent him a text message --
nothing.
We can't just leave
this moonshine sitting here.
If he ain't here
soon, man...
I just sent him a text.
I called him twice.
I'll call him again.
Just relax a second.
You're making me nervous.
Well, you said
this dude was cool.
He is cool.
Just chill out. God almighty.
Josh said he knows this man.
He's known him for a long time,
so he trusts him.
So, we showed up
with a truck full of liquor,
Ready to unload it, ready to get
paid, and the man's not here.
We can't just sit around
waiting on somebody.
There you are.
All right.
Josh: Moonshine in the door,
cash out the door,
And out the parking lot we went.
If this keeps going up
all season long,
We're gonna be rich.
Sorry about coming
in the middle of the day.
We just needed
to damn get it done.
Take care, man.
Narrator: Up in virginia,
His attempt to find more buyers
has failed,
So tickle decides
it's a good time
To honor his promise to tim
and close his operation.
Tickle: You know what?
I'm being true to my brother.
I'd rather lose money on this
Than him even think
I cost him one sale.
Narrator: But he still
owes money to chico and tyler.
Tickle: Tyler and chico,
they're expecting their money.
Wasn't easy, but I found one guy
to take all of it.
Narrator: Tickle is selling
the rest of his stock
To a north carolina distributor,
But he's only getting pennies
on the dollar.
Tickle: I had to cut my rate
quite a bit,
Which means I'm losing money,
But this guy's taking it
out of state.
That lets me feel
a little bit better about tim.
It's not being sold
where tim didn't want it sold.
[ grunts ]
Loading up all of this stuff.
Any moonshine delivery
is dangerous.
But having
this much shine on you,
This right here
is a whole lot more dangerous
Than anything I should be doing.
[ engine sputters ]
My fuel gauge don't work.
We are running out of gas.
Come on.
[ clatter ]
[bleep] damn.
Narrator:
Next time on "moonshiners"...
Jim tom:
You're here working after dark.
The moon's shining at you.
Well, this is moonshining.
Narrator:
...Jim tom is back in action.
Oh, hell.
Jim tom: What is it?
...Mark and digger's buyer
gets busted...
Oh [bleep]
this ain't good.
That's that damn barry
right there.
He's done been caught.
Sheriff's got him. Damn.
[bleep]
...And the spotlight's
on josh and bill.
[ dog barks ]
josh: Shh!
That's the damn law, bill.
That is the law.
Cutie pie! Come here now!
Somebody said, "jim tom,
Do you ever plan on
quitting moonshining?"
I said, "when you come
to the graveyard
And look on
my tombstone,
It said,
'here lays the moonshiner.'"
I said,
"that's when I'll quit."
My tombstone's gonna look like
a liquor still...
Oh, is it?
...With my picture
on my scooter right in there.
And I said,
"the moonshiner."
Yeah.
Jim tom -- 1940.
If I live
20 more years,
You put the date
in there.
[ laughs ]
Narrator:
Tonight on "moonshiners"...
Lance:
Slow, slow, slow.
...Caught in the dragnet.
Officer:
What are you doing out this way?
Jeff:
We're just out loafing.
You got anything illegal?
Nope. Sure don't.
Can I take a look, then?
...Threat from above...
I hear a helicopter.
[ helicopter blades whirring ]
...And tickle
hits the wall.
We are
running out of gas.
[ engine rattles ]
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[ clatter ]
[bleep] damn.
Man: This is how
we make the moonshine!
Captions paid for by
discovery communications
Narrator: The approaching
appalachian winter
Has shiners preparing
for the endgame.
An estimated 1/3
of appalachia's moonshiners
Have packed it in
for the year.
For those who remain,
It's time
to fire up the still
For the last run
of the season.
As the clock winds down
to zero hour,
Josh and bill
have a king's ransom in shine
Ready to sell.
Josh: Come on.
[ clicks tongue ]
There's just
one problem.
We're gonna have to cut
that notch a little bigger
Or we ain't gonna get
no liquor out of there.
Their liquor's
stuck underground.
I'm gonna crawl my happy butt
down there.
Or do you
want to cut it?
No, I figured you was
volunteering me
For the damn
corporate projects anyway.
I saw that
the plumbing had been crimped,
And that's
what our problem was.
I decided that we needed
to get our saws out,
And we're gonna have to then
cut it out
And put a new piece in.
I'm about nervous
to turn you loose with it.
You trying to beat
the damn thing out with a hammer
Knowing it serves a purpose.
I won't cut the pipe.
Narrator: With the law
breathing down their necks,
Josh and bill
put 300 gallons of shine
In an 8-foot-deep pit
Hidden beneath
an old scrap pickup truck.
That's a lot of damn cash.
Bill: Yeah.
But the huge truck's weight
has constricted the piping,
Trapping their shine.
We can't pump no shine,
And now we're
about to lose our sale.
Narrator:
They're supposed to make
a delivery in four hours,
But they're shut down
until they fix the pipe.
Damn it.
You're like a damn monkey
screwing a football.
All right.
Let's get this thing done.
The weight of this beam
is on top of this plywood here,
And it's got everything
pinched down on top of
Our little
3/4-inch pipe here.
Our lift looks good.
Our pump's good.
But we're pinched down by
the weight of the whole truck,
So we got to
cut her out here.
Damn it.
You been in there
for 15 minutes, man.
Did you tear it up?
You busted the pipe,
Didn't you?
No.
Well...
That didn't work
exactly like I wanted it to,
But I got her freed up.
Is it freed up?
Yeah. Yeah.
I think I got it
this time.
This has been taking forever,
and I'm ready to be done.
I really hope it works
'cause we need to make
some of this money.
Hurry up.
Hook that thing up.
I'm ready
to get out of here.
Bill: Flip the switch.
We'll get some liquor running.
She's flowing.
All right.
Today's the first time
we've actually cut the switch on
And pumped any moonshine out.
We got a really big sale.
Guy's waiting on us.
We got to get out here
And collect some of that
hard-earned cash.
Locked and loaded.
Narrator: As the birthplace
of american whiskey,
Virginia has been home
To some of the nation's
most famous moonshiners.
And today,
one of them has returned.
You know, it's done been
over a year now.
Now I'm back in virginia.
Narrator:
Tim smith has spent decades
Trying to transition
from outlaw moonshiner
To legal liquor producer.
But even after giving up
the outlaw life,
Getting approval from virginia's
authorities seemed impossible...
It is kind of a big pill
to swallow here.
Narrator: ...Until now.
Tim: I got a letter
from the state of virginia
Saying that they gonna
accept my product in virginia.
After all of this time,
We've been trying to get in
in the state of virginia.
But then, now we need
to make more product.
Narrator: In virginia,
the state abc board
Dictates which
and how much of each brand
Can be sold in stores.
Now they've given tim
just 2 weeks
To deliver 2,000 gallons
of his shine.
But the north carolina
distillery
Is already three months behind
And won't be able
to cover the order.
I need some help
in making more product.
I'm already in
10 or 12 different states
And working out of
the other distillery.
And if the state of virginia
sells like the other states,
We're gonna have to have
a whole lot more product.
Narrator: So tim's calling on
a trusted friend.
We're gonna meet chuck miller
Back at
the belmont farms distillery.
I've been knowing chuck
for about 20 years.
Narrator: Descended from
several generations
Of virginia moonshiners,
Chuck has moonshine
in his blood.
My grandfather started here
back in the '30s,
And I was lucky I got to work
with him back in the '60s.
Narrator: He also operates
the largest still in the state.
He's tim's only shot
At meeting the deadline
on the 2,000-gallon order.
Chuck,
what are you doing?
Chuck:
How you doing, man?
What's going on?
We're gonna really have to make
some corn whiskey now.
We got to make some
climax moonshine.
Well, you know,
I got that tank --
That tank
all ready for you.
Yeah, I see you got
it all plumbed up and
piped up and everything.
Yeah, but you told me
you wanted to clean it,
So I know how picky you are
about cleaning things.
Oh, I got to clean it.
But that's
stainless steel,
Once you get it clean,
you got it.
But you got to clean it.
Narrator: If tim has any hope
of meeting the abc deadline,
He needs to be mashed in
and ready to ferment
In just under two days.
Tim: We gonna get
the new batch of mash going,
Which is
about 2,500 gallons.
But then we only got about
15 to 20 days to get it done.
That's the problem.
I haven't told chuck that yet.
Narrator: Tim will be cooking
5,000 gallons of mash
In a stainless steel pot
Fitted with
a copper heating coil.
There it will be transferred
to a large fermentation tank.
After five days,
The mash will be moved to
chuck's 3,000-gallon copper pot,
Where it will be distilled
into moonshine
Through a doubler
and two-inch thick copper worm.
It's backwoods-style brewing
on an industrial scale.
You be
careful up there, tim.
Tim: Yeah, well...
That's a long way
up there.
Looks like you got it
all hooked up here now.
Yeah, take a look now.
Yeah.
Take a look up in there.
Yeah, it's got some crud.
Crud in there?
Well, boy, you got to
go in there and clean it.
All right, so, tim,
what we're gonna do is
I'm gonna feed you
this thing,
So what you need is
the last rung first.
Tim: Oh, I forgot
to tell you something.
You know what?
What's that?
Uh...We kind of
got a deadline.
Tim, you done
put the pressure on us now.
They want it like
by the 15th of the month.
We only got
about 15 days.
That's why I wanted to hurry up
and get this tank going.
You better get in there
and get it clean
So we can start cooking
tomorrow.
Yeah, I know.
All of a sudden,
today he shows up and he says,
"we got a big order
in the state of virginia.
We got to have it ready
in two weeks."
He's talking about
a couple thousand cases
He wants done in two weeks.
This is gonna be
a trick and a half.
It's not easy.
Got to stand
on my head already.
You got
that leg in there.
[ laughs ]
this is crazy.
I'm gonna move this ladder
back a little bit.
You're going, tim.
Tim, I got faith in you,
though.
Chuck: I'll be right here.
Don't worry, buddy.
Tim: You know,
the big thing here is
Chuck has a larger still,
has a larger operation,
So it actually makes it
run faster...
Are you all right?
I don't hear any noise!
Yeah, it's all right!
All right!
It's just
kind of hot in here!
...Also has the biggest,
largest copper pot
In the United States,
which is good.
I need as much as I can get
as fast as I can get it.
All right, chuck,
I think I'm ready.
All right, I think you
better get out of there!
It's too hot in there!
It's not safe!
[ grunts ] okay.
Now, you be careful, tim.
Think we need
a bigger building.
Tim: Chuck, we only got
about 15 days.
We're gonna have --
we're gonna get it done.
If we got to work all night,
we're gonna get it done.
We're gonna have it.
Tim: We got to get the corn
out of this silo,
We got to get it into
the mixer/grinder, grind it up.
Importance is time here.
There's just too much to do
in a short period of time.
And I'm running out
of that time.
That's the problem.
Narrator: But tim doesn't know
that another factor
Is jeopardizing his plan to be
a legal virginia distiller --
His former partner, tickle.
I got a sale lined up.
It's not a guy I really know.
He's a friend of a guy
that I've sold to before.
I don't want tim
to find out that I'm doing this.
I took special precautions
To call around and make sure tim
didn't know this guy.
Tickle's partnership
with chico and tyler
Is on the rocks.
I'm not
gonna dwell on tickle.
We're gonna get
what we got to get done.
Narrator:
So he's hustling to sell
the remaining gallons of shine
Brewed with tim's recipe.
But now...
Tickle.
Tim!
...Tim is back
in his old territory.
Look at that.
This right here
says I can sell it
Anywhere in
the state of virginia.
Tim:
The state of virginia --
I don't think
they're playing any jokes.
I trust tickle,
But whatever's in kentucky
stays in kentucky.
You know, I don't want tim
to find out that I'm doing this.
I know he'd be upset.
It's tim's recipe I'm selling.
He don't want me selling it
out here on the street
While he's selling it
in the liquor store.
I can understand that.
But it's not just for me.
I got tyler and chico.
They're sending up shine.
I got to keep
sending money back to them.
This is what I got to do
to survive.
[ car door closes ]
It's always good
to make new contacts, you know,
But in this line of work,
You don't get to know
these people.
They're not your buddies.
They're not your friends.
Instantly when they pulled up,
I see it's two guys.
That right there --
I don't like that.
Tickle: Not a lot.
Just working on my truck.
Yeah, man.
I got it fixed, man.
It was only supposed to be
one guy,
And this is the first time
I'm meeting this guy.
This is not where you bring
a friend along for the ride.
Yeah.
Uh, no, man.
My truck just messed up.
I just got it fixed, man.
I'm sitting over here
on the side of the road
Working on my truck.
I don't know
what you're talking about.
That's all I can --
No, you ain't here
to meet me, man.
Well, you know what?
I'm a guy that's got a truck
that he just got fixed.
You don't worry about that.
That is my damn box.
You don't worry about
what's in that box.
You go to talk to the
man you're supposed to
be [bleep] talking to,
Because you ain't talking to me,
all right?
Hey, you know.
I don't know what the hell
you talking about.
[ car door closes ]
[ engine turns over ]
Tickle: You know, I am not
in no way, you know,
Stupid enough to think
That something
was not going on there.
It didn't smell right.
I don't like this.
I don't like this at all.
I got to figure
something else out.
Narrator: Coming up,
lights in the darkness...
...A tennessee mash-up...
We've got quite a bit of work
ahead of us for the day.
Digger:
Your britches is unzipped.
Any moonshine delivery
is dangerous.
Narrator:
...And running on empty.
[ engine rattles ]
Tickle:
We are running out of gas.
Narrator: Today, moonshine
is synonymous with corn whiskey,
But true shiners
have always known
That relying on any single
ingredient for their liquor
Was a recipe for trouble.
Them people
don't see this [bleep]
They think it's easy.
And on a tennessee hilltop,
Two shiners are rolling
with mother nature's punches.
Mark: I have a notion
it's the new stuff.
I don't know.
Digger: I believe this is
the last trip
We're gonna
have to worry with.
Narrator: After a decade away
from moonshining,
Two of popcorn sutton's
former stillhands
Are back in the saddle.
Yeah.
Here's to you, old man.
Damn, popcorn.
What have you got us into?
Popcorn was known
For making more
than just corn whiskey.
That's given digger
an idea.
Popcorn made apple brandy
and rye whiskey before,
So we're gonna
mix the two up,
Make a mash
with apples and rye,
And we're gonna make
a little apple rye.
I want to kind of
get this over with.
I'm nervous.
I don't want to be
running this generator
more than we have to.
Narrator: In addition to
the usual mash components
Of corn, barley, sugar,
yeast, and mountain water,
Digger is adding
over seven pounds of ground rye,
As well as apples.
Mark: This burner
makes a lot of fuss.
Yeah, we need to get this
[bleep] done and over with.
This mashing process
is gonna be a little bit longer.
We've got to
grind up our rye.
And then we've got to
mash these apples up
And make a slurry
out of those.
We've got quite a bit of work
ahead of us for the day.
It's a little more technical,
a little more complicated,
But we just want to experiment.
We're gonna make a small run.
Narrator:
Apples already contain
Enough natural sugars
for fermentation,
But the alcohol content
is usually low.
Digger is hoping
that by adding more sugar,
He'll be able to keep the proof
whiskey-grade.
In the late 1600s,
A scottish whiskey distiller
living in colonial new jersey
Decided to make alcohol
using apples
Instead of traditional
barley malt.
The spirit was called applejack,
or jersey lightning.
It was actually used
as currency to road workers
During the colonial period.
The beverage was once so popular
that george washington,
Who had his own distillery,
Asked the scottish inventor
for his secret recipe.
Digger: Let's put hot water
in there,
And that way it won't
clump up at the bottom
and continue to cook.
That water in there
is good and hot, too.
Don't scald it.
Oh, no.
Digger: A lot of my ancestors
on both sides of the family
Were involved in making
moonshine back years ago.
Papaw made liquor here,
Then the grandchildren
made liquor here,
The children made liquor here,
And it just became
like a cookbook
That a grandmother passes on
to a granddaughter.
Ain't no telling
what this tastes like.
It'll either be
damn outstanding
Or worser than [bleep]
I'm hoping for outstanding.
Yeah, worser than [bleep],
it's hard to sell.
Yeah.
It's hard enough to say.
[ laughs ]
It turns out good.
Well, there's that
little bit of yeast
I saved off of
that last run.
We'll dump it in there.
Narrator: For digger,
perfecting this apple rye mash
Isn't just about making
first-rate liquor.
It's a chance to contribute
to a craft
That is always changing
and evolving.
Popcorn's legacy
comes from the fact
He didn't hide what he did.
You went into convenience store
or getting gas,
And they ask,
"well, what do you do?"
He'd say,
"I'm a moonshiner."
That's ready to take off.
Why the gnats
ain't so bad today?
You figured they're be here
Hell west and crooked
over them apples and that sugar.
Digger:
Your britches is unzipped.
[ laughs ]
Narrator:
130 miles to the southeast,
Josh and bill are racing
To meet up with
their first buyer in months.
Lawmen, they're breathing
down the back of our necks.
Man, the more small sales
we're making,
I mean, the bigger chance
we're taking.
I don't like
being out here,
Damn running up and down
the roads,
Selling
this [bleep] either,
But we got to make
some of this money back.
10 gallons
is a pretty small sale.
Josh:
The last thing I want to do
Is get caught
transporting moonshine,
But we've done spent
all our money on this new still.
We're back down
to about being bust again,
So we got to make some runs
one way or another.
If we can just
keep the law off our back,
Keep our noses clean,
we're gonna make some money.
They should be here
waiting on us.
We're running
a little bit behind.
Keep going. Keep going.
Keep going.
That's good.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Stop, stop.
Oh, god,
I hate this part.
We're taking
all kind of risk
By trying to sell
our own liquor.
We need to be selling it
to one or two people
And let them
distribute this [bleep]
Is that him?
Is that his truck?
I don't know.
I hope so.
How's it going?
Man: Good, man. Good.
I sure do
appreciate it.
Cash in hand.
I'm literally
rushing right now.
I don't even know why.
Bill: I agree with you.
We just need to make
a couple of big sales.
That's how
you make a lick.
Don't need to be making it
And trying to damn
get it spread out everywhere.
Narrator: The sale made them
a grand richer,
But they still have 290 gallons
back in the tank.
If they can't move
larger amounts,
It could be months
before they've sold it at all.
Just across the border
in graham county,
Two shiners are still
running in the dark.
Lance, we'll slip around
these back roads here.
Jeff, mark,
and lance's plans
To smuggle shine
to a big player in tennessee
Suffered a major setback.
We got
a lot of bad news.
What's wrong?
Every jug
we got's gone.
Narrator:
To keep their season afloat,
Jeff's convinced
their tennessee buyer
To give them another chance.
There shouldn't be
nothing out tonight.
Let's try to get rid of
this moonshine we got.
Narrator: Now they're
on their way to drop off
Another 50 gallons of shine
at their stash house
For mark to bootleg.
Stash this stuff
in the stash house
And then mark,
he'll pick it up
And take it on
to tennessee.
We don't want to lose
no more.
With the cops
wise to their operation,
They're sticking to back roads
and traveling at night.
Even with the extra precautions,
this is a huge gamble.
Yep.
Slow, slow, slow, slow.
All right, well,
you got to get out right now.
You don't want to be
a part of this.
[ car door opens ]
Officer:
How you doing tonight?
Jeff:
I'm doing pretty good.
How are you?
We're just out loafing.
Nope. Sure don't.
Nope,
I don't want you to.
You done
just harassed me enough.
I'm not gonna let you
search my vehicle.
You done just never
found nothing.
Well, if you want to
go get a search warrant,
I'll let you
go through it.
Narrator: Coming up,
turning shine into water.
Quit. You're stretching it.
Quit.
Does that mountain
match that mountain?
It's close enough.
Narrator: ...And tim's plans
come grinding to a halt.
The only way to solve the
problem quickly
Is to send you in there
with a shovel!
Narrator: After nightfall,
The twisting mountain roads
of north carolina
Can provide perfect cover
for illegal activity.
I see flashing lights.
Slow, slow, slow.
You got to get out
right now.
Unfortunately
for jeff and lance,
They picked the wrong night
to set out
With a truckload
of white lightning.
Officer:
How you doing tonight?
Jeff: I'm doing pretty good.
How are you?
We're just out loafing.
Nope. Sure don't.
Nope.
Every time I get out,
I'm gonna get harassed.
I can't even go
to the grocery store anymore
Without getting stopped,
Pulled over,
want to search my truck.
Well, if you want to go get
a search warrant,
I'll let you
go through it.
If the police find the cargo,
Jeff and lance could be facing
five years behind bars.
Go get you
a search warrant.
Man, I'll tell you what.
Oh, yeah.
All right,
have a good night.
Jeff: Lance, I tell you,
we just made another enemy.
Lance: Yeah, we did.
We better get out of here
right now.
'cause someone's
gonna be calling backup.
As soon as we get outside
of his lights, we're going on.
That was the closest
we've come so far.
So, from now on,
we've got to get everything
In my corner
before we head out.
Narrator: For most shiners,
The constant threat of arrest
is just a fact of life.
But in bustling spartanburg,
josh and bill think
They found a way to keep the law
out of their hair for good.
I'm hoping this sticker ain't
gonna give us too much trouble.
I mean, I know
it ain't gonna be easy.
Josh: There ain't nothing
me and you can't do, brother.
They're so confident, josh has
already arranged a huge sale --
70 gallons of shine
to a major distributor.
All right.
I got this side.
You stay on your side, damn it.
To ensure
the sale goes smoothly,
The guys invested the money
from their last sale
In the perfect disguise.
Meet south carolina's newest
distributors of spring water.
We've been throwing
a bunch of ideas around,
But josh was able
to score us a truck.
We got a big sticker
gonna go on the side,
And it's under the guise
of selling spring water.
Hopefully we're gonna be able
to stay up under the radar
And move as much liquor
as we're making.
Let's just stick it in there.
Just stick it on there.
It'll stick right now.
I hung wallpaper before,
But I ain't never hung wallpaper
in a damn 15-mile-an-hour wind,
And we're about to damn wrassle
this thing on the truck.
I won't say we bit off
more than we can chew,
But if we booger it up,
We're gonna have to start back
from scratch.
I feel like
our mountains are --
Well, we're low
in the middle here.
[ sighs ]
We're good on the ends,
And it's almost like we're
a little bit low in the middle.
It's close enough.
Quit. You're
stretching it. Quit.
Does that mountain match
that mountain?
It's close enough.
You can't tell
from a distance.
Man, a blind man can tell that
from a distance.
Just pull it back
and hold it.
Isn't that
what I just said?
Is that not --
is that not what I just said?
Just pull it back,
ass-wipe.
[bleep] you, man.
This is what
I was talking about.
You said,
"no, no, don't do that!"
And then you did exactly
what I was talking about doing.
Josh:
I really just kind of wanted
to get it lined up in place
And get it stuck up there
and then work out the problems.
And bill was just, like,
trying to work his end
While I was working my end,
and that never works.
That's like mopping yourself
into the middle of a floor.
I thought this thing's
supposed to say
"mountain spring water."
what's it say?
No, it's supposed to say
"can of spring water."
Can-oh --
can of spring water!
How you spell that?
Can of...
Of?
...Spring water, yeah.
How do you spell "of"?
What do you mean,
how do you spell "of"?
[ chuckles ]
You're not looking at
the same thing I'm looking at.
Man, you're
looking at bubbles.
"can" --
"can-ow."
"o."
"can-ow."
"can-oh."
"can-ow."
"con-oh."
Well, we're just about done
sticking this thing on there.
Bill realized that it didn't
say "of," it said "ow."
It was supposed to say
"can of spring water."
Yeah, I misspelled on my text,
and it's...
[bleep] happens.
We can't use that.
We're gonna have to use it.
I mean --
We can't use that.
That don't make no sense.
Well, we do a lot of things
that don't make any sense.
But then we sure can't afford
to damn shell out any more money
For another damn --
for another sticker.
At least not until
we damn sell some liquor.
Bill: We got every dime we got
into these things.
As long as it don't look
like it's total crap
Once we put it up, I mean, it's
just gonna have to work for us.
You can't be serious.
I am serious.
It'll work.
I mean, it's them
purty appalachian mountains.
It's got
bottles of water on it.
Spring water.
Can-ow-pure.
Hell, that might be somebody's
last name. I don't know.
It is what it is.
What a ginormous
pain in the butt.
[ sighs ]
Narrator: Back in virginia,
for the first time in years,
Tim smith is going to make
liquor in his home state.
All right,
wayne, fire that thing up.
We got this huge order,
and we got to get it done.
Yeah, I know, I know.
In order to make
the 2,000 gallons,
He first needs
nearly 20,000 gallons of mash.
Normally that would require
Trucking in over 15,000 pounds
of rye, corn, and barley,
But chuck's distillery has
a unique advantage.
Chuck: It's considered
an agricultural distillery.
Narrator:
Chuck grows barley, rye, and
corn right there on his farm.
We got this big order
we got to do
For the state of virginia,
you know?
They want
a couple thousand cases,
And they want it in two weeks,
so we are in a hurry.
We got things to do, man.
Put some more corn
in there.
There ain't nothing
coming out.
Yeah, there's something wrong,
I'm telling you.
There should be more corn
coming out than that!
Pouring out.
It's not.
Narrator: Tim needs
about 2,000 pounds of corn
For his first batch of mash,
But the auger that feeds
the grinder
Is ready for the scrap heap.
Tim: We hit some problems.
The auger in the bottom
of the silo stopped working.
Chuck: A big order.
The only way
to solve the problem quickly
Is to send you in there
with a shovel.
Can you go
in there, tim?
I guess.
That thing ain't gonna, like,
suck me in, is it?
Tim, now,
I'm gonna tell you,
You got to watch
that center hole.
It would suck you in there, too,
so you be real careful.
All right, but you got to
be careful in there
'cause it ain't safe
in there.
All right, how you feel?
Comfortable?
[ laughing ] yeah.
Huh?
You be nice and safe
in there now.
All right,
give me the shovel.
And when you walk on it, see,
You fall and you sink in it
like quicksand,
And it'll smother you
before you know what happened.
All right, what I got to do?
Put it in there?
Chuck: That's right.
Yeah, shovel it up there.
Over in there?
Yeah, keep shoveling.
Shovel faster.
I got a big order.
Oh, my god.
You ready?
I'm gonna turn that motor on.
[ engine turning over ]
It's working.
Corn's coming out.
Good job, tim.
Good job.
Once we just
get this moonshine made
And make the state happy,
then I'll be happy.
Narrator: Coming up, mark's got
that sinking feeling...
Got to run it slow
Because we'll sink the thing
again if we don't.
...And eyes in the sky.
Digger:
I hear a helicopter.
[ helicopter blades whirring ]
Narrator: In the shadowy heart
of the smoky mountains,
Mark and digger
are sweetening their still pot
With a new recipe...
Ready to run.
...Apple rye.
If this turns out good,
this will be high-dollar liquor,
As popcorn would call it.
Well, let's check it, make sure
the cap's dropped on it.
Narrator: They're creating
an original concoction
That mixes two of their mentor,
popcorn sutton's, favorites...
Oh, yeah.
...Rye whiskey
and apple brandy.
Oh, that's good.
Mark: You happy with it?
Hell yeah.
Taking your word
for it, brother.
We're in dandy shape.
Digger: Yeah, boy.
That apple, you can taste
that apple stout in it.
What do you want to call
this [bleep]
Apple rye.
Apple rye or apple fire?
Apple fire
would be all right.
Get this [bleep]
to the still.
I'm about tired
of carrying these buckets.
We're going to set a still
Up close to the mash
from now on.
[ grunts ]
I'ma tell you what,
that's some of
The best-smelling mash
I've ever seen in my life.
It smells good, don't it?
Well, this is true.
I guess now it's just a matter
of getting a fire started.
Cap's going on.
Digger: Mark?
[ helicopter blades whirring ]
Mark.
Huh?
I hear a helicopter.
[ whirring continues ]
[ whirring fades ]
I believe we're good.
Too late now, digger.
Burners are running.
Narrator: By lighting up,
mark and digger are gambling
That the passing helicopter
isn't local law enforcement.
Okay.
If they're wrong, their plans
To restore traditional shine to
the area could go up in smoke.
Mark: After our visit from
law enforcement a few days ago,
We're nervous.
We got to be more vigilant
And maybe not letting people
know our business so much.
Of course, nobody knows
you have it, you can't sell it.
We're getting warm down here
on the thump post.
Mark: It getting warm?
It getting warm.
Get that coon pecker
in there.
Narrator: Many shiners use
the penis bones of raccoons
To help direct the flow of shine
into a jar.
I wonder who
the first man ever was
That thought about using
a coon pecker.
And they also make great
toothpicks.
I think just any minute, we
ought to be seeing some liquor.
It's been 35 minutes.
Oh, oh, lookie here.
There we go.
Oh, my. That liquor
is buttermilk.
Yep, we've got that fine,
little stream right there.
You want
a little horn of it?
Yeah, go ahead. It's your mash.
You get the first.
Mmm.
It's loud. Whoo.
After you get your breath,
You'll taste that little bit
of apple on the back end.
[ clears throat ]
Damn, that's kind of like
eating a big bite of horseradish
There for just a second.
Yeah, you don't breathe out
through your nose first thing.
With almost eight gallons
of premium apple rye produced,
Mark and digger have breathed
new life
Into traditional shining.
That rye's strong.
All that's left
is to set up some sales
And finally share their product
with the people of tennessee.
We need
to just keep the look-out,
Catch the jug, it comes out
exactly 100 proof.
Yeah.
That'd be the one for us
to put up and keep.
Yeah, we'll drink that
At special occasions
like birthdays.
Going to bed, weekdays,
and weekends.
[ both laugh ]
Just across fontana lake
in north carolina...
If this don't work,
I don't know what we'll do.
...Mark's whole season rests
On successfully off-loading
his shine on tennessee shores.
What we need to do is
put us some hooks on it.
We can hook it fast
and unhook it fast.
Because jeff and lance
are busy at the still
Making up
for the lost shine...
You got her pasted up?
I'ma getting it.
...Mark's cousin huck will
be helping with the delivery.
Mark: That's a load of liquor
right there.
And I'm gonna tie it off,
and we'll be ready to go.
Mark: I was probably running
a little too fast.
Water come over the top,
blowed it out the back.
Lost every bit of it.
I'll guarantee you, son.
I am, too.
Still nervous.
Narrator: While risky,
running shine during the day
Ensures they can easily recover
any lost jugs.
Law will show up anytime,
anywhere.
I tell you what I got to do --
I got to run it slow
Because we'll sink the thing
again if we don't.
We just got to run slow
till we get there.
Don't want to do that again.
Nope.
Narrator:
This is their one shot at making
good on their failed transport.
Coming up, josh and bill make
a special delivery...
It's going straight
to voice mail?
Let me shoot him a text.
Let me shoot a text.
[ sighs ]
...And tickle goes off-road.
We are running out of gas.
Mm, come on.
Bill: I figure we can knock
a couple shells off
Before we got to make
that run today.
Josh:
Here, you can go first.
Yep, yep.
All right. Pull.
[ gunshot ]
Oh, I missed.
Man!
[ both laugh ]
It's all right, brother.
Man!
All right. Pull.
[ shotgun clicks ]
Oh! What the hell?
Josh: I'm glad we're practicing
before we go duck hunting.
[ shotgun cocks ]
all right. My turn.
Pull.
[ gunshot ]
[ gunshot ]
Heck, yeah.
Busted it.
We kind of need a damn
quick dicking around
With the damn skeet
and then get back to work.
I mean, I'm --
pull.
[ gunshot ]
God, I love this.
Narrator: On a busy country
highway in south carolina,
A one-of-a-kind delivery service
has just been launched.
Right now, we look legit.
Just some
good, ol' country boys
Damn earning
some hard-earned money, right?
Posing as water delivery men,
Josh and bill
have arranged a deal
With one of the county's
largest distributors.
I'm excited, man.
We're about to make
some serious dust.
We need to be doing big sales
to one or two or three people
And make it where
we don't have to do
A whole lot of traveling
with it.
Are we in business?
Hell, yeah.
Narrator:
They're moving 7 grand worth of
shine, their largest sale ever.
When you quit
getting scared
Or worried
about what you're doing,
You let your guard down,
you go to prison.
I didn't see his car
when we pulled in. We're late.
Is the man even here?
I don't know.
The truck looks good.
It looks like we're running
a legitimate water company.
But the law already knows
who we are.
We're running around
in damn stilling overalls,
Damn unshaven, and acting like
we're selling water.
I don't think we're gonna fool
too many people
If the right people see us.
It's going straight
to voice mail?
Let me shoot him a text.
Let me shoot a text.
[ sighs ]
just relax a second.
Relax.
We're moving damn 70 gallons
of liquor.
I know that, but it looks like
water, so chill.
Bill's getting antsy,
So I decided to call the guy --
nothing.
Left him a voice mail,
Sent him a text message --
nothing.
We can't just leave
this moonshine sitting here.
If he ain't here
soon, man...
I just sent him a text.
I called him twice.
I'll call him again.
Just relax a second.
You're making me nervous.
Well, you said
this dude was cool.
He is cool.
Just chill out. God almighty.
Josh said he knows this man.
He's known him for a long time,
so he trusts him.
So, we showed up
with a truck full of liquor,
Ready to unload it, ready to get
paid, and the man's not here.
We can't just sit around
waiting on somebody.
There you are.
All right.
Josh: Moonshine in the door,
cash out the door,
And out the parking lot we went.
If this keeps going up
all season long,
We're gonna be rich.
Sorry about coming
in the middle of the day.
We just needed
to damn get it done.
Take care, man.
Narrator: Up in virginia,
His attempt to find more buyers
has failed,
So tickle decides
it's a good time
To honor his promise to tim
and close his operation.
Tickle: You know what?
I'm being true to my brother.
I'd rather lose money on this
Than him even think
I cost him one sale.
Narrator: But he still
owes money to chico and tyler.
Tickle: Tyler and chico,
they're expecting their money.
Wasn't easy, but I found one guy
to take all of it.
Narrator: Tickle is selling
the rest of his stock
To a north carolina distributor,
But he's only getting pennies
on the dollar.
Tickle: I had to cut my rate
quite a bit,
Which means I'm losing money,
But this guy's taking it
out of state.
That lets me feel
a little bit better about tim.
It's not being sold
where tim didn't want it sold.
[ grunts ]
Loading up all of this stuff.
Any moonshine delivery
is dangerous.
But having
this much shine on you,
This right here
is a whole lot more dangerous
Than anything I should be doing.
[ engine sputters ]
My fuel gauge don't work.
We are running out of gas.
Come on.
[ clatter ]
[bleep] damn.
Narrator:
Next time on "moonshiners"...
Jim tom:
You're here working after dark.
The moon's shining at you.
Well, this is moonshining.
Narrator:
...Jim tom is back in action.
Oh, hell.
Jim tom: What is it?
...Mark and digger's buyer
gets busted...
Oh [bleep]
this ain't good.
That's that damn barry
right there.
He's done been caught.
Sheriff's got him. Damn.
[bleep]
...And the spotlight's
on josh and bill.
[ dog barks ]
josh: Shh!
That's the damn law, bill.
That is the law.
Cutie pie! Come here now!