Moonshiners (2011–…): Season 7, Episode 11 - Curse of the Blown Cover - full transcript

♪♪

In tennessee, a shady deal
On unfamiliar turf.

We're sitting in a big,
Urban environment

With a boatload
Of liquor.

In virginia, temptation
For an outlaw gone legal.

Um...

And in the smoky mountains,

The pressure to innovate
Pushes one moonshiner

To his breaking point.

We're trying to
Get this bloat--

Oh, my god!



♪♪

♪ goin' for a ride ♪

♪ runnin' to survive ♪

♪ when you're livin'
Outside the law ♪

♪ we're livin'
Outside the law ♪

This is how
We make the moonshine!

Captions paid for by
Discovery communications

I've always liked
Peach brandy,

But my dad said he just
Wanted me to do some rye.

You got to look at it
Like this, j.T.

The whole reason he's got me
Up here with you

Is so you can step
Out on your own.

That sounds good to me.

In culpeper, virginia,



Tickle has returned to belmont
Farms to guide j.T.

In developing his own
Moonshine recipe.

-it should be good.
-oh, yeah.

What do you want to do first?

You want to start
Cutting them up?

First thing we need to do is go
On ahead and get some water hot.

Alright.

That's going to
Take the longest.

It's no big secret.

I'm on probation.

I've got people,
They're watching me.

But moonshining --
It's in my blood.

It's just something
I cannot stop doing.

Alright.
Set these peaches on up here.

So, I'm glad tim and j.T.

Have me up here, helping him
Out, because any other way

I'd be sitting out
In the woods

And I'd be making
Moonshine illegally.

You know, dad wants me
To do this rye and all,

But then I can't really
Come up with my own recipe.

I know your daddy good
Enough to know this.

We got a barrel
Of peaches right here.

We're going to turn it
Into a barrel of mash.

Your daddy ain't going to dump
A bottle of mash out.

It's going to wind up
Getting run and...

If it tastes good,
He'll be happy.

Alright, I'm thinking that ought
To just about get us, j.T.

What do you think?

Yeah,
That will be alright.

Sometimes, it's hard to work
With your own dad.

That's why I like
To have tickle around.

You know, he's like
An uncle to me.

Alright?

Alright, you get
Some water in that.

I'll start mixing
That one up.

Just put a little bit
Of this rye in here.

I'm working on a barrel
Of peach,

And j.T.'s over there working
On the rye.

I come in, and I see him
Adding the corn.

I tell you what, go get us
Some water for that one.

Let's see hear.And I say to myself,

"It's kind of hard to make rye
Without any rye in it."

Well, I didn't know
He added any rye.

I put ten pounds of rye
In it.

This was extra.

Ooh.

I was only supposed
To add half of it.

Not working together is where
Our miscommunication come in.

Well, I tell you what.

It's a whole lot of damn
Rye in there.

The rye adds a spicy, peppery
Backnote to your moonshine.

You want your rye
In there as a flavor,

But you don't want it to be
The only thing you can taste.

I imagine the man who made
Moonshine the first time thought

He was making a mistake, too.

Gonna run with this
Double rye we got.

Tickle is honoring one of the
First rules of moonshining --

You don't know
What you got until

It's run through the still.

I never made it like this,
But why not give it a try?

We'll keep on with it,
But let's take that other barrel

And we'll make what your
Daddy actually really wants.

Tim's really wanting to see
A good rye come out of this run,

So I think the safest
Thing we can do

Is mash in another barrel
And do this one, too,

And we're going
To see what happens.

When you done documenting,
You want to get a beer?

Oh, yeah.
Let's go get some.

Alright, let's let
This stuff work off

And get us
Something to drink.

♪♪

Let's peel these back
And see what we're facing.

Over in tennessee,
Mark and digger have returned

To check on their grappa mash,

Which is in the middle of a
Two-stage fermentation process.

This thing's died,
We're in trouble.

We're afraid if this
Fermentation

Has completely stopped,

Then our grapes
And stuff have rotted.

I hope it's something good
Because it's been

A terrible amount of work.

Yes, it has.

Here's what's going
To tell the ticket.

Looking at it initially,
It's pretty pitiful.

It kind of looked like
Pond scum or something.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, it's working
Like a damn beehive.

Yeah, boy.

Look at
All that deliciousness.

Bubbles are a sure sign that
The yeast are still alive.

No vinegary smell.

Just smells like good,
Strong wine.

You know
What that'll do to us

When it's still fermenting,
Don't you?

It will give you
The awfulest dose

Of the backdoor squirts
You ever seen, don't it?

It will run through us
Like a damn saw.

You'll be able to poop
Through a keyhole.

We've got a 10-12, maybe 14%
Alcohol content so far.

Now, we're going to want to
Take this and boost it to 20-24,

25% in our
Secondary fermentation.

Watch
Your dern whiskers now.

Never lost a finger!

In order to kick off
The second fermentation,

Mark and digger
Will transfer the cool mash

To a warm mix
Of sugar and water.

This should speed up
The already active yeast,

Increasing alcohol content

And preserving
The current flavor.

You ready to pump
A little mash?

I'm ready.

I'm going to let it bounce
All this around, mix up good.

Yonder it comes.

Oh, it's getting some
Goody out of there.

We're adding this pumice mash
Into our sugar water.

That's going to begin
Our secondary fermentation.

The yeast in here
Was still good

And it's going
To start taking off,

And what we're hoping
Is we're going to get 10,

15 more percent alcohol
Out of this mash.

You down at the bottom?

Just about.

Just about shot its wad,
Ain't it?

Alright.

All we got to do is cap
These things back off.

Let them run a day or two.

Yeah.

That's been a pretty
Good day there, hatty boy.

Yeah, it's good.

I wouldn't have nothing
To bitch about.

Ah, you'd come up
With something.

♪♪

♪♪

I've called on
An old buddy of mine.

I'm going to go over here
And meet him at an old barn

And see if he'll be willing
To help me a little bit.

I hope he says, "Yeah",
Or I'm not gonna make my go.

After splitting with
His partner mark,

Tennessee moonshiner mike
Is on a desperate search

For help to finish
Off his season.

Well, what are you doing up
In the loft of that barn?

Is that thing
Safe to walk on?

Well, I guess so.

Sure these old steps
Are sturdy enough?

Oh, yeah.

I'm getting too old
To break any bones.

How you been?

I'm just wonderful.
How about you?

Aw, man.
Making it, son.

Daniel -- he's
A good friend of mine.

I trust him, but he ain't
Never helped me run no liquor.

I was going to see
If you'd be interested

In helping me make
A couple of runs.

I need a still hand for right
Now to help me get this stuff

Made and, potentially,
Help me get it gone.

It's not going to be
No 50/50 partnership,

'cause I just need
A hand right now,

Instead of an equal partner.

I'll make it
Worth your while.

Have you got
A still site set up?

Yeah, I've got one set up,
Not too far from here.

But, uh, you'll not see where
It's at until you agree

To help me or whatever.

It's always a risk
When you try to get somebody in

On your still site to help you

Because he may tell on you

Or let somebody else know
What both of you's doing.

So, I got to
Really trust him.

Is it secluded enough
For a man shouldn't get caught?

When you're running liquor,

Daniel, you're going
To take a chance

Getting caught,
I don't care where you at.

Damn, man.

You know, that's a hard decision
To go back into that lifestyle.

-I understand your concerns...
-yeah.

...But I'm at a deadline.

I've got to
Get something done.

I need an answer,
Pretty quick.

Well, I've been out of the game
A little while,

But, hell, yeah,
I'll help you.

Alright.

You know, once you run liquor,
Son, it's in your blood.

It's there to stay.

Never left.

Daniel's decided to help me,
But he's been out of it

For so long I know he's rusty.

The main thing is, whatever
You see and help me do,

Just don't talk to
Nobody else about it.

You got my word, brother.Yeah, I'll retrain him.

Get his confidence
Level back up,

And I believe he's going
To work out just fine.

I appreciate it, and, uh, we'll
Meet back up in a day or two.

Just let me know.

Alright, buddy.

That thing sucking
In over there.

Pressure mounts
On the blue ridge.

Oh, my god!

♪♪

I'm a little curious,
Sourpuss.

What have you got
In the little suitcase?

Oh, this little fella
Right here?

-yeah.
-extra pair of panties for you,

In case you pitch one of your
Hissy fits and piss on yourself.

Every drop counts in tennessee
As mark and digger focus

On completing their
High-dollar grappa order.

Let's check this stuff
Out and see

If it's ready
To rock and roll.

Ooh.

It looks good, don't it?

Yeah, boy.

*bleep* damn,
It am good.

It am?

It am good.

That's ready to make
Some fine liquor, right there.

Let's cook some liquor.

The mash is delicious,

The alcohol content is great,
Where we want it.

But, you know, honestly,
Like the old saying,

"Just because the cat has
The kittens in the oven,

That don't make them
Biscuits."

My favorite part.

Watch your whiskers.

I'll leave you
In the connection

But I'll get to build
A little paste.

So far, this grappa project
Has kind of went

The way we hoped it had.

Still, we're not out
Of the woods yet.

You're never done until you
Actually have liquor in the jar.

We can't stand this
Not to be successful.

Procuring the pumice and
Hauling it and mashing it --

It's been a tremendous
Amount of work.

You know, we know we could have
Made a lot of corn liquor

In the same timeframe,

And we would gain nothing
If it's no good.

There's vapor coming out
Of that condenser.

Yeah.

I can smell it
All the way up here.

Damn sure is some vapor
Coming out of there.

Yeah, boy.

It's kind of stressful,
This waiting period

We're going to have
Ahead of us here.

We got over a month invested
In this whole process,

So now, you know, we got to see
If all this labor's paid off.

Them airplanes everywhere,
Ain't they?

Yeah. They don't fret me like
Them helicopters do, though.

Well, them things
Have always made you

A tiny,
Little bit nervous.

Yeah.
Oh, lord.

We got liquor coming out.

We're sitting here
Lollygagging.

Let's see what it's got.
Yeah, man.

That's going to be fiery hot,
Right there.

Oh, yeah, it is.

Thank god that's high,
High right there.

Whoa. Yes,
Here we go, puss, liquor.

The second fermentation,
As far as increasing

The alcohol content,

Has definitely worked, but we
Don't know about the flavor yet.

Here,
You do the first one.

♪♪

Boy, it don't smell terrible,
I'll tell you that.

This run is the do-all,
End-all for our season.

We have spent so much time
On doing this,

That it's really
Sink or swim now,

And it's time to see if it works
As hard at being a good liquor

As we worked to make it
A good liquor.

And if it's good,
We're golden.

If it's not, we're dust.

Oh, it's fine liquor.

It's a little fiery
But, god, it's tasty.

I can see why our high-profile,
Nashville-based customers

Were excited about
Getting this grappa.

Hmm. It's kind of like a vodka,
But then, on that aftertaste,

It's like you've had
A good wine.

It's got a little bite
On the tongue.

Warms you up
When it hits your stomach,

Then there comes
That great flavor.

It's everything
We want it to be.

We ain't drunk
A thimble-full out of it

And now it's went
Straight to my damn head.

We drunk a little better
Than a thimble-full out of it --

John the green
Giant's thimble.

♪♪

♪♪

-ready to mash in?
-readier than I'll ever be.

Good ol' mayhaws.

Down in louisiana,
Father-daughter shiners

Patti and david are mashing in
Their next batch of mayhaw shine

For a dead-drop sale with
A local buyer deep in the bayou.

I like to try to keep local
Business and all that,

So we're trying to sell
A little bit of shine

Here in our local area.

And, on the water, you don't
See a lot of police.

A lot of police ain't going
To be in the bayou

With a bunch of
Swampy alligators.

♪♪

Want to add them mayhaws
To it?

-mm-hmm.
-green and red.

Mayhaw berries are
A crabapple-type fruit.

They're traditionally used
To make a jelly described

As a mix between sweet
Apple, mango, and pineapple.

That don't take long.

Them mayhaws are
Being soft as can be.

It's not all the way around the
World that you find a mayhaw.

It's usually around in our area.

It's got a real bitter
Taste to it,

But when I add sugar to it,
It makes it sweeter.

I'm starting
To get worried, though.

I only picked so many
Gallons of mayhaw.

We're getting kind of low.

Well, I thought I picked
A daggone enough berries, daddy.

Dern.

I can only pick
What the tree produces.

Ready to pour that in?

Ready to pour it in.

Patti and david are firing
On all cylinders.

They'll need to come up
With a new variety of shine

If they want to hit
Their season goal.

But their immediate
Focus is prepping

For the bayou dead drop sale.

What you going to do
To it?

Hm.

Should have brought you
Some zip ties.

Probably work better,
Wouldn't it?

Would have been
Quicker.

It's funny how them crabs
Can get in here

And not get out
With that open like that.

Yeah.
They're running down here.

They just crawl back up
On the hill.

They can't get out
Right here.

Same thing with
The minnow or fish.

The indians, they used to,
Down on them creeks...

-mm-hmm?
-...Rivers and stuff,

They put rocks, logs,

Whatever
And dam it up on a "V"

And make a big basket
Down there,

And they get up stream and drive
The fish into a basket.

That's how they fished.

Cut me with this
And I'll be stringing this side.

So, this guy going to
Leave the money first?

♪♪

♪♪

You ready to do this?Oh, yeah.

She looks ready.

School's in session, and tickle
Is back in the role of teacher.

It's time for him and j.T.
To run peach brandy.

Oh, yeah.

Get a bucket and let's get
Some over here in this still.

I've been strictly backwoods
When it comes to moonshine,

But, you know, I'm outside,

I can smell the air,
I can hear the birds.

It's close enough
To being illegal

To make me feel
Better about it.

I give it that.

Smells good already.

Yes, it does.

The very first run
I ever made,

There wasn't a feeling
Like it in the world.

You knew you weren't
Supposed to be doing it,

You knew it was dangerous to do,
And dangerous if you got caught.

It's something about that
That really makes

You feel like a man.

Alright.

Let's face it.

When you're not supposed
To do something,

Isn't it that much more fun?

-yes, sir. It looks good.
-let me get it.

Alright, yeah, yeah.

Finish that on up there,
Bro.

What's up, brother?

Man, I can't complain
A whole lot about it.

I tell you what, man,
I'm out.

Ah, you know what?

I don't know.

What's up, brother?

In virginia, while tickle
And j.T. Run peach brandy,

Opportunity comes a-knockin'.

Ah, you know what?

I don't know, but I might
Be able to help you out...

Maybe.

Give me a call in about
Two weeks, alright?

-alright.
-alright. Bye.

Yes, sir.
-oh, boy.

Oh, yeah.

It's coming out there
Like an old man

With a prostate problem,
Man.

It's just dribbling.

Now,
We got something going.

That's probably going to be the
Last of the head, right there.

-there we go.
-smelling good.

You smell the peach coming
Off that thing right there.

Yeah, you definitely
Smell the peach in it.

Ah, tell you what.

Let's give it a try
And see what you think.

-oh, yeah.
-smells good.

I smell it over here.

Smell it coming out.
-ahh.

I tell you what,
That's good.

It's got the peach taste
To it, too.

-ooh.
-I know.

That is good.

I think this tastes great

And, when all of this
Is said and done,

I think tim's going to be proud
Of the shine his boy's making.

That right there
Is a winner.

It makes me happy,
You know.

♪♪

♪♪

Well, we made it,
Cupcake.

By golly, I didn't
Have to hold her.

Yeah, her hooves hurt.

In red river parish, patti
And david are back in the woods

To run a six-gallon batch
Of mayhaw shine

With pet pig, cupcake,
In tow.

Was that a fun ride,
Cupcake?

Cupcake --
She's my baby pig.

Last season, I bring her
To the woods

And she just follows me,
Like a little dog.

I think she's beginning
To really like the woods.

You ready to go?

But she's not baby no more.

She's growing up.

Whoo!

She said,
"I'm at home now"!

Get this show
On the road.

Here it comes.

A lot of people, you know,
Bring dogs to the still site,

But, sometimes, a dog
Will give you away

When they start barking.

A pig don't bark.

It might oink, oink,
But that's okay

Because we have wild
Pigs in the woods.

Okay.

They're good to have
Around your still site.

Keeps the snakes and stuff
Like that run away

While you're there,
So, yeah, why not have a pig?

♪♪

Alright.

It's felony time.

It's a good thing cupcake
Can't jump up on this stopper.

She'd be gnawing
All this oatmeal off.

I guarantee you, buddy.

Come here, cupcake.

Got you a surprise.

Here.

She's like, "I don't
Trust you one bit."

Cupcake.

-whoop.
-it's running, daddy.

Pour the heads off.

Well,
It's what you got to do.

Might as well check the proof
Of it while I'm down here.

135 proof.

♪♪

Taste the mayhaw in it.

Pretty good, ain't it?

Yeah, it's good.

Patti and david's
Run yield six gallons

Of premium mayhaw shine,
Which will earn them

$700 on their underwater
Bayou dead drop.

So, you'll get
Six gallons in here.

Pretty neat idea.

Is that little string
Going to hold all this?

Yeah, buddy.

Good enough
Right there.

You think this is going
To work, daddy,

Because that looks
Awful flimsy to me.

Oh, unh-unh.

There ain't no way
In the world.

Pulling that up out of the
Water, it's got to be where it

Ain't going to break.

Let me show you.

All of this has got
To come up at one time.

You see how all
That's not straight?

Only if you got
A good suggestion.

That's about $700
Worth of liquor, daddy.

If it breaks-- are you going
To swim after the man's liquor?

No.
You will.

Bulljunk.

I'm too old to swim.

You better have it
Right for tomorrow,

Because we got to
Deliver this.

Come on, cupcake!

♪♪

I'm always nervous.
You just don't be a-speeding.

Mark and digger are
En route to chattanooga

To turn their batch
Of grappa into $1,500.

I'm glad them blue lights
Are over in that opposing lane.

That's one of them
Slick-tops, too.

They sneak up on you.

They do sneaky stuff in order
To catch people

Just like we do sneaky stuff
To not get catched.

We're getting $250
A gallon for this grappa.

60 gallons, you know,
That's $1,500.

I mean, that's a lot of money
For two old country boys.

But we've put a lot of sweat,
Work, and time into making sure

The customer is getting
His money worth.

Yeah?
-let me get this jar of liquor.

-yeah, better get me a little--
-here, you carry that.

Why do I got to carry
The frigging thing?

Well, you're a little
Older than me.

If we get caught,
I'll do all the time.

You'll die before you
Build up your time.

You beat them out of it.

We come to chattanooga tonight

To meet up with killer beaz

And deliver the grappa to him

And we're going to catch him
At his show in the comedy club.

I took a country
Line-dance class.

This girl was hitting on me.

She goes, "Killer beaz,
Do you clog?"

I'm like, "If I ate
Too much cheese."

So glad to be back
On dry land.

I have been out doing shows
On freaking cruise ships.

Ya'll, my little cabin is so far
On the bottom of the ship,

I can hear the sonar
Ping from enemy submarines.

hey, I'm killer beaz.

You guys have been delightful.

Thank you so much.

That killed.
Oh, my gosh.

Man, I looked up, I said,

"Oh, I cannot believe
They are getting to see this!"

I'm digging this shirt.
Do they make them in men's?

Aah.

This is -- my work clothes,
By the way.

You need to try a little
Something we got.

-you ready for this liquor?
-the grappa?

Ooh, ooh.

Dude, that is badass.

That's going to be
So worth the wait.

They are going to be
Ecstatic, dude.

He's just elated,
How good it tastes

And he says this is exactly
What the guy's looking for.

I'm going to take it
To nashville tonight.

You got a way to haul it?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I got a truck.

You brought money?

Ya'll will get paid.

Now, I still got
Some stuff to do here.

I'm not quite done yet.

He approves the liquor,
But we can't give it to him

Here in the comedy club.

You got us a meeting spot?

-yeah, yeah, yeah.
-we're making the plan.

He's got some things to finish
Up here at his show

And we'll meet up
In a little bit

And we'll put this
Liquor in his truck,

And we're making money,
He's making a little money,

And we've got some more
Happy customers.

It ain't spooky back
In here, ain't it?

It sure am.

Damn.
This is the place.

This is the address.

Don't get in here to where
We'll get hemmed up.

I ain't hemmed up,
Nowhere.

You give us a free
Run out of here.

I hope he gets here soon.

I don't want to stay here
Too long.

I don't want to stay here
None.

Come on, beaz.

Gosh.
Come on, beaz.

Gosh.

Come on, beaz.

That him?

I believe it is.

Here he comes.

Let's get this.
You want to?

-beaz?
-yes, sir.

Jump your bony butt up in there
And you hand them to me,

And then I'll hand
Them over to mark.

The moonshine's heavy.

-yeah, it is.
-alright.

Oh.
What the hell you doing?

Who do I make this
Out to?

Make what out to?

Your -- your --
I'm paying ya'll.

You're -- you're going
To write us a check?

Really?
-it's a good check.

I don't give a damn
How good it is.

The rule of--
-digger,

Load it back up there.

Alright,
Alright, alright.

This ain't no comedy.

You should have seen
The look on your face.

This ain't no time
To be funny.

Beaz...

12, 14, 15.

On the button.

You leave that funny
*bleep* on the stage, man.

The look on your face
Was awesome.

You know, all jokes aside,
You know, beaz is a funny guy

And we enjoy a good laugh,

But when it comes down to this
Grappa, it's serious business.

Well, seemed funny at the time.
Seemed like a good idea.

I got to run.
-yes, you have.

-love you, man. Thank you.
-take care, man.

Alright, brother.
Thank you, man.

I'll holler at you later.

Keep them --
Keep them big orders coming.

I dig this.
-you got it, dude.

Just not -- just give us
A little more time.

Alright. Later, man.

Beaz is a good outlet
And we appreciate

What he brings to the table.

Money, money, money.
Payday.

At the end of the day, we want
Beaz to keep coming with them.

We like spreading
Our client base

Out a little further
Than just our hometown,

And if they want to come
Get it, then so be it.

We'll lay it to it.

Get me home.

♪♪

♪♪

Glad you can come help me, son.

I'm glad to be here.
What kind of mash we running?

Apple-blueberry brandy.

It's ready to go.

Is it sour?

It's wine, is what it is.

Apple wine.
-apple wine.

We're going to turn apple wine
Into apple shine.

On the tennessee border,

Mike has enlisted
His buddy daniel

To help him with his batch
Of apple-blueberry moonshine.

It's daniel's first return to
Distilling after a long hiatus.

Alright, looks like
That water's quit.

It has.

You got to have
Continuously cold water,

You'll boil
Your worm barrel out

And it will steam out the worm,
And you won't make no liquor.

We had a couple of hard rains
The last couple of days.

This thing may be
Pushed plum-down.

Yep, all this water
Coming down

These falls pushed
My pipe plum-down the hill.

I've got to repipe it
In now.

You've got to redo something
Because the terrain or whatever,

You got to figure something
Out that's going to work

Because, if it don't work,
You can't produce nothing.

What I'm trying to do is get
Enough water in this line

To create a vacuum.

It pulling yet?

Not yet.

Daniel?
-yeah.

I'm going to have to ask you
To go all the way back down

To the still site
And blow in that end.

We'll see if we can get
Some air pushed up this way.

You're going to stay
Right here?

I'm going to have to stay
Right here with it

Until it gets to drawing.

Okay.

We've got to get
This water going.

If I don't, I'm -- I'm dead.

I can't do nothing
If I can't get it going.

No water, no liquor.

We're going to have to get
Her unstopped somehow.

Come on, baby. Pull.

If dark catches me, I'm out here
On these slick rocks.

The stakes get higher
And higher.

I need this water
To start pulling.

We could be hung out
Here all night.

Looks like we're starting
A stream now.

Yeah!

Oh, it's a-pulling now, boy.

It's the reason I brought
Daniel to help me,

So we can get
Things done tonight

And get out of here
With some liquor.

Yeah, daniel.
This is exactly the reason

I needed somebody
To come here and help me.

If you weren't down
There blowing,

I'd have to do both
Jobs at the time,

So I'm already
In debt to you, buddy.

I appreciate it, man.

Well, it's always easier
With two people.

First thing's first,
We got to--

-pump the mash over?
-yeah.

Well,
That's some pretty mash.

It ought to make
Some real liquor.

It smells like it will.

I've been out
Of the game for a long time,

And just the smell of the mash
Brings back old memories

Of running myself in the woods,

And it's just
A wonderful feeling

And I'm glad to be doing it.

Sit these out.

Here's your bag.

Start it up?

Open them up and
Pour them in there.

That's going to be a lot
Of blueberries, brother.

That ought to make
Some good juice to it.

Hell yeah, I bet there's
Five pound in there.

Just barely cover them
A little bit?

Yeah,
Just a little bit.

Then we'll get a fire
Started on it.

Okay.

-woo-hoo, yeah!
-my eyes are burning.

Get over there
On that big pot

And I'm going to fire
These things up.

Put the fire into it.

Yes, sir.

Now we're working, mike.

I got my apple mash
Pumped over to the pot.

I got my blueberries here.

I'm going to pour them
Into the thump keg

And then infuse that apple
Brandy into that blueberry,

And when it comes out the worm,

It will be
An apple-blueberry brandy.

Well, that's some
Good-looking stuff, ain't it?

It is.

Just enough to infuse it.

Alright.

I'm trying to create a taste
Where you'll taste

Both flavors in this one liquor

And I'm pretty sure
It turned out pretty good.

Alright, man.
Let's get a cap on this thing.

Alright.

Then we come over here
And you reach it across to me.

Alright.

I'll help you line it up.

That's going to be
Pretty good, ain't it?

Pretty close.

I'm so tickled to have
Daniel out here with me,

Somebody out here with me
To make this run.

I've been by myself
For so long.

Boy, I sure am grateful
To have you out with me tonight.

I've been out here a good
While by myself.

It's good just to have
Company around.

I'm telling you, buddy.
It makes the time go by faster.

It does.

You know, it ain't all
About making profit.

It's about catching up
With a buddy

And just sitting around
And having a good time,

But yet, doing what you got
To do too to make your money.

Daniel, you might want to go
Over and look at that

And see if it's getting
Close to running.

Alright.

Oh, yeah.

-is it running?
-it's running.

Alright.

Oh, yeah.

What's it smell like?

Is it good?

Ooh, it smells like
Apple-blueberries.

We're running our liquor.

Everything's looking good.

We better catch them head.

-alright.
-ready?

-yes, sir.
-yeah, buddy.

I've never done
An apple-blueberry brandy.

It's a big deal
For me this year.

You know, I'd say we'd get
15 out of this run here.

Yeah.

Be easy to get 15 gallons
Of good, uncut liquor.

Man, is that thing's
Sucking in over on me?

It is, ain't it?

I've created a vacuum.

Hold your thumb over that.

We got to blow that
Thump keg back out.

Son of a bitch.

-hot?
-hell, yeah, it's hot!

It will blow her
Out of there.

If it don't, we can't
Make no liquor.

I hear it blowing out.

I'm trying to get
This to blow--

Oh, my god!

♪♪

When thanksgiving comes,

It's chico's job to put
A bird on the dinner table.

Just pick one out
And tell me which one out

And then we'll go
From there.

Give me one of them big,
Fat, black ones.

What, that big one
Right there?

Yeah, he will work.

Here, boy.

Yeah, you want me
To do him up for ya?

Yeah, if you're carrying him.
What are you going to do?

Cut his head off?!

-yeah.
-let me see him.

Poor little fella.

I got other ways to get
My turkey, believe that.

Don't look at that bird.

I'm sorry, man.

Just be still.

This is your future.
You got one.

He's done.

Now, you good?

We homies?

That's right.

Nah, you good.
Calm down.

Aww, man, you better not be
Doo-dooing in my drink.

That thing's sucking in.

We got to blow that
Thump keg back out.

Trying to get this to blow--

Oh, my god!

Shut her down!
-good god.

That's the first time
I ever blown a cap, mike.

Oh, my god.

On the tennessee border,

A critical error triggers
A dangerous explosion.

Too much to undo this.
Try to get the cap back on.

I go hearing these
Pops and cracks.

All of a sudden,
The damn cap blowed off.

Unscrew it, we got to
Straighten the cap back out.

♪♪

Mike's underfilled pot
And thumper allowed

A heated mass
Of pressurized air

To move rapidly
Through the still.

This created a low-pressure
Environment in the thumper,

Causing it to collapse.

In an attempt to remedy
The situation,

Daniel blocked the flow of steam
At the mouth of the condenser.

This sent a wave of increasing
Pressure back to the pot,

Blowing the unsecured cap
Off the still.

If this occurred further
Into the run,

The high-proof alcohol vapor

In the still would have
Caused a fireball explosion.

This is bent
To *bleep* back.

It will be alright.

You know how much money
I've got tied up in this rig?

-yes, sir.
-I can't afford to lose it.

We lost a lot of liquor
When the steam come off,

And mike has a lot
Of money in it.

Damn thing.

Let's get the cap back on it
And fire it back up

And bring the heat down

And just run it slow
Until we get done here.

Alright.

Here we are, blowing caps,
Sucking thump kegs in.

I can only imagine
What daniel's thinking.

Thank god I got somebody
Out here with me tonight.

I ain't never had so much
Damn trouble in my life.

A lot worse could have
Happened tonight.

Mash could have
Sprayed all over us

And just rolled our skin
Off our backs tonight.

That's good right there.

Mike is a more
High-strung person than I am,

But, uh, I gave mike my word

I'd help him run the liquor
Here today, and I will.

Hurry up. We got to get
The pressure back on it,

So it don't
Suck my still in.

That's five gallons we got.

I'm not leaving here
Until it's done,

So I'm going to go
Ahead and tell you.

We lost so much dag-jim
Steam off the pot.

I'm about to have a damn
Panic attack out here.

-I'm a nervous wreck, man.
-I'll tell you what.

This is a very dangerous job,

But I'm just thankful we got
Our life to run another day.

I'm just calming down.

I still feel a pulse
In the rear end of my ass.

Yes, you need me to go get
You some toilet paper, brother?

As a matter of fact,
I thought I felt something

Warm running down my leg.

That's what I figured.

I didn't anticipate all this
*bleep* go bad.

All I can say at the end
Of the night,

This was
Daniel's training day.

Fill this up a little bit, take
In some horn, see how it tastes.

Well, hell, I wouldn't dare
Sell nobody nothing

That I wouldn't
Drink myself, anyway.

Phew, god almighty,
Damn, that's hot.

Let me try it.

You can taste the apple
And the blueberry.

You taste the apple
Right off the bat.

The blueberry's on
The back of it.

You ain't going to drink that.
You right.

That's 140, '45 proof.

It's hot, ain't it?

It is. It's hot.

You can taste both blueberry
And apple in it.

Still get a little hot,

But I think I hit the flavor
And the taste just right.

That's my biggest thing,
Though, is to taste

Both of the fruits in it,

And once it tempers down
A little bit, it will be good.

Daniel proved himself
To me tonight,

And he's really good
Under pressure,

And I like to keep him around

To get him to help me
Out some more.

That bucket's about full.

Yes, 10 gallons.

I guarantee it to you.

That proof's going
To be dropped.

We're not going to get
The 15 out of it.

Tonight, we may be able
To just settle with this,

And just count
Our losses.

I've lost five gallons of liquor
And $750 worth of profit,

But we got 10 gallons
Of liquor to try to sell.

We'll kill the lights
And get out of here

And live to see
Another day.

♪♪

♪♪

Make sure there ain't
Nobody out and about.

Let's go.

Well, let's get
The boat launched.

In louisiana, patti and david
Are making a dead drop sale

In a nearby bayou.

It's a small six-gallon order
For a loyal local customer.

Today, we're fixing to do
A lake drop, is what I call it,

And we're just trying to get
A little money in our pocket.

For this sale,
Patti and david will be using

A submerged dead drop
At a predetermined location

The buyer sinks the money
In a mason jar,

Which is connected by
A thin rope to a plastic bottle

Floating on
The water's surface.

Once the moonshiners
Locate the bottle,

They'll swap the cash
For the crate of shine,

Which the buyer
Will later retrieve.

Alright.

This place where
We're going is so isolated,

Very few people
Has ever seen it.

A good place to do
A lot of dropping.

Yeah.

You ain't going to see
Nobody up in here.

You got to be careful
Right in here.

You don't want to get on
One of them sandbars.

You're going to have
To jump out.

That's bullcrap.

You driving,
You going out.

It's hard being
A moonshiner in louisiana.

I mean, you got the snakes,
The alligators,

And now we got to
Take our time

To make sure we hit
That channel just right.

It's just another obstacle
That we have to get through

To be able to make this sale.

-there it is.
-dang.

That sure is massive,
Ain't it?

Ain't no missing that one.

It's a good drop place,
Right here.

That's the bottle.
Right there.

-get it?
-yep.

And there's our money.

Count it. See if it's there
While I untie this.

$700.
That's what we wanted.

Now let's give him
What he wants.

Don't flip this over.

Hell to the yes, and that's how
The people in the bayou roll,

Ain't it?
-that's it, buddy.

Finally got that drop done.

I like to work low-key
Like that.

That way, we're not seeing face
To face with these buyers.

If they've seen you, that's how
Your face gets out to the law,

So it's best to always,

You not being seen
Or anything like that.

Next time on "Moonshiners"...

All I've got
Is ten gallons.

...Supply isn't meeting demand
In tennessee.

Don't want that bull...
I need 15.

I ain't got a clue
Who this guy is.

I don't how this sale's
Going to go.

And a cross-country bootleg
Goes up in flames.

This ain't happening!
All my stuff's burning!

Look!

This is the trip from hell!