Moonshiners Show

[this_is_nascar]

Only pines related because it fits the stereotype, but has anyone been following this show? The season one finale was on last night, but I didn't see it yet. I've watched the other episodes to date. I find it interesting that these guys would open the world up to everyone else, showing they faces, etc for everyone to see. I thought it was pretty entertaining and learn a bunch. I hadn't realized that some batches of moonshine yielded over $100 per gallon.

 

[RednekF350]

I happened to catch it by chance the other night. I was fascinated. As you said, it was surprising how they opened up their world to TV but I guess the price was right.

I have always wanted to learn how do make shine but never knew anyone locally that made it.
A few years ago I had some really good shine at a wild game dinner that was brought up from South Carolina. The group running the dinner was selling 8 oz. glasses of "Wild Thing" for $2.00. It was a concoction of fresh fruit juices and shine. It tasted like fruit flavored velvet but hit you like a runaway freight train after a few.
One guy sitting at my table talked me into some straight up and I was amazed at how dangerously smooth it was. He ballparked it at 180 proof.
Together with plates of french fried alligator tail, raccoon stew, snapper turtle, rabbit and muskrat, it was an good night to say the least.

 

[this_is_nascar]

On one of the earlier shows, they mentioned a brew called Apple Pie. We have a seasonal campsite at Wadings Pines Campground and my wife partakes in some Apple Pie a couple time each year, when her friend brings a batch. She says it really good stuff and nice and smooth.

 

[Gibby]

I just read that my favorite moonshiner on the show, old man Popcorn, committed suicide in March of 2009. Bummer. He was facing eighteen months in federal prison and choose to take his life instead of serving the sentence. His legacy lives on, however. His moonshine is the first white whiskey to be federally approved. Popcorn Sutton's white whiskey is now for sale in Tennessee. I need to go see if any of the stores around here carry it.

 

[NJChileHead]

Sounds like I am in the wrong business.

 

[NJBill]

From what I have been reading the State of Virginia is pretty pissed about how the show actually ended up being put together. I guess they were under the impression that it was going to viewed soley from the law enforcement side.
As for the moonshiners side of things and as mentioned, kind of hard to believe people would expose themselves like that, it seems highly probable that the Tim and Tickle moonshining was completely staged for the show and thus how they got away with it....they never did anything illegal.

You have to laugh at what appears the cable networks frantic approach of throwing all these crazy shows out there. I'll admit to having been entertained by a good many of them but I think there is little reality left in most of them, or there never really was. All about the editing....but watch I shall!

 

[Old Crazy]

Here's a place where you can purchase it legally.

http://www.olesmokymoonshine.com/

 

[Hewey]

http://www.olesmokymoonshine.com/

Good stuff! The apple pie is killer! The Spirits in Forked River had it in stock for some time. Now you have to order it.

Chris

 

[this_is_nascar]

Yea, I find myself watching many of those reality-based shows like Storage Wars, Coal, Black Gold, Swamp People, Ax Men, Pawn Stars, etc. As expected, I read a recent article that exposed most of these shows as staging certain things to make it a better show to watch. For example, on Storage Wars, high-valued items are actually placed/hidden in some of the lockers to make it more entertaining to watch. On Pawn Stars, some items brought in are staged for the show and never actually sold to the store, etc. To me, it's like the WWF was to me 30-years ago. I knew it was fake, but still enjoyed the entertainment factor.

 

[dragoncjo]

I think when your watching that your not seeing them light the flame up on actual mash. I do think that Tickle and Tim were illegal moonshiners at one time, but this 'run' was staged. I think both went legal prior to the taping, using proceeds from the show to fund a legal operation, its great marketing for the shine they are going to produce moving forward. Think about it Tim wanted to show his kid the process as a tradition, if he was actually making illegal moonshine I doubt he would bring along his son to help him as a accomplice to a crime. His son is going to college so why would any father loop in his son. Two he is the chief of the fire department. He brings cameras to the department, my guess is he came clean on everything prior to the show, since he is going legal now. 75% of this is staged, but with that said I watch it and find it to be entertaining, especially Tickle. Its not as good as Gold Rush though, a Todd Hoffman guarentee is about as good as a guarentee from a Greek bank.

 

[this_is_nascar]

. Gold Rush and Todd. What a joke. It must be the proceeds these guys are getting from the show that's keeping them above water. For Pete's sake, two years ago they were all ready to get kicked out of the homes and lose everything. All they've done since then is spend, spend, spend. Haven't found crap worth of gold as of yet.

 

[dragoncjo]

If I have to hear one more time that furber is going to lose his home I'm going to stop watching. No better estimator about how much gold is in the ground then what Todd Hoffman's gut tells him. I think these dopes legitmately may find some gold this season though, but still deep in the red.

 

[PINEY MIKE]

Good stuff! The apple pie is killer! The Spirits in Forked River had it in stock for some time. Now you have to order it.

Chris

Yep, good stuff w the cinnamon stix and all. Some neighbors picked it up not too long ago. Theres a cherry one too, but I didnt like it much. My old roomate has lived outside Nashville for about 10 years now and all his buddies make some great shine. I dont think theres much else to do down there but fish, hunt, and shine.. maybe pick a banjo in between them all.

 

[jburd641]

. Gold Rush and Todd. What a joke. It must be the proceeds these guys are getting from the show that's keeping them above water. For Pete's sake, two years ago they were all ready to get kicked out of the homes and lose everything. All they've done since then is spend, spend, spend. Haven't found crap worth of gold as of yet.

Supposedly, they found gold but I didn't see that episode. I was amazed at just how stupid these guys are. Seems contrived for them to spend a week clearing land on a hunch just to find out it was tailings. Would you follow the same guy who forgot to make a payment and cost you all your hard work? They must be getting a nice chunk from the network.

 

[strom]

Yep, good stuff w the cinnamon stix and all. Some neighbors picked it up not too long ago. Theres a cherry one too, but I didnt like it much. My old roomate has lived outside Nashville for about 10 years now and all his buddies make some great shine. I dont think theres much else to do down there but fish, hunt, and shine.. maybe pick a banjo in between them all.

 

[strom]

jersey lightning......................does anyone have a real recipe for it.........................laird in colts neck still sells applejack,but in reading the bottle,it is obvious that most of it is pure grain whiskey,with a little apple liquor in it..................one recipe from chatsworth has it as made from apple cider fermented then frozen...........throw out the ice and the result is supposed to be real jersey lightning..........................much of it is not supposed to be smooth stuff.............hell,you sure cant drink lairds applejack straight up,but that may be all that grain whiskey.............press on,strom

 

[Pine Baron]

jersey lightning......................does anyone have a real recipe for it

First step, ferment hard (apple) cider. (must be fresh... cider with preservatives kills the yeast)

Second step, jack (freeze distill) the hard cider.

Good luck, John-

 

[46er]

jersey lightning......................does anyone have a real recipe for it.........................laird in colts neck still sells applejack,but in reading the bottle,it is obvious that most of it is pure grain whiskey,with a little apple liquor in it..................one recipe from chatsworth has it as made from apple cider fermented then frozen...........throw out the ice and the result is supposed to be real jersey lightning..........................much of it is not supposed to be smooth stuff.............hell,you sure cant drink lairds applejack straight up,but that may be all that grain whiskey.............press on,strom

The process;

http://www.lairdandcompany.com/products_process.htm

I recall an evening in '67 and how effective Lairds AJ can be.... You want sippin smooth, get their apple brandy.

 

[RednekF350]

The process;

http://www.lairdandcompany.com/products_process.htm
You want sippin smooth, get their apple brandy.

It is a shame that they have to add the grain alcohol.
I am a straight bourbon whiskey and cane juice rum man and the words "blended" are a bad thing when you have an appreciation for good high octane liquor.

It looks like I'll have to try their unpolluted brandy.

 

[geezerfinneran]

jersey lightning......................does anyone have a real recipe for it.........................laird in colts neck still sells applejack,but in reading the bottle,it is obvious that most of it is pure grain whiskey,with a little apple liquor in it..................one recipe from chatsworth has it as made from apple cider fermented then frozen...........throw out the ice and the result is supposed to be real jersey lightning..........................much of it is not supposed to be smooth stuff.............hell,you sure cant drink lairds applejack straight up,but that may be all that grain whiskey.............press on,strom