Moonshiners, are they for real

[sampvt]

I just watched Tickle and his mates tonight and one of the hillbillies with the mutton chops buried a massive tank in the ground, filled it from a spring, probably under 10 degrees, he chucked in some corn and sugar and covered it over. He said it would be ready in 5 days. No sterilisation, no heat, no recipe, no airlocks and no methodology to his setup.

Is this just for the tv, because that's a recipe for disaster, not a good low wine/mash, or whatever they call it.

3 questions.

1. how does he get it out of the tank when no electric is available.

2. Does he filter it.

3. How the hell does he get from that mix to a jar, which is drinkable, via a pot still heated by Calor gas, to a bucket with no strips, spirit runs or cuts.

[Truckinbutch]

(Tounge in cheek) You saw it on the interweb . It mist be true .
(Hint)Stick around here if you want real info .

[MartinCash]

I have taken part on a couple of documentaries and reality-tv type shows.

Not a single thing they showed was real. The only purpose of show-biz is entertainment.

That's only a small sample size of my own experience, but I can't imagine the rest of it is much different.

[SassyFrass]

Remember, just bacause you drank "moonshine" before 0900 in the morning...it dont make you a hillbilly.

Dont believe everything you see on tv.

[CopperFiend]

Yeah, none of that sounds feasible, in that timeframe. At that temperature and volume youd expect a fermentation time in weeks to months.

[Tummydoc]

Mostly BS, but some points are correct. This isn't beer brewing or wine making and sanitation is much less important. So the wash wasn't heated to pasteurize or sanitize - that's fine and the norm. Just a lid and no airlock- that's also common. Many major whiskey distilleries ferment in open vats!

Heating dissolves the sugar faster, but time will get you there also if you're patient. Gotta get past the beer mindset, it'll just slow you down and cost you more!

[Corsaire]

IF it's real

1. A pump powered by a generator is an option. A pto driven pump is another one.
2. Probably not, I don't either.
3. Drinkable is relative. Some people associate the strong bite of heads with high proof liquor, so they find it a good thing. You won't find many of those people here.

[Truckinbutch]

IF it's real

1. A pump powered by a generator is an option. A pto driven pump is another one.
2. Probably not, I don't either.
3. Drinkable is relative. Some people associate the strong bite of heads with high proof liquor, so they find it a good thing. You won't find many of those people here.

True , dat .

[Saltbush Bill]

A photo of a "sterilized " Rum fermentation tank at Hampton Estate Distillery.
http://www.rumgallery.com/travel--life/ ... ious-photo.
More photos there if you want.

[Dewstiller]

Recently, in the newest season (season10, late 2020) I believe it was in the 2nd episode the guy's Mike and Jerry, were building a huge plated type of column and were talking about some of the basic stuff that a person will read on here almost word for word.

They have this pretty extravagant looking column that involves some mason jars on the sides that appear to be extra thumpers or for extra purification. It seems to be a little unbelievable from what I have seen and researched HD over the last year or two.

I don't believe the show to be real in the sense they are really criminals or that they are really making likker on the show, some aspects are genuine though and I enjoy that, it's ALL entertainment. I still like to watch, not many tv shows on this type of topic. I would however believe the history of Tim Smith and his family being in the Moonshine business back years ago was very real.

[FLOB]

I also watch the show. I think the first season had some elements of truth to it but the show became popular and turned into a cartoon.

If you keep watching, I don't think this makes the top 5 list of dumb things Mutton Chops does. Spoiler alert: One time he builds a a really big flake stand that doesn't hold water. Not sure that makes the top 5 either.

[SpeakEasy]

I've never seen an episode... Is it worth watching?

[stillanoob]

I was briefly associated with a "reality" show. I made a computer controlled flame thrower for my friends who were on the show. I can tell you that the word "reality" has absolutely nothing to do with it. In the case of Moonshiners, for one thing the BATF would be ALL up in their business if they were actually making and selling moonshine. Like a broken clock is right twice a day they get an occasional thing right.

[FLOB]

I've never seen an episode... Is it worth watching?

Not for learning anything, entertainment only. To learn something, you are MUCH better off here. I'm a complete noob and and I can see what they are doing wrong...the most notable which they have stopped doing because they were probably getting people sick, was rushing to taste the first drops coming out of the still. They toss fores now.

[Thebigbrewbowski]

I've never seen an episode... Is it worth watching?

If you like to learn survival skills from "Survivor" then you will likely want to learn how to moonshine from "moonshiners" as they are one in the same - Reality TV garbage.

[stillanoob]

I've never seen an episode... Is it worth watching?

Not for learning anything, entertainment only. To learn something, you are MUCH better off here. I'm a complete noob and and I can see what they are doing wrong...the most notable which they have stopped doing because they were probably getting people sick, was rushing to taste the first drops coming out of the still. They toss fores now.

Almost certainly there is no alcohol coming out of the still. If there is it is store bought and they drip it through. With the cost of licensing and the rules that come with legal distilling it just doesn't make economic sense. And I can tell you that cost is paramount to these productions. So much easier and cheaper to rig some water to drip out. You have to understand that there is ZERO reality in this show.

[ParrotHead]

The Moonshiners: Master Distiller is real. Watch that instead. They are also distilling at a distillery.

[still_stirrin]

3. Drinkable is relative.

Some people associate the strong bite of heads with high proof liquor, so they find it a good thing.

“You won't find many of those people here.” <— Well said.

[Kareltje]

I can see the series only a season later. And I find it interesting and like to watch it.

Seeing it from a European point of view, it shows me an interesting view on the USoA. Well, a part of the USoA, I guess. And being born on a farm, I even recognise some aspects.

Of course I do not believe it is a real film. If only: for every footage a cameraman had to be present.

Important question is: does it provide a realistic view? I think it does. Only thing it does not show, are the long waiting hours and the boredom during the long times of the run.

About the technical aspects: one has to know about distilling to understand these parts.

But then again: why bother?

[Yonder]

It’s entertainment. TV. Fun but not to be taken seriously. They apparently also have someone lurking here, as Ive nited a couple of occasions where we get discussing something unusual and it shows up in a later season episode. Also seen where we would criticize something stupid and it disappears from the show. Still, like Petticoat Junction or MacGiver its fun to watch .

[frunobulax]

LOL...

[bluefish_dist]

It’s all scripted. Notice that they are always scouting new locations and building new stills. That’s interesting. Actually making stuff is pretty dull. Who really wants to watch a 10hr still run? Warmup alone takes hours. I think the premise is based on what does happen Or did happen in that area. Tim was arrested for being a moonshiner. But if you read about that bust, the outfit was far bigger than anything shown on the show. As I learned, to make any money in this business you need big stills and lots of fermentation. They don’t have enough to make what they say they make.

I know it has been posted before that they simply distill water which is legal.

[stillanoob]

The Moonshiners: Master Distiller is real. Watch that instead. They are also distilling at a distillery.

I'll promise you it is nowhere near "real". The show I was involved in was a contest/elimination type. Yet, before the "competition" they had all the contestants make their final entry at home and came and filmed them. They then went and decided who they wanted to win. Since my friend's wife is beautiful and well spoken, she made the cut. She ended up "winning" the entire contest in spite of the fact that she had serious technical issues during the "final judging" but they let her work at it until she got it worked out. Why? Because her entry was dramatic when it worked and she is hot. The also couldn't have cared less that she only did one part of the project and that others (myself included) did the rest of the work.

I hate to break it to you but there is no Santa Claus and there is no reality TV.

[jward]

You mean real like WWE and breast implants or REAL like milk and cheese? lol

[tiramisu]

The scale you would want to run at makes no sense for television. If you look at some of the old pictures you will 8 or 12 500 gallon boilers lined up not a little thing with mason jar bubblers

[Dewstiller]

On this episode of Moonshiners .. (Seasoning10, fordth Epeesode.. some-a-ting like dat) ... or somewhere in the back woods…

How much likker can we make? The law is close on our tails, it will take every drop in the bucket to keep the Moonshiner machine runnin’ dis season… as they somehow know exactly where our still sites are at after a couple of weeks!?.. Dem gosh darn helicopters won’t leave dem, der, us moonshiners alone.

Cut scene, save 1500% or more on boring car insurance by watching a Gecko…

Damnn, Pus, get outta the way, no-way you aint gotta a reason to talk about that, like that. Oh’ **** guess, I did not “still” realize that there is an accident bout to happen here on every episode.

What time you say it was again, an axesidental-accident time? Yah, dats whats I said. Can you hear me, you ol’ damn ****.

Cut to more commercials.. More blah, dee blah

Man, I don’t know about this studff, its got it all in there, aint nothing like des round here. Aint no moonshiners ever done some **** like dis. We better keep an aye on er’

More commerzzials….Do you love a pizza? How about you try the new 15 meat infused, dtripple - dry crusted, turned upside down and then flipped a few times, roasted, baked pizza, from this francheeze. Wit over 10 lbs. of toppings, including really heeealthdy crap datt yer’ kids will surly luv, it’s like feedin da hole fam or an armee fur nuttin… All you have to do is hit dat button on da fone and sooner or lataa, a guy will bring it to yeer house.

Beeckk to thee regulaarr programin.. On this episode of moonshiners, trouble is one state away.. or maybe a county away.. or two states south.. ewither way it’s going to be a hellllvvvaaa ride. As Johnny Johhnsun the law is watchin’ over Bigg Coukk Kounty.

So ya’ wanna do what..?? yah that’s what I said.. I wanna have you help me but it aint like I am asskin’ you to dew it yoooself. Kan yah there friend, pick upp that 800 gal beaut of a still and mov’ er over half an inch?.. Sea, no problemo… Lataa rip, Tata chip..

1/2 wayy, tdhrough da darn epiesod and gonna get sum shudt aye.

To be continued… by someone else havin’ a fun Friday night wit lockdawns….

[Yonder]

“yah there friend, pick upp that 800 gal beaut of a still and mov’ er over half an inch?.. Sea, no problemo… Lataa rip, Tata chip..”

Just watched it, too. Funny as hell. ‘Specially the part where the newbie asshole sits a burning cap on the thumper an’ . Well, sez he I guess there was some little alkyhall vapor leak! Running 2100 gallons o wash, we coulda been hurt. Blowed up!

[shadylane]

Mentality, I must be getting kinda slow.
Never did figure out why reality shows can have so little to due with reality.
Having said that. I'm guessing some of the folks on moonshiners, have and can make good shine.
Not the drama filled, out in the woods conditions of the show
I'm thinking the at home, in the garage, out in the barn, small scale kinda home distillation we do.

[8Ball]

A photo of a "sterilized " Rum fermentation tank at Hampton Estate Distillery.
http://www.rumgallery.com/travel--life/ ... ious-photo.
More photos there if you want.

Thanks, SBB. Nice photos. Did you see the one where the wash “crusts over” after a week of fermenting? Wonder what that is?

[SassyFrass]

Mentality, I must be getting kinda slow.
Never did figure out why reality shows can have so little to due with reality.
Having said that. I'm guessing some of the folks on moonshiners, have and can make good shine.
Not the drama filled, out in the woods conditions of the show
I'm thinking the at home, in the garage, out in the barn, small scale kinda home distillation we do.

I think a few of them fellas are actually professionals. And the show is a major advertising effort for Gatlinburg's legal moonshine distilleries.
Some of the others are there for dramatic and comedic relief.
But I dont really know, I'm just guessing.