Sugar land distilling in Gatlinburg Tn.

[Halfbaked]

I just got back from Gatlinburg, TN I figured that I would fill you in on what I saw (legal) shine wise. I visited 4 legal moonshine distillary in Gatlinburg Davy Crockett, Sugar land, Ole Smokey and Doc Collier. I forgot to bring my wallet so I had no drivers lisc. I am on youthfully challenged list and got turned downed for a tasteing. Only 1 offered a tour (Sugar land) so I was thrilled. They have a 6 plated (looked like a 12 inch) Vendome plated column and a 300 ish gal Jacketed pot with rock around it to make it look old. He said they get 80 gal per run. It looked like they had put a head off of an old style submarine still like you would see on TV show the moonshiners to try and OK well its hard to disguise a plated column and make it look a moonshine still. It was a real nice still. They do not use malt or enzymes and do use sugar. The guy said they use a 49%/51% corn to sugar ratio. Sounded a little stupid to me but they do have a secret receipe. They only use white corn and that is why it is called white lightning. Anything else and its not white lightning. Yellow corn is for chickens and pigs. They ferment in 250 gal totes with the top cut off. He showed us the 3 levels in the ferment and he says the trub on the bottom is called backins. Not sure what corn has to do with making their neutral and reflux for 1 ½ hrs. The part that killed me was their mash (what they called it) is mashed at 35% alcohol. You read it correct they said the ferment was 35%. I called him on the 35% and he said yes 35%. I asked how many lbs of sugar per gal of water and he said that that was a secret. They say that there are 3 parts heads hearts and tails. We got to smell the heads and hearts. What he said was heads obviously was fores. A lady actually said it smelled like fingernail polish. They guy said they all had masters in biology or chemistry or a degree in distilling. They guide said that moonshiners that didn't make cuts like they did would cause blindness and loose your mind and eventually death. He said heads and tails were poison. 5 breaths later he said that they didn't waste anything, they put their heads and tails back in the still and reran on the next run. They make Jim Tom moonshine. It is an all grain moonshine that has corn rye and barley. None is malted and no enzymes. He said they cook the shit out of it and it releases the sugar. He said that they use steam because of it is so safe. He said that anything else is why you hear about stills blowing up. I waited for 1 1/2 hours to get into the tour and I made it through 2/3 of the tour and couldn't take any more. I would love to see the tour guide get all HD people for a couple of tours.
Everything above is opinion of Sugar land Distilling and not mine or HD. Don't try this at home!

[SoMo]

That's too bad, good on you for questioning their BS. The worst part is everyday folks believe that shit, at least a few folks know better. If they see your write up and don't like it may be they will change their ways doubt it but we can hope.

[The KYChemist]

F-Yeah!!! We should plan a little get together, and go ambush them. Get together enough people, for two or three tours, and do them all back to back. They wouldn't know what hit 'em. Then, go out to dinner, to laugh at the hilarity that was a result. We could have a little HD Secret Summit. Who else is in?

[S-Cackalacky]

Makes you wonder where these people learned to make spirits. Would seem that, in some cases, all you need is a boat load of money and a business plan. Makes a good case for legalization. If these folks had practiced a bit, maybe they wouldn't have jumped into it ignorant of what it is and how to make it.

Posted while The KYChemist was posting.

[Halfbaked]

They might or might not know how to make likker. Pretty much almost everything was flavored. I didn't get to taste. Part of their tactics were to scare you into not buying untaxed likker. I heard Doc Collier had best likker. The one thing for sure is they are full of shite.

[copper sweat]

F-Yeah!!! We should plan a little get together, and go ambush them. Get together enough people, for two or three tours, and do them all back to back. They wouldn't know what hit 'em. Then, go out to dinner, to laugh at the hilarity that was a result. We could have a little HD Secret Summit. Who else is in?

Count me in I'll spend more than my last penny on that shit.

[copper sweat]

I'd be willing to pitch in for anyone that's a little short on funds to make it anyone with me?

[The KYChemist]

Count me in I'll spend more than my last penny on that shit.

I'm dead serious. I'd honestly be willing to do this, if we could get enough people. It would be a good oppurtunity for those that can't make it to Woodshed's thing. A "Meeting of the Minds", for the eastern folk.

[Bushman]

Interesting, I was there years ago to hike the smokey mountains but don't remember there being any distilleries. I loved the location but did not like the Chucky Cheese atmosphere of the town. Unfortunately I live too far away to make the trip with a group of people.

[SassyFrass]

Ok, first off, I realize this thread is a little older but I'd be willing to meet up in Gatlinburg with a group from HD to do the tours. My wife and I go there a couple times a year and have done some of the taste tests, just for comparing, and have come to the conclusion that it ain't worth having. But I digress, I had a pretty close experience going through the Sugar land tour. Kid asked," does anybody know what kind of still this is?" Raised my hand and identified it as a simple little pot still with a thumper. Fellow said, "Nope, it's a COPPER pot still." It got even more interesting after that. I kept my mouth shut most of the time and let the kid try to earn his paycheck. Kinda felt bad for him, because he didn't really know anything, except his script. But I figure he was a college kid earning a little money in the summer. Like the OP said, a ton of misinformation was dished out for the masses.
Anyway, just let me know when folks are heading that way and I will get there, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise. I just live a few mountains north.
SF

[The KYChemist]

IDK what's worse... Letting that kid look like he owned you, or you letting him continue on, uneducated... It is one thing to read from a script, another thing to blindly follow someone else's "dogma"(prepared script, without research). When i was a river guide, i made sure to know the history of the river I worked on. My family needs a vacation... Im open to just about any date, to get down there.

[StillLearning1]

I will be on my honeymoon in gatlinburg this spring. She asked me if there was anywhere I wanted to go while there and my reply was weeelllll there is one place I wouldn't mind going....but I don't think you would like it much. Her reply was :I know there is a distillery there and no you can't go!

But I'm only 4 1/2 hrs away so I could make the trip to watch you guys go on a rampage!

[bearriver]

Would be nice if HD flash mobbed a tour.

Sad state of affairs in that distillery...

[SassyFrass]

KY chemist:
Naw, I think you misunderstood because I didn't give enough detail. That's why it got interesting. I started on a rant and 20 minutes or so later, I noticed my wife giving me that look... so I finished explaining his mistake and let the kid continue. Learned a long time ago to not pick fights with the wife. She started talking to some of the folks in the audience with us, and so after the tour, us and a few folks set outside discussing the tour BS. Ended up meeting some real good folks that we still keep in contact with, a few years later.
Most folks ain't interested in the truth and can't be educated by force or arguing or even a big ol' bearded hillbilly waxing poetic about why copper and SS are the best (safest) two materials to build a still out of. Most folk's eyes just start glazing over when you start on a rant about unscrupulous old timers making stills out of galvanized drums, old metal fuel tanks, tin sheets, radiators, etc... and folks getting jake leg and other ailments from drinking stuff made in bad set ups.
Change has to come from the owners of the business. You can argue til you're blue with the kid, but he can't change anything.
It's a joy to sit down and discuss distilling with folks that truly want to teach/learn about it. Lord knows, I have a lot to learn about this hobby. But I do know that there isn't any sense in beating my head against a brick wall or telling the wind not to blow.

SF

[The KYChemist]

I understand what you're sayin' SF. I reread my post and it came across in truly the wrong tone. I didn't mean to sound that a$$holely. Was meant to be more dry humourous, than anything else. Plus, a little bit of my clear can turn me into a "forum warrior", sometimes. I apologise if any offense was taken.

[Twinrivers]

It's all good KYchem, I'm glad that you admit it, it makes me feel better now that I know I'm not the only one that gets on here half jacked and loose lipped. No offense taken here. I tried some of the junior johnsons shine that a friend of mine bought at the liquor store. It had strawberries in it. I took a couple big hauls off it and it wasn't bad. Upon reading the fine print on the jar I noticed that it said "neutral spirit". I congradulated my friend on buying a half a jar of vodka with strawberries and sugar and water in it. What a scam

[SassyFrass]

Not a big deal. Time was, I would have never admitted to knowing anything at all about making likker, but times change. Besides, I hadn't relayed the whole story in my post.
The wife's way of just meeting and talking to folks afterwards worked a lot better than getting up on a soapbox. Smart lady.
And I am all for having an Eastern S3 meeting down in Gatlinburg and doing our own taste testing. Or something like Woodshed is talking about out west, with the meeting of the minds.
Like I said, Gatlinburg is just a few mountains south of me, so if folks wanted to meet there for a weekend I'd be all for it.

SF

And no offense was taken, so no apology is needed.