Moonshiners on Discovery Channel

[Domminigan]

I was watching the show to see if they added yeast. Until the yeast is added, it's not making alcohol. Maybe they didn't add it at all, maybe they did. I just know that you can't prove it by the video. I'm just enjoying the series, pretending that they aren't distilling a barrel full of nothing but river water..

 

[brewingmeister]

Around the time he said he couldn't give he exact recipe there was a box yeast on the tank. This was in the second episode...he didn't say what kind of yeast either.

Back to popcorn, search.. johnny knoxville interviews popcorn sutton.. for a brief look into the life of an interesting man.

 

[Flomaster]

8:10 in that video posted to 8:40 was awesome to see old man rivers busting a jig out in the woods like that.

-=Jason=-

 

[MJDore]

Watched 2 eps of this last night for the first time. If you notice, when they show the videos of Popcorn and his crew 'shinin, the video quality is much, much worse than when they follow Tim and Tickle. Is the video of Popcorn from the old documentary? Or I wonder if it's old video Discovery found or got their hands on?

Also, I cracked up when they talked about this revenue being tax free. I can assure you Uncle Sam expects to get his piece, no matter whether the activity is legal or illegal. Ask Al Capone. So they show this guy, Tim, selling 'shine and paying no taxes, then reveal he's in a voluntary fire dept? Anyone from the IRS paying attention?

Also, when they show where Tim and his still are, they frickin pinpoint it on a map. Of course, if this is recorded months ago he's moved to a different location by now so he'd be a step ahead of the Feds.

Something's very much "staged" with this show.

 

[nukinfuts29]

The sheriff himself said there is no alcohol actually being made.

 

[JonM]

Also, I cracked up when they talked about this revenue being tax free. I can assure you Uncle Sam expects to get his piece, no matter whether the activity is legal or illegal. Ask Al Capone. So they show this guy, Tim, selling 'shine and paying no taxes, then reveal he's in a voluntary fire dept? Anyone from the IRS paying attention?

That bugged me too. It's "tax free" the way any illegal or under-the-table stuff is "tax free." Congress says it's income, and income "from whatever source derived" is taxable. They just don't pay it. Im splitting hairs for sure, but it ain't "tax free."

 

[MJDore]

Virginia Fire Chief Finds Fame on Discovery Channel’s New Show Moonshiners | VAFireNews.com - Fire & EMS News

Yeah, looks like there is no actual distilling taking place on the show.

 

[mdgagne]

I was curious about this show after warching the first 2 episodes. I came across an interview that bourbon blog did with Tim smith, the main character of the show. From the sounds of it the show is going to turn into a story about how this illegal shiner goes legit. Tim goes on to say that the laws in Virginia require physical witness and hard evidence for prosecution. The show isn't enough to prosecute him apparnetly. He also alludes to the show being filmed awhile ago and that he no longer makes shine. Seems like the motivation for him doing the show it to get his name out there so that when he. Starts selling his legal shine he will have good public awareness. I thought it was an interesting interview.

www.bourbonblog.com/blog/2011/12/10/tim-smith-moonshiners-discovery-channel-interview/

 

[Domminigan]

Watched 2 eps of this last night for the first time. If you notice, when they show the videos of Popcorn and his crew, the video quality is much, much worse than when they follow Tim and Tickle. Is the video of Popcorn from the old documentary? Or I wonder if it's old video Discovery found or got their hands on?

That is from a documentary/movie called "The Last One (2008)" It's fairly widely available on DVD and has a good deal of history mixed in with some cultural music. The video quality is good on the DVD

Not to be confused with the other "The Last One (2009)" Listed on the IMDB site which seems to be an independent film and by the rules of Southpark must have at least one scene of Cowboy-preferring Cowboys eating pudding.

 

[nukinfuts29]

I don't know how anyone can watch this show.

 

[browncoat]

I cannot stand how they over dramatize situations in these types of shows.

I have seen all of the episodes a couple times each (I spend way too much time sitting around hotel rooms) and have yet to see them actually ferment anything. Yes the yeast pack was there but at no time during the show did he pitch it. During one of the later episodes Tickle falls off a platform and breaks three ribs. Considering how drunk he was at the time it was really funny.

 

[brewingmeister]

The best part of show are the exerts of popcorn from 'The last run' and tickle's drunk ass.

If you want the real story behind the show look here:
http://firecritic.com/2011/12/09/fire-chief-tim-smith-stars-in-show-about-moonshiners-in-virginia/

-cheers

 

[weirdboy]

I gave up on this after two episodes. I really wanted it to be good, but I think my idea of good TV must not coincide with the average viewing public.

Way too much Blair Witch style crap and over-dramatic scenes where they are paranoid about being caught doing stuff that wouldn't actually land them into trouble. Like, being caught with a few sacks of grain. Uh, so what?

 

[Marlowefire]

This explains why he kept holding the hydrometer and switched to that mason jar in episode 3. Either it was just water and they are faking gravity readings or he brought some actual shine in to show that part of the process since all they did was distill water.

 

[Domminigan]

I don't know how anyone can watch this show.

Ample use of the fast forward button.

 

[nukinfuts29]

You must fast forward the whole thing lol

 

[cb76]

Y'all got me wantin some shine so I went down the road. legal shine. 46.5% (93 proof), 750ml

Trust me, this stuff that you can get legally is just trash. This is not made from the recipie that Popcorm used. I have a jar of Popcorn's actual stuff that he made and it is no where near this stuff. This stuff could be used for degreaser. A friend of mine new Popcorn and has about 2 gal's of his stuff that he made and let me have some. If the stuff is hot then is was made too fast and at a higher temp than it should have been run at. Good moonshine is smooth and should be around 100 proof. If you get some stuff from someone and it is hot and burns it could have methanol in it or it may have been run at too fast at a high temp. The first parts that come off when distilling are called heads and should be thrown out. This is where the methanol is and if it has a strong taste then it could have a lot of tails in with it. A good batch of shine can be as good as any good whiskey that you could buy in the stores. If you watch the DVD of Popcorn called the last run ........ watch near the end when the guy is mixing it up in the pot. They are calling it "tempering" or they are just cutting it down with water to reduce the proof. The old timers could tell you what the proof was by shaking the jar and watching the bubbles. There size and how fast that they go away.

 

[waddsworth]

So I just watched the finale last night. Correct me if I'm wrong, but did they just boil bananas to make their brandy? Seems to me they missed a critical step...

 

[brettwasbtd]

So I just watched the finale last night. Correct me if I'm wrong, but did they just boil bananas to make their brandy? Seems to me they missed a critical step...

Nope, they just didn't show him add any yeast (or wait for fermentation) on the show. Found a 20 min long interview with Tim online, pretty interesting. If you wanted the condensed article version you can go here. Basically explains how they got around showing him makin shine so he wouldn't get arrested.

 

[rycov]

why wouldn't they show him fermenting? distilling is illegal, not fermenting?

 

[wildwest450]

I stopped watching after I found out it was fake, who wants to watch a guy drag a tank out in the woods and pour corn, water and sugar in it? The popcorn clips were awesome, that was a cool dude.

 

[brettwasbtd]

I stopped watching after I found out it was fake, who wants to watch a guy drag a tank out in the woods and pour corn, water and sugar in it? The popcorn clips were awesome, that was a cool dude.

How was it fake?

 

[wildwest450]

They weren't distilling.


_

 

[brettwasbtd]

They weren't distilling.


_

Whats your rationale to that? Looked like distilling to me.

 

[brewingmeister]

http://firecritic.com/2011/12/09/fire-chief-tim-smith-stars-in-show-about-moonshiners-in-virginia/

 

[nukinfuts29]

Whats your rationale to that? Looked like distilling to me.

look closer grasshopper

 

[Misfit]

why wouldn't they show him fermenting? distilling is illegal, not fermenting?

Because they show them distill it. No ferment = no alcohol

 

[KNOTSANE]

All fake tv. Fire Chief Tim Smith Stars in Show about Moonshiners in Virginia | The Fire Critic

Interesting show on how moonshine is actually made in the backwoods though. It is "reality" TV and is on the same plane as the Kartrashians.

 

[rycov]

Because they show them distill it. No ferment = no alcohol

shouldn't they just cut away and use different mash? i'm not saying its real, i havent been watching. it just seems dumb that they wouldn't add yeast. or didn't show it.

 

[rycov]

they also show him shake some **** in a jar. it didn't look like water to me.