1 00:00:01,235 --> 00:00:02,801 You can make vodka out of about anything. 2 00:00:02,837 --> 00:00:05,337 [jeremy] this time on master distiller. 3 00:00:05,373 --> 00:00:07,840 Lots of different kinds with lots of personalities. 4 00:00:07,875 --> 00:00:10,509 -[jeremy] vodka. -That smelled like home. 5 00:00:10,544 --> 00:00:12,044 [jeremy] the secret to surviving 6 00:00:12,079 --> 00:00:13,579 icy russian winters... 7 00:00:13,614 --> 00:00:14,947 [tim] it's like moonshining, 8 00:00:14,982 --> 00:00:17,016 except they got potatoes and we got a lot of corn. 9 00:00:17,051 --> 00:00:19,818 [jeremy] ...Is now america's most popular spirit. 10 00:00:19,854 --> 00:00:21,687 That is what I expect out of a bottle. 11 00:00:21,722 --> 00:00:23,889 [jeremy] and making the best jar of a liquor 12 00:00:23,924 --> 00:00:26,125 that's famous for having no flavor... 13 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:27,926 I'd say that's about vodka status right there. 14 00:00:27,962 --> 00:00:30,863 [jeremy] ... Could be the holy grail of high-proof distilling. 15 00:00:30,898 --> 00:00:32,364 You knocked that out the park. 16 00:00:33,634 --> 00:00:35,067 [jeremy] across the country, 17 00:00:35,102 --> 00:00:37,169 a handful of amateur distillers 18 00:00:37,204 --> 00:00:40,539 are heirs to a centuries-old tradition. 19 00:00:41,809 --> 00:00:44,043 Some operate on the legal side, 20 00:00:44,078 --> 00:00:45,944 others practice their craft 21 00:00:45,980 --> 00:00:48,347 beyond the reach of the law. 22 00:00:48,382 --> 00:00:50,749 Now, they'll face off to earn their place 23 00:00:50,785 --> 00:00:52,951 in america's liquor-making legacy. 24 00:00:52,987 --> 00:00:54,586 [scott] think you're gonna get enough out of it? 25 00:00:54,622 --> 00:00:56,088 [thomas] I just need enough of the good stuff. 26 00:00:56,123 --> 00:00:58,857 [jeremy] judged by three legendary moonshiners... 27 00:00:58,893 --> 00:01:00,359 Three different things going on. 28 00:01:00,394 --> 00:01:01,727 [jeremy] ...They'll go head-to-head 29 00:01:01,762 --> 00:01:03,562 in a series of challenges... 30 00:01:03,597 --> 00:01:06,198 -Honestly... That's good liquor. -Yeah. 31 00:01:06,233 --> 00:01:09,068 [jeremy] ...To determine who has what it takes... 32 00:01:09,103 --> 00:01:10,736 You gotta risk it to get the biscuits. 33 00:01:10,771 --> 00:01:12,171 [jeremy] ...To be named... 34 00:01:12,206 --> 00:01:14,440 -He may be the one to watch in this, right? -He may be. 35 00:01:14,475 --> 00:01:16,442 [jeremy] ...Master distiller. 36 00:01:16,477 --> 00:01:18,677 It'll be an interesting contest, tim. 37 00:01:23,884 --> 00:01:25,384 [melancholy music playing] 38 00:01:27,988 --> 00:01:30,155 [digger] hey, guys. Welcome to master distiller. 39 00:01:30,191 --> 00:01:33,092 I'm digger manes, tim smith, 40 00:01:33,127 --> 00:01:34,359 and my best buddy right down there, 41 00:01:34,395 --> 00:01:35,994 mark wayne ramsey. 42 00:01:36,030 --> 00:01:38,530 You all are here today to make us some vodka, 43 00:01:38,566 --> 00:01:40,132 tater squeezings. 44 00:01:40,167 --> 00:01:41,266 We're looking forward to it. 45 00:01:41,302 --> 00:01:44,103 [jeremy] vodka, a spirit so neutral, 46 00:01:44,138 --> 00:01:47,473 its name derives from the russian word for water. 47 00:01:47,508 --> 00:01:49,241 First used as a medicine 48 00:01:49,276 --> 00:01:51,543 in eastern europe during the middle ages, 49 00:01:51,579 --> 00:01:54,713 vodka became a favorite of 16th-century 50 00:01:54,715 --> 00:01:56,849 home distillers, who made it 51 00:01:56,884 --> 00:02:00,185 from anything fermentable, from wheat to potatoes, 52 00:02:00,221 --> 00:02:03,722 to keep warm in freezing winters. 53 00:02:03,757 --> 00:02:06,358 It wasn't until the end of the 18th century 54 00:02:06,393 --> 00:02:08,293 that advancements in distillation 55 00:02:08,329 --> 00:02:11,330 increased the purity and brew, 56 00:02:11,365 --> 00:02:14,533 creating the spirit we know today. 57 00:02:14,568 --> 00:02:16,468 In 1917, 58 00:02:16,504 --> 00:02:18,971 immigrants fleeing the russian revolution 59 00:02:19,006 --> 00:02:22,374 brought their staple spirit to america. 60 00:02:22,409 --> 00:02:24,543 After exploding in popularity 61 00:02:24,578 --> 00:02:26,411 in the 1970s, 62 00:02:26,447 --> 00:02:29,915 vodka finally surpassed whiskey in 2003 63 00:02:29,950 --> 00:02:31,850 as the most-consumed liquor 64 00:02:31,886 --> 00:02:34,153 in the united states. 65 00:02:34,188 --> 00:02:36,889 Its neutral flavor makes it a popular base 66 00:02:36,924 --> 00:02:38,290 for cocktails. 67 00:02:38,325 --> 00:02:40,459 But any vodka drinker will tell you, 68 00:02:40,494 --> 00:02:43,195 no two brands taste the same. 69 00:02:43,230 --> 00:02:45,330 That's because vodka's clean, 70 00:02:45,366 --> 00:02:47,866 subtle taste profile is honed 71 00:02:47,935 --> 00:02:50,202 through multiple distillations. 72 00:02:50,237 --> 00:02:52,404 The true test of a distiller's skill 73 00:02:52,439 --> 00:02:53,906 on a still. 74 00:02:53,941 --> 00:02:56,241 If we name you master distiller, 75 00:02:56,277 --> 00:02:58,577 you're gonna win your bragging rights 76 00:02:58,612 --> 00:03:00,445 and a limited run of your liquor 77 00:03:00,481 --> 00:03:02,314 at sugarlands distilling company. 78 00:03:02,349 --> 00:03:04,316 I spent some time in poland. 79 00:03:04,351 --> 00:03:06,785 Vodka is their number one product, really. 80 00:03:06,820 --> 00:03:08,954 It's like moonshining, except they got potatoes, 81 00:03:08,989 --> 00:03:10,055 and we got a lot of corn. 82 00:03:10,090 --> 00:03:11,323 Depending on how you work it, 83 00:03:11,358 --> 00:03:13,058 you can make vodka out of about anything. 84 00:03:13,093 --> 00:03:15,727 We're looking for that homemade, 85 00:03:15,763 --> 00:03:18,697 polish-style vodka that rolls right off of your tongue. 86 00:03:18,732 --> 00:03:20,032 It'll be a challenge to you, 87 00:03:20,067 --> 00:03:22,301 there's thousands of them out there. 88 00:03:22,336 --> 00:03:24,603 But we're excited about seeing the skills 89 00:03:24,638 --> 00:03:26,505 that you bring to display here. 90 00:03:26,540 --> 00:03:28,140 You got one hour to mash in. 91 00:03:28,175 --> 00:03:31,343 After that time, we'll ask you to step away from your kettles. 92 00:03:31,378 --> 00:03:36,215 And it's time to go. One hour, starting now. 93 00:03:37,885 --> 00:03:39,585 [jeremy] while most commercial vodkas 94 00:03:39,620 --> 00:03:41,453 use a grain-based mash, 95 00:03:41,488 --> 00:03:44,356 vodka can be made from any base. 96 00:03:44,391 --> 00:03:47,859 Distillers will mash in their original vodka recipes 97 00:03:47,895 --> 00:03:50,062 to create a mash that can ferment 98 00:03:50,097 --> 00:03:51,797 in only five days, 99 00:03:51,832 --> 00:03:53,265 and yield enough alcohol 100 00:03:53,334 --> 00:03:56,168 to last through the entire competition. 101 00:03:56,203 --> 00:03:57,736 Three different things going on. 102 00:03:57,771 --> 00:03:59,972 That just shows up what happens 103 00:04:00,007 --> 00:04:01,340 in different parts of the country. 104 00:04:01,375 --> 00:04:03,008 Yup. The way they learned to do things. 105 00:04:03,043 --> 00:04:05,877 And that's gonna be neat if they come out of the gate, 106 00:04:05,913 --> 00:04:08,080 and all three of them have that neutral taste. 107 00:04:08,115 --> 00:04:09,881 Yeah. You really want vodka 108 00:04:09,883 --> 00:04:11,683 to taste like whatever you put in it. 109 00:04:11,719 --> 00:04:13,252 -[digger] yeah. -[tim] right. 110 00:04:13,287 --> 00:04:14,453 Not what it's made from, 111 00:04:14,488 --> 00:04:16,188 -not like moonshine. -Right. 112 00:04:16,223 --> 00:04:17,689 So if we need to borrow sugar, shawn, 113 00:04:17,725 --> 00:04:19,091 -we can get it from you? -We can come to you? 114 00:04:19,126 --> 00:04:20,592 Yes, sir. You got it, man. 115 00:04:20,628 --> 00:04:23,328 Hey, I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. 116 00:04:23,364 --> 00:04:24,596 I got extra corn if you need it. 117 00:04:24,632 --> 00:04:26,598 -I appreciate that. -You know, shawn, 118 00:04:26,634 --> 00:04:29,635 he's kind of... Stays to his self over there. 119 00:04:29,670 --> 00:04:31,603 He may be the one to watch in this, right? 120 00:04:31,639 --> 00:04:33,272 He may be. He may have a little trickery 121 00:04:33,307 --> 00:04:35,173 -going on over there. -[chuckles] 122 00:04:36,110 --> 00:04:37,342 my name's shawn rigsby. 123 00:04:37,378 --> 00:04:38,944 I'm from springfield, ohio. 124 00:04:38,979 --> 00:04:41,913 I'm a mechanic by trade, but I do a little distilling. 125 00:04:41,949 --> 00:04:45,050 I stay busy. I just do what I love, and that's part of it. 126 00:04:45,085 --> 00:04:46,418 Let's do like a circle here. 127 00:04:46,453 --> 00:04:48,153 And this is my thumper that takes all the beating. 128 00:04:48,188 --> 00:04:49,454 People see me, they just assume 129 00:04:49,490 --> 00:04:51,923 I'm some dumb hillbilly that don't know much, you know. 130 00:04:51,959 --> 00:04:53,125 But I know more than I should. 131 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,160 And I know I make a damn good jar of liquor. 132 00:04:55,195 --> 00:04:57,062 Clear as a bell, son. 133 00:04:57,097 --> 00:05:00,032 In my family, there's bootleggers and distillers. 134 00:05:00,067 --> 00:05:02,467 My grandfather, in eastern kentucky, he would make liquor, 135 00:05:02,503 --> 00:05:03,602 and he would turn his porch light on 136 00:05:03,637 --> 00:05:05,337 when he had liquor, and people would come down. 137 00:05:05,372 --> 00:05:07,472 When he was out, he'd flick the light off. 138 00:05:07,508 --> 00:05:09,608 And then there's me. I've been doing it 139 00:05:09,643 --> 00:05:11,543 off and on for probably 10 years or better. 140 00:05:11,578 --> 00:05:12,911 I don't run a big distillery 141 00:05:12,946 --> 00:05:15,247 like some of these guys, so winning master distiller 142 00:05:15,282 --> 00:05:17,883 would, you know, open up a lot of opportunities for me. 143 00:05:17,918 --> 00:05:20,052 We'll give it hell and see what happens. 144 00:05:20,087 --> 00:05:22,220 Well, I went with the normal, with wheat, 145 00:05:22,256 --> 00:05:24,089 uh, corn, and distiller's malt. 146 00:05:24,124 --> 00:05:25,824 And I did a little bit of a different corn, 147 00:05:25,859 --> 00:05:28,293 it's not your normal sweet corn. 148 00:05:28,329 --> 00:05:30,729 It's bloody butcher corn from pennsylvania. 149 00:05:30,764 --> 00:05:31,630 With bloody butcher corn, 150 00:05:31,665 --> 00:05:32,931 it gives it just a little bit different-- 151 00:05:32,966 --> 00:05:35,901 like a spice flavor to it, not like a rye, 152 00:05:35,936 --> 00:05:36,902 not that dominant, 153 00:05:36,937 --> 00:05:38,170 but just a little bit different. 154 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:40,339 All grain, uh, no potatoes? 155 00:05:40,374 --> 00:05:42,708 -No potatoes. -Now, this is a contest, 156 00:05:42,743 --> 00:05:44,176 not time to be experimenting. 157 00:05:44,211 --> 00:05:46,278 -Oh, I know. -Oh, don't burn your water. 158 00:05:46,313 --> 00:05:47,346 Well, I don't plan on it. 159 00:05:47,381 --> 00:05:49,848 [laughs] 160 00:05:49,883 --> 00:05:52,651 thomas, he's a young kid, 161 00:05:52,686 --> 00:05:55,420 works in a legal distillery. 162 00:05:55,456 --> 00:05:57,756 Not used to running this type of equipment. 163 00:05:57,791 --> 00:06:00,926 -He's confident in himself in a real quiet way. -Yeah. 164 00:06:01,895 --> 00:06:03,095 My name is thomas williams. 165 00:06:03,130 --> 00:06:04,763 I'm a distiller in helena, arkansas. 166 00:06:04,798 --> 00:06:07,065 I've been distilling for about two years now, 167 00:06:07,134 --> 00:06:09,401 and my father asked me to help him run 168 00:06:09,436 --> 00:06:10,469 the new business he was starting. 169 00:06:12,272 --> 00:06:14,873 It is a craft distillery in the delta 170 00:06:14,908 --> 00:06:18,110 using all locally farm-grown grains, 171 00:06:18,145 --> 00:06:20,145 mostly from our own family farm. 172 00:06:20,180 --> 00:06:22,681 Turning homegrown grains into something 173 00:06:22,716 --> 00:06:24,316 completely different is definitely 174 00:06:24,351 --> 00:06:26,351 one of the rewarding parts of it. 175 00:06:26,387 --> 00:06:27,619 My dream for the distillery 176 00:06:27,654 --> 00:06:30,122 is to open a second location 177 00:06:30,157 --> 00:06:31,757 all by myself, and having a bunch 178 00:06:31,792 --> 00:06:34,359 of my signature recipes be the landmark of that. 179 00:06:34,395 --> 00:06:36,328 [upbeat music playing] 180 00:06:36,363 --> 00:06:39,631 winning master distiller would be a great head start on that dream. 181 00:06:40,467 --> 00:06:42,401 -Mr. Thomas. -Yes, sir. 182 00:06:42,436 --> 00:06:44,469 What you cooking, sir? From arkansas. 183 00:06:44,505 --> 00:06:46,538 Got some sweet potatoes and corn, 184 00:06:46,573 --> 00:06:48,206 -both grown in the delta. -Sweet potatoes and corn? 185 00:06:48,242 --> 00:06:49,374 I got my corn over here. 186 00:06:49,410 --> 00:06:51,877 [tim] oh. So you got it ground up pretty fine. 187 00:06:51,912 --> 00:06:53,345 -Yup. -I like that. 188 00:06:53,380 --> 00:06:54,713 You brought all this from home? 189 00:06:54,748 --> 00:06:56,948 -I did. Family farm. -Yeah? 190 00:06:56,984 --> 00:06:58,817 The combination of sweet potatoes and corn 191 00:06:58,852 --> 00:07:01,553 has proven to be a very unique combination 192 00:07:01,588 --> 00:07:03,188 that I've gotten some great feedback on, 193 00:07:03,223 --> 00:07:05,223 and it has a very smooth flavor to it. 194 00:07:05,259 --> 00:07:07,759 Gotta have marshmallows, or prawns on top of it. You'll be good. 195 00:07:07,795 --> 00:07:09,227 Okay. 196 00:07:09,263 --> 00:07:11,363 [mark] I think scott fancies himself 197 00:07:11,398 --> 00:07:13,131 more a backwoods distiller. 198 00:07:13,167 --> 00:07:14,766 But, you know, he's a school teacher. 199 00:07:14,802 --> 00:07:16,868 Well, in his day job, you know. 200 00:07:16,904 --> 00:07:18,303 [tim] when I was going to school, 201 00:07:18,305 --> 00:07:20,038 I didn't think about my school teacher being a moonshiner. 202 00:07:20,073 --> 00:07:23,041 You never know what they do when they leave the books behind. 203 00:07:23,076 --> 00:07:25,811 We are what we are only when no one is watching. 204 00:07:26,647 --> 00:07:27,712 My name is scott moore. 205 00:07:27,748 --> 00:07:29,214 I live in chattanooga, tennessee. 206 00:07:29,249 --> 00:07:31,516 For a living, I'm an educator and a football coach. 207 00:07:31,552 --> 00:07:33,318 I've been distilling about three years. 208 00:07:33,353 --> 00:07:35,821 What got me started was watching mark, tim, and digger. 209 00:07:35,856 --> 00:07:37,656 Just wanted to see if I could do what they do. 210 00:07:37,691 --> 00:07:39,558 In my family, there were people that made it, 211 00:07:39,593 --> 00:07:42,060 so, you know, being able to continue on 212 00:07:42,095 --> 00:07:44,196 and do that is a big deal to me. 213 00:07:44,231 --> 00:07:45,730 I make vodka. Most people say, 214 00:07:45,766 --> 00:07:47,632 "man, that's good. That's some of the best I've had." 215 00:07:47,668 --> 00:07:48,733 it's pretty tasty. 216 00:07:48,769 --> 00:07:49,868 I've got a bachelor of science, 217 00:07:49,903 --> 00:07:52,604 so being able to look at how things are made 218 00:07:52,639 --> 00:07:55,006 and how the makeup of chemicals and compounds 219 00:07:55,042 --> 00:07:58,176 is huge, to be able to break things down and look at how they work. 220 00:07:58,212 --> 00:08:01,446 Winning the master distiller would really help me have the confidence 221 00:08:01,482 --> 00:08:05,050 to move forward, to look into opening my own distillery. 222 00:08:05,085 --> 00:08:06,618 I didn't know if y'alls were gonna have paddles or not, 223 00:08:06,653 --> 00:08:08,220 I brought my lucky one. 224 00:08:08,255 --> 00:08:10,121 So if you lose, you gonna throw it away? 225 00:08:10,157 --> 00:08:12,324 I might, or make another. 226 00:08:12,359 --> 00:08:13,158 [laughs] 227 00:08:13,927 --> 00:08:17,429 [suspenseful music playing] 228 00:08:17,464 --> 00:08:19,064 [scott] my signature recipe for vodka 229 00:08:19,099 --> 00:08:21,032 is pretty traditional. It's corn-based. 230 00:08:21,068 --> 00:08:22,300 It's got some wheat in it 231 00:08:22,336 --> 00:08:24,169 to kind of help soften it a little bit. 232 00:08:24,204 --> 00:08:26,071 -Talk to me there, scott. -Yes, sir. 233 00:08:26,106 --> 00:08:27,239 Tell me what you're cooking, here. 234 00:08:27,274 --> 00:08:28,974 Uh, a little corn, a little wheat. 235 00:08:29,009 --> 00:08:30,408 -Corn and wheat. -Yes, sir. 236 00:08:30,444 --> 00:08:32,944 I got some malted wheat and malted barley 237 00:08:32,980 --> 00:08:34,479 to help it out a little bit. 238 00:08:34,515 --> 00:08:35,814 -No potatoes? -No potatoes. 239 00:08:35,849 --> 00:08:37,015 Nothing else. 240 00:08:37,050 --> 00:08:38,884 And where did this corn come from? 241 00:08:38,919 --> 00:08:39,784 A friend. 242 00:08:39,820 --> 00:08:40,785 Is this tennessee corn? 243 00:08:40,821 --> 00:08:41,786 I don't know where he got it. 244 00:08:41,822 --> 00:08:42,954 But you know how it is, 245 00:08:42,990 --> 00:08:44,055 you don't ask a lot of questions 246 00:08:44,091 --> 00:08:45,790 about where stuff come from. [laughs] 247 00:08:45,826 --> 00:08:47,192 okay. 248 00:08:47,227 --> 00:08:48,627 It'll be an interesting contest. 249 00:08:51,298 --> 00:08:52,631 Your time's up, men. 250 00:08:52,666 --> 00:08:54,466 Step away from your barrels. 251 00:08:54,501 --> 00:08:56,268 We'll see you boys in five days, 252 00:08:56,303 --> 00:08:57,869 and we'll get that first run out of the way. 253 00:08:57,905 --> 00:08:58,937 -Sounds good. -[digger] thank you. 254 00:08:58,972 --> 00:09:00,205 -[mark] see you, guys. -[tim] good job. 255 00:09:10,350 --> 00:09:12,484 All right, men. Welcome back. 256 00:09:12,519 --> 00:09:13,852 You noticed your mash barrels in here. 257 00:09:13,887 --> 00:09:16,288 We've checked it out, it's ready to run. 258 00:09:16,323 --> 00:09:18,957 Your version of vodka, that's what we wanna see. 259 00:09:18,992 --> 00:09:20,792 I'm a big fan of vodka, 260 00:09:20,827 --> 00:09:24,329 and there is lots of different kinds with lots of personalities. 261 00:09:24,364 --> 00:09:26,231 There's grain-based, potato-based. 262 00:09:26,266 --> 00:09:28,567 Hopefully, you're gonna make us something good, 263 00:09:28,602 --> 00:09:30,635 with some good characteristic personality 264 00:09:30,671 --> 00:09:32,070 of where you are from. 265 00:09:32,105 --> 00:09:35,507 We're simply gonna judge on taste alone today. 266 00:09:35,542 --> 00:09:39,878 The favorite will get first pick of still parts 267 00:09:39,913 --> 00:09:41,079 at the stillhouse. 268 00:09:41,114 --> 00:09:44,015 But one jar in four hours. 269 00:09:44,051 --> 00:09:47,052 Your time starts now. 270 00:09:47,087 --> 00:09:48,320 [jeremy] for the first run, 271 00:09:48,355 --> 00:09:51,122 distillers will produce a base for their vodka 272 00:09:51,158 --> 00:09:53,224 at a minimum of 90 proof, 273 00:09:53,260 --> 00:09:56,161 to showcase the flavors in their signature mash. 274 00:09:56,196 --> 00:09:58,463 In the second distillation, 275 00:09:58,498 --> 00:10:00,198 they'll refine the base spirit 276 00:10:00,233 --> 00:10:03,501 into a true vodka for elimination. 277 00:10:03,537 --> 00:10:05,837 They're mash cleared out good, 278 00:10:05,872 --> 00:10:07,238 uh, every one of them. 279 00:10:07,274 --> 00:10:09,741 [tim] and thomas got a totally different recipe over there, 280 00:10:09,776 --> 00:10:11,142 so I'm really excited about that. 281 00:10:11,178 --> 00:10:12,877 He reminds of the guys, 282 00:10:12,913 --> 00:10:14,546 you know, in poland. 283 00:10:14,581 --> 00:10:17,048 They got their own unique thing from home, 284 00:10:17,084 --> 00:10:18,283 so I'm pretty sure 285 00:10:18,318 --> 00:10:19,651 it's gonna be very different 286 00:10:19,686 --> 00:10:21,786 to any of these two guys here. 287 00:10:21,822 --> 00:10:23,288 [thomas] finally seeing and smelling my mash 288 00:10:23,323 --> 00:10:24,289 for the first time. 289 00:10:24,324 --> 00:10:26,391 I did get the flavors 290 00:10:26,426 --> 00:10:27,926 and characteristics 291 00:10:27,961 --> 00:10:30,228 that I'm used to and what I was expecting. 292 00:10:30,263 --> 00:10:32,297 I was pleased. It looked and smelled good. 293 00:10:33,767 --> 00:10:36,468 I think my mash was, uh, good. 294 00:10:36,503 --> 00:10:38,169 I would've liked to have had a little bit more, 295 00:10:38,205 --> 00:10:40,338 um, alcohol in it. 296 00:10:40,374 --> 00:10:42,173 Uh, I try to be a little bit more traditional 297 00:10:42,209 --> 00:10:44,643 with vodka and not use lot of sugar, so... 298 00:10:44,678 --> 00:10:46,611 I knew there wasn't gonna be that much alcohol in it. 299 00:10:46,647 --> 00:10:49,080 But, we're gonna make an adjustment there. 300 00:10:50,851 --> 00:10:53,752 Shawn's, he had a little bit of grain on top 301 00:10:53,787 --> 00:10:55,220 but nothing to worry about. 302 00:10:55,255 --> 00:10:57,322 It tastes really good. 303 00:10:57,357 --> 00:10:58,790 [shawn] after seeing and tasting my mash, 304 00:10:58,825 --> 00:11:00,291 yeah, it's ready to run. 305 00:11:00,327 --> 00:11:02,260 I feel very comfortable running this still. 306 00:11:02,295 --> 00:11:04,262 It is exactly what I would be doing at home. 307 00:11:06,066 --> 00:11:07,932 -We're good. -[jeremy] coming up... 308 00:11:07,968 --> 00:11:09,167 That's a cadillac right there. 309 00:11:09,202 --> 00:11:10,769 [jeremy] it's backwoods techniques... 310 00:11:10,804 --> 00:11:13,638 Every time it passes through one them sight glasses, his proof goes up. 311 00:11:13,674 --> 00:11:15,473 [jeremy] ...Versus modern technology. 312 00:11:15,509 --> 00:11:18,043 So you're thinking the blastoff to the moon. 313 00:11:19,346 --> 00:11:20,812 [jeremy] a midwestern shiner, 314 00:11:20,847 --> 00:11:22,580 a young legal distiller 315 00:11:22,616 --> 00:11:25,016 and a moonshining school teacher 316 00:11:25,052 --> 00:11:26,551 are running a base spirit. 317 00:11:26,586 --> 00:11:30,655 The first distillation of their own vodka recipe. 318 00:11:32,025 --> 00:11:33,425 [scott] here we go, we're dripping. 319 00:11:33,460 --> 00:11:34,693 Oh, yeah. 320 00:11:34,728 --> 00:11:36,728 I got money coming out of the pot now. 321 00:11:36,763 --> 00:11:38,363 [scott] think you're gonna get enough out of it? 322 00:11:38,398 --> 00:11:39,364 [thomas] we'll see. 323 00:11:39,399 --> 00:11:40,799 [digger] two hours, men. 324 00:11:40,834 --> 00:11:42,200 You're halfway there. 325 00:11:42,235 --> 00:11:43,802 [thomas] I just need enough of the good stuff. 326 00:11:48,175 --> 00:11:49,874 [shawn] looks like we're heading the right direction, boys. 327 00:11:49,910 --> 00:11:51,476 As far as tempering goes, 328 00:11:51,511 --> 00:11:53,311 I used a little bit of spring water 329 00:11:53,346 --> 00:11:54,679 and I also mixed some jars. 330 00:11:54,715 --> 00:11:56,414 I need another bottle of water. 331 00:11:56,450 --> 00:11:58,249 I am used to using a hydrometer 332 00:11:58,285 --> 00:12:01,386 and some tech to help me figure out what proof I'm adding, 333 00:12:01,421 --> 00:12:02,754 kind of where I wanna be. 334 00:12:02,789 --> 00:12:04,956 This is a new territory for me. 335 00:12:06,660 --> 00:12:07,959 Proof's still way up there. 336 00:12:07,994 --> 00:12:09,728 I do normally proof with a hydrometer 337 00:12:09,763 --> 00:12:12,530 and, um, I think that kind of threw me off a little bit. 338 00:12:12,566 --> 00:12:14,165 I proofed earlier on without one. 339 00:12:14,234 --> 00:12:16,167 Um, but it's been a while since I have, 340 00:12:16,203 --> 00:12:18,236 so that kind of played with it a little bit. 341 00:12:18,271 --> 00:12:21,239 I should tell you to add water. I'm just waiting on it to clear. 342 00:12:21,274 --> 00:12:22,640 Five minutes, fellers, 343 00:12:22,676 --> 00:12:24,375 we're getting to the end pretty quick. 344 00:12:24,411 --> 00:12:25,877 [mark] I believed that's it, boys. 345 00:12:25,912 --> 00:12:27,245 -That's it. -Here comes shawn 346 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:28,246 -bringing his in. -All right. 347 00:12:28,281 --> 00:12:30,115 [tim] looking like a clear jar. 348 00:12:30,150 --> 00:12:31,716 There you go. 349 00:12:31,752 --> 00:12:33,251 This is the one. 350 00:12:33,286 --> 00:12:34,552 -Is that the one, thomas? -There you go. 351 00:12:34,588 --> 00:12:36,821 -It's the one. -All right, buddy. 352 00:12:36,857 --> 00:12:38,556 All right. There she is. 353 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:42,060 That's the one. 354 00:12:42,095 --> 00:12:44,629 Oh, cloudy, a little less cloudy... 355 00:12:44,664 --> 00:12:45,897 -And here-- -still a little less cloudy. 356 00:12:46,900 --> 00:12:48,533 -Shawn, from ohio. -[digger] that's shawn. 357 00:12:48,568 --> 00:12:50,201 -I hope they look past that... -Yeah. 358 00:12:50,237 --> 00:12:51,169 -The cloudiness. -No, yeah. 359 00:12:51,204 --> 00:12:53,004 You know what I mean? 360 00:12:53,039 --> 00:12:56,374 -Honestly... That's good liquor. -Yeah. 361 00:12:56,409 --> 00:12:59,344 Yeah. No doubt. 362 00:12:59,379 --> 00:13:01,112 Nice and crisp. 363 00:13:01,148 --> 00:13:02,413 -[digger] yup. -Good proof. 364 00:13:02,449 --> 00:13:05,750 Clear. I mean, really that one's got everything 365 00:13:05,786 --> 00:13:08,820 that we asked them to bring, every time. 366 00:13:08,855 --> 00:13:10,588 All right, we got mr. Scott here. 367 00:13:10,624 --> 00:13:12,824 Smell and taste of mine was okay. 368 00:13:12,859 --> 00:13:15,093 I was a little concerned about when I added that spring water, 369 00:13:15,128 --> 00:13:16,995 the look of it. But I was pleased with it. 370 00:13:17,030 --> 00:13:18,696 [tim] just a little bit cloudy. 371 00:13:18,732 --> 00:13:21,032 I'm not sure how he got that cloudiness in there, 372 00:13:21,067 --> 00:13:21,933 but I guess when you're-- 373 00:13:21,968 --> 00:13:24,235 it ain't harsh on the nose. 374 00:13:24,271 --> 00:13:26,271 No, it ain't bad on the nose. 375 00:13:26,306 --> 00:13:28,773 [digger] the taste isn't horrible, there's just not a lot of it. 376 00:13:28,809 --> 00:13:30,708 -It's weak. -It's just weak. 377 00:13:30,744 --> 00:13:31,843 -It falls apart. -Weak. 378 00:13:31,878 --> 00:13:34,379 -But it is a first run. -Right. 379 00:13:34,414 --> 00:13:36,381 So we can't call the dogs yet. 380 00:13:36,416 --> 00:13:40,084 So far, both of these guys have something to work with. 381 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:41,820 Yeah, we wanna move on to mr. Thomas. 382 00:13:41,855 --> 00:13:43,655 [thomas] I think the flavor profile 383 00:13:43,690 --> 00:13:44,989 could either be a hit or a miss. 384 00:13:45,025 --> 00:13:46,825 They'll either like it or they'll hate it. 385 00:13:46,860 --> 00:13:49,227 There's a definitely a different smell in that. 386 00:13:49,262 --> 00:13:51,396 [tim] what is going on here? 387 00:13:51,431 --> 00:13:53,498 -[mark] thomas' is not unpleasant. -It don't smell horrible. 388 00:13:53,533 --> 00:13:55,934 It's just real light. And I don't think 389 00:13:55,969 --> 00:13:58,236 it's very much proof at all. 390 00:13:58,305 --> 00:14:00,438 Yeah, there's no doubt right there. 391 00:14:00,473 --> 00:14:02,307 Because, I mean, scott does have a little bit 392 00:14:02,342 --> 00:14:05,009 of character to it but he just watered it down. 393 00:14:05,045 --> 00:14:07,579 That's why both of them are so cloudy. 394 00:14:07,614 --> 00:14:09,314 Shawn used just a splash of water 395 00:14:09,349 --> 00:14:11,182 -to even-tempered it all. -[tim] yeah. 396 00:14:11,218 --> 00:14:12,550 And these other guys, I think... 397 00:14:12,586 --> 00:14:13,718 I think they panicked. 398 00:14:13,753 --> 00:14:15,753 [mark] I think that the majority of people 399 00:14:15,789 --> 00:14:18,590 has never ever tempered 400 00:14:18,625 --> 00:14:21,359 a jar without a hydrometer. 401 00:14:21,394 --> 00:14:23,862 They, you know, they depend on the hydrometer 402 00:14:23,897 --> 00:14:25,496 -instead of what they know. -Yeah. 403 00:14:25,532 --> 00:14:27,832 I think I'm good. You good? 404 00:14:27,868 --> 00:14:29,534 I'm right there. I'm riding with mark. 405 00:14:30,370 --> 00:14:32,604 [suspenseful music playing] 406 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:34,973 [digger] before we go any farther, 407 00:14:35,008 --> 00:14:38,643 I wanna... I wanna ask a question, and I want an honest answer. 408 00:14:38,678 --> 00:14:41,012 How many of y'all have ever tempered a run of liquor 409 00:14:41,047 --> 00:14:43,781 without the assistance of a hydrometer? 410 00:14:43,817 --> 00:14:45,116 No. 411 00:14:45,151 --> 00:14:46,417 Once or twice, early on. 412 00:14:46,453 --> 00:14:50,221 Uh, that's really what-- all we needed to know. 413 00:14:50,257 --> 00:14:53,858 Shawn, yours, I taste a little earthy. 414 00:14:53,894 --> 00:14:55,026 I guess it's the wheat, right? 415 00:14:55,061 --> 00:14:56,394 Is that what it was? You had wheat in there? 416 00:14:56,429 --> 00:14:58,096 Yes, sir. Yeah, wheat and a little bit of corn. 417 00:14:58,131 --> 00:15:00,932 Real good job, uh, clearest jar on the table. 418 00:15:00,967 --> 00:15:02,734 I think you hit it good on the proof, 419 00:15:02,769 --> 00:15:04,369 about 90, something like that. 420 00:15:04,404 --> 00:15:07,472 You got a tiny bit tinged on your... On your tempering, 421 00:15:07,507 --> 00:15:09,140 but not bad. 422 00:15:09,175 --> 00:15:11,009 Thomas, I think you put 423 00:15:11,044 --> 00:15:12,777 a little bit too much water in it. 424 00:15:12,812 --> 00:15:14,479 Your proof fell well down. 425 00:15:14,514 --> 00:15:16,381 But then again, it's a base. 426 00:15:16,416 --> 00:15:17,448 It's where you gonna with it. 427 00:15:17,484 --> 00:15:18,750 [mark] you've got plenty to work with. 428 00:15:18,785 --> 00:15:21,152 Other than your proof being where it is, 429 00:15:21,187 --> 00:15:22,420 it's a good drink. 430 00:15:22,455 --> 00:15:23,888 It hits the nose real pleasant. 431 00:15:23,924 --> 00:15:25,857 You got your sweet potatoes in there, 432 00:15:25,892 --> 00:15:28,026 so I think you're gonna have a good flavor profile. 433 00:15:28,061 --> 00:15:29,227 At the end of day, you're gonna put 434 00:15:29,262 --> 00:15:30,662 something on the table that these guys 435 00:15:30,697 --> 00:15:31,963 are gonna have to be worried about. 436 00:15:31,998 --> 00:15:35,833 Scott, yours has got of a special, uh, 437 00:15:35,869 --> 00:15:37,101 special nose on it. 438 00:15:37,137 --> 00:15:39,504 Tangy on the nose, I like that. 439 00:15:39,539 --> 00:15:40,972 Pleasant taste, again, 440 00:15:41,007 --> 00:15:43,708 just a little low alcohol content. 441 00:15:43,743 --> 00:15:45,576 But somewhere along the line when you made that cut, 442 00:15:45,612 --> 00:15:47,011 I think you should have picked up 443 00:15:47,047 --> 00:15:49,047 a little higher a jar for us. It would've been clearer 444 00:15:49,082 --> 00:15:50,248 and a little bit higher proof. 445 00:15:50,283 --> 00:15:51,950 So your proof fell short, too. 446 00:15:51,985 --> 00:15:55,053 But again, you know, this is just step one. 447 00:15:55,088 --> 00:15:56,287 [digger] that being said, 448 00:15:56,323 --> 00:15:59,023 tim's got you lined up here of who gets to go 449 00:15:59,059 --> 00:16:00,458 to the stillhouse, one, two, three. 450 00:16:00,493 --> 00:16:02,460 It was pretty easy. Pretty simple. 451 00:16:02,495 --> 00:16:04,228 Uh, shawn you're number one. 452 00:16:04,264 --> 00:16:05,730 Scott, you're number two, 453 00:16:05,765 --> 00:16:07,432 and then thomas you're number three. 454 00:16:07,467 --> 00:16:08,967 Tickle? 455 00:16:10,570 --> 00:16:11,436 You call me? 456 00:16:11,471 --> 00:16:13,805 Well, my buddy tickle here standing by. 457 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,040 -He's got his truck ready. -All right, y'all, 458 00:16:16,076 --> 00:16:17,709 y'all ready to go get some still parts? 459 00:16:17,744 --> 00:16:18,776 Yes, sir. 460 00:16:20,246 --> 00:16:21,879 We're taking your alcohol away from you 461 00:16:21,915 --> 00:16:24,282 just for your environment's sake. 462 00:16:24,317 --> 00:16:26,584 [jeremy] in the 19th century, 463 00:16:26,619 --> 00:16:29,687 vodka made the leap from home distilled remedy 464 00:16:29,723 --> 00:16:31,189 to world-renowned liquor 465 00:16:31,224 --> 00:16:33,458 with the invention of the column still. 466 00:16:34,661 --> 00:16:37,662 While column stills use fractional distillation 467 00:16:37,697 --> 00:16:40,498 to produce the clean, high-proof commercial vodka 468 00:16:40,533 --> 00:16:42,367 we know today. 469 00:16:42,402 --> 00:16:46,371 Backwoods shiners rely on thump kegs or doublers 470 00:16:46,406 --> 00:16:50,108 to further refine their distillate. 471 00:16:50,143 --> 00:16:51,843 Using parts from the stillhouse, 472 00:16:51,878 --> 00:16:53,211 contestants must choose 473 00:16:53,246 --> 00:16:55,580 between the classic or modern method 474 00:16:55,615 --> 00:16:59,317 to purify their base spirit into a classic vodka. 475 00:16:59,352 --> 00:17:00,685 And that's when I learned, 476 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,588 never crank up belt sander while holding a cat. 477 00:17:03,623 --> 00:17:05,857 -[laughter] -okay. Gentleman, 478 00:17:05,892 --> 00:17:08,493 there's some mighty interesting parts in there. 479 00:17:08,528 --> 00:17:09,494 Shawn, you're up first, right? 480 00:17:09,529 --> 00:17:10,628 Yes, sir. 481 00:17:10,663 --> 00:17:12,663 You got five minutes. Head on in there. 482 00:17:12,699 --> 00:17:15,900 [shawn] I'm just doing the same thing I always have. 483 00:17:15,935 --> 00:17:18,236 -Just a pot, thumper and a worm. -[tickle] two minutes left. 484 00:17:18,271 --> 00:17:20,471 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 485 00:17:23,043 --> 00:17:24,976 -Are you good? -We'll find out. 486 00:17:25,011 --> 00:17:27,045 [tickle] all right, scott. Three minutes. 487 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:28,479 I wanna probably run with a similar system, 488 00:17:28,515 --> 00:17:29,614 something I'm familiar with. 489 00:17:29,649 --> 00:17:31,416 I feel more comfortable doing that. 490 00:17:31,451 --> 00:17:33,518 Using the other stuff that's traditional, 491 00:17:33,553 --> 00:17:36,120 vodka stuff is not something I've used, 492 00:17:36,156 --> 00:17:37,488 so I'm not really comfortable with it. 493 00:17:37,524 --> 00:17:39,690 I don't wanna get something and mess everything up. 494 00:17:39,726 --> 00:17:42,460 -[tickle] are you good? -I think so. 495 00:17:42,495 --> 00:17:44,695 And then we'll send thomas in. 496 00:17:44,731 --> 00:17:47,165 Three minutes, thomas. Three minutes. 497 00:17:48,501 --> 00:17:50,034 [thomas] this column might look 498 00:17:50,070 --> 00:17:51,269 a little bit more complicated, 499 00:17:51,304 --> 00:17:53,704 but to me, it's easier and less complex 500 00:17:53,740 --> 00:17:55,106 than what these guys are running. 501 00:17:55,141 --> 00:17:56,574 Thirty seconds, thomas. 502 00:17:56,609 --> 00:17:58,743 If it was me, I'd be bringing the stuff out. 503 00:18:00,146 --> 00:18:02,780 Ten seconds. Okay. 504 00:18:02,816 --> 00:18:03,781 It looks like you grabbed 505 00:18:03,817 --> 00:18:05,750 everything and the kitchen sink. 506 00:18:05,785 --> 00:18:07,118 Great strategy. 507 00:18:07,153 --> 00:18:09,887 I believe I would've done the same thing. 508 00:18:13,860 --> 00:18:15,293 -That's a pretty apparatus. -[tim] yeah. 509 00:18:15,328 --> 00:18:16,961 [digger] all right, men, it looks like everybody's 510 00:18:16,996 --> 00:18:19,197 got their still ready to go. 511 00:18:19,232 --> 00:18:21,365 We'll go straight in to making some vodka. 512 00:18:21,434 --> 00:18:25,169 We want a good jar with palatable proof 513 00:18:25,205 --> 00:18:28,139 on our table in less than four hours. 514 00:18:28,174 --> 00:18:30,308 Time starts now. 515 00:18:30,343 --> 00:18:32,610 [jeremy] for the elimination round, 516 00:18:32,645 --> 00:18:35,113 distillers will rerun their base spirit 517 00:18:35,148 --> 00:18:37,515 to produce a clean high-proof vodka 518 00:18:37,550 --> 00:18:39,617 with only the subtlest flavors 519 00:18:39,652 --> 00:18:42,186 of their original mash ingredients. 520 00:18:42,222 --> 00:18:44,522 Thomas' is the one I'm excited to see. 521 00:18:44,557 --> 00:18:46,891 This column that thomas has put on, 522 00:18:46,926 --> 00:18:49,060 it's got some extra plates in it where it's gonna put 523 00:18:49,129 --> 00:18:50,161 a little bit more resistance 524 00:18:50,196 --> 00:18:52,163 in that alcohol vapor traveling up. 525 00:18:52,198 --> 00:18:55,366 Every time it passes through one them sight glasses, his proof goes up. 526 00:18:55,401 --> 00:18:56,968 [tim] that's what we're looking for actually. 527 00:18:57,003 --> 00:18:58,569 [digger] and then, by the time it comes out, 528 00:18:58,605 --> 00:19:00,638 you're getting some of the finest high-proof vodka 529 00:19:00,673 --> 00:19:01,706 you can get out of there. 530 00:19:01,741 --> 00:19:03,107 That's a cadillac right there. 531 00:19:03,143 --> 00:19:05,676 [dramatic music playing] 532 00:19:07,380 --> 00:19:08,880 [digger] they've got to remember, 533 00:19:08,915 --> 00:19:11,382 they brought low-proof liquor to the table last time. 534 00:19:11,417 --> 00:19:13,384 They got to get that proof up, they got to learn 535 00:19:13,419 --> 00:19:14,952 to train that eye at that bead. 536 00:19:14,988 --> 00:19:17,955 [shawn] yeah, I like to get a little more pure, you know. 537 00:19:17,991 --> 00:19:19,790 I wouldn't mind dropping about five points 538 00:19:19,826 --> 00:19:21,159 less than where I was at. 539 00:19:21,194 --> 00:19:24,462 Maybe put it at 85, somewhere around there maybe. 540 00:19:25,999 --> 00:19:27,732 [tim] thomas is going in over here. 541 00:19:27,767 --> 00:19:29,267 Strategy going in is 542 00:19:29,302 --> 00:19:30,768 now that I know the taste is there, 543 00:19:30,803 --> 00:19:33,070 I can find focus on the proof. 544 00:19:33,106 --> 00:19:34,739 Need some help, bud? 545 00:19:34,774 --> 00:19:37,775 Uh, if you don't mind. 546 00:19:37,810 --> 00:19:40,111 [tim] I'm really excited to see thomas run that still. 547 00:19:40,146 --> 00:19:42,580 Running that still right there compared to these 548 00:19:42,615 --> 00:19:45,082 is like having a turbo booster. 549 00:19:45,118 --> 00:19:46,684 -There you go. -[tim] that is a still 550 00:19:46,719 --> 00:19:47,818 right there that's gonna produce 551 00:19:47,854 --> 00:19:50,121 some real fine... [continues indistinctly] 552 00:19:50,156 --> 00:19:53,558 [mark] scott's got some good-looking mash left over up there. 553 00:19:53,593 --> 00:19:55,726 Kind of had to run pretty similar to what I did. 554 00:19:55,762 --> 00:19:58,095 I just kind of messed it up a little bit proofing it. 555 00:19:58,131 --> 00:19:59,463 Proofing is correct though. 556 00:20:00,500 --> 00:20:01,165 Fire in the hole. 557 00:20:03,570 --> 00:20:05,469 [thomas] I wanna get as high as a proof that I can, 558 00:20:05,505 --> 00:20:08,673 so trying to keep it in that column as long as I can. 559 00:20:08,708 --> 00:20:11,776 -I'm at 140 already. Yeah. -140? 560 00:20:11,811 --> 00:20:13,811 If I didn't know any different, I'd say you're in a hurry. 561 00:20:13,846 --> 00:20:15,213 [laughs] 562 00:20:15,248 --> 00:20:16,847 I mean, I barely got a flame. 563 00:20:16,883 --> 00:20:17,982 -Yeah. -[shawn] you and me both. 564 00:20:18,017 --> 00:20:19,717 Yeah. I'm about 120, so. 565 00:20:21,221 --> 00:20:22,620 Getting some in there. 566 00:20:22,655 --> 00:20:24,555 -Getting somewhere? -Getting some drops. 567 00:20:24,591 --> 00:20:25,623 Really? 568 00:20:25,658 --> 00:20:27,191 Not a lot, just a little bit. 569 00:20:27,227 --> 00:20:28,392 Temperature shot up pretty quick. 570 00:20:28,428 --> 00:20:31,596 -Where you at? -175. 571 00:20:31,631 --> 00:20:34,065 One-seventy-five? Holy. 572 00:20:35,435 --> 00:20:36,767 -Real clear. -[jeremy] coming up... 573 00:20:36,803 --> 00:20:38,102 It hits the tongue hard. 574 00:20:38,137 --> 00:20:39,570 [jeremy] the finished vodka 575 00:20:39,606 --> 00:20:41,672 puts one distiller on ice. 576 00:20:41,708 --> 00:20:44,575 Buddy, that bought you a jar of "take it home." 577 00:20:47,247 --> 00:20:48,446 [jeremy] a midwestern shiner, 578 00:20:48,481 --> 00:20:50,514 a young craft distiller, 579 00:20:50,550 --> 00:20:52,550 and a moonshining school teacher 580 00:20:52,585 --> 00:20:54,285 are running a base spirit, 581 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,655 the first distillation of their own vodka recipe. 582 00:20:57,690 --> 00:20:58,923 -Where are you at? -175. 583 00:20:58,958 --> 00:20:59,957 Holy. 584 00:20:59,993 --> 00:21:01,459 [jeremy] the two with the cleanest 585 00:21:01,494 --> 00:21:04,729 high-proof jars will move on to the final round. 586 00:21:06,866 --> 00:21:09,833 Kind of the differences between my own personal setup 587 00:21:09,836 --> 00:21:11,402 and what I worked with today are 588 00:21:11,437 --> 00:21:13,437 I don't have as much sheer cooling 589 00:21:13,473 --> 00:21:15,673 that I do back at home. 590 00:21:15,708 --> 00:21:18,676 And the heat source is definitely different. 591 00:21:18,711 --> 00:21:20,411 [jeremy] the pot needs to be hot up enough 592 00:21:20,446 --> 00:21:22,713 for the alcohol vapors to rise 593 00:21:22,749 --> 00:21:25,249 through each bubbler plate in the column, 594 00:21:25,285 --> 00:21:27,685 but not so hot that the vapors push through 595 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:29,287 without the water condensing 596 00:21:29,322 --> 00:21:31,689 and falling back into the pot. 597 00:21:37,463 --> 00:21:39,730 [thomas] I'm thinking about letting this flame go out for a few minutes. 598 00:21:39,766 --> 00:21:42,600 I don't stick to the norm, I do my own thing. 599 00:21:42,635 --> 00:21:43,834 I mean, my whole thing is 600 00:21:43,870 --> 00:21:45,836 you gotta risk it to get the biscuits. 601 00:21:45,872 --> 00:21:47,972 I jumped up way too high, 602 00:21:48,007 --> 00:21:49,240 I need a timeout. 603 00:21:50,643 --> 00:21:52,910 -[shawn] oh, we got... -[thomas] it's dripping. 604 00:21:52,945 --> 00:21:53,911 Hey, we got a drip. 605 00:21:53,946 --> 00:21:55,146 Just gonna fill this one about halfway up 606 00:21:55,181 --> 00:21:56,347 and see what happens. 607 00:21:56,382 --> 00:21:57,948 Boy, I tell you, that's clear though. I'm... 608 00:21:57,984 --> 00:21:59,583 Yeah? 609 00:21:59,619 --> 00:22:01,852 I guess it's kind of hard not to be with that, uh... 610 00:22:01,888 --> 00:22:03,387 [laughs] my alien contraption? 611 00:22:05,158 --> 00:22:06,123 Okay. 612 00:22:06,159 --> 00:22:08,993 I'd say that's about vodka status right there. 613 00:22:09,028 --> 00:22:11,195 I don't know if it's the corn or the wheat in there 614 00:22:11,264 --> 00:22:12,830 that's pulling it. 615 00:22:12,865 --> 00:22:15,066 [digger] shawn's collecting jars over there. 616 00:22:15,101 --> 00:22:16,267 It's probably not ideal for me to try 617 00:22:16,302 --> 00:22:18,069 to move this table with all these jars on there. 618 00:22:18,104 --> 00:22:20,538 -Oh, probably not. -[shawn laughs] 619 00:22:20,573 --> 00:22:21,839 find a real fast way home, 620 00:22:21,874 --> 00:22:24,542 -if you know what I'm saying. -[scott] yup. 621 00:22:24,577 --> 00:22:26,410 If I figured out what the hell to do. 622 00:22:26,446 --> 00:22:28,479 [tim] and scott's got plenty of jars over there, too. 623 00:22:28,514 --> 00:22:30,815 He got, uh, a bunch of water bottles and stuff too. 624 00:22:30,850 --> 00:22:32,817 I believe he's drinking them. 625 00:22:32,852 --> 00:22:35,386 -Drinking the water bottles? -I believe so. 626 00:22:35,421 --> 00:22:37,421 [scott] these last two or three I like a lot. 627 00:22:37,457 --> 00:22:39,223 What I think I'm gonna do is practice tempering 628 00:22:39,258 --> 00:22:42,426 those first two and then temper the rest of them. 629 00:22:42,462 --> 00:22:44,995 I hope proofing without a hydrometer is like riding a bike. 630 00:22:45,031 --> 00:22:46,297 Now, that the first one's out of my system, 631 00:22:46,332 --> 00:22:47,932 it'll be easier for me here on out. 632 00:22:47,967 --> 00:22:49,467 You already got yours done up? 633 00:22:49,502 --> 00:22:51,535 [thomas] no. Oh, no. 634 00:22:51,571 --> 00:22:53,504 Oh, no. 635 00:22:53,539 --> 00:22:55,873 You're not gonna add a whole lot of water to yours, are you? 636 00:22:55,908 --> 00:22:56,974 No. I'm just seeing how it does. 637 00:22:57,009 --> 00:23:00,711 I put a little bit... And see how it does. 638 00:23:00,747 --> 00:23:03,314 Ten minutes, boys. 639 00:23:03,349 --> 00:23:05,750 Better be putting the finishing touches on 'em. 640 00:23:06,786 --> 00:23:07,885 When I'm tempering, I just wanna use 641 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:10,054 a little bit of water at a time. 642 00:23:10,089 --> 00:23:12,156 That way, I'll know whether or not it changes the color. 643 00:23:12,191 --> 00:23:14,392 You can always put more water and you can't take none out. 644 00:23:14,427 --> 00:23:17,261 It's a good bead right there. 645 00:23:17,296 --> 00:23:19,330 So I'd say it's about right there where I want it. 646 00:23:19,365 --> 00:23:21,565 Unfortunately, just need a little bit more in there. 647 00:23:21,634 --> 00:23:24,402 You know the thing about it is, 648 00:23:24,437 --> 00:23:26,270 what we're looking for here, 649 00:23:26,305 --> 00:23:28,272 I guess the best way of saying it, 650 00:23:28,307 --> 00:23:30,775 -the least tasty liquor... -The least tasty liquor. 651 00:23:32,512 --> 00:23:34,311 Well, we got one ready to come up. 652 00:23:34,347 --> 00:23:37,047 [mark] yeah, I think thomas is bringing it on up. 653 00:23:38,518 --> 00:23:40,050 -Is that it, thomas? -That's the one. 654 00:23:40,086 --> 00:23:41,218 All right, buddy. 655 00:23:41,254 --> 00:23:44,088 We're down to less than a minute, boys. 656 00:23:44,123 --> 00:23:45,856 Forty seconds. 657 00:23:45,892 --> 00:23:47,191 [mark] bring it in here, big man. 658 00:23:47,226 --> 00:23:49,226 Here you go. 659 00:23:49,262 --> 00:23:50,928 A lot clearer than last time. 660 00:23:50,963 --> 00:23:52,163 Good luck to you, scott. 661 00:23:52,198 --> 00:23:54,098 Uh, this ain't gonna do it, nothing will. 662 00:23:55,435 --> 00:23:57,134 Youse are cutting it close. 663 00:23:57,170 --> 00:23:58,769 -There you go. -Yeah, we got 664 00:23:58,805 --> 00:24:01,105 a whole lot clearer jars than we had the last time. 665 00:24:01,140 --> 00:24:04,975 Oh, yeah. Come on, let's start with shawn. 666 00:24:05,011 --> 00:24:07,178 -Shawn. -All right. 667 00:24:07,213 --> 00:24:08,679 -Look pretty clear. -Maybe a little low 668 00:24:08,714 --> 00:24:10,381 but at least mine's still clear... 669 00:24:10,416 --> 00:24:11,582 -For the most part. -Yeah. 670 00:24:11,617 --> 00:24:12,917 Good-looking bead, though. 671 00:24:12,952 --> 00:24:15,186 I'd say it's probably around 105. 672 00:24:16,789 --> 00:24:18,889 That set the bar pretty high. 673 00:24:18,925 --> 00:24:20,991 I still taste just a little of the grain in it. 674 00:24:21,027 --> 00:24:22,092 Little grain it. 675 00:24:22,128 --> 00:24:24,628 But it's got this sweet note from the sugar. 676 00:24:24,664 --> 00:24:26,597 I'm tasting something else in there other than corn. 677 00:24:26,632 --> 00:24:28,999 Shawn is the one that he said 70% 678 00:24:29,035 --> 00:24:30,801 of his grain build was wheat. 679 00:24:30,837 --> 00:24:32,636 Yeah, it's wheat. You taste it, smell it too. 680 00:24:32,672 --> 00:24:34,371 It's got that dry earthy taste. 681 00:24:34,407 --> 00:24:35,940 It's just like straight moonshine. 682 00:24:35,975 --> 00:24:37,741 It's not... It's not nowhere even close to vodka 683 00:24:37,777 --> 00:24:39,276 on my nose. 684 00:24:39,312 --> 00:24:41,579 -Well? -This is thomas'. 685 00:24:41,614 --> 00:24:43,113 See, I can't even put a number on it. 686 00:24:43,149 --> 00:24:44,782 I just think it's probably 687 00:24:44,817 --> 00:24:46,450 on the higher end of that scale. 688 00:24:46,486 --> 00:24:48,686 Thomas' is a little bit weaker. 689 00:24:48,721 --> 00:24:49,954 Yeah, it just goes. 690 00:24:49,989 --> 00:24:51,355 I was hoping for 100. 691 00:24:51,390 --> 00:24:53,123 [tim] maybe 80, 85. 692 00:24:53,159 --> 00:24:54,492 That ain't real weak. 693 00:24:54,527 --> 00:24:56,694 That's store-bought liquor proof. 694 00:24:56,729 --> 00:24:58,229 Weak, but it ain't horrible. 695 00:24:58,264 --> 00:25:00,197 A little bit better than he was the last time. 696 00:25:00,233 --> 00:25:02,433 -[mark] yeah. -It was a little spicy. 697 00:25:02,468 --> 00:25:04,268 -It's very spicy. -Yeah. 698 00:25:04,303 --> 00:25:06,103 Sure he isn't puttin' any rye in there? 699 00:25:06,138 --> 00:25:08,539 It hits the tongue hard though, don't it? 700 00:25:08,574 --> 00:25:10,140 Yeah, right off the gate, it does. 701 00:25:10,176 --> 00:25:11,575 It's just different. 702 00:25:11,611 --> 00:25:14,111 Then you get that pepper note. 703 00:25:14,146 --> 00:25:17,014 Then that little bit of that sweet potato. 704 00:25:17,049 --> 00:25:19,083 But it spreads out nice. 705 00:25:19,118 --> 00:25:20,985 He's coloring outside the box. 706 00:25:21,020 --> 00:25:24,054 And it's got a nose like you'd expect from a vodka, 707 00:25:24,090 --> 00:25:27,124 more than shawn's does. 708 00:25:27,159 --> 00:25:28,926 Get us another liquor over there, tim. 709 00:25:28,961 --> 00:25:30,194 All right. Here we go. 710 00:25:30,229 --> 00:25:31,595 We got a nice clear jar. 711 00:25:31,631 --> 00:25:33,898 I feel that my clarity was a lot better than last time. 712 00:25:33,933 --> 00:25:36,033 I was making sure it was gonna be better than last time. 713 00:25:36,068 --> 00:25:37,134 -[tim] huh? -[digger] indeed. 714 00:25:37,169 --> 00:25:38,869 That's a nice clear jar right there. 715 00:25:38,905 --> 00:25:40,538 I was aiming for about 95, 716 00:25:40,573 --> 00:25:42,106 but I may have overshot it a lite bit. 717 00:25:42,141 --> 00:25:44,642 -[tim] good. -That's 100, ain't it? 718 00:25:44,677 --> 00:25:46,644 He's pretty close to 100. 719 00:25:46,679 --> 00:25:48,579 Now, if the taste carried over, we'll be good. 720 00:25:51,450 --> 00:25:53,851 That smelled like home. 721 00:25:53,886 --> 00:25:55,286 [tim] yeah. Now we're talking right here. 722 00:25:55,321 --> 00:25:57,187 -[mark] man, that's... -I know where I'm at now. 723 00:25:57,223 --> 00:25:58,389 -I believe... I believe, -oh, yeah. 724 00:25:58,424 --> 00:26:00,357 I believe I'm right there with you, tim. 725 00:26:00,393 --> 00:26:01,825 Yeah, I know where I'm at now. 726 00:26:01,861 --> 00:26:05,362 I was right there when I got me a nose hit. 727 00:26:05,398 --> 00:26:07,498 Honestly, I think that one sets the bar. 728 00:26:07,533 --> 00:26:10,134 -Yeah. -Yeah. It just raised the bar. 729 00:26:10,169 --> 00:26:12,536 -Yeah, maybe shawn-- -scott just raised the bar. 730 00:26:12,572 --> 00:26:14,204 Proof is on it. Taste is on it. 731 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:16,607 Well, I wouldn't care to sell a truckload of liquor 732 00:26:16,642 --> 00:26:17,608 that tastes like that. 733 00:26:17,643 --> 00:26:19,743 It would mix with anything else 734 00:26:19,779 --> 00:26:21,211 in the world that you like. 735 00:26:21,247 --> 00:26:24,248 And this right here is gonna get complicated. 736 00:26:25,551 --> 00:26:27,685 Thomas and shawn's have made things complicated. 737 00:26:29,589 --> 00:26:32,590 Honestly, shawn's hits my taste profile 738 00:26:32,625 --> 00:26:35,392 more than thomas's does, 739 00:26:35,428 --> 00:26:36,493 but... 740 00:26:38,097 --> 00:26:40,497 That's not to say that I won't like thomas'. 741 00:26:40,533 --> 00:26:43,167 I think it just has a mean bite to it. 742 00:26:43,202 --> 00:26:44,435 For the proof that it is, 743 00:26:44,470 --> 00:26:46,337 -that it's too fiery. -Yeah, that's right. 744 00:26:46,372 --> 00:26:48,405 It's been run too fast, I believe. 745 00:26:48,441 --> 00:26:50,641 Too hard to get it to come through those plates. 746 00:26:50,676 --> 00:26:53,677 But that's what he was saying, that he runs this kind of steel, 747 00:26:53,713 --> 00:26:54,979 so he was trying to replicate 748 00:26:55,014 --> 00:26:56,714 his steel that he had at home. 749 00:26:56,749 --> 00:26:58,449 Just where he boiled it hard 750 00:26:58,484 --> 00:26:59,984 and then that temperature spiked. 751 00:27:00,019 --> 00:27:02,052 And he... He cut it down, I think, 752 00:27:02,088 --> 00:27:03,687 and playing around with the pot too long 753 00:27:03,723 --> 00:27:07,257 before it released any spirit. 754 00:27:07,293 --> 00:27:09,460 I mean, with the equipment he used, 755 00:27:09,495 --> 00:27:11,028 you'd think there'd be a cleaner taste. 756 00:27:12,698 --> 00:27:15,532 [jeremy] coming up, the final round. 757 00:27:15,568 --> 00:27:16,667 You put no pepper in there. 758 00:27:16,702 --> 00:27:19,370 [jeremy] infused with a special sampler. 759 00:27:19,405 --> 00:27:21,071 Hey, I'm sitting in on this. 760 00:27:23,809 --> 00:27:26,110 [jeremy] a young shiner, an up-and-coming distiller 761 00:27:26,145 --> 00:27:28,979 and a teacher moonlighting as a moonshiner 762 00:27:29,015 --> 00:27:30,514 have turned in their best jars 763 00:27:30,549 --> 00:27:33,517 of their own original vodka recipe. 764 00:27:33,552 --> 00:27:34,618 Welcome back, men. 765 00:27:34,654 --> 00:27:37,655 We had a tough deliberation here. 766 00:27:37,690 --> 00:27:38,889 Now, shawn, 767 00:27:38,958 --> 00:27:42,826 that's a good moonshine right there. 768 00:27:42,862 --> 00:27:45,896 Unfortunately, we're looking for vodka, 769 00:27:45,931 --> 00:27:47,831 but still a good drink. 770 00:27:47,867 --> 00:27:50,434 Shawn, I'm tasting that earth, 771 00:27:50,469 --> 00:27:53,604 I'm tasting that wheat, and, uh, myself, 772 00:27:53,639 --> 00:27:56,540 I think you should have cut back on the wheat. 773 00:27:56,575 --> 00:27:59,910 Now, thomas, you know, when looking for a vodka, 774 00:27:59,945 --> 00:28:02,046 sweet tater's probably the place to start. 775 00:28:02,081 --> 00:28:04,214 It ain't a bad option 776 00:28:04,250 --> 00:28:05,783 but, uh, cooling the column 777 00:28:05,818 --> 00:28:07,985 I think has working against you. 778 00:28:08,020 --> 00:28:11,588 Now, yours is a little bit lower-proof again 779 00:28:11,624 --> 00:28:13,290 compared to the other two guys. 780 00:28:13,325 --> 00:28:15,659 You know, you're in the 80-something range there. 781 00:28:15,695 --> 00:28:17,061 Where the other guys, they're closer 782 00:28:17,096 --> 00:28:18,062 to the 100 range. 783 00:28:18,097 --> 00:28:21,732 It was fiery, but now, 784 00:28:21,767 --> 00:28:24,101 for my taste, it's a excellent, 785 00:28:24,136 --> 00:28:25,903 excellent blending of the grain 786 00:28:25,938 --> 00:28:27,504 and the sweet potato. 787 00:28:27,540 --> 00:28:29,239 And, uh, scott over here, 788 00:28:30,609 --> 00:28:32,743 there ain't a whole lot I can say here, brother. 789 00:28:34,013 --> 00:28:35,679 You knocked that out the park. 790 00:28:35,715 --> 00:28:37,514 Now, unfortunately, you know, 791 00:28:37,550 --> 00:28:38,882 someone's gonna go home today. 792 00:28:38,918 --> 00:28:41,151 Shawn, you just... 793 00:28:41,187 --> 00:28:44,955 I believe you brought too much grain to the... To the game 794 00:28:44,990 --> 00:28:47,925 too early here, and yet you got it out, yeah. 795 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:49,093 That's what we're looking for. 796 00:28:49,128 --> 00:28:52,262 And thomas, um, you know, just... 797 00:28:52,298 --> 00:28:55,099 I think that cooling was your holdup here. 798 00:28:55,134 --> 00:28:57,367 I think it handicapped you pretty decent. 799 00:28:57,403 --> 00:28:59,536 But I get where you're coming from. 800 00:28:59,572 --> 00:29:01,238 When you say something looks familiar, you... 801 00:29:01,273 --> 00:29:03,707 -Right. -You gravitate right to it. 802 00:29:03,743 --> 00:29:06,076 And, uh, unfortunately, buddy, 803 00:29:06,112 --> 00:29:09,046 that bought you a jar of "take it home." 804 00:29:09,081 --> 00:29:10,948 -all right. -Sorry, old buddy. 805 00:29:11,650 --> 00:29:12,449 All right. 806 00:29:12,485 --> 00:29:13,450 [mark] thomas, before you go, 807 00:29:13,486 --> 00:29:14,785 can I ask you something, please? 808 00:29:14,820 --> 00:29:15,919 -Yeah. -Do me a favor, 809 00:29:15,955 --> 00:29:18,455 when you get back home on your equipment, 810 00:29:18,491 --> 00:29:20,157 and you get your chiller working, 811 00:29:20,192 --> 00:29:22,292 send me a damn drink of your vodka 812 00:29:22,328 --> 00:29:23,761 because I'd be honored to taste it. 813 00:29:23,796 --> 00:29:25,095 You got it. 814 00:29:25,131 --> 00:29:26,864 The encouraging uplifting words 815 00:29:26,899 --> 00:29:32,803 definitely helped make me feel not so disappointed. 816 00:29:32,838 --> 00:29:35,773 -Well, thank you all. -It's been an honor to meet you. 817 00:29:35,808 --> 00:29:38,108 [tim] now boys, y'all got tighten up now. 818 00:29:38,144 --> 00:29:39,676 [digger] all right, boys, you know what to do. 819 00:29:39,712 --> 00:29:41,145 You got to button everything up and get ready 820 00:29:41,180 --> 00:29:43,013 for that next run. 821 00:29:43,048 --> 00:29:44,481 You're gonna make us some flavored vodka. 822 00:29:44,517 --> 00:29:46,683 [jeremy] in recent years, 823 00:29:46,719 --> 00:29:48,852 distillers have turned traditional vodkas 824 00:29:48,888 --> 00:29:51,855 flavorless reputation on its head, 825 00:29:51,891 --> 00:29:55,125 adding complex combinations of fruits, vegetables, 826 00:29:55,161 --> 00:29:58,095 and spices during distillation, 827 00:29:58,130 --> 00:29:59,997 and bringing fresh takes on vodka 828 00:30:00,032 --> 00:30:02,866 to a saturated market. 829 00:30:02,902 --> 00:30:05,536 These versatile, modern infusions can reduce 830 00:30:05,571 --> 00:30:08,372 the number of ingredients needed for a mixed drink 831 00:30:08,407 --> 00:30:10,774 or be deluded with tonic water 832 00:30:10,810 --> 00:30:14,044 to create a cocktail on their own. 833 00:30:14,079 --> 00:30:15,979 Using their traditional vodka 834 00:30:16,015 --> 00:30:17,614 and any distill that collected 835 00:30:17,650 --> 00:30:19,416 from the first rounds, 836 00:30:19,451 --> 00:30:21,952 distillers will run their own original 837 00:30:21,987 --> 00:30:24,988 infused vodka recipes that must complement, 838 00:30:25,024 --> 00:30:28,091 not overwhelm the base spirit. 839 00:30:28,127 --> 00:30:29,526 All right, boys. 840 00:30:29,562 --> 00:30:32,462 Infused vodka. 841 00:30:32,498 --> 00:30:34,832 Clear jars. We don't want no mix drink. 842 00:30:34,867 --> 00:30:36,834 We wanted infused in that still. 843 00:30:37,703 --> 00:30:39,837 Four hours is all you got. 844 00:30:39,872 --> 00:30:42,539 That's plenty of time to bring us one good jar. 845 00:30:42,575 --> 00:30:44,208 [tim] I'm gonna give you a little advice. 846 00:30:44,243 --> 00:30:47,177 Be careful because you can have some fruits 847 00:30:47,213 --> 00:30:49,413 or vegetables contradict each other 848 00:30:49,448 --> 00:30:50,480 and you come out with something 849 00:30:50,516 --> 00:30:51,782 that doesn't taste good. 850 00:30:51,817 --> 00:30:54,551 And, uh, at the end of the day, 851 00:30:54,587 --> 00:30:57,621 one of you guys is gonna be a master distiller. 852 00:30:57,656 --> 00:30:59,723 Big-time right here. 853 00:30:59,758 --> 00:31:02,492 Shawn, if scott brings that same jar, 854 00:31:02,528 --> 00:31:04,294 just improved its flavor, 855 00:31:04,330 --> 00:31:06,096 you better have your big-kid britches on, buddy. 856 00:31:06,131 --> 00:31:07,164 Because I'm tellin' you, we... 857 00:31:07,199 --> 00:31:08,265 We'll know at the end of this day 858 00:31:08,334 --> 00:31:09,700 whether he meant to do that 859 00:31:09,735 --> 00:31:11,268 or if it was just a fluke. 860 00:31:12,104 --> 00:31:13,270 So here we go. 861 00:31:13,305 --> 00:31:15,105 Four hours, time starts now. 862 00:31:15,140 --> 00:31:16,540 Let's go, dude. 863 00:31:16,575 --> 00:31:17,507 Yes, sir. 864 00:31:20,246 --> 00:31:22,813 This is gonna be a really interesting challenge. 865 00:31:22,848 --> 00:31:25,682 I would like to have a little more mash though. 866 00:31:25,718 --> 00:31:27,084 Oh, I ain't touching my mash today. 867 00:31:27,119 --> 00:31:28,752 You getting into yours? 868 00:31:28,787 --> 00:31:29,853 Just a little. 869 00:31:29,889 --> 00:31:30,988 I want no part of it. 870 00:31:31,023 --> 00:31:33,323 Scott brung a great jar last round, 871 00:31:33,359 --> 00:31:35,592 but with infusing flavors in the thumper, 872 00:31:35,628 --> 00:31:38,795 to carry over flavors, that's my thing. 873 00:31:38,831 --> 00:31:40,664 There goes shawn's distilling in. 874 00:31:42,134 --> 00:31:44,635 Shawn adding a little bit of water, not too much. 875 00:31:44,703 --> 00:31:47,471 [tim] scott is using mash in the distillant, 876 00:31:47,506 --> 00:31:49,339 and he's gonna infuse with some kind of fruit. 877 00:31:49,375 --> 00:31:50,841 For an infusion run, 878 00:31:50,876 --> 00:31:53,777 I don't think I'd use any more mash, but... 879 00:31:53,812 --> 00:31:55,445 -It might play out. -[tim] I think he's just 880 00:31:55,481 --> 00:31:57,281 trying to get a little bit more alcohol content, 881 00:31:57,316 --> 00:31:59,416 so he has something to play with. 882 00:31:59,451 --> 00:32:01,251 What's scott pouring in there? 883 00:32:01,287 --> 00:32:02,452 [mark] oh, that's mash, yeah, 884 00:32:02,488 --> 00:32:04,721 -he's pouring in mash. -Yeah. 885 00:32:04,757 --> 00:32:06,189 But he's just pouring in on that. 886 00:32:06,225 --> 00:32:08,158 [digger] I'd put my fruit in there with nothing 887 00:32:08,193 --> 00:32:09,126 but straight liquor. 888 00:32:11,196 --> 00:32:13,730 I don't know that they've got enough to sacrifice. 889 00:32:15,534 --> 00:32:17,167 Well, it looks like scott's chopping up 890 00:32:17,202 --> 00:32:19,136 some fresh pineapple. 891 00:32:19,171 --> 00:32:20,537 Yeah. I can smell it, boys. 892 00:32:20,572 --> 00:32:22,072 It's dead-ripe, too. 893 00:32:22,107 --> 00:32:23,807 [tim] why don't you bring us a slice of that? 894 00:32:23,842 --> 00:32:26,043 [scott] oh, I have something with a little bit of pepper 895 00:32:26,078 --> 00:32:28,512 on the back end, so you get that sweetness, 896 00:32:28,547 --> 00:32:31,181 then a little bit of burn on the back end. 897 00:32:31,216 --> 00:32:32,649 I like a little bit of spice 898 00:32:32,685 --> 00:32:35,385 but everybody does it, so it's a big risk. 899 00:32:35,421 --> 00:32:37,621 [shawn] I'm comfortable more so 900 00:32:37,656 --> 00:32:39,489 with artificial flavorings 901 00:32:39,525 --> 00:32:41,758 than I am actually smashing up berries. 902 00:32:41,794 --> 00:32:43,727 You know, add a little sugar, sweeten it up. 903 00:32:43,762 --> 00:32:45,095 But, I mean, at the end of the day, man, 904 00:32:45,130 --> 00:32:47,097 it's a... It's a ballgame. 905 00:32:47,132 --> 00:32:48,899 You know, and I'm in it to win it. 906 00:32:48,934 --> 00:32:50,300 [tim] shawn, what ya mixing up over there? 907 00:32:50,336 --> 00:32:52,369 It look like you're making a bread or something. 908 00:32:52,404 --> 00:32:53,804 I'm just getting all the juice 909 00:32:53,839 --> 00:32:55,539 and everything out of the fruit. 910 00:32:55,574 --> 00:32:57,174 Yeah. What kind of fruit you got in there? 911 00:32:57,209 --> 00:32:58,375 Uh, strawberry, 912 00:32:58,444 --> 00:32:59,876 added a little bit of raspberry to it. 913 00:32:59,912 --> 00:33:02,379 I don't know how that's gonna come out. 914 00:33:04,683 --> 00:33:07,117 Now, did he drop that bag down in there or hang it? 915 00:33:07,152 --> 00:33:09,252 -He just dropped it. -[mark] he just dropped it in there? 916 00:33:09,288 --> 00:33:12,456 And then tied it up really good and dropped it. 917 00:33:12,491 --> 00:33:14,124 Pure honey right here. 918 00:33:14,159 --> 00:33:16,026 See how it compliments it, and maybe... 919 00:33:16,061 --> 00:33:18,962 Sweetens up instead of using actual sugar. 920 00:33:18,998 --> 00:33:20,230 [digger] here we go. Watch this. 921 00:33:20,265 --> 00:33:22,099 There's that reserve jar of liquor. 922 00:33:22,134 --> 00:33:23,467 Oh, lord. 923 00:33:23,502 --> 00:33:24,801 [digger] that's gonna bring the flavor, 924 00:33:24,837 --> 00:33:26,436 I promise you. 925 00:33:26,472 --> 00:33:27,871 [scott] have you put your bag in your thumper? 926 00:33:27,906 --> 00:33:29,106 I'm not. 927 00:33:29,141 --> 00:33:31,074 I'm fruiting in the bottom. 928 00:33:31,110 --> 00:33:32,776 I put it in... I put one in each. 929 00:33:32,811 --> 00:33:34,678 -Did you? -Yeah. 930 00:33:34,713 --> 00:33:39,216 Well... I've ran a thumper before and I put my mash in it. 931 00:33:39,251 --> 00:33:42,819 I don't... I don't, uh, hang it. 932 00:33:42,855 --> 00:33:44,654 Whether or not that works... 933 00:33:46,925 --> 00:33:50,427 All right, the waiting game begins. 934 00:33:50,462 --> 00:33:52,863 [mark] well, there goes all of shawn's mix. 935 00:33:52,898 --> 00:33:55,432 [tim] shawn's putting all the soup in his thumper. 936 00:33:55,467 --> 00:33:56,666 [mark] yeah. 937 00:33:56,702 --> 00:34:00,003 I don't think that's a bad move. 938 00:34:00,039 --> 00:34:01,371 Hell, the way he mixed it up, 939 00:34:01,407 --> 00:34:03,140 he's wanting the juice out of it anyway. 940 00:34:04,810 --> 00:34:06,143 Yeah, boy. 941 00:34:06,178 --> 00:34:08,245 I tell you, man. I'm gonna run this thing as slow as I possibly can. 942 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:10,347 Yeah. Yeah, about 110. 943 00:34:10,382 --> 00:34:11,882 But I started it before you, too. 944 00:34:11,917 --> 00:34:14,151 Well, I ain't got nothin' but liquor and water in there. 945 00:34:14,186 --> 00:34:16,086 [scott] oh, yeah. 946 00:34:16,121 --> 00:34:17,487 Preparing the captain's chair. 947 00:34:17,523 --> 00:34:19,456 -The captain's chair? -Yeah. 948 00:34:19,491 --> 00:34:21,191 Well, don't take this the wrong way, 949 00:34:21,226 --> 00:34:23,293 but I hope it's the loser's chair. 950 00:34:25,030 --> 00:34:26,596 You're two hours into your run. 951 00:34:26,632 --> 00:34:28,465 You're halfway there. 952 00:34:28,534 --> 00:34:30,801 [scott] I'm worried about that vanilla though. 953 00:34:30,836 --> 00:34:32,069 What do you think? It's gonna be too much? 954 00:34:32,104 --> 00:34:33,537 Yeah. 955 00:34:34,540 --> 00:34:35,806 Hey, man, you're dripping. 956 00:34:35,841 --> 00:34:37,207 Oh, [bleep]. 957 00:34:39,778 --> 00:34:41,211 Little bit of that carry over. 958 00:34:41,246 --> 00:34:42,546 I'm gonna buff it up just a hair. 959 00:34:42,581 --> 00:34:44,448 Well, I think, you know, between both of these guys 960 00:34:44,483 --> 00:34:45,949 we're gonna get something totally different. 961 00:34:46,618 --> 00:34:47,818 [shawn] come on. 962 00:34:47,853 --> 00:34:49,386 The little still that could. 963 00:34:49,421 --> 00:34:50,554 The little still that could. 964 00:34:50,589 --> 00:34:52,489 [scott laughing] 965 00:34:52,524 --> 00:34:54,091 [tim] the unfortunate part of this is 966 00:34:54,126 --> 00:34:55,425 one of them is going home. 967 00:34:58,931 --> 00:35:00,464 [tim] moonshiners are about the most knowledgeable 968 00:35:00,499 --> 00:35:02,065 -guys I know. -They're predecessors. 969 00:35:02,101 --> 00:35:03,633 They were chemists and didn't know it. 970 00:35:03,669 --> 00:35:07,337 Popcorn sutton told me if I had a stalled fermentation, 971 00:35:07,372 --> 00:35:09,639 go get me some fresh horse turds 972 00:35:09,675 --> 00:35:11,741 and put them in a tow sack and sink it 973 00:35:11,777 --> 00:35:13,443 to the bottom of my mash barrel. 974 00:35:13,479 --> 00:35:14,778 And he said it will take off. 975 00:35:14,813 --> 00:35:16,179 [man] I learned from the best. 976 00:35:16,215 --> 00:35:18,515 I ain't into bragging or nothin', but you damn sure did. 977 00:35:18,550 --> 00:35:20,317 [digger] all that was good. He was putting ammonia 978 00:35:20,352 --> 00:35:22,586 and nitrogenous waste and feeding the yeast 979 00:35:22,621 --> 00:35:25,655 and making it take off, but he didn't know that. 980 00:35:25,691 --> 00:35:29,392 Popcorn is as any semi-intelligent person, 981 00:35:29,428 --> 00:35:30,727 "my mash has quit working, 982 00:35:30,762 --> 00:35:32,562 I think I'll put horse crap in it." 983 00:35:35,734 --> 00:35:36,733 [digger] here we go. 984 00:35:36,768 --> 00:35:37,767 He got a little drip. 985 00:35:37,803 --> 00:35:39,369 [jeremy] a mid-western shiner 986 00:35:39,404 --> 00:35:41,071 and a moonshining teacher 987 00:35:41,106 --> 00:35:42,305 are going all in 988 00:35:42,374 --> 00:35:45,142 on a run of their signature infused vodka... 989 00:35:45,177 --> 00:35:47,344 Fifteen minutes left in your run. 990 00:35:47,379 --> 00:35:50,680 [jeremy] ...For the title of master distiller. 991 00:35:50,716 --> 00:35:53,083 Their imagination is the limit. 992 00:35:53,118 --> 00:35:55,652 [digger] but you're limited to your market. 993 00:35:55,687 --> 00:35:57,387 -[scott] hot? I told you. -Yeah. 994 00:35:57,422 --> 00:36:00,223 Besides the 150, 60 proof that still is. 995 00:36:03,695 --> 00:36:06,029 Yeah, I'm gonna dumb that down a little bit, see what happens. 996 00:36:06,064 --> 00:36:07,063 You think you'll have enough? 997 00:36:07,099 --> 00:36:08,798 Yeah, I think so. I got... 998 00:36:08,834 --> 00:36:10,901 Once I pull this jar right here, I think I'll be good. 999 00:36:10,936 --> 00:36:12,202 [shawn] still get vanilla and pineapple. 1000 00:36:12,237 --> 00:36:14,070 That pepper really got in. 1001 00:36:14,873 --> 00:36:16,173 My opinion, what it boils down to, 1002 00:36:16,208 --> 00:36:17,407 is how they like the heat 1003 00:36:17,442 --> 00:36:19,275 when it hits the tongue from the peppers. 1004 00:36:19,278 --> 00:36:21,211 Most people like berries. 1005 00:36:21,246 --> 00:36:24,381 You know, so I don't wanna say I played it safe. 1006 00:36:24,416 --> 00:36:26,650 But I played it safe. 1007 00:36:26,685 --> 00:36:28,318 How do you feel about the taste? 1008 00:36:28,353 --> 00:36:30,287 -Is it there? -I think it is. 1009 00:36:33,125 --> 00:36:34,257 We'll see. 1010 00:36:34,293 --> 00:36:36,193 I'm afraid to add water to it. 1011 00:36:36,929 --> 00:36:38,895 Anxious over there... 1012 00:36:38,931 --> 00:36:41,198 And overconfident. 1013 00:36:41,233 --> 00:36:42,699 They're about right on. 1014 00:36:42,734 --> 00:36:43,934 [mark] uh, I mean, they're getting down 1015 00:36:43,969 --> 00:36:45,502 to their last few minutes here. 1016 00:36:45,537 --> 00:36:48,405 There she is, boys. 1017 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:50,340 Here come big man. 1018 00:36:50,375 --> 00:36:51,608 -It's pretty and clear. -There's one. 1019 00:36:51,643 --> 00:36:52,776 Good luck, scott. 1020 00:36:52,811 --> 00:36:54,511 -Good luck, buddy. -Thank you, all. 1021 00:36:54,546 --> 00:36:56,112 -All right. -Nice jar. 1022 00:36:56,147 --> 00:36:57,981 -We'll see. -All right. 1023 00:36:58,016 --> 00:37:00,884 [tim] good, pretty jar. Good luck. 1024 00:37:00,919 --> 00:37:03,386 -Ready? -Get busy. 1025 00:37:03,422 --> 00:37:04,554 They looked pretty clear, don't they? 1026 00:37:04,590 --> 00:37:05,855 That's really clear. 1027 00:37:05,891 --> 00:37:07,023 Hey, what are y'all doing? 1028 00:37:07,059 --> 00:37:08,124 Getting ready to take a drink. 1029 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:09,459 I'm sitting in on this. 1030 00:37:09,494 --> 00:37:11,795 [tim] I'm glad you was passing by. 1031 00:37:11,830 --> 00:37:13,930 You just kind of invited yourself in, huh? 1032 00:37:13,966 --> 00:37:15,899 As long as we don't have to drink after you, 1033 00:37:15,934 --> 00:37:18,001 -I'm good with it. -[tim] uh, yeah. 1034 00:37:18,036 --> 00:37:20,070 All right. We're gonna taste shawn's here. 1035 00:37:20,105 --> 00:37:21,838 I'm worried about the flavor, you know. 1036 00:37:21,873 --> 00:37:23,640 [mark] it's light on the nose. 1037 00:37:23,675 --> 00:37:25,141 It is light on the nose. 1038 00:37:25,177 --> 00:37:27,310 It is also a vodka run, so it should be. 1039 00:37:27,346 --> 00:37:29,512 -Wow. -I didn't use mash this round. 1040 00:37:29,548 --> 00:37:31,848 -Maybe I should have. I... -Yeah. 1041 00:37:31,883 --> 00:37:33,116 Yeah. You don't ever know. 1042 00:37:33,151 --> 00:37:35,218 [digger] got a little berry essence in there. 1043 00:37:35,254 --> 00:37:36,353 Got a little dryness taste. 1044 00:37:36,388 --> 00:37:39,189 You could build you a fruit juice cocktail on that. 1045 00:37:39,224 --> 00:37:40,991 -[tickle] yeah. But it's smooth. -All in all. 1046 00:37:41,026 --> 00:37:42,993 The heat I'm getting is coming in afterwards. 1047 00:37:43,028 --> 00:37:45,128 Yeah. This vodka right here 1048 00:37:45,163 --> 00:37:46,796 would mix well with a lot of stuff. 1049 00:37:46,832 --> 00:37:48,465 [tim] oh, it's nothing wrong with it. 1050 00:37:48,500 --> 00:37:49,733 -No. -It's drinking like a cocktail. 1051 00:37:49,768 --> 00:37:51,034 Very light. 1052 00:37:51,069 --> 00:37:52,369 It's light on the nose 1053 00:37:52,404 --> 00:37:54,137 and the berries are light on the taste. 1054 00:37:54,172 --> 00:37:55,305 -Yeah. -Yeah. 1055 00:37:55,340 --> 00:37:56,539 -It's a good drink. -It's good. 1056 00:37:56,575 --> 00:37:58,308 It's just not really what I expected. 1057 00:37:58,343 --> 00:38:01,144 You usually have to choose one or the other. 1058 00:38:01,179 --> 00:38:03,980 The flavor profile or the alcohol. 1059 00:38:04,016 --> 00:38:06,316 And I think he did a good job of working 1060 00:38:06,351 --> 00:38:08,351 with something unfamiliar 1061 00:38:08,387 --> 00:38:11,154 and marrying it together to make a pretty decent drink. 1062 00:38:11,189 --> 00:38:13,690 Yeah. Let's move on to scott. 1063 00:38:13,725 --> 00:38:15,592 I turned in a clear jar 1064 00:38:15,627 --> 00:38:16,660 that had a good nose. 1065 00:38:16,695 --> 00:38:18,128 I think I'm close to the proof. 1066 00:38:18,163 --> 00:38:19,929 Other than that, I don't know about the taste. 1067 00:38:19,965 --> 00:38:21,431 It's got some pineapple. 1068 00:38:21,466 --> 00:38:23,566 It's got a real pleasant nose on it. 1069 00:38:23,602 --> 00:38:25,568 [scott] definitely got the pineapple smell 1070 00:38:25,604 --> 00:38:26,936 and the vanilla. 1071 00:38:26,972 --> 00:38:29,172 The pepper didn't really come through, I don't think on mine. 1072 00:38:29,207 --> 00:38:30,940 -Wow. -[tim] oh, taste that... 1073 00:38:30,976 --> 00:38:32,042 It's in there. 1074 00:38:32,077 --> 00:38:35,278 That pineapple initially is so good. 1075 00:38:35,314 --> 00:38:36,613 -It really is. -Yeah. 1076 00:38:36,648 --> 00:38:38,548 I'm getting pineapple on the front, 1077 00:38:38,583 --> 00:38:39,849 and then, like, the pepper in the middle. 1078 00:38:39,885 --> 00:38:43,486 I think scott's jar could be labeled as 1079 00:38:43,522 --> 00:38:45,488 a perfect bloody mary vodka. 1080 00:38:45,524 --> 00:38:48,725 Which is gonna limit your target market. 1081 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:51,027 He knows what he's doing. 1082 00:38:51,063 --> 00:38:53,697 He could have complemented this vodka 1083 00:38:53,732 --> 00:38:55,332 so many different ways. 1084 00:38:55,367 --> 00:38:57,267 All righty. 1085 00:38:57,302 --> 00:39:00,904 [dramatic music playing] 1086 00:39:03,642 --> 00:39:05,608 [digger] men, welcome back. 1087 00:39:05,644 --> 00:39:07,510 You know, we've got to think about things 1088 00:39:07,546 --> 00:39:08,745 on the broad spectrum. 1089 00:39:08,780 --> 00:39:10,180 We got to look at 1090 00:39:10,215 --> 00:39:11,715 can we sell a little bit of this, 1091 00:39:11,750 --> 00:39:14,951 or can we sell a lot of it, or will it not sell at all? 1092 00:39:14,986 --> 00:39:17,387 That makes it tough sometimes. 1093 00:39:17,422 --> 00:39:19,756 We had a really tough decision on this. 1094 00:39:19,791 --> 00:39:21,791 These are kind of two opposite ends 1095 00:39:21,827 --> 00:39:25,528 of the spectrum and they're both good. 1096 00:39:25,564 --> 00:39:28,665 Well, shawn, it's a little light on the nose. 1097 00:39:28,700 --> 00:39:32,035 But that is what I expect out of a vodka. 1098 00:39:32,070 --> 00:39:35,171 Overall, it's a... It's a good drink. 1099 00:39:35,207 --> 00:39:39,075 Well, shawn, yours looks good, taste good, 1100 00:39:39,111 --> 00:39:41,378 proof-wise, you did good on the proof. 1101 00:39:41,413 --> 00:39:42,512 Thank you. 1102 00:39:42,547 --> 00:39:44,948 Well, I don't wanna tell either one it's nothing. 1103 00:39:44,983 --> 00:39:47,317 Both of you guys, super clear job. 1104 00:39:47,352 --> 00:39:50,120 Your flavor profile... 1105 00:39:50,155 --> 00:39:53,523 Is more mixable 1106 00:39:53,558 --> 00:39:56,259 with different mixers. 1107 00:39:56,328 --> 00:40:00,330 Scott... Clears you on the table. 1108 00:40:00,365 --> 00:40:03,099 The last challenge was a perfect jar, 1109 00:40:03,135 --> 00:40:06,736 but those peppers. It does taste good. 1110 00:40:06,772 --> 00:40:09,539 I just couldn't drink much of it. 1111 00:40:09,574 --> 00:40:11,207 I love pepper. 1112 00:40:11,243 --> 00:40:13,676 Initially, that pineapple, man, takes your head off, 1113 00:40:13,712 --> 00:40:15,412 it's so good. 1114 00:40:15,447 --> 00:40:18,982 But I think in the big scheme of things, 1115 00:40:19,017 --> 00:40:22,819 yours, if it could be labeled, it would be the finest 1116 00:40:22,854 --> 00:40:25,722 bloody mary vodka in existence. 1117 00:40:25,757 --> 00:40:27,223 Honestly, I think it would. 1118 00:40:27,259 --> 00:40:29,459 But, and part of our job, 1119 00:40:29,494 --> 00:40:30,994 we have to consider 1120 00:40:31,029 --> 00:40:32,695 the marketability of it. 1121 00:40:34,065 --> 00:40:36,266 Now we got two fine drinks right there, 1122 00:40:36,301 --> 00:40:39,202 but there can only be one master distiller. 1123 00:40:40,405 --> 00:40:41,738 And, shawn, 1124 00:40:42,908 --> 00:40:44,874 you're the next master distiller, buddy. 1125 00:40:44,910 --> 00:40:46,342 -Congratulations. -Thank you. 1126 00:40:46,378 --> 00:40:47,377 Winning master distiller 1127 00:40:47,412 --> 00:40:48,945 is gonna change my life dramatically. 1128 00:40:48,980 --> 00:40:50,413 I'd like to open my own distillery someday. 1129 00:40:50,449 --> 00:40:51,748 People now know what I do. 1130 00:40:51,783 --> 00:40:54,717 And, well, I guess they're gonna know that I'm good at it. 1131 00:40:54,753 --> 00:40:55,952 I feel like my family had a little bit 1132 00:40:55,987 --> 00:40:57,654 more confidence in me than I did. 1133 00:40:57,689 --> 00:41:00,924 So they'll be happy to know that I won. [laughs] 1134 00:41:00,959 --> 00:41:02,759 scott, you made a damn fine showing. 1135 00:41:02,794 --> 00:41:05,028 [scott] I was taking a chance on using peppers in there. 1136 00:41:05,063 --> 00:41:07,297 It was a big risk and it just didn't pay off. 1137 00:41:07,332 --> 00:41:08,765 I learned a lot through the process. 1138 00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:10,099 Pat yourselves on the back, 1139 00:41:10,101 --> 00:41:11,334 y'all did a damn fine job. 1140 00:41:11,369 --> 00:41:13,736 -[tim] thank you, guys. -Thanks. 1141 00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:17,006 [jeremy] next time on master distiller. 1142 00:41:17,042 --> 00:41:18,775 You got anything that look like that, digger? 1143 00:41:18,810 --> 00:41:20,109 No, we wanna make good liquor. 1144 00:41:20,145 --> 00:41:21,911 [jeremy] the judges are on the other side 1145 00:41:21,947 --> 00:41:24,113 -of the table... -Tim's using a t-shirt. 1146 00:41:24,149 --> 00:41:26,349 [jeremy] ...In a rematch to settle the score 1147 00:41:26,384 --> 00:41:28,918 for the ultimate bragging rights. 1148 00:41:28,954 --> 00:41:31,421 I am 100% confident in that jar. 1149 00:41:31,456 --> 00:41:33,890 Sound like a whole lot of bull [bleep] to me.