1 00:00:01,569 --> 00:00:04,603 Narrator: This time on "master distiller"... 2 00:00:04,605 --> 00:00:06,572 This mash bill is made up of rye. 3 00:00:06,574 --> 00:00:08,040 ...American whiskey. 4 00:00:08,042 --> 00:00:09,708 Bring us that mahogany gold. 5 00:00:09,710 --> 00:00:12,644 Heritage grains meet charred u.S. Oak. 6 00:00:12,646 --> 00:00:14,613 We get up here and see it in the oak, man. 7 00:00:14,615 --> 00:00:18,617 The iconic american spirit that spurred a rebellion... 8 00:00:18,619 --> 00:00:20,085 I can't even see through it. 9 00:00:20,087 --> 00:00:23,055 ...Whose rich distinctive flavor still stands 10 00:00:23,057 --> 00:00:27,092 as the ultimate test of a distiller's skill. 11 00:00:27,094 --> 00:00:29,261 He's putting more water in it, man. Look. 12 00:00:31,732 --> 00:00:35,334 Across the country, a handful of amateur distillers 13 00:00:35,336 --> 00:00:39,772 are heirs to a centuries-old tradition. 14 00:00:39,774 --> 00:00:42,341 Some operate on the legal side, 15 00:00:42,343 --> 00:00:46,545 others practice their craft beyond the reach of the law. 16 00:00:46,547 --> 00:00:49,014 Now they'll face off to earn their place 17 00:00:49,016 --> 00:00:51,283 in america's liquor-making legacy... 18 00:00:51,285 --> 00:00:53,285 I hope he don't bring that jar he just held up. 19 00:00:53,287 --> 00:00:56,221 Narrator: ...Judged by three legendary moonshiners, 20 00:00:56,223 --> 00:00:59,058 they'll go head to head in a series of challenges... 21 00:00:59,060 --> 00:01:00,692 Going to give you a run for your money. 22 00:01:00,694 --> 00:01:02,528 I think I'm going to give him a run for his money. 23 00:01:02,530 --> 00:01:04,763 ...To determine who has what it takes... 24 00:01:04,765 --> 00:01:06,765 We got to bring our "a" game, too. 25 00:01:06,767 --> 00:01:09,201 ...To be named master distiller. 26 00:01:09,203 --> 00:01:10,369 Use a little evaporation, 27 00:01:10,371 --> 00:01:12,738 kind of like the egyptians used to do. 28 00:01:12,740 --> 00:01:15,741 -- Captions by vitac -- www.Vitac.Com 29 00:01:15,743 --> 00:01:18,777 captions paid for by discovery communications 30 00:01:19,814 --> 00:01:22,314 digger: Gentlemen, welcome to our little still house here. 31 00:01:22,316 --> 00:01:25,017 Y'all competing for the title of master distiller. 32 00:01:25,019 --> 00:01:27,553 Once you win that, not only you get the bragging rights, 33 00:01:27,555 --> 00:01:29,888 but you also get your own liquor label 34 00:01:29,890 --> 00:01:31,790 here at sugarlands distilling company. 35 00:01:31,792 --> 00:01:35,027 Now y'all are here to make little whiskey. 36 00:01:35,029 --> 00:01:37,096 Narrator: Whiskey is distilled alcohol 37 00:01:37,098 --> 00:01:39,364 made from fermented grain mash. 38 00:01:39,366 --> 00:01:42,400 In colonial america, where traditional ingredients 39 00:01:42,402 --> 00:01:44,870 like wheat and barley were difficult to grow 40 00:01:44,872 --> 00:01:47,039 in the tough new England soil, 41 00:01:47,041 --> 00:01:50,142 colonists began experimenting with rye, 42 00:01:50,144 --> 00:01:52,244 a hardier cold climate grain, 43 00:01:52,246 --> 00:01:56,215 and corn, an indigenous north american grass. 44 00:01:56,217 --> 00:01:59,818 Rye's spicy, robust taste, along with the sweeter, 45 00:01:59,820 --> 00:02:02,721 smoother flavor of corn, revolutionized 46 00:02:02,723 --> 00:02:06,091 the whiskey-making possibilities in the new world 47 00:02:06,093 --> 00:02:10,295 and gave rise to a new category of american whiskeys. 48 00:02:10,297 --> 00:02:13,265 In honor of this rich whiskey-making history, 49 00:02:13,267 --> 00:02:17,102 the first challenge features a predominantly rye recipe 50 00:02:17,104 --> 00:02:21,540 dating back to the days of the founding fathers. 51 00:02:21,542 --> 00:02:24,042 All of you have the same still standing behind you. 52 00:02:24,044 --> 00:02:26,578 We provided you with a base mash bill. 53 00:02:26,580 --> 00:02:28,614 This mash bill is made up of rye. 54 00:02:28,616 --> 00:02:32,184 The winner of this round, you get first pick of oat flavoring 55 00:02:32,186 --> 00:02:34,086 for aging their whiskey. 56 00:02:34,088 --> 00:02:36,955 Men, you've got four hours to run this liquor. 57 00:02:36,957 --> 00:02:39,658 By that time we expect you to have a jar tempered out. 58 00:02:39,660 --> 00:02:41,093 The lid's got to be on that jar 59 00:02:41,095 --> 00:02:43,595 and that jar's got to be on the table. 60 00:02:43,597 --> 00:02:45,931 Your time starts... 61 00:02:45,933 --> 00:02:47,099 Now. 62 00:02:47,101 --> 00:02:51,403 ♪ 63 00:02:51,405 --> 00:02:53,272 narrator: The first run of the rye mash 64 00:02:53,274 --> 00:02:55,807 will showcase the contestants' technical skills 65 00:02:55,809 --> 00:02:58,577 using the same ingredients and equipment, 66 00:02:58,579 --> 00:02:59,978 while the whiskey they distill 67 00:02:59,980 --> 00:03:02,247 will also serve as the base spirit 68 00:03:02,249 --> 00:03:05,551 to demonstrate a more modern whiskey making technique, 69 00:03:05,553 --> 00:03:07,686 rapid oak aging. 70 00:03:07,688 --> 00:03:10,956 Well, johnny seems to be serious about what he's doing. 71 00:03:10,958 --> 00:03:12,024 He's intent, ain't he? 72 00:03:12,026 --> 00:03:13,492 Johnny: I live on a dead end. 73 00:03:13,494 --> 00:03:15,494 If you come down there, you're looking for one of us. 74 00:03:15,496 --> 00:03:18,063 If not, we turn you around and send you back out pretty quick. 75 00:03:18,065 --> 00:03:19,665 [ chuckles ] 76 00:03:19,667 --> 00:03:22,834 my name is johnny... And I'm from south alabama. 77 00:03:22,836 --> 00:03:24,870 Little bit of rain never hurt nobody. 78 00:03:24,872 --> 00:03:27,573 Liquid sunshine. 79 00:03:27,575 --> 00:03:30,042 I'm an illegal distiller. I work in the backwoods. 80 00:03:30,044 --> 00:03:31,944 This is a good friend of mine, billy simms. 81 00:03:31,946 --> 00:03:33,078 I had an old buddy of mine 82 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:34,413 that's done it years and years and years 83 00:03:34,415 --> 00:03:36,048 and got him teach me a little bit about it. 84 00:03:36,050 --> 00:03:37,849 Gave me a recipe, basically put me on the mountain 85 00:03:37,851 --> 00:03:40,118 making moonshine and put me where I'm at today. 86 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,187 I got reputation for being the cream of the crop, 87 00:03:42,189 --> 00:03:44,256 having pretty much the best whiskey around. 88 00:03:44,258 --> 00:03:46,458 The little 10 gallon pot, kind of old, 89 00:03:46,460 --> 00:03:48,727 look raggedy-looking, but it made a lot of liquor. 90 00:03:48,729 --> 00:03:51,096 Away from people. That's where I do my best work. 91 00:03:51,098 --> 00:03:52,898 Them boys had hydrometer refractometers. 92 00:03:52,900 --> 00:03:54,933 Looked like a science experiment. 93 00:03:54,935 --> 00:03:56,301 Sometimes less is more. 94 00:03:56,303 --> 00:03:57,836 Oh, this is when you was in preschool. 95 00:03:57,838 --> 00:04:00,806 I got one son and I got a beautiful new granddaughter. 96 00:04:00,808 --> 00:04:02,307 She's going to be four months old. 97 00:04:02,309 --> 00:04:04,276 Strawberry lemonade, about a hundred proof. 98 00:04:04,278 --> 00:04:08,013 Pretty much run moonshine, babysit, and ride my motorcycle. 99 00:04:08,015 --> 00:04:10,949 I see peter, I notice over there. 100 00:04:10,951 --> 00:04:13,185 He's very particular and cleans. 101 00:04:13,187 --> 00:04:14,386 Here we go. 102 00:04:14,388 --> 00:04:15,921 He doesn't look like the backwoods guy. 103 00:04:15,923 --> 00:04:18,590 Well, that goes with his profession, funeral director. 104 00:04:18,592 --> 00:04:23,161 Oh, yeah, yeah. That's pretty clean. 105 00:04:23,163 --> 00:04:25,497 My name is peter cheney and I'm from phelps, new york. 106 00:04:25,499 --> 00:04:27,566 I've been distilling for 20 years. 107 00:04:27,568 --> 00:04:31,470 A lot of my goal has been to make a very good whiskey. 108 00:04:31,472 --> 00:04:33,872 I'm actually a funeral director. I own a funeral home. 109 00:04:33,874 --> 00:04:35,507 I think we ought to start it up over here. 110 00:04:35,509 --> 00:04:38,210 I've always had to be there, so I needed something to fill 111 00:04:38,212 --> 00:04:40,879 the time when I wasn't busy and started distilling. 112 00:04:40,881 --> 00:04:43,415 This rye is just spectacular. 113 00:04:43,417 --> 00:04:45,317 You can just smell it when you pick it up. 114 00:04:45,319 --> 00:04:46,918 What I make at home, I do a lot of stuff 115 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:47,953 just to kind of practice 116 00:04:47,955 --> 00:04:49,421 and I'll share it with my friends. 117 00:04:49,423 --> 00:04:52,257 We go out to other distilleries and you can try their stuff 118 00:04:52,259 --> 00:04:54,960 and my friends always look at me and say, 119 00:04:54,962 --> 00:04:58,864 "yours is better, yours is better." 120 00:04:58,866 --> 00:05:00,832 digger: Casey has got his fire going. 121 00:05:00,834 --> 00:05:02,734 He's in a hurry, like he's going to rob the bank. 122 00:05:02,736 --> 00:05:05,737 That'll give plenty of time to temper a good job. 123 00:05:05,739 --> 00:05:07,339 I guess so. 124 00:05:07,341 --> 00:05:09,174 The challenge is to come here and make a whiskey, 125 00:05:09,176 --> 00:05:11,910 and that's something I do pretty well. 126 00:05:11,912 --> 00:05:14,579 My name is casey flint. I'm from southern west virginia. 127 00:05:14,581 --> 00:05:16,148 I grew up in a family hardware store. 128 00:05:16,150 --> 00:05:17,816 There's me at the hardware store as a little kid. 129 00:05:17,818 --> 00:05:20,786 About 13 years old, we started mashing in my closet. 130 00:05:20,788 --> 00:05:23,722 Grew up, I went to college and majored in biochem. 131 00:05:23,724 --> 00:05:26,291 So I learned a lot about biology and a lot about chemistry, 132 00:05:26,293 --> 00:05:30,929 and that's pretty much the fundamentals of distillation. 133 00:05:30,931 --> 00:05:33,298 The thing about distillation and mashing 134 00:05:33,300 --> 00:05:34,966 is it's a living organism. 135 00:05:34,968 --> 00:05:37,102 It eats sugar and it poops alcohol. 136 00:05:37,104 --> 00:05:39,304 A little bit of insulation when it gets nice and cold. 137 00:05:39,306 --> 00:05:41,073 That way you don't have to push your temperature 138 00:05:41,075 --> 00:05:43,008 so high on the pot. The more you know about it, 139 00:05:43,010 --> 00:05:44,943 the better whiskey you can produce. 140 00:05:44,945 --> 00:05:49,047 ♪ 141 00:05:49,049 --> 00:05:50,816 and at home, I don't use the thumper. 142 00:05:50,818 --> 00:05:53,885 I actually double distill. But here with the timeframes, 143 00:05:53,887 --> 00:05:56,621 what we've got to work with, go ahead and use the thumper 144 00:05:56,623 --> 00:06:00,659 and I'll double distill it in one round. 145 00:06:00,661 --> 00:06:01,960 Narrator: To distill whiskey, 146 00:06:01,962 --> 00:06:03,962 the fermented grain mash is heated 147 00:06:03,964 --> 00:06:08,367 in order to separate the alcohol vapor from the remaining liquid. 148 00:06:08,369 --> 00:06:10,902 The vapor then travels to the thump keg, 149 00:06:10,904 --> 00:06:14,172 or doubler, moving through another volume of liquid 150 00:06:14,174 --> 00:06:18,210 for a second distillation before making its way to the condenser, 151 00:06:18,212 --> 00:06:21,113 where it's cooled into high-proof whiskey. 152 00:06:23,384 --> 00:06:25,917 All three of them are using a doubler. 153 00:06:25,919 --> 00:06:27,452 Johnny uses a beer. 154 00:06:27,454 --> 00:06:29,721 He's going to strain it. There you go. 155 00:06:29,723 --> 00:06:32,157 Johnny: I use beer in the thumper to infuse it 156 00:06:32,159 --> 00:06:33,392 to give it a little bit more flavor 157 00:06:33,394 --> 00:06:34,726 rather than charge it with water. 158 00:06:34,728 --> 00:06:36,695 But I didn't put very much in it 159 00:06:36,697 --> 00:06:40,532 because the mash was real thick looking. 160 00:06:40,534 --> 00:06:43,335 Peter uses water. Casey uses water. 161 00:06:43,337 --> 00:06:45,737 I like to put the water in because I think it really keeps 162 00:06:45,739 --> 00:06:47,372 the product clean when it comes out. 163 00:06:47,374 --> 00:06:49,608 I don't want it to distill to do what they call puke 164 00:06:49,610 --> 00:06:53,612 and have it like push out some mash into my final runs. 165 00:06:53,614 --> 00:06:55,747 -That will make it clean. -Yes, it will. 166 00:06:55,749 --> 00:06:58,483 Water, it'll filter it, but it distill your liquor. 167 00:06:58,485 --> 00:07:00,652 There's a lot of people say not to use water in your thumper. 168 00:07:00,654 --> 00:07:03,688 They like to throw mash in there and tails and everything else. 169 00:07:03,690 --> 00:07:05,757 But as far as other than being a country guy, 170 00:07:05,759 --> 00:07:08,393 I'm a chemistry guy, too. 171 00:07:08,395 --> 00:07:10,462 Don't believe everything you hear. 172 00:07:10,464 --> 00:07:14,266 Stand by, nasa. Getting ready to happen here. 173 00:07:14,268 --> 00:07:15,834 Narrator: Once burners are lit, 174 00:07:15,836 --> 00:07:18,470 distillers have to carefully control the heat 175 00:07:18,472 --> 00:07:21,973 as the mash approaches 173 degrees, 176 00:07:21,975 --> 00:07:26,378 when the alcohol vapor is stripped from the liquid. 177 00:07:26,380 --> 00:07:28,513 This window of time is crucial. 178 00:07:28,515 --> 00:07:30,649 Contestants must regulate the heat 179 00:07:30,651 --> 00:07:33,251 so it's high enough to produce alcohol, 180 00:07:33,253 --> 00:07:35,120 but not so hot that it scorches 181 00:07:35,122 --> 00:07:37,556 the residual starches from the grain. 182 00:07:37,558 --> 00:07:39,057 He ain't got nothing happening here, 183 00:07:39,059 --> 00:07:41,092 and he was the first one to light up. 184 00:07:41,094 --> 00:07:42,661 So I'm a little confused. 185 00:07:42,663 --> 00:07:45,197 He lit up 30 minutes before everybody else. 186 00:07:48,368 --> 00:07:49,801 Things were moving along. 187 00:07:49,803 --> 00:07:51,870 I was looking at my thumper and that's when I noticed 188 00:07:51,872 --> 00:07:55,707 I started having temperature issues. 189 00:07:55,709 --> 00:07:58,477 The water in the thumper is not heating up. 190 00:07:58,479 --> 00:08:00,011 That's when I realized the water that I used 191 00:08:00,013 --> 00:08:04,182 to fill my thumper was extremely cold. 192 00:08:04,184 --> 00:08:06,518 That's when I knew I had to do something quick. 193 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,654 ♪ 194 00:08:09,656 --> 00:08:10,922 he's insulating. 195 00:08:10,924 --> 00:08:13,291 So my plan is to try to conserve as much heat as I can. 196 00:08:13,293 --> 00:08:16,695 I mean, obviously, moonshining is a nice slow process, 197 00:08:16,697 --> 00:08:19,764 but when you're under a time limit, 198 00:08:19,766 --> 00:08:22,801 ingenuity can do a lot for you. 199 00:08:22,803 --> 00:08:25,804 ♪ 200 00:08:25,806 --> 00:08:28,340 I'm not sure what he was trying to make sure it don't get away 201 00:08:28,342 --> 00:08:29,641 or what over here. 202 00:08:29,643 --> 00:08:31,176 Where we at, casey? 203 00:08:31,178 --> 00:08:33,445 We're coming, fella. I'm insulating this still. 204 00:08:33,447 --> 00:08:35,413 Trying to speed it up. 205 00:08:35,415 --> 00:08:37,782 I didn't really stick my finger in it before I put it in there. 206 00:08:37,784 --> 00:08:39,351 You don't have anything running yet, right? 207 00:08:39,353 --> 00:08:40,685 Nothing running yet. 208 00:08:40,687 --> 00:08:43,321 If I can get enough distillate, I can make a good batch. 209 00:08:43,323 --> 00:08:45,056 Peter: Casey got it all going on over there. 210 00:08:45,058 --> 00:08:46,825 Buddy, what did you build a tent, man? 211 00:08:46,827 --> 00:08:50,428 Yeah. I had some spare time. I figure make a chicken coop. 212 00:08:50,430 --> 00:08:51,997 Building clubhouses. 213 00:08:51,999 --> 00:08:54,032 Digger: Hey, men, if y'all wasn't already nervous enough, 214 00:08:54,034 --> 00:08:55,734 I'm going to put a little more pressure on you. 215 00:08:55,736 --> 00:08:57,335 You're halfway done. 216 00:08:59,573 --> 00:09:01,473 You hear that thumper starting to thump good? 217 00:09:01,475 --> 00:09:03,408 -Yeah. -It's starting to hit. 218 00:09:05,579 --> 00:09:07,913 Boy, it smells good. Here we go. 219 00:09:07,915 --> 00:09:09,481 You got it going, bud? 220 00:09:09,483 --> 00:09:12,851 I'm running right about where I want to see my stream come out. 221 00:09:12,853 --> 00:09:14,986 Narrator: As alcohol runs off the still, 222 00:09:14,988 --> 00:09:17,322 distillers make cuts to separate 223 00:09:17,324 --> 00:09:19,925 the dangerous compounds found in the heads 224 00:09:19,927 --> 00:09:22,861 from the most desirable liquor in the hearts 225 00:09:22,863 --> 00:09:25,330 before reaching the lower-proof tails, 226 00:09:25,332 --> 00:09:28,133 which contain the heaviest, funkiest flavors 227 00:09:28,135 --> 00:09:29,568 of the base grain 228 00:09:29,570 --> 00:09:32,837 that can transform into more complex taste profiles 229 00:09:32,839 --> 00:09:34,472 in oak-aged whiskey. 230 00:09:34,474 --> 00:09:36,741 I can't see my gauge. It's all fogged up 231 00:09:36,743 --> 00:09:39,144 so I'm totally running blind and just doing it the way 232 00:09:39,146 --> 00:09:42,314 I know to do it. Old school, follow the copper. 233 00:09:42,316 --> 00:09:44,015 Johnny: Jar number four. 234 00:09:44,017 --> 00:09:45,984 Boys, you're over in 20 minutes. 235 00:09:45,986 --> 00:09:49,421 ♪ 236 00:09:49,423 --> 00:09:52,724 you got liquor coming there now, ain't ya, casey? 237 00:09:52,726 --> 00:09:54,025 It's coming. 238 00:09:54,027 --> 00:09:55,760 Narrator: To complete this challenge, 239 00:09:55,762 --> 00:09:57,395 the distillers must not only 240 00:09:57,397 --> 00:10:01,266 deliver a crystal-clear liquor with a spicy rye bite, 241 00:10:01,268 --> 00:10:03,435 they must gauge the alcohol content 242 00:10:03,437 --> 00:10:05,737 using only the time-honored shake test. 243 00:10:05,739 --> 00:10:07,672 Johnny: Pretty much starting to drop a little bit. 244 00:10:07,674 --> 00:10:09,074 Being a little bit more drinkable. 245 00:10:09,076 --> 00:10:11,476 That's probably about 120 or so. 246 00:10:11,478 --> 00:10:14,145 Got about two more jars and then get a little bit of tail 247 00:10:14,147 --> 00:10:16,982 then I will cut it off and take jar number two 248 00:10:16,984 --> 00:10:18,650 and jar number four and blend them together. 249 00:10:18,652 --> 00:10:21,186 Johnny done broke out the big jar of water over there. 250 00:10:21,188 --> 00:10:22,487 Must be too hot. 251 00:10:22,489 --> 00:10:24,823 Johnny: Maybe add just tad bit of distilled water 252 00:10:24,825 --> 00:10:26,691 and you get something about a hundred proof, 253 00:10:26,693 --> 00:10:28,693 good drinkable rye whiskey. 254 00:10:28,695 --> 00:10:30,795 -That it, johnny? -Guys, here it is. 255 00:10:30,797 --> 00:10:32,497 Special delivery from south alabama. 256 00:10:32,499 --> 00:10:34,132 First to the table. 257 00:10:34,134 --> 00:10:37,702 ♪ 258 00:10:37,704 --> 00:10:40,405 -pete's getting a new jar. -He's getting close. 259 00:10:40,407 --> 00:10:43,108 Peter: I like a spicy rye, but I didn't know that mash, 260 00:10:43,110 --> 00:10:46,344 so I've charged the thumper with water. 261 00:10:46,346 --> 00:10:49,314 I cleaned it up too much. Nervous. I'm nervous. 262 00:10:49,316 --> 00:10:50,949 So we're actually going to give this 263 00:10:50,951 --> 00:10:52,817 a little bit of a whirl here. 264 00:10:52,819 --> 00:10:55,320 But when we had the chance to go back and blend, 265 00:10:55,322 --> 00:10:58,790 I took my fourth jar, which was deeper in the runs. 266 00:10:58,792 --> 00:11:00,592 All that water that was in the thumper 267 00:11:00,594 --> 00:11:02,360 was now gone. 268 00:11:02,362 --> 00:11:04,396 ♪ 269 00:11:04,398 --> 00:11:05,764 that's clear. 270 00:11:05,766 --> 00:11:08,733 And I blended them up a little bit in the original jar. 271 00:11:08,735 --> 00:11:09,801 That's good. 272 00:11:09,803 --> 00:11:11,936 I waited until it just tasted right. 273 00:11:11,938 --> 00:11:13,905 There you go. -Crystal clear, pete. 274 00:11:13,907 --> 00:11:15,507 Yes, sir. 275 00:11:15,509 --> 00:11:18,343 ♪ 276 00:11:18,345 --> 00:11:21,346 no pressure or anything, casey, but you're at eight minutes. 277 00:11:21,348 --> 00:11:23,014 I'm getting worried because I know 278 00:11:23,016 --> 00:11:25,383 that I'm not getting enough distillate. 279 00:11:25,385 --> 00:11:26,951 Mark: He ain't got a hundred milliliter 280 00:11:26,953 --> 00:11:28,653 in neither one of them jars over there. 281 00:11:28,655 --> 00:11:30,555 I hope he don't bring that jar he just held up. 282 00:11:30,557 --> 00:11:33,058 And I know that I'm maybe going to run short. 283 00:11:33,060 --> 00:11:35,460 ♪ 284 00:11:35,462 --> 00:11:36,695 three minutes. 285 00:11:36,697 --> 00:11:38,296 It doesn't look like I'm getting in the hearts. 286 00:11:38,298 --> 00:11:39,864 It's stressing me out over here. 287 00:11:39,866 --> 00:11:42,000 I've got to get something for these judges. 288 00:11:42,002 --> 00:11:46,771 ♪ 289 00:11:46,773 --> 00:11:48,006 narrator: Coming up... 290 00:11:48,008 --> 00:11:50,341 Oh, my lord, how much chips is in it? 291 00:11:50,343 --> 00:11:53,344 Whiskey meets wood in a 48-hour challenge 292 00:11:53,346 --> 00:11:56,014 that'll send one shiner home for good. 293 00:11:56,016 --> 00:11:57,682 Tim: I think he's only at one jar. 294 00:11:57,684 --> 00:12:01,019 Kind of tastes like damn pasta water. 295 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:08,593 Three minutes. 296 00:12:08,595 --> 00:12:12,831 ♪ 297 00:12:12,833 --> 00:12:16,000 narrator: An outlaw distiller, a backwoods biochemist, 298 00:12:16,002 --> 00:12:18,903 and an undertaker turned undercover shiner 299 00:12:18,905 --> 00:12:21,372 are using the same heritage rye recipe 300 00:12:21,374 --> 00:12:24,576 and still set up to make a winning american whiskey 301 00:12:24,578 --> 00:12:27,479 for the title of master distiller. 302 00:12:29,649 --> 00:12:31,216 I'm starting to get out of the heads. 303 00:12:31,218 --> 00:12:33,618 I got just enough distillate in my jars 304 00:12:33,620 --> 00:12:34,786 to make me a good batch. 305 00:12:34,788 --> 00:12:37,055 You're at one minute. 306 00:12:37,057 --> 00:12:39,524 Narrator: Competitors need to find the right balance 307 00:12:39,526 --> 00:12:42,227 of clean hearts, flavorful tails, 308 00:12:42,229 --> 00:12:45,563 and perfect proof as the distillate from the first run 309 00:12:45,565 --> 00:12:50,702 will be used in the next challenge, oak aging. 310 00:12:50,704 --> 00:12:53,872 Casey: I almost got my proof and added just a little bit more alcohol 311 00:12:53,874 --> 00:12:56,641 and then all of a sudden I wasn't getting bubbles 312 00:12:56,643 --> 00:12:59,577 like I wanted to, so I decided to go with some water. 313 00:12:59,579 --> 00:13:01,146 Finally, I just gave it a good swig 314 00:13:01,148 --> 00:13:04,716 and actually got hit almost right where I wanted. 315 00:13:04,718 --> 00:13:09,120 Here we go. With 35 seconds to go, casey slides in. 316 00:13:09,122 --> 00:13:10,989 There's 100 on there. 317 00:13:10,991 --> 00:13:12,590 We got you, brother. 318 00:13:12,592 --> 00:13:15,360 ♪ 319 00:13:15,362 --> 00:13:17,529 I got the "last minute casey." 320 00:13:17,531 --> 00:13:20,431 hits you on the nose. 321 00:13:20,433 --> 00:13:23,635 After that, it ain't got anything. 322 00:13:23,637 --> 00:13:27,872 That damn liquor kind of tastes like damn pasta water did. 323 00:13:27,874 --> 00:13:30,275 He didn't get two jars out of the 20 gallons. 324 00:13:30,277 --> 00:13:32,911 He's saying it's a hundred proof. 325 00:13:32,913 --> 00:13:36,848 Well, it's way off from a hundred proof. 326 00:13:36,850 --> 00:13:38,116 This is johnny boy's. 327 00:13:38,118 --> 00:13:40,518 Good looking jar of liquor. I'm telling you. 328 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:42,587 It's got that dryness taste to it. 329 00:13:42,589 --> 00:13:44,289 That's what rye is supposed to taste like. 330 00:13:44,291 --> 00:13:45,890 I think he missed his proof a little bit. 331 00:13:45,892 --> 00:13:47,392 Yeah, he's a little low. 332 00:13:47,394 --> 00:13:51,296 But everything's there. The nose is there, the palate's there. 333 00:13:51,298 --> 00:13:52,497 That's the undertaker. 334 00:13:52,499 --> 00:13:54,632 I believe he overestimated it a little bit. 335 00:13:54,634 --> 00:13:56,434 It's funny how all of them want to be a hundred 336 00:13:56,436 --> 00:13:57,836 and none of them are a hundred. 337 00:13:57,838 --> 00:13:59,838 He did all right, I mean, it's got a good nose on it. 338 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:01,973 -It looks good. -I wouldn't be at all ashamed 339 00:14:01,975 --> 00:14:05,343 to drink that right now or aged 10 years. 340 00:14:05,345 --> 00:14:07,579 Go get them boys. 341 00:14:07,581 --> 00:14:09,347 Take your spots, gentlemen. 342 00:14:09,349 --> 00:14:14,452 Cool casey, your liquor was good and stout. 343 00:14:14,454 --> 00:14:15,987 It'd be a good aging liquor, 344 00:14:15,989 --> 00:14:19,891 but rye's got that peppery, slick feeling. 345 00:14:19,893 --> 00:14:22,627 Real spicy, rye's a real spicy grain. 346 00:14:22,629 --> 00:14:25,496 And we didn't find it in this jar. 347 00:14:26,633 --> 00:14:29,400 You don't have full jar in your lot do you? 348 00:14:29,402 --> 00:14:31,603 I'm a little disappointed with what I brought to the table. 349 00:14:31,605 --> 00:14:33,571 I didn't get into the hearts like I thought I did. 350 00:14:33,573 --> 00:14:35,039 I just kind of ran short on time. 351 00:14:35,041 --> 00:14:37,175 The milk might not be as sweet, but it's there. 352 00:14:37,177 --> 00:14:40,578 Don't mean you can't catch up. You're salvageable. 353 00:14:40,580 --> 00:14:42,981 That's the undertaker. 354 00:14:42,983 --> 00:14:44,582 There ain't nothing right here to be ashamed of. 355 00:14:44,584 --> 00:14:46,284 You've got the alcohol there, 356 00:14:46,286 --> 00:14:50,154 but it don't have the right finish like we wanted. 357 00:14:50,156 --> 00:14:53,091 Mark: I think casey and undertaker, 358 00:14:53,093 --> 00:14:55,860 think you both charged your thump kegs with water. 359 00:14:55,862 --> 00:14:59,797 The water will steal your flavor and your alcohol. 360 00:14:59,799 --> 00:15:02,567 ♪ 361 00:15:02,569 --> 00:15:05,370 johnny, you've got a good flavor here. 362 00:15:05,372 --> 00:15:07,872 It's smooth on the front end. 363 00:15:07,874 --> 00:15:10,074 Got that peppery bite on the back end. 364 00:15:10,076 --> 00:15:11,809 Johnny charged his with mash. 365 00:15:11,811 --> 00:15:15,213 It's just a personal preference in the world of liquor making. 366 00:15:15,215 --> 00:15:18,583 So, all that being said... 367 00:15:18,585 --> 00:15:21,286 Johnny, you're the number one jar of liquor right here. 368 00:15:21,288 --> 00:15:25,156 You get to go pick out your aging chip before anybody else. 369 00:15:25,158 --> 00:15:27,759 Narrator: Before the turn of the 19th century, 370 00:15:27,761 --> 00:15:29,994 all whiskey was sold clear, 371 00:15:29,996 --> 00:15:32,830 but as distillers discovered that storing liquor 372 00:15:32,832 --> 00:15:35,700 in charred oak barrels improved the flavor, 373 00:15:35,702 --> 00:15:39,837 barrel aging became a signature of american whiskey. 374 00:15:39,839 --> 00:15:43,775 Rapid aging is a technique used by backwoods shiners 375 00:15:43,777 --> 00:15:47,412 to speed up the barrel-aging process. 376 00:15:47,414 --> 00:15:50,481 Instead of putting the liquor into charred oak barrels, 377 00:15:50,483 --> 00:15:53,785 they put charred oak chips into the liquor itself. 378 00:15:53,787 --> 00:15:56,321 As the liquor soaks into the oak chips, 379 00:15:56,323 --> 00:15:59,757 the caramelized sugars in the wood imparts sweetness, 380 00:15:59,759 --> 00:16:01,559 and the carbon and the charred wood 381 00:16:01,561 --> 00:16:04,195 filters out tannins and sulfides. 382 00:16:04,197 --> 00:16:06,531 The effect is similar to barrel aging, 383 00:16:06,533 --> 00:16:09,434 but the greater surface area of the oak chips 384 00:16:09,436 --> 00:16:12,437 speeds up the process, resulting in a whiskey 385 00:16:12,439 --> 00:16:15,540 with a smooth flavor and a rich brown color 386 00:16:15,542 --> 00:16:18,443 in just a matter of days. 387 00:16:18,445 --> 00:16:20,979 Alright, guys, I'm going to take you to see the oak man, 388 00:16:20,981 --> 00:16:24,115 he'll fix you up with what you need. 389 00:16:24,117 --> 00:16:27,552 We get up here and see old dwight, the oak man. 390 00:16:27,554 --> 00:16:31,756 You guys get you some chips or cubes, whatever he has. 391 00:16:31,758 --> 00:16:34,192 Mark: Dwight, he's an excellent moonshiner. 392 00:16:34,194 --> 00:16:37,595 He's just a walking encyclopedia of moonshine. 393 00:16:37,597 --> 00:16:39,664 I do want to caution you boys. 394 00:16:39,666 --> 00:16:42,734 You choose wisely because after this 395 00:16:42,736 --> 00:16:44,569 next little stage of the game, 396 00:16:44,571 --> 00:16:47,805 well, now one of younz will be going home. 397 00:16:47,807 --> 00:16:49,874 Hey, dwight. -How you doing, mark? 398 00:16:49,876 --> 00:16:52,710 This is my friend, johnny. He was the first winner. 399 00:16:52,712 --> 00:16:54,812 He won the challenge. Help him out, dwight. 400 00:16:54,814 --> 00:16:58,449 I'll do it, do everything I can. 401 00:16:58,451 --> 00:17:00,818 We've got several different kinds here. 402 00:17:00,820 --> 00:17:02,787 Got the white oak, medium charred, 403 00:17:02,789 --> 00:17:04,822 and the heavy charred oak chips. 404 00:17:04,824 --> 00:17:06,357 Well, the raw whiskey I got there, 405 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,326 I want to give it a smoky oak flavor. 406 00:17:08,328 --> 00:17:09,894 I think I'm going to go with 407 00:17:09,896 --> 00:17:11,662 some of the medium toasted chips. 408 00:17:11,664 --> 00:17:14,432 Narrator: Medium charred chips strike the perfect balance 409 00:17:14,434 --> 00:17:17,301 between wood flavor and smoky charcoal. 410 00:17:17,303 --> 00:17:19,837 With less medium chips to choose from, 411 00:17:19,839 --> 00:17:24,175 the remaining distillers have to decide between two extremes -- 412 00:17:24,177 --> 00:17:27,211 lighter toast chips that may not impart enough flavor 413 00:17:27,213 --> 00:17:29,013 in the short amount of time, 414 00:17:29,015 --> 00:17:32,617 or darker toast options that may overpower the base whiskey. 415 00:17:32,619 --> 00:17:35,219 I don't want it to overtake the rye. 416 00:17:35,221 --> 00:17:37,055 Rye is a pretty dominant grain. 417 00:17:37,057 --> 00:17:39,624 Johnny used almost all of the medium toast. 418 00:17:39,626 --> 00:17:41,826 So, I went with the...Medium, 419 00:17:41,828 --> 00:17:45,730 and I also added some of the cubes that were offered. 420 00:17:45,732 --> 00:17:48,433 Casey: I'm extremely limited in with the chips left, 421 00:17:48,435 --> 00:17:51,602 but it's my only opportunity to do anything to improve. 422 00:17:51,604 --> 00:17:54,405 All right. I think I'll take a little bit of this dark oak, 423 00:17:54,407 --> 00:17:56,240 and I'll go for a little light oak, as well. 424 00:17:56,242 --> 00:17:58,309 I went with a heavy and a combination of a light oak, 425 00:17:58,311 --> 00:18:00,211 as well, and I think that'll be hopefully enough 426 00:18:00,213 --> 00:18:02,180 to save my jar. 427 00:18:03,416 --> 00:18:06,818 It's time to take your liquor and go from this -- 428 00:18:06,820 --> 00:18:08,886 it's crystal clear as spring water -- 429 00:18:08,888 --> 00:18:12,423 to this right here in 48 hours. 430 00:18:12,425 --> 00:18:14,559 It's up to you to get your chips 431 00:18:14,561 --> 00:18:17,295 the way that they need to be to get them to this point. 432 00:18:17,297 --> 00:18:20,698 You're not held to these bottles right here. 433 00:18:20,700 --> 00:18:23,267 You can take what you got, blend you some more, 434 00:18:23,269 --> 00:18:25,002 get your best possible profile 435 00:18:25,004 --> 00:18:26,604 to put it in there and start aging it. 436 00:18:26,606 --> 00:18:28,372 Bring us that mahogany color. 437 00:18:28,374 --> 00:18:30,541 Get the job done. 438 00:18:30,543 --> 00:18:31,809 -Okay. -Go to work. 439 00:18:31,811 --> 00:18:33,544 Alright, boys. Good luck. 440 00:18:33,546 --> 00:18:36,514 ♪ 441 00:18:36,516 --> 00:18:39,117 mark: Believe it or not, you wouldn't think something that works 442 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:42,687 that fast can change the taste profile of it, but it will. 443 00:18:42,689 --> 00:18:45,623 Narrator: The distillers may add any combination of chips 444 00:18:45,625 --> 00:18:46,824 and cubes to the liquor 445 00:18:46,826 --> 00:18:49,127 they collected during the first run. 446 00:18:49,129 --> 00:18:52,296 As long as the final mixture is contained to one jar, 447 00:18:52,298 --> 00:18:55,399 that'll be aged for a period of 48 hours. 448 00:18:55,401 --> 00:18:57,001 What'd you get in this bag? 449 00:18:57,003 --> 00:18:59,704 Went with two different types. Try not to add too much. 450 00:18:59,706 --> 00:19:01,873 The other fellows, they've got plenty to play with. 451 00:19:01,875 --> 00:19:04,642 Myself, was still in the head, still had some acetone flavor, 452 00:19:04,644 --> 00:19:07,145 and that's going to be a tough jar to improve on. 453 00:19:07,147 --> 00:19:09,213 Let's try to work some magic. 454 00:19:09,215 --> 00:19:12,383 Uh-oh, look he's putting more water in it, man. Look, look! 455 00:19:12,385 --> 00:19:14,886 Casey: I've went with a heavy and a combination of a light oak. 456 00:19:14,888 --> 00:19:16,854 Hopefully that'll provide a little oak flavor 457 00:19:16,856 --> 00:19:19,290 to overcome those acetone flavors. 458 00:19:19,292 --> 00:19:23,294 ♪ 459 00:19:23,296 --> 00:19:25,129 tim: Johnny's one, his looks real dark. 460 00:19:25,131 --> 00:19:27,064 It's going to do what it's going to do 461 00:19:27,066 --> 00:19:28,866 once you put them in there. Hell. 462 00:19:28,868 --> 00:19:30,268 Peter: Well, I wanted to make a char. 463 00:19:30,270 --> 00:19:33,704 Give it a smoky oak flavor, go along with the rye. 464 00:19:33,706 --> 00:19:37,375 Mark: What's old undertaker doing over here? 465 00:19:37,377 --> 00:19:39,310 I think he's only at one jar. 466 00:19:39,312 --> 00:19:41,479 Oh, my lord, how much chips is in it? 467 00:19:41,481 --> 00:19:43,848 Peter: When we did our first run, they kind of critiqued me 468 00:19:43,850 --> 00:19:45,383 about putting water in the thumper. 469 00:19:45,385 --> 00:19:48,352 So, when I oaked it, when we went back in 470 00:19:48,354 --> 00:19:51,822 and we were able to blend them, I actually use that fourth jar 471 00:19:51,824 --> 00:19:54,325 because I knew that would be a stronger rye. 472 00:19:54,327 --> 00:19:57,361 Might've been touching the tails a little bit, too, for flavor. 473 00:19:57,363 --> 00:19:59,463 Just put them in, got some flavor out of them, 474 00:19:59,465 --> 00:20:01,332 hopefully got a little color. 475 00:20:01,334 --> 00:20:03,267 I don't want to get too crazy with the toast. 476 00:20:03,269 --> 00:20:04,936 I just wanted to pull a little bit out, 477 00:20:04,938 --> 00:20:07,672 and we're going to let it go. 478 00:20:07,674 --> 00:20:10,141 It could be terrible. I don't know. 479 00:20:10,143 --> 00:20:12,510 We're going to find out soon enough, though. 480 00:20:12,512 --> 00:20:14,378 There you go, fellows. 481 00:20:14,380 --> 00:20:17,148 I can't even see through that. 482 00:20:17,150 --> 00:20:19,016 I don't know what the other guys chose, 483 00:20:19,018 --> 00:20:21,319 but as far as what I chose I'm pretty confident with. 484 00:20:21,321 --> 00:20:23,254 Thank you, casey. 485 00:20:23,256 --> 00:20:25,756 Moving it around, stirring it, shaking it. 486 00:20:25,758 --> 00:20:27,358 It ain't going to change. 487 00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:30,461 ♪ 488 00:20:30,463 --> 00:20:32,163 -thank you, sir. -Yes, sir. 489 00:20:34,100 --> 00:20:37,635 Bring us the finest taste in quick aged liquor you can do. 490 00:20:37,637 --> 00:20:39,337 Narrator: Rapid aging meets alchemy 491 00:20:39,339 --> 00:20:42,373 as distillers sweat the first elimination. 492 00:20:42,375 --> 00:20:43,474 What are you doing, casey? 493 00:20:43,476 --> 00:20:45,009 I'm try to use a little evaporation 494 00:20:45,011 --> 00:20:46,544 kind of like the egyptians used to do. 495 00:20:46,546 --> 00:20:47,812 -Hmm. -How's he getting that smell? 496 00:20:47,814 --> 00:20:49,247 I have no idea. 497 00:20:49,249 --> 00:20:52,149 Honestly, it would pass for a really, really good bourbon. 498 00:20:54,087 --> 00:20:55,519 ♪ 499 00:20:55,521 --> 00:20:57,421 welcome back, boys. 500 00:20:57,423 --> 00:20:59,257 Narrator: A funeral home distiller, 501 00:20:59,259 --> 00:21:01,125 a backwoods whiskey runner, 502 00:21:01,127 --> 00:21:03,594 and a moonshiner with a master's degree 503 00:21:03,596 --> 00:21:07,231 are warring to see who makes the best american whiskey 504 00:21:07,233 --> 00:21:10,701 to earn the title of master distiller. 505 00:21:10,703 --> 00:21:12,870 Digger: Johnny, you've got a good flavor here. 506 00:21:12,872 --> 00:21:14,905 All up straight, we'd drink it all day long. 507 00:21:14,907 --> 00:21:18,542 After an initial run of the house heritage rye mash, 508 00:21:18,544 --> 00:21:21,479 they used a 48-hour rapid-aging technique 509 00:21:21,481 --> 00:21:23,648 to imbue charred oak flavor. 510 00:21:23,650 --> 00:21:25,683 Mark: Believe it or not, you wouldn't think 511 00:21:25,685 --> 00:21:27,184 something that works that fast 512 00:21:27,186 --> 00:21:30,955 would change the taste profile of it, but it will. 513 00:21:30,957 --> 00:21:32,923 I'd like for you to meet tim jones. 514 00:21:32,925 --> 00:21:34,358 Nice to meet you guys. 515 00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:38,062 Tim is a whiskey expert in the big state of kentucky, 516 00:21:38,064 --> 00:21:40,464 and we know what comes out of kentucky. 517 00:21:40,466 --> 00:21:43,267 Narrator: Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon 518 00:21:43,269 --> 00:21:46,237 and home to over 70 whiskey distilleries, 519 00:21:46,239 --> 00:21:48,806 and native son tim jones works 520 00:21:48,808 --> 00:21:51,242 with some of the biggest names in the business. 521 00:21:51,244 --> 00:21:53,778 He knows everything about making and marketing 522 00:21:53,780 --> 00:21:55,880 a top-shelf whiskey. 523 00:21:55,882 --> 00:21:57,748 You've had your 48 hours. 524 00:21:57,750 --> 00:21:59,617 It's time to take your liquor, 525 00:21:59,619 --> 00:22:04,021 finish it however you see fit. 526 00:22:04,023 --> 00:22:08,559 Bring us the finest taste in quick-aged liquor you can do. 527 00:22:08,561 --> 00:22:12,797 Downside is one of you are going home after this round. 528 00:22:14,434 --> 00:22:15,499 Digger: Your time... 529 00:22:15,501 --> 00:22:18,569 Starts...Now. 530 00:22:18,571 --> 00:22:21,672 ♪ 531 00:22:21,674 --> 00:22:24,809 narrator: The distillers may temper the oak-infused spirit 532 00:22:24,811 --> 00:22:27,545 using the remaining liquor from their first run 533 00:22:27,547 --> 00:22:30,681 to present a final blend that most closely resembles 534 00:22:30,683 --> 00:22:33,918 the flavor profiles of a barrel-aged whiskey. 535 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,754 ♪ 536 00:22:36,756 --> 00:22:38,756 yeah, I'm interested in a new york guy 537 00:22:38,758 --> 00:22:40,024 making some rye whiskey. 538 00:22:41,060 --> 00:22:43,461 Peter: When I first turned it in when we oaked it, 539 00:22:43,463 --> 00:22:46,630 I know that tim smith had picked it up and he said... 540 00:22:46,632 --> 00:22:48,566 Tim: I can't even see through that. 541 00:22:48,568 --> 00:22:50,434 That right from the get-go had me nervous, 542 00:22:50,436 --> 00:22:55,940 but if I can draw even 25% or 50% out of those bolder chips, 543 00:22:55,942 --> 00:22:58,442 that might give me that middle of the road flavor 544 00:22:58,444 --> 00:22:59,443 that I'm looking for. 545 00:22:59,445 --> 00:23:01,145 A little mad science over here. 546 00:23:01,147 --> 00:23:02,580 Yeah, I had a little going on. 547 00:23:02,582 --> 00:23:04,582 Look at that. Which one are you going to put on the table? 548 00:23:04,584 --> 00:23:06,016 -This is the winner! -This is the one? 549 00:23:06,018 --> 00:23:07,418 That's the one right there, yes, sir. 550 00:23:07,420 --> 00:23:08,686 I'm not going to take a sip yet. 551 00:23:08,688 --> 00:23:10,187 That's okay. 552 00:23:10,189 --> 00:23:13,424 Oh, whoa! 553 00:23:13,426 --> 00:23:15,826 That's a honeycomb smell on that thing. 554 00:23:15,828 --> 00:23:16,927 -Thank you. -It's wild. 555 00:23:16,929 --> 00:23:19,997 Yes, sir. 556 00:23:19,999 --> 00:23:22,066 Digger: Did johnny have the most... 557 00:23:22,068 --> 00:23:23,834 Yeah, I think he had most liquor. 558 00:23:23,836 --> 00:23:25,469 Look at color on that sucker. 559 00:23:25,471 --> 00:23:27,238 Jones: Looks good. Smells good, tastes good. 560 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:29,907 That just basically come in here and strain the chips off 561 00:23:29,909 --> 00:23:32,843 and temper a little bit, and it's going to be good to go. 562 00:23:32,845 --> 00:23:34,612 Keep it simple. Make a good product. 563 00:23:34,614 --> 00:23:38,149 ♪ 564 00:23:38,151 --> 00:23:39,683 casey, what you doing over here, man? 565 00:23:39,685 --> 00:23:41,852 I'm trying to air it out a little bit, brother. 566 00:23:41,854 --> 00:23:44,588 I didn't get quite into the horse like I wanted to. 567 00:23:44,590 --> 00:23:48,092 I started roughly from the last jar and worked my way forward, 568 00:23:48,094 --> 00:23:50,428 so there's not a lot of room for error. 569 00:23:50,430 --> 00:23:51,595 I'll tell you what, though. 570 00:23:51,597 --> 00:23:54,064 The big bold flavor on the heads over here 571 00:23:54,066 --> 00:23:56,801 with flavoring with oak. It could play in your favor. 572 00:23:56,803 --> 00:23:59,670 The wood turned out good for me. I'm happy with the way it oaked. 573 00:23:59,672 --> 00:24:01,605 Having a strong background in biology. 574 00:24:01,607 --> 00:24:04,275 I'm doing everything I can in my power to make sure 575 00:24:04,277 --> 00:24:06,444 I get to that last round and show my skills 576 00:24:06,446 --> 00:24:08,045 and see what I can do. 577 00:24:08,047 --> 00:24:11,382 ♪ 578 00:24:11,384 --> 00:24:13,818 all right. You've got 35 minutes. 579 00:24:13,820 --> 00:24:15,419 Tim: Don't feel rushed. 580 00:24:15,421 --> 00:24:18,088 ♪ 581 00:24:18,090 --> 00:24:20,458 it looks like johnny's done put the cap on his. 582 00:24:20,460 --> 00:24:23,127 Johnny: We aged it. It was real, real dark color. 583 00:24:23,129 --> 00:24:26,130 So I was thinking I can pull the color down 584 00:24:26,132 --> 00:24:27,765 with a little bit of distilled water. 585 00:24:27,767 --> 00:24:29,233 Johnny man's on the move. 586 00:24:29,235 --> 00:24:31,402 -Here comes johnny. -Believe I got it ready for you. 587 00:24:31,404 --> 00:24:32,770 Look at his color on this, boys. 588 00:24:32,772 --> 00:24:36,640 It looks like its been in barrel long time. 589 00:24:36,642 --> 00:24:39,243 Well, so far I'm digging the coloring. 590 00:24:39,245 --> 00:24:40,711 It's got good color on it. 591 00:24:40,713 --> 00:24:42,546 I didn't want to go too far with it 592 00:24:42,548 --> 00:24:43,981 and was also enjoying drinking it 593 00:24:43,983 --> 00:24:47,451 for a moment to make sure it was really good, so. 594 00:24:47,453 --> 00:24:48,486 There you go, gentlemen. 595 00:24:48,488 --> 00:24:49,520 Peter done drank some of his. 596 00:24:49,522 --> 00:24:50,554 Yeah, he did. 597 00:24:50,556 --> 00:24:51,989 That a boy. I highly recommend it. 598 00:24:51,991 --> 00:24:53,524 This looks good. 599 00:24:55,328 --> 00:24:57,361 Casey, just keeping you posted buddy. 600 00:24:57,363 --> 00:25:00,030 You got 20 minutes. 601 00:25:00,032 --> 00:25:03,200 As far as distilling goes, it breaks down into chemistry 602 00:25:03,202 --> 00:25:04,568 and it breaks down into biology 603 00:25:04,570 --> 00:25:06,437 and those are the two things I'm good at, 604 00:25:06,439 --> 00:25:09,340 so I'm taking every minute I can do to improve that jar 605 00:25:09,342 --> 00:25:11,442 so that I make it onto the last round. 606 00:25:11,444 --> 00:25:15,079 ♪ 607 00:25:15,081 --> 00:25:16,714 digger: What are you doing, casey? 608 00:25:16,716 --> 00:25:18,516 You gonna give it up? You holding on to it. 609 00:25:18,518 --> 00:25:20,651 Trying to get it heated up. 610 00:25:20,653 --> 00:25:22,286 They can get far enough through my run. 611 00:25:22,288 --> 00:25:23,787 We don't care as long as you don't stick it 612 00:25:23,789 --> 00:25:25,356 down your britches. -All right, good deal. 613 00:25:25,358 --> 00:25:28,158 My plan is to get that jar heated up by any means possible 614 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:29,727 to try to increase the temperature 615 00:25:29,729 --> 00:25:31,996 and get some of those volatile substances off of there 616 00:25:31,998 --> 00:25:36,000 and improve the flavor of what I've already got. 617 00:25:36,002 --> 00:25:38,536 Wait a minute, what's he doing over there now? 618 00:25:38,538 --> 00:25:40,671 Now he's wrapped his jar up like a princess lady. 619 00:25:40,673 --> 00:25:41,972 What you got going on, casey? 620 00:25:41,974 --> 00:25:43,407 Try to use a little evaporation, 621 00:25:43,409 --> 00:25:45,042 kind of like egyptians used to do. 622 00:25:45,044 --> 00:25:49,680 ♪ 623 00:25:49,682 --> 00:25:51,815 the hour's up. I've done everything in my ability 624 00:25:51,817 --> 00:25:53,751 to increase the quality of the product 625 00:25:53,753 --> 00:25:55,553 I'm trying to put up on the counter. 626 00:25:55,555 --> 00:25:57,888 I know it's a vast improvement over what it was. 627 00:25:57,890 --> 00:25:59,857 Good luck, buddy. 628 00:25:59,859 --> 00:26:01,392 They're all different. 629 00:26:01,394 --> 00:26:02,960 They're very different. 630 00:26:02,962 --> 00:26:04,995 I don't know about you guys, but I'm nervous. 631 00:26:04,997 --> 00:26:06,664 -I am very nervous. -I'm very nervous. 632 00:26:06,666 --> 00:26:08,933 You got four different judges, four different palates. 633 00:26:08,935 --> 00:26:11,502 You're the guest. I'm gonna let you start where you want to. 634 00:26:11,504 --> 00:26:14,038 Jones: We'll start on casey. He took a lot of time. 635 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:15,639 We got to look at some clarity here. 636 00:26:15,641 --> 00:26:19,376 It's a little cloudy, not as clean as we'd probably hoped. 637 00:26:21,914 --> 00:26:24,248 I'm not going to call it unpleasant, 638 00:26:24,250 --> 00:26:27,017 but there's not anything pleasant about it either. 639 00:26:28,955 --> 00:26:30,955 It almost tastes like it was column to steel 640 00:26:30,957 --> 00:26:32,456 versus pine to steel. 641 00:26:32,458 --> 00:26:35,459 It's just there. It's just in your mouth and it's wet. 642 00:26:35,461 --> 00:26:38,028 A homeless alcoholic would probably welcome that. 643 00:26:38,030 --> 00:26:42,700 In his defense, I think it's not the clarity that he wanted. 644 00:26:42,702 --> 00:26:44,435 It's not salable, is it? 645 00:26:44,437 --> 00:26:47,171 I wouldn't put it on the shelf. 646 00:26:47,173 --> 00:26:48,505 He had a little knowledge, 647 00:26:48,507 --> 00:26:50,608 and I don't think that he had enough knowledge. 648 00:26:50,610 --> 00:26:54,311 This here, this undertaker, you spoke highly of it. 649 00:26:56,849 --> 00:26:58,882 I like to know the difference in his wood chips 650 00:26:58,884 --> 00:27:04,521 'cause on the nose I think it's like...Honeycomb. 651 00:27:04,523 --> 00:27:07,858 I mean, it's unique. -How's he getting that smell? 652 00:27:07,860 --> 00:27:09,994 I have no idea, but I'll tell you, 653 00:27:09,996 --> 00:27:12,229 it's at the finish of it, too. 654 00:27:12,231 --> 00:27:14,064 I mean, isn't that different? 655 00:27:14,066 --> 00:27:15,432 -I like that. -I do too! 656 00:27:15,434 --> 00:27:16,834 I like that a lot! 657 00:27:16,836 --> 00:27:19,436 Honestly it would pass for a really, really good bourbon. 658 00:27:19,438 --> 00:27:21,372 Tim: Did he blend any more? I didn't notice. 659 00:27:21,374 --> 00:27:22,740 -He did. -He worked it man. 660 00:27:22,742 --> 00:27:24,575 -He did blend some more? -He worked it. 661 00:27:24,577 --> 00:27:26,877 I think he knew where he was going... 662 00:27:26,879 --> 00:27:29,413 And when he got there, he didn't mess with it anymore. 663 00:27:29,415 --> 00:27:30,714 This is johnny boy's. 664 00:27:30,716 --> 00:27:32,950 -We've got color. -A lot of color 665 00:27:32,952 --> 00:27:35,919 ♪ 666 00:27:35,921 --> 00:27:38,155 -different. -Definitely different. 667 00:27:38,157 --> 00:27:41,825 Once it goes away, it's gone. There's nothing lingering. 668 00:27:41,827 --> 00:27:43,394 Yeah. When it's dark like that, 669 00:27:43,396 --> 00:27:45,629 you want that rich vanilla flavor from the wood. 670 00:27:45,631 --> 00:27:47,264 Digger: And the proof is just not there. 671 00:27:47,266 --> 00:27:49,566 He could have blended a little bit differently. 672 00:27:49,568 --> 00:27:51,935 I think when it came to him going back to his table, 673 00:27:51,937 --> 00:27:54,171 he let his color panic him and he went with water 674 00:27:54,173 --> 00:27:56,240 where he should have went a little bit of liquor. 675 00:27:56,242 --> 00:27:58,442 I think we're unanimous on our choices, aren't we? 676 00:27:58,444 --> 00:28:00,010 I think we all -- we all agree. 677 00:28:00,012 --> 00:28:01,845 I believe we're all in agreement. 678 00:28:01,847 --> 00:28:02,946 Yeah, we agree. 679 00:28:02,948 --> 00:28:05,182 Well, I'm going to go fetch them boys. 680 00:28:07,253 --> 00:28:08,686 Narrator: Two days of aging... 681 00:28:08,688 --> 00:28:10,354 That's a hell of a jar of whiskey right there. 682 00:28:10,356 --> 00:28:12,322 ...Leaves two distillers remaining. 683 00:28:12,324 --> 00:28:14,324 We made you all sweat long enough, 684 00:28:14,326 --> 00:28:16,694 it's time to tell you which one's going home today, 685 00:28:16,696 --> 00:28:17,761 unfortunately. 686 00:28:19,265 --> 00:28:25,769 ♪ 687 00:28:25,771 --> 00:28:27,538 the moment of truth for you. 688 00:28:27,540 --> 00:28:29,740 Narrator: Three experienced distillers 689 00:28:29,742 --> 00:28:31,542 have presented their best jars 690 00:28:31,544 --> 00:28:33,977 of a rapidly aged american rye whiskey 691 00:28:33,979 --> 00:28:36,513 to a panel of expert judges. 692 00:28:36,515 --> 00:28:38,782 One of them is about to go home. 693 00:28:38,784 --> 00:28:42,519 It never ceases to amaze me how the three different distillers 694 00:28:42,521 --> 00:28:44,521 can come up with such different flavor. 695 00:28:44,523 --> 00:28:48,358 I think this flavor came down to the blending process. 696 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:50,194 We're going to pass everything off 697 00:28:50,196 --> 00:28:51,729 to our guest counterpart here, 698 00:28:51,731 --> 00:28:54,565 tim, because he talks much prettier than we do. 699 00:28:54,567 --> 00:28:59,002 Peter, I felt like I had high hopes for that new york boy... 700 00:28:59,004 --> 00:29:00,471 And honestly I felt like you found 701 00:29:00,473 --> 00:29:04,174 a really good balance of proof and flavor 702 00:29:04,176 --> 00:29:07,344 and utilizing the wood and the flavoring with the grain. 703 00:29:07,346 --> 00:29:09,646 I was kind of hoping to catch maybe a little vanilla taste, 704 00:29:09,648 --> 00:29:12,750 so if I use some of the cubes too, when I put them in, 705 00:29:12,752 --> 00:29:16,520 I actually let them sit in there for just a little bit, 706 00:29:16,522 --> 00:29:18,789 and I actually pulled about a cap full out 707 00:29:18,791 --> 00:29:22,059 and then left some in. I didn't leave all those cubes. 708 00:29:22,061 --> 00:29:24,094 I think it's an exceptional jar of whiskey. 709 00:29:24,096 --> 00:29:29,733 Flavor, nose, palate and finish were all right there. 710 00:29:29,735 --> 00:29:31,869 That's number one. -Thank you very much. 711 00:29:31,871 --> 00:29:36,406 Casey, johnny, we've made you all sweat long enough. 712 00:29:36,408 --> 00:29:38,876 It's time to tell you which one's going home today, 713 00:29:38,878 --> 00:29:41,178 unfortunately. 714 00:29:41,180 --> 00:29:44,882 Johnny, I felt like really enjoyed the flavor and the nose. 715 00:29:44,884 --> 00:29:48,152 Your color is there. My gut told me 716 00:29:48,154 --> 00:29:49,820 johnny probably looked at this and said, 717 00:29:49,822 --> 00:29:51,355 "it's probably a little too dark. 718 00:29:51,357 --> 00:29:53,724 I need to do something about it. I'm going to proof it down." 719 00:29:53,726 --> 00:29:55,626 and I felt like, to be honest, 720 00:29:55,628 --> 00:29:57,895 I felt like maybe you went a little too far with it. 721 00:29:57,897 --> 00:29:59,062 Yeah, I did. 722 00:29:59,064 --> 00:30:02,166 The taste doesn't line up with the color. 723 00:30:02,168 --> 00:30:04,034 Casey, I feel like you had 724 00:30:04,036 --> 00:30:06,670 some really nice grain notes on the nose, 725 00:30:06,672 --> 00:30:09,473 and then on the finish I felt like it got a little flat. 726 00:30:11,010 --> 00:30:15,245 You vastly improved the jar of liquor 727 00:30:15,247 --> 00:30:16,713 that you first brought us. 728 00:30:16,715 --> 00:30:19,483 The fact that you have the skill to take that jar 729 00:30:19,485 --> 00:30:21,652 and improve it as much as you did -- 730 00:30:21,654 --> 00:30:24,621 -thanks, sir. -...Is pretty impressive. 731 00:30:26,559 --> 00:30:28,125 It's going to be with heavy hearts 732 00:30:28,127 --> 00:30:30,494 that we got to say bye to one of you. 733 00:30:32,765 --> 00:30:34,932 Casey, this jar bought you a ticket home. 734 00:30:34,934 --> 00:30:36,433 All right. Appreciate you guys. 735 00:30:36,435 --> 00:30:38,202 -Sorry, old buddy. -It's all right, man. 736 00:30:38,204 --> 00:30:39,837 Casey: Finding out I'm eliminated is tough. 737 00:30:39,839 --> 00:30:41,238 I came off with the worst jar, 738 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:43,373 I improved it the best I can, but it wasn't enough. 739 00:30:43,375 --> 00:30:45,142 Good luck, my friend, good to see you. 740 00:30:45,144 --> 00:30:47,511 Extremely wanted to get to that last round 741 00:30:47,513 --> 00:30:49,112 and take my home recipe 742 00:30:49,114 --> 00:30:51,248 and show these guys what I'm working with. 743 00:30:53,352 --> 00:30:55,018 Back to west virginia I go. 744 00:30:55,020 --> 00:30:56,520 Time to move on. 745 00:30:56,522 --> 00:30:58,488 The final run is going to be made from the ingredients 746 00:30:58,490 --> 00:30:59,790 that you brought with you. 747 00:30:59,792 --> 00:31:02,259 That's going to be your signature mash bill 748 00:31:02,261 --> 00:31:05,195 and that'll be your signature run. 749 00:31:05,197 --> 00:31:07,564 Narrator: For generations, american whiskeys 750 00:31:07,566 --> 00:31:10,767 have been divided by dominant regional grains. 751 00:31:10,769 --> 00:31:12,936 In the south, corn is king. 752 00:31:12,938 --> 00:31:16,874 In the north, cold-tolerant crops like barley and rye rule. 753 00:31:16,876 --> 00:31:19,710 For the final round, the last two distillers 754 00:31:19,712 --> 00:31:21,778 must craft their own signature whiskey 755 00:31:21,780 --> 00:31:24,348 using local grains they brought from home. 756 00:31:24,350 --> 00:31:26,550 Johnny: I'm a traditional old school distiller 757 00:31:26,552 --> 00:31:29,920 known for making just a simple good corn liquor. 758 00:31:29,922 --> 00:31:32,055 It's a single grain mash, you got crack corn. 759 00:31:32,057 --> 00:31:33,991 Instead of whole corn, crack corn or yeast 760 00:31:33,993 --> 00:31:36,193 has already busted out. A lot of the old timers say 761 00:31:36,195 --> 00:31:38,729 I hadn't had anything like that for a long time, 762 00:31:38,731 --> 00:31:41,531 and it kind of takes them way back to the younger years. 763 00:31:41,533 --> 00:31:43,000 Okay, grain it down a little more 764 00:31:43,002 --> 00:31:44,101 and then we'll put your yeast 765 00:31:44,103 --> 00:31:45,569 and let her work off and do her thing. 766 00:31:45,571 --> 00:31:49,439 A few days, come back and we'll run it off. 767 00:31:50,843 --> 00:31:53,577 Peter: I am making a multigrain mash. 768 00:31:53,579 --> 00:31:57,915 I used flake corn maize, rye, and then I use barley. 769 00:31:57,917 --> 00:32:01,318 The malted barley actually will help the corn convert 770 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:03,020 from those starches into sugars. 771 00:32:03,022 --> 00:32:05,355 And then I also throw in triticale. 772 00:32:05,357 --> 00:32:10,427 And triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye. 773 00:32:10,429 --> 00:32:13,363 I don't want this grain in my mash when I ferment it, 774 00:32:13,365 --> 00:32:15,565 so I'm going to have to hand siphon all of it. 775 00:32:15,567 --> 00:32:18,936 These grains love to soak up a lot of your mash 776 00:32:18,938 --> 00:32:21,371 so you really got to make sure you squeeze that out. 777 00:32:21,373 --> 00:32:23,707 About 17 more to go. 778 00:32:23,709 --> 00:32:25,509 Narrator: Once the yeast is added, 779 00:32:25,511 --> 00:32:27,477 the mash is left to ferment. 780 00:32:27,479 --> 00:32:28,946 During fermentation, 781 00:32:28,948 --> 00:32:32,015 the yeast consumes the sugars and starches in the mix 782 00:32:32,017 --> 00:32:34,818 and releases alcohol as a byproduct. 783 00:32:34,820 --> 00:32:38,822 When the mash's alcohol content reaches 10% to 20%, 784 00:32:38,824 --> 00:32:42,159 the yeast dies off and it's ready to distill. 785 00:32:42,161 --> 00:32:46,296 ♪ 786 00:32:46,298 --> 00:32:49,433 digger: Well, men, if your mash is ready, it's time 787 00:32:49,435 --> 00:32:52,936 for y'all to run it and let's see what you can do with it. 788 00:32:52,938 --> 00:32:55,405 This is going to decide who's master distiller. 789 00:32:55,407 --> 00:32:57,174 We're going to give you four hours. 790 00:32:57,176 --> 00:32:59,676 You get a jar on the table and lid on that jar, 791 00:32:59,678 --> 00:33:02,079 starting... 792 00:33:02,081 --> 00:33:03,413 Now. 793 00:33:06,385 --> 00:33:09,353 Peter: It was like a muhammad ali/frazier fight. 794 00:33:09,355 --> 00:33:10,620 Johnny won the first round. 795 00:33:10,622 --> 00:33:12,456 I won the second round with the oaking. 796 00:33:12,458 --> 00:33:15,292 ♪ 797 00:33:15,294 --> 00:33:17,127 johnny: I'm glad I made it to the last run 798 00:33:17,129 --> 00:33:19,229 and the last run being what we do at home, 799 00:33:19,231 --> 00:33:20,430 that's one I'm more comfortably with, 800 00:33:20,432 --> 00:33:22,132 so I feel real good about it. 801 00:33:22,134 --> 00:33:25,502 Johnny's, his just look like a standard corn grain and mash. 802 00:33:25,504 --> 00:33:27,404 Isn't that white corn? 803 00:33:27,406 --> 00:33:29,172 Well, they use white corn and yellow corn. 804 00:33:29,174 --> 00:33:32,009 They use whatever was in their area. 805 00:33:32,011 --> 00:33:34,444 We have very little white corn. 806 00:33:36,749 --> 00:33:39,616 Peter's looks a little heavier. 807 00:33:39,618 --> 00:33:41,685 Looks like whole milk, rather than skim milk. 808 00:33:41,687 --> 00:33:44,287 He's got a lot of rye in his, I can tell that from out here. 809 00:33:44,289 --> 00:33:45,689 He's got rye and barley. 810 00:33:45,691 --> 00:33:47,057 I'm pretty sure from new york, 811 00:33:47,059 --> 00:33:49,960 he's going to have something different. 812 00:33:49,962 --> 00:33:52,195 So on the final run I'm going with four grain. 813 00:33:52,197 --> 00:33:53,530 I want to take that risk 814 00:33:53,532 --> 00:33:55,932 because I'm trying to give them a jar of liquor 815 00:33:55,934 --> 00:33:58,535 that they haven't had, something that's different. 816 00:33:58,537 --> 00:34:00,971 Now, you didn't have no grain in yours. 817 00:34:00,973 --> 00:34:02,439 What happened? -Nope. 818 00:34:02,441 --> 00:34:04,875 I fermented off the grain. I mashed it down 819 00:34:04,877 --> 00:34:08,078 and then cleaned all of it off through the siphon over there 820 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:10,280 and decided to go off the grain. 821 00:34:10,282 --> 00:34:14,351 ♪ 822 00:34:14,353 --> 00:34:17,387 now peter is fixing to light his up. 823 00:34:17,389 --> 00:34:19,556 Did you lose any eyebrows over there, peter? 824 00:34:19,558 --> 00:34:22,692 I lost a little bit of hair for sure there, I smell it. 825 00:34:22,694 --> 00:34:25,295 Well, that'll happen on these big jobs. 826 00:34:25,297 --> 00:34:27,831 Tim: There we go, getting ready to get some over here. 827 00:34:27,833 --> 00:34:29,833 Yeah, they're pretty much neck and neck 828 00:34:29,835 --> 00:34:31,735 on everything right now. 829 00:34:31,737 --> 00:34:33,437 Once we get that heat dispersing, 830 00:34:33,439 --> 00:34:35,505 boy, it'll kick in pretty quick, won't it? 831 00:34:35,507 --> 00:34:38,075 -Yep. -That's when things happen. 832 00:34:44,450 --> 00:34:46,349 Gentlemen, 20 minutes. 833 00:34:46,351 --> 00:34:48,051 Narrator: Two perfect jars.... 834 00:34:48,053 --> 00:34:50,220 I believe I'm going to edge him out and be master distiller. 835 00:34:50,222 --> 00:34:52,022 Mark: You got something sitting on a table over here 836 00:34:52,024 --> 00:34:53,690 that's going to give you a run for your money. 837 00:34:53,692 --> 00:34:55,358 Maybe I'm going to give him a run for his money. 838 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:58,195 ...But only one winning whiskey. 839 00:34:58,197 --> 00:35:01,064 It's master distiller, it ain't distiller. 840 00:35:04,169 --> 00:35:06,336 She's about ready to start spitting out. 841 00:35:06,338 --> 00:35:08,405 It's tricking me, holding back a little bit. 842 00:35:08,407 --> 00:35:10,640 Digger: Oh, yeah, it's right there on the edge ain't it? 843 00:35:10,642 --> 00:35:11,741 Yes, sir. 844 00:35:11,743 --> 00:35:14,744 That's kind of like j.B. At pissing. 845 00:35:14,746 --> 00:35:17,414 Boys, we got liquor coming out. 846 00:35:17,416 --> 00:35:21,218 Squirts a little bit, then stops and starts back. 847 00:35:21,220 --> 00:35:22,786 Oh, god. I suppose that happens 848 00:35:22,788 --> 00:35:24,454 when we get a little older, right? 849 00:35:24,456 --> 00:35:27,757 Well, I found out after I got past 50. 850 00:35:27,759 --> 00:35:30,327 You think you're through pissing until you put it up. 851 00:35:30,329 --> 00:35:32,028 That's... -[ laughs ] 852 00:35:35,734 --> 00:35:39,302 johnny's, his just looks like a standard corn grain mash. 853 00:35:39,304 --> 00:35:42,772 Narrator: A southern outlaw shiner and a new york undertaker. 854 00:35:42,774 --> 00:35:44,574 Digger: Peter's is a little heavier. 855 00:35:44,576 --> 00:35:46,676 It's like whole milk than skim milk. 856 00:35:46,678 --> 00:35:49,779 We're going with the grain for the final run 857 00:35:49,781 --> 00:35:52,415 of their signature american whiskey. 858 00:35:52,417 --> 00:35:53,683 Boys, you got two hours. 859 00:35:53,685 --> 00:35:58,355 But only one can be the next master distiller. 860 00:35:58,357 --> 00:36:00,757 Peter: So this is my first collection jar right here. 861 00:36:00,759 --> 00:36:02,192 Johnny: You're running pretty clear. 862 00:36:02,194 --> 00:36:04,161 I'm very pleased with how it's coming out looking. 863 00:36:04,163 --> 00:36:07,597 Got a good strain, good high proof and good sweet corn smell. 864 00:36:07,599 --> 00:36:09,666 Tim: Yeah, both of them got the "a" game. 865 00:36:09,668 --> 00:36:12,736 It may be difficult for us to make a decision. 866 00:36:12,738 --> 00:36:15,539 All that corn smell's starting to really come through. 867 00:36:15,541 --> 00:36:17,240 Smells good. 868 00:36:17,242 --> 00:36:19,409 We've got to bring our "a" game too. 869 00:36:22,748 --> 00:36:24,080 Good corn flavor, right? 870 00:36:24,082 --> 00:36:26,016 Mm-hmm. Nice and clean. 871 00:36:26,018 --> 00:36:28,451 Yeah. I always like the smell of that corn. 872 00:36:28,453 --> 00:36:32,556 I believe the judges is gonna like my corn liquor. 873 00:36:32,558 --> 00:36:34,691 Going to take them back to simple times 874 00:36:34,693 --> 00:36:36,560 back when it was just pure straight corn liquor 875 00:36:36,562 --> 00:36:38,261 and a lot of flavors wasn't around. 876 00:36:38,263 --> 00:36:39,930 I know you've got straight corn. 877 00:36:39,932 --> 00:36:41,598 Peter's got a combination. 878 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:43,099 Peter: I am going with four grains. 879 00:36:43,101 --> 00:36:45,769 I wanted to do something that they hadn't had. 880 00:36:47,773 --> 00:36:51,007 Something that hasn't been brought around them too much. 881 00:36:53,011 --> 00:36:54,444 Gentlemen, 20 minutes. 882 00:36:54,446 --> 00:36:55,812 I'm shutting mine down. 883 00:36:55,814 --> 00:36:58,415 Johnny: You're back there playing mad scientist. 884 00:36:58,417 --> 00:37:01,384 Yeah, no, it's all about that, huh, buddy? 885 00:37:04,289 --> 00:37:05,689 Pete's a tough competitor. 886 00:37:05,691 --> 00:37:07,290 It's been a tough bout all the way through, 887 00:37:07,292 --> 00:37:08,892 but I believe I'm going to edge him out 888 00:37:08,894 --> 00:37:09,960 and be a master distiller. 889 00:37:09,962 --> 00:37:11,595 I got her about where I wanted her, 890 00:37:11,597 --> 00:37:14,698 and a good taste, corn comes through real well. 891 00:37:14,700 --> 00:37:17,834 Proof about where we need it, good and clear. 892 00:37:17,836 --> 00:37:20,337 That's all I got to offer. 893 00:37:20,339 --> 00:37:22,239 Fellas, this is what I got to offer you. 894 00:37:22,241 --> 00:37:23,373 Is that the one, johnny? 895 00:37:23,375 --> 00:37:24,541 -That's the one? -Pick of the litter. 896 00:37:24,543 --> 00:37:26,643 Yeah, it sure is clear. 897 00:37:26,645 --> 00:37:28,645 -Yes, it is. -It is nice, buddy. 898 00:37:28,647 --> 00:37:32,048 Pete, the pressure's on, let me tell you. 899 00:37:32,050 --> 00:37:34,551 Johnny is tough, man. He's got me worried. 900 00:37:34,553 --> 00:37:35,919 I can't lie. 901 00:37:37,522 --> 00:37:40,056 But I'm happy with the run, I couldn't do any better. 902 00:37:40,058 --> 00:37:41,658 I think it tastes pretty goshdarn good. 903 00:37:41,660 --> 00:37:43,693 You got something sitting on a table over here 904 00:37:43,695 --> 00:37:45,862 it's going to give you a run for your money. 905 00:37:45,864 --> 00:37:47,464 -Well. -I can see it. 906 00:37:47,466 --> 00:37:51,067 I think I'm going to give him a run for his money. 907 00:37:51,069 --> 00:37:53,803 -Good luck to both of you. -Thank you. 908 00:37:53,805 --> 00:37:55,038 All right, boys. 909 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:56,806 We're going to start with the first jar that came in? 910 00:37:56,808 --> 00:37:57,907 It don't matter to me. 911 00:37:57,909 --> 00:37:59,509 -Welcome back. -What's going on, guys? 912 00:37:59,511 --> 00:38:00,810 Long time, no see, brother. 913 00:38:00,812 --> 00:38:02,212 Tim: And just in time. 914 00:38:02,214 --> 00:38:04,347 This is johnny boy's, straight corn. 915 00:38:04,349 --> 00:38:05,382 Well, I can smell that. 916 00:38:05,384 --> 00:38:06,683 Don't even have to raise it to my nose. 917 00:38:06,685 --> 00:38:08,885 Man: Yeah, johnny be good right there. 918 00:38:08,887 --> 00:38:10,387 What corn liquor is supposed to be? 919 00:38:10,389 --> 00:38:13,156 It's sweet at the front and then finishes with a little bite. 920 00:38:15,761 --> 00:38:17,327 I'd like to have a truckload of that. 921 00:38:17,329 --> 00:38:19,996 You ain't [bleep] good, good bead. 922 00:38:19,998 --> 00:38:21,131 He's on the money. 923 00:38:21,133 --> 00:38:24,601 I don't know that a better jar is possible. 924 00:38:24,603 --> 00:38:27,270 It's just back to back good corn liquor. 925 00:38:27,272 --> 00:38:29,139 That may be 105 on the tongue. 926 00:38:29,141 --> 00:38:32,976 -It's 100 on the bead though. -It is one good-looking jar. 927 00:38:32,978 --> 00:38:35,578 This jar right here might just raise the bar. 928 00:38:35,580 --> 00:38:36,913 I've made a lot of corn liquor 929 00:38:36,915 --> 00:38:38,682 and I wouldn't want to go up head to head with him. 930 00:38:38,684 --> 00:38:40,917 -Nope. -God, it's so good. 931 00:38:40,919 --> 00:38:43,119 It's so good, you can do so much with that. 932 00:38:43,121 --> 00:38:45,322 You know the old undertaker. 933 00:38:45,324 --> 00:38:48,258 I know that that one's going to be different... 934 00:38:48,260 --> 00:38:52,962 Because he's got multigrains in there. 935 00:38:52,964 --> 00:38:56,900 He's got rye, malted barley and corn. 936 00:38:56,902 --> 00:38:58,435 It's got something different. 937 00:38:58,437 --> 00:39:00,804 The hybrid grain he put in there. 938 00:39:00,806 --> 00:39:06,076 ♪ 939 00:39:06,078 --> 00:39:09,312 it's damn good. 940 00:39:09,314 --> 00:39:11,348 And that spice is rye. 941 00:39:11,350 --> 00:39:13,883 It's got a good rye finish on it. 942 00:39:13,885 --> 00:39:15,518 Mm-hmm. [ whistles ] 943 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:18,655 for me, it breaks down from front to back. 944 00:39:18,657 --> 00:39:22,225 So I think complexity for sure. 945 00:39:22,227 --> 00:39:23,660 This is crazy. 946 00:39:23,662 --> 00:39:25,595 Now, I'm up a stump on what I'm going to do here. 947 00:39:25,597 --> 00:39:27,230 I might flip a damn coin. 948 00:39:27,232 --> 00:39:28,698 Lord, have mercy. 949 00:39:28,700 --> 00:39:31,634 So I think what we're trying to figure out is, what can we sell? 950 00:39:31,636 --> 00:39:33,570 What would we put on the shelf? 951 00:39:33,572 --> 00:39:37,774 I mean, it's master distiller. It ain't distiller. 952 00:39:42,714 --> 00:39:45,882 Inside these jars, they're both winners. 953 00:39:45,884 --> 00:39:49,419 Unfortunately, we've got to make one of you 954 00:39:49,421 --> 00:39:52,722 off the next master distiller. 955 00:39:52,724 --> 00:39:57,227 Jones: You know, they're both so exceptional. 956 00:39:57,229 --> 00:40:00,730 I really think, johnny, you're really raising the bar 957 00:40:00,732 --> 00:40:03,032 on what corn liquor should be. 958 00:40:03,034 --> 00:40:04,634 We're kind of blown away by it. 959 00:40:04,636 --> 00:40:06,736 I don't know about that, but I appreciate the compliment. 960 00:40:06,738 --> 00:40:07,971 No, it is. 961 00:40:07,973 --> 00:40:09,739 Digger: There are people that spend a lifetime 962 00:40:09,741 --> 00:40:13,143 working in legal distillery trying to achieve this. 963 00:40:13,145 --> 00:40:16,780 Jones: Peter, this jar of whiskey right here 964 00:40:16,782 --> 00:40:19,682 probably encompasses everything 965 00:40:19,684 --> 00:40:22,752 I would expect from a master distiller. 966 00:40:22,754 --> 00:40:26,022 Digger: Yep. I mean hell, it's still rolling around 967 00:40:26,024 --> 00:40:27,424 inside of us right now. 968 00:40:27,426 --> 00:40:29,993 Thank you. 969 00:40:29,995 --> 00:40:31,561 As a master distiller, 970 00:40:31,563 --> 00:40:35,965 you're going to get your liquor put on the shelves... 971 00:40:35,967 --> 00:40:39,302 And when it comes down to it... 972 00:40:39,304 --> 00:40:42,505 Peter... 973 00:40:42,507 --> 00:40:44,574 You're the next master distiller. 974 00:40:44,576 --> 00:40:46,409 -Congratulations, peter. -Thank you, buddy. 975 00:40:46,411 --> 00:40:48,511 -Man, you better... -Oh, yeah. Thank you. 976 00:40:48,513 --> 00:40:49,746 It's disappointing to lose, 977 00:40:49,748 --> 00:40:51,314 but I lost to a great competitor. 978 00:40:51,316 --> 00:40:52,582 And then them telling me that 979 00:40:52,584 --> 00:40:54,250 it was a second-to-none corn liquor, 980 00:40:54,252 --> 00:40:55,452 I've raised the bar, 981 00:40:55,454 --> 00:40:57,420 I'm going back with more than what I come with. 982 00:40:57,422 --> 00:40:59,522 Johnny, it was just the marketability, 983 00:40:59,524 --> 00:41:00,924 that's what we had to look at. -Okay. 984 00:41:00,926 --> 00:41:02,225 Peter: Johnny's a great competitor. 985 00:41:02,227 --> 00:41:03,960 I mean, I learned a lot from him here. 986 00:41:03,962 --> 00:41:05,061 Congratulations. 987 00:41:05,063 --> 00:41:06,362 Thank you, digger. Thank you, man. 988 00:41:06,364 --> 00:41:07,764 -You're welcome. -I appreciate it. 989 00:41:07,766 --> 00:41:10,099 I won master distiller today, 990 00:41:10,101 --> 00:41:11,935 and it's pretty crazy. 991 00:41:11,937 --> 00:41:15,138 ♪ 992 00:41:15,140 --> 00:41:18,107 narrator: Next time on "master distiller"... 993 00:41:18,109 --> 00:41:20,210 You'll be making a pechuga mezcal. 994 00:41:20,212 --> 00:41:22,278 ...The moonshine of mexico. 995 00:41:22,280 --> 00:41:24,080 -They're hiding in the forests. -Like us. 996 00:41:24,082 --> 00:41:26,416 Narrator: Like tequila with a twist. 997 00:41:26,418 --> 00:41:28,718 I've never put a chicken in still pot. 998 00:41:28,720 --> 00:41:32,822 But only one shiner can survive this mexican standoff.