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Moonshiners: Master Distiller - Season 8 - Episode 02: Rye Whiskey, Rye Whiskey
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00:00In September 2023, the world lost moonshine legend, Jim Tom Hedrick.
00:07Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, please don't let me down.
00:13Now, three backwoods liquor makers.
00:16It's going to taste just like Jim Tom's rye whiskey.
00:19Honor the legacy.
00:20It's a surprise on your palate.
00:22Of a man known for his unusual still designs.
00:25Jim Tom's saying you've got to run rye liquor backwards to what you run corn liquor anywhere.
00:31And compete to put their own twist.
00:34Whoa.
00:34That's rye whiskey is what that is.
00:36On Jim Tom's legendary rye whiskey recipe.
00:40Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, don't let me down.
00:45That's about the poorest representation I've seen of it, but well done.
01:04Guys, welcome back to Master Distiller.
01:07Every one of you has been here in some form or fashion.
01:10We're here to see what you can do again.
01:13Today's really an extra special day.
01:16We're here honoring Jim Tom Hedrick.
01:19He was an old school shiner, a master steel builder, and a world class storyteller.
01:25Jim Tom was a master for sure.
01:28He was a legend.
01:29He taught a lot of young shiners like myself how to make steels, how to make moonshine.
01:34He was a big part of keeping the heritage, the traditions alive, and I miss him.
01:41What's that, Jill?
01:42That gets my women for me.
01:44For over 60 years, Marvin Jim Tom Hedrick made moonshine as bold and punchy as his personality.
01:54He's pretty much a legend.
01:56That's moving the baby time in.
01:58Born dirt poor in Graham County, North Carolina on Christmas Day in 1940,
02:05Jim Tom first laid eyes on the backwoods still of a local moonshiner at just 15 years old.
02:12The guy that had the still, he said, Jim Tom, what do you think of the looks of this thing?
02:17I said, that's the prettiest thing I've ever seen in my life.
02:19Four years later, he built his own still and started running whiskey.
02:26I'm pretty good on this rye whiskey.
02:28Oh, I know.
02:29You're the best.
02:29He spent the next half of a century perfecting his craft, fabricating artisan copper stills,
02:36and mentoring the next generation of shiners.
02:39How in the world do you keep getting busted making moonshine all these years?
02:41They hunted for me for 50 years.
02:43While entertaining them with his renowned stories and songs.
02:47Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey, come on out.
02:49I'm a craving whiskey with my spouse.
02:52As a charismatic steward of the Appalachian moonshining tradition,
02:56Jim Tom's legacy of knowledge lives on.
02:59In the liquor and laughter of his successors.
03:02What do you think?
03:04That's what ours was missing.
03:06That's it.
03:06You done it.
03:09Today, we're going to do our best to pay homage to Jim Tom
03:14by making the best version of Jim Tom's famous rye whiskey.
03:20Rye is a very tricky grain.
03:22You got to grind it just right so you can unlock the full flavor,
03:27but not bring so much of the peppery spice from it that you can't enjoy it.
03:33Whoever makes us the best rye whiskey that we judge,
03:37that's your bragging rye you're going to get right there off the bat.
03:40But beyond that, you're going to get a little Jim Tom-related prize.
03:46We ask you all to bring your own signature mash that best represents Jim Tom's unaged legacy rye whiskey.
03:55Before you run your liquor, you're going to have to build your own condenser,
03:59just like Jim Tom.
04:03Behind you is a box of steel parts, tubing, torch, solder, whatever you need.
04:09You're going to have one hour to get us that cooling tub built.
04:12Get your worm bent, get it where it'll fit inside that can,
04:16get it soldered up where it will not leak.
04:18If you don't finish in time, or if you have an issue with your condenser,
04:24when it comes time to run, fellas, you're going to be up the creek.
04:28All right, guys, let's do this one for Jim Tom.
04:31One hour, your time starts now.
04:34Good luck, guys, and get with you.
04:35Get on it.
04:36Here we go.
04:38We got a coal copper.
04:40Yeah, coil, we got to figure out.
04:43To make Jim Tom's signature condenser,
04:46moonshiners will bend the copper pipe into a coil with a downward slope to create the worm
04:51and solder together a watertight vessel for it to sit in called a flake stand.
04:57The alcohol vapor must flow freely from the still through the worm
05:01where it condenses into high-proof liquor,
05:03as any leaks will cause the moonshiners to lose alcohol
05:06and impact the flavor of their whiskey.
05:09I got a suggestion.
05:11Let's work together, bending our coil.
05:13We got to find something in here that we can bend it around besides JJ's leg.
05:18It won't go down in the can if we use it.
05:22My personal experience of building a condenser is almost zero.
05:26I have seen it, I have helped with it, but I have never been in charge of it.
05:30I like the fact that they're helping each other.
05:33Yeah, they are.
05:34You know, it'd be really hard to do by yourself.
05:35Jim Tom would be proud of watching what's going on.
05:38We're reversing.
05:40Yeah, I want it to run backwards.
05:44The Jim Tom say you got to run rye liquor backwards to watch you run corn liquor.
05:50Yeah, you were.
05:50Yeah.
05:51I'm Kelly Williamson, 57 years old, from Cosby, Tennessee.
05:56We've got liquor coming.
05:58I've been moonshining pretty much my adult life.
06:01Where I'm from, everybody has a family history in moonshining.
06:04It's just there.
06:05It's what happened.
06:06It's what went on.
06:06All these little rings they've got, I bet these things will make really good spacers.
06:11You know, my moonshining style is old school, and I think that's what I incorporate into
06:16it, and Jim Tom was one of the forefathers that taught us that.
06:19I spent quite a bit of time with Jim Tom over a few years, and Jim Tom taught a lot
06:24to me.
06:25You know, he had so much experience in life.
06:27He'd been everywhere and done everything.
06:31I want to win it for Jim Tom and to pay respect to him.
06:35All right.
06:36I'm comfortable with that.
06:38I've built several pot stills.
06:40So I've got a knack for building things.
06:43So hopefully that'll show up today when I really need it.
06:47I smell hair.
06:48I think you've got the most to lose here.
06:51Yeah.
06:52I'm Joe Jackson.
06:53I'm from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and I'm 38 years old.
06:57I was in the 82nd Airborne Division.
06:59I was an infantryman.
07:02I did several deployments to Afghanistan.
07:05I've been through hell and high water at this point in my life.
07:09So making liquor is kind of like a therapy session for me.
07:12Oh, smell that.
07:15Holy Jiminy.
07:16Now, I run liquor for a living.
07:19I've competed on Master Distiller before.
07:22I did not win.
07:23Joe, I now understand a little more why that label says high and angry.
07:29Instantly, it'll get you high.
07:32So coming back, I'm here to prove myself.
07:35But also, I'm here to really honor a legend.
07:40I think these are all going to be interestingly different.
07:44In the moonshine world, Jim Tom is a legend.
07:46The tradition and the heritage behind what he did and accomplished is to be respected.
07:51I am a Master Distiller, and I want the judges to see it in their eyes.
07:57I have really put a lot of time and effort into this, into the science behind it,
08:01and hopefully that shines through in my final jar.
08:05It ain't pretty, but it'll do.
08:09I come in here and have to build a condenser, something I normally don't do.
08:14I just make the liquor, sell the liquor.
08:15But if a condenser needs to be built, I gotta build it.
08:18I ain't got mine fitting like y'all.
08:20My name's Big Chuck. I'm from Gurdon, Arkansas.
08:26Voila, cap done fell.
08:29Bitter.
08:30I've been making liquor now about seven, eight years.
08:33Started off as a means to make an income,
08:35then I kind of grew into loving the craft and learning more about it.
08:39We out in the woods, so we ain't got to worry about making a mess.
08:41I've been on Master Distiller one other time.
08:44Some old mud bugs there at Crawfish.
08:46And I really shocked and awed everybody
08:49because I brought dead crawfish up here and made liquor out of it.
08:53Big Chuck, that jar bought you a ticket home.
08:55I'm awful sorry, old buddy.
08:57But not winning the previous time.
08:59I'm on a mission here.
09:00Not only am I here to pay tribute to Jim Tom,
09:02I'm also here for redemption.
09:03So victory, here we come.
09:07Holy crap.
09:09Fell apart.
09:10Means it wasn't sordered right.
09:12Hey, it might be a crooked road home, but we'll get there.
09:15As long as it don't leak.
09:19Gentlemen, 20 minutes left to finish those rascals.
09:22Alrighty.
09:24All right.
09:28Are you supposed to put a tube on it?
09:30I did.
09:31So then I can run it out towards the middle,
09:33so then it's not just pulling on the side.
09:37Damn, I can't do that.
09:38Is your pipe right in the way?
09:40Yep.
09:41Hmm, this is going to be tough here.
09:43Doing all these little things, seal everything really good,
09:46put all the right places in the right parts,
09:47making sure that worm's good and even and level.
09:50It's important because if it ain't set up right,
09:52you ain't going to run good liquor.
09:53And I ain't no coppersmith,
09:54so this ain't going so good for me right now.
09:58You're looking a little crooked over there.
10:00Yeah.
10:01Get in there, you son of a bitch.
10:03Man, you got five minutes left.
10:06Look at you.
10:07That boy.
10:09Oh, look at that.
10:10Now you're using that head for more than just a place to put that cap.
10:13I've got this thing together.
10:14It's not beautiful by no means.
10:16Jim Tom might be like,
10:18you did the best you can and it looks like it might work.
10:21Oops.
10:23Here, turn it up and look down in.
10:27I understand how copper works and how to put it together,
10:29so I think I'm good to make liquor.
10:32All right, I'm good.
10:34Let's see if I'm going to leak.
10:39Oh, my God.
10:41It's all leaking.
10:42Wow.
10:44Congratulations, Chuck.
10:46You have invented the sifter.
10:47Talking about embarrassing.
10:48If I get on here and this thing ain't going to run right
10:51and it's going to be springing leaks and I can't even run liquor.
10:53It ain't looking good.
11:00Oh, my God.
11:02It's all leaking.
11:04Even though I don't really know what I'm doing
11:05and soldering and all that,
11:07if it's leaking, then you've got to deal with it.
11:09So I'm going to solder everywhere
11:10and seal everything really good.
11:13I mean, Chuck's like a dog pissing in the snow.
11:15He's just hitting here and there.
11:17Hold the torch in one spot.
11:18You don't have to move it.
11:20Man, you got one minute.
11:23You've got a leak.
11:25You ain't going to get to do your run.
11:28No leak in the worm.
11:30Five, four, three, two, one.
11:36You're done, guys.
11:37Step away from them cans.
11:39Whew.
11:40Y'all chase on out of here.
11:42We've got to do a little inspection on the work.
11:45Whew.
11:47That's what I'm saying.
11:50Let's go over here
11:51and see what kind of gum they've caused.
11:53It looks pretty dang good from here.
11:55It don't look horrible bad at all,
11:58even if Kelly did do it.
11:59Let's check and see if the worm has got a leak in it.
12:02Rock and roll.
12:05I know, yeah.
12:06Yeah, it'll make it spurt.
12:08Yeah, he'll lose liquor.
12:09You know, that's why you've got to do this.
12:11This ain't going to work for him like it is.
12:13So now we've got to fill the can completely up.
12:16Here we go.
12:23The seal looks good around the edges.
12:25Kelly is not leaking around the base or his hand lips.
12:30We're ready to move on to number two?
12:32Joe Joe.
12:33Joe's worm looks the way it's supposed to look.
12:35It looks good, don't it?
12:36Yeah.
12:37Yeah.
12:37I'm concerned about the bottom.
12:41No, we're good.
12:42I just blasted.
12:43I'm going to pass Joe.
12:44He's good to go.
12:45Moving on down the line.
12:46The man that struggled the most.
12:48My big chuck.
12:50That soldering kind of looks like I did it.
12:53The worm looks okay.
12:54See if it leaks.
12:55Here we go.
12:58Whoop.
12:59Nope.
13:00No, sir, absolutely not.
13:03That's got a major leak.
13:04Here.
13:05Ain't no need to look at that.
13:09That does pose a little problem for this young man.
13:12But on the upside, I really don't think his bottom leaked at all.
13:16Hell, it ought not.
13:17He's got a pound of solder on it.
13:19Well, Big Chuck's got a big leak to fix.
13:21He's going to have to include the fix, the repair of this condenser in his four-hour time frame.
13:28You guys okay with that?
13:29I mean, it could take him one minute or take him ten minutes.
13:32That's his fault.
13:33First time he's ever done it, though?
13:34I think he's done a good job.
13:35Yeah, for me, he's never done any soldering before.
13:49Welcome back, guys.
13:50We put the mash that you built to best represent Jim and Tom's famous rye whiskey.
13:56And we got these stills and the condensers you built.
13:59There's still some issues, and Mark's going to address them.
14:02Kelly, you've got a low spot on the very top of your worm.
14:07It will cause it to spurt.
14:12Joel, you're good to go, boss.
14:15No problems at all with your condenser.
14:18Chuck, you've got a pretty bad leak on your inlet water valve.
14:23It's an easy fix.
14:24It's just a big leak.
14:26The good news is it's just one leak.
14:29The bad news is it's a pretty bad leak.
14:31If I can't get this all together, I won't be able to make this run happen.
14:34You don't get any additional time.
14:36You have to rectify the problems during your run.
14:40All right, boys, we're looking for a clear jar of 100 proof that brings out that spicy rye.
14:47Y'all better get it right.
14:49Three hours bring us that jar that best represents Jim Tom Hedrick's Mountain Rye Whiskey.
14:58That starts now.
14:59Get with you, guys.
15:03For the first run, Moonshiners brought their own Backwoods Rye Whiskey Mash.
15:09Producing a winning jar will come down to its spicy rye flavor and the capability of their handmade condensers to
15:16yield a high-proof shine that holds up to Jim Tom's famous whiskey.
15:20Chuck, you're making a mess.
15:22Yeah, baby.
15:22We came here to make a mess.
15:27I went with about 40 pounds of rye.
15:28Then I went with about 20 pounds of caramel malt and about 10 pounds of malted barley.
15:32And then I put a couple gallons of sorghum molasses in there just to add another flavor dynamic.
15:36I ain't ever seen no mash like that in my whole life.
15:42Will you wait till you try it, Josh?
15:44It's a surprise on your palate.
15:46Jim Tom, he's a pretty traditional guy.
15:48I mean, all his liquor recipes seem to be pretty cut and dry.
15:50Just a couple grains, a little sugar.
15:53And I thought I'd add my own little twist to it, man.
15:55Put some flavors in there that maybe they're not used to seeing put together.
16:00Look at yours.
16:00It's looking like yellow milk.
16:02What you got in yours?
16:03So I got Danko rye.
16:05It's grown in Pennsylvania.
16:07I've got Argentine orange corn, a little bit of light crystal malt, some triticale, and some oats.
16:15I ain't heard none of them.
16:17A myriad of things, I guess.
16:19Rye has a storied past.
16:20Before Prohibition, the majority of the spirits in the United States were rye whiskeys.
16:25So I wanted to pay homage to Jim Tom by using that Danko rye as a base.
16:30I went so far as to even throw a tequila yeast at this.
16:33I'm sure that was abundant in Robbinsville, North Carolina in 1990 when Jim Tom was at his heyday.
16:40Jim Tom's favorite jar of liquor was the last one that he'd drunk.
16:43And his next favorite was the next one he's going to drink.
16:46I'm going back to stories with Jim Tom and what I feel like he would have had access to.
16:51But he loved fiery, spicy rye whiskey.
16:56And I used a sample ground Carolina rye.
17:00Out of the three competitors, I'm the only one that actually knew Jim Tom.
17:04And I feel like that being from this area and knowing him and just understanding the way he did things,
17:10it should have given me a little bit of an edge.
17:13Damn him.
17:17All right, gentlemen, you have officially burned 30 minutes.
17:28So where's the leak at?
17:30It looks like it's right in here.
17:32Oh, yeah.
17:33This leak is on a joint there.
17:35So I think it's all the worm on the side and got it fixed, got it connected.
17:39Now we're rolling.
17:40Hour and a half in, hour and a half left, guys.
17:48So far, so good.
17:49If it ain't leaking, I'm going to say you're home free.
17:52Take me home.
17:55Yeah, this is going to run soon.
17:58I've got liquor.
18:00All right, here we go.
18:05You're running, baby.
18:07Sargum's coming through.
18:09I can smell that sargum.
18:10I'm getting the sargum on the nose.
18:12And it's kind of presenting a funky nose.
18:17I am worried about that.
18:19And yeah, molasses is an acquired taste.
18:21I mean, a lot of people like it or you don't.
18:23That's all them fancy ingredients we're working out for you, boys.
18:25I want notes on notes and flavor bridges on flavor bridges.
18:29That's what I'm aiming at.
18:30I understand that flavors and all these infusions is the way of the future,
18:35but without some heritage to it, that doesn't hold on very long and very strong.
18:40Just remember this part.
18:42Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, don't let me down.
18:46That's about the poorest representation I've seen of it, but well done.
18:54I played this thing pretty close on what I felt like Jim Tom would do.
18:59We've got the spice of the rye and I've got the proof good.
19:02I think I'm ready for you to have one.
19:04Bring it on, big dog.
19:06Nice and clear.
19:07That's the one.
19:09Sample.
19:09Chill out a little bit.
19:10One minute, gentlemen.
19:16Not meaning to ensue any panic or anything, but you're about to run out of time.
19:21It's a hundred proof on the head.
19:23It ain't got the nose I like, but it's got the smoothness and it's got the sweetness.
19:28Fifteen seconds, gentlemen.
19:30I think I got it.
19:31I know we've got some sweetness and that spicy characteristic of rye that is beloved by Jim Tom.
19:37Five, four, three, two, one.
19:40You're done.
19:42We've got three pretty clear jars right here.
19:44Hopefully, old Jim Tom will be smiling from up above at these jars.
19:48I promise she is.
19:49I'm going to go ahead and say that this is a proud day of my life, getting to be here
19:53and be part of this.
19:54We're going to go do a little tasting and deliberating.
19:58Here we go.
20:02Gentlemen, it's time to start tasting a little of this liquor and see who is best represented by our dear
20:09old friend, Jim Tom Hedrick.
20:11We set a criteria of a minimum of a hundred proof and the majority of the grain in the mash
20:16bill had to be rye.
20:18All right, y'all start with Kelly?
20:20Yeah.
20:21That right there is a clear jar, my friend.
20:25That's a nice feed.
20:26She's high in proof.
20:28I'm going to say he's a buck ten.
20:30I just played mine pretty close and tried to do traditional as much as I could.
20:42It's definitely spicy.
20:44It's absolutely rye whiskey.
20:47Nice, sweet flavor up front.
20:49Very sweet.
20:51Even when it is, it's got a good nose on it for rye.
20:53It finishes off on the back end with that hot, spicy pepper.
20:59That's what rye whiskey is supposed to be.
21:02Let's see what Joe Jackson's working with.
21:04Danko rye is his primary ingredient, and he's got Argentina orange corn.
21:09I'm going to say he's neighborhood 80.
21:12I wanted to find in the mash a way to unlock those little bridges between the flavors.
21:21It's like drinking water with alcohol in it or something.
21:28It's very, very light on the nose, but it don't have any of the spicy pepper on the back end
21:34like rye is noted for.
21:35I think that's what Danko is known for is a smoother finish.
21:39It's definitely low proof.
21:41The flavor profile is kind of reminiscent of a non-age bourbon, corn liquor with some barley in it.
21:48How about Big Chuck?
21:49You want to check it out?
21:50Hey, Chuck's jar is clear.
21:55That's a nice looking dude.
21:56That's right on the money there, Andy.
21:58He's probably closer to 100.
22:00All the flavors didn't come together like that, so I pulled the proof down a little bit on that final
22:04jar just to try to tone it down a little bit so that fiery rye wasn't on the end.
22:10It reminds me of some kind of pie crust or something.
22:13Graham cracker?
22:15Something like that.
22:16I'm going to say it's from that chocolate bowl.
22:20I don't get none of the peppery rye.
22:23I mean, how is it possible as much grain as he had?
22:27I think his predominant grain was one of those barleys, one of those other malts that he used.
22:32It's got a really good flavor, and I think it would age really, really well.
22:37Absolutely.
22:37I think Jim Tom would have been happy with any of them.
22:41Yeah.
22:42I know where I sit on this pew.
22:43I know where Jim Tom would be at.
22:45If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me.
22:47Ain't that the skinny end?
22:48That's right.
22:49Let's go, guys.
22:53Yeah, man.
22:54There comes the maestros.
23:04Now, what we asked y'all to do was bring us a spicy rye jar just like Jim Tom Hedrick
23:10was known for at 100 proof.
23:15Big Chuck over here.
23:17If your liquor was more of a rum, I don't think you got enough rye in there.
23:21The barleys that you put in there, the crystal malt, they brought just a mellow note to it.
23:25Didn't have that spicy rye bite like you want with the rye.
23:28It's supposed to punch you right in the tongue right off the bat.
23:31Yeah.
23:31But fine drink of liquor.
23:33Thank you, sir.
23:34All in all, the drink come off clear.
23:37I didn't really think it was going to come off clear.
23:38I figured it'd be cloudy.
23:39And being made out of rye, too, I figured it'd be like gasoline in a jug.
23:43But it had a really good flavor.
23:46It blew my mind, honestly.
23:48Yeah.
23:50Joe, I think Jim Tom, he would have smacked his lips two or three times just trying to get a
23:55feel of where it was at.
23:57You didn't bring a spicier rye.
24:00I think what you brought us there was a really good wheat liquor with some rye in it.
24:05But all in all, fine drink.
24:07Kelly, you stuck to more traditional Jim Tom recipe with very simple ingredients.
24:14The spicy pepper burned on the back end.
24:17It's typical of rye was there.
24:19You tried to stay as true to what you thought the recipe would be, and it worked out for you.
24:25Thank you, Josh.
24:26Men, we can't get you out of the stock room unless we get the order in which market is going
24:29to take you up.
24:32And the way that plays out...
24:38Kelly, you're number one.
24:40You had the spiciest rye.
24:42Second one in the gate to the stock room, Big Chuck.
24:46So, that brings in Joe driving the caboose.
24:50That being said, Mark's going to take you all to the stock room and let you get you some groceries.
24:56Set your jars down and follow me.
25:07Welcome to our stock room.
25:09This is your chance to add additional ingredients to build up on Jim Tom's legacy and create the next generation
25:17of rye whiskey, which he so loved.
25:21We got a lot of stuff in here, but here's the catch now.
25:24We don't have enough of everything for everybody to get the same item.
25:30Kelly, you're in first.
25:31You're getting one minute.
25:33Your time starts now.
25:37Then peppers will be good, Kelly.
25:38Get them.
25:39Yeah.
25:40My whole plan on this thing is to go apple.
25:42Apple rye is a win all the way around all the time.
25:45I love it.
25:45I've done it before, so I know what I'm looking for.
25:47How you doing over there, boss?
25:4915 seconds.
25:50Getting some apples.
25:51If I could find some caramel or some cinnamon, whichever one is in the stock room, that's what I'm going
25:56to come away with.
25:58Five, four, three, two, one.
26:02Drop your basket, boss.
26:04I think Kelly took every apple in the store.
26:06All right, Chuck.
26:08Your time starts now.
26:12You know, I know how you are.
26:14There ain't no doubt in my mind, you're going to pick out the most weirdest stuff over there and make
26:18it work.
26:18Yeah.
26:19Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
26:20I got to balance this drink out.
26:22What I was going to do was apples, but Kelly went and got every single apple in the bunch, so
26:27had to deviate.
26:28I notice you're not worried about bruising them.
26:30No.
26:31That's fine.
26:31Absolutely.
26:32I'm going for peaches, baby.
26:34You're halfway through, Chuck.
26:35Yeah, we got to throw them in there and bring them up better.
26:36There you go.
26:37Get them started.
26:38I seen a jar of brown sugar.
26:39I found a little old jug of apple juice.
26:42I got some little syrup that I might could add to it to give some sweet effect.
26:45Here we go.
26:45Five.
26:46I got it, baby.
26:47Well, isn't that peachy?
26:50Joe, you ready?
26:51Yes, sir.
26:52Let's get busy.
26:53Your time starts now.
26:55Go.
26:57So I'm going in the stockroom third.
26:58There's a lot of things that have been taken off the shelf that, you know, I could have potentially used
27:02to infuse in my run.
27:04Halfway there, Joe.
27:0530 seconds left.
27:06So right now, I've got a buttload of citrus to work with.
27:09I see a lot of citrus going in the basket.
27:11I went for the mandarin oranges, the lemons, the limes.
27:15Anything citrus that I could grab, I put it in my basket.
27:18Four, three, two, one.
27:22You're done.
27:25I hope yours are all happy with your ingredients.
27:28Either or you ain't.
27:29Too late now.
27:30We ready to get this flavor run started?
27:33Yes, sir.
27:34Grab your baskets.
27:35Let's go.
27:46All right, guys.
27:47Y'all going to rerun the rye whiskey that y'all made from your first run.
27:51Now, this time, you can add your additional flavor.
27:54We don't want the classic rye that Jim Tom was known for.
27:57We want that rye whiskey with your spin on it.
28:01So, that being said, anything goes except for low-proof whiskey.
28:07We want that 100-proof jar.
28:10This runs for all the glory, all the bragging rights, and a special Jim Tom Master Distiller prize.
28:21All right, guys.
28:22Y'all going to rerun the rye whiskey that y'all made from your first run.
28:26We don't want the classic rye whiskey that Jim Tom was known for.
28:29We want that rye whiskey with your spin on it.
28:33You got four hours, gentlemen.
28:35Your time starts now.
28:37Good luck and get with you.
28:50I'm going to tell you, now, Joe's mash is pretty mash.
28:54It's a real one that worked on my own.
28:55I was thinking it looked good, too.
29:00Mm-hmm.
29:01There we go.
29:03Now you're cooking with gas, literally.
29:08I'm going to keep everything simple.
29:10I'm going to go with what I know.
29:11I know rye, and I know apple.
29:13Jim Tom always made simple, good liquor, and that's what he always said do.
29:18Keep it simple, stick to your guns, and that's what I tried to do here.
29:23Needs a little agua.
29:25Needs a little liquor in it.
29:26I'd put some mash in if it was me, but not just me.
29:29There we go.
29:32I'm going to puree these apples.
29:33I'm going to put them in a thumper so that it has a little bit of time to, you know,
29:38just kind of steep itself in, and I feel like we can carry the flavor over.
29:43Mm, look at that.
29:44That's some good-looking stuff right there.
29:46Oh, I ain't going to lie.
29:47That's what you make good liquor out of right there.
29:50Well, we'll see.
29:51His thing's the simplest.
29:53Kelly's making stuff Jim Tom made himself.
29:56Kelly knew that, too, but he had the advantage.
29:59He was able to get those apples.
30:03He's cutting up his peaches and throwing them in there.
30:06Yep, leaving them seeds out there, though.
30:09Well, traditional moonshine back in Arkansas, back during the Prohibition era,
30:13they would infuse their pot with fruit.
30:16So I'm going to put peaches in my pot.
30:18So that way, as the liquor's churning and earning, it's going to pull through them peaches
30:22and maybe throw some peach in the body of that drink.
30:27All right, I'm whipping up a little old peach sauce over here and going to thump them.
30:34Cook this down here.
30:36Got a little brown sugar, a little bit of syrup.
30:39If I can't bring a little bit more of that rye to it with the peach, peach gumbo.
30:45Peach gumbo rye.
30:46Never heard of that.
30:47Well, we asked them to put their spin on it.
30:50Guys, you burned 40 minutes.
30:52All right, here comes the real work.
30:59I see G.I. Joe's over here trimming an orange.
31:03I know what he's bringing to that thumper is citrus times 10.
31:08So I've got some oranges, limes, some lemons.
31:11I'm going to go for a citrus mountain brandy.
31:14Citrus mountain brandy.
31:16That just goes together.
31:17It does.
31:18It just rolls off your tongue.
31:20It keeps dropping the citrus over there, though.
31:24If you treat rye right, it really brings forward a floral botanical note.
31:29So I'm expecting that note to really play well with that citrus.
31:34Struggling here.
31:35I can't peel fast enough.
31:37You better hurry up.
31:38I'm about to start running.
31:39Well, my still's at 140.
31:42All right, guys, you're halfway home.
31:44Burned two hours, got two left.
31:47I'm running, baby.
31:48You running?
31:49Yeah.
31:51Running fast, too, boys.
31:53That's all right.
31:54I'm going to run it hot.
31:55You're going to give them some spice, Chuck.
31:59I'll be down.
32:01There we go, daddy-o.
32:04My liquor's running now.
32:05It's coming through.
32:06It's pretty high proof.
32:07You can smell the apples in it.
32:09I'm going to put some cinnamon sticks in my thump keg.
32:13I'm only going to put a few in here.
32:15If it don't carry a lot of cinnamon flavor, that's OK, because I'm going to hopefully have
32:19a good apple flavor.
32:20Less is better in cinnamon.
32:21It don't take much.
32:22Did you find out you done overpowered yourself?
32:24I believe if I can control the cinnamon, I can pull enough apple flavor through to make
32:29it work.
32:31Hour and a half in, hour and a half left, guys.
32:35There we go.
32:36It smells like citrus coming up the end of that spout right now.
32:41Working with citrus is challenging.
32:43It has a lot of really bright notes that can overpower whatever base spirit you put it through.
32:49Is it working out like you wanted it to?
32:52Somewhat.
32:53I'm going to have to try to blend all together and make it merry.
32:55A lot of those big, bright citrus notes were at the beginning.
32:59So I might have to take, like, just a...
33:02A little bit of the high fruit.
33:04Just, like, a touch.
33:09You're blending right now?
33:10Running it back through that cinnamon and charcoal, just running it across it again.
33:14Pulled maybe just a touch more cinnamon flavor.
33:16A touch.
33:18Just so you know, guys, you're down that straightaway headed home.
33:2230 minutes left.
33:30I believe Kelly's about ready with his.
33:33It's a good solid jar of rye apple with a hint of cinnamon to it.
33:37You can smell the apples in it, and you can kind of smell the cinnamon.
33:41I'm going to believe I'm going to win this thing, because if I believe it, I will, and
33:44I want that trophy really, really bad.
33:47Gentlemen.
33:48Nice and clear.
33:49My jar.
33:50Beautiful, clear jar.
33:53You got five minutes left to get us a jar on the table.
33:58I believe Chuck's ready.
34:00Yes, sir.
34:01Bring it in here, big man.
34:02I believe he is.
34:03He's got it chilled.
34:05Absolutely.
34:07Enjoy.
34:08This final jar does have the peach.
34:10It ain't got the smell I want, but the flavor's all the way there front to back.
34:14I think this is it, brother.
34:15Well, I wouldn't waste any more time.
34:17Bring it on, JJ.
34:19This jar is my best foot forward.
34:21The rye is there.
34:22The citrus has really played well with it, and I think that Jim Tom would love it.
34:26We're going to go taste and deliberate, and then we're going to try to reach a decision
34:31on who gets the title of the Jim Tom Hedrick Memorial Run.
34:44Look, Robbinsville, North Carolina, and Cock County, Tennessee, there ain't much difference
34:48in them.
34:49Jim Tom's like us.
34:50Yeah, I remember him saying that.
34:52You know, not only did Jim Tom excel at making good whiskey, he absorbed it pretty good, too.
34:59Ha-ha.
34:59Wow.
35:01I ain't going to drink too much.
35:02I just drank enough to get rid of the flu.
35:06God, I miss him.
35:07What a character.
35:09Who's to you for coming down here and helping me with this?
35:15The Jim Tom Mountain Rye and their twist on it.
35:20We've got to have 100 proof liquor, bare minimum.
35:23Absolutely.
35:24This is Big Chuck's.
35:25It says R.I.P. Jim Tom on the top of it.
35:28Shake it up a little bit.
35:35Worked out how I planned.
35:36I mean, it was a little peach on the nose.
35:38I didn't really have that on that first run.
35:39Oh, you did.
35:40It was just a different one.
35:41Yeah, yeah.
35:42Chuck was going for peach gumbo.
35:44Being so full of grains, it's making it really hot.
35:49But that's pretty good.
35:52I'm confused whether it's rye, spicy heat, or just heat from hot run liquor.
36:01That sort of played out well.
36:04But that ain't nothing but plain and simple, fierce liquor.
36:08Let's move on to these other two.
36:11All right, y'all.
36:11This is G.I. Joe's.
36:15Pretty good proof.
36:17I've done a lot with, like, citrus gins, so I just wanted to balance it.
36:27He's up there, ain't he?
36:28Mm.
36:28Well, I think the fruit definitely made it farier.
36:31I get a lot of citrus.
36:33Yeah, it's citrusy.
36:34It's a good jar.
36:35Tastes good.
36:36I think it's got some good qualities to it.
36:39It's a good drink.
36:41All right, Josh.
36:41We're on to Kelly now.
36:44See there?
36:45Spot on.
36:46Pretty beat.
36:47For me, it was an honor to do this because of Jim Tom.
36:51And the rest of it was a game playing with you guys to see if I could get y'all
36:55to mess yourself up.
36:56Yeah.
36:59This is a smooth jar for the proof.
37:02The cinnamon is not overpowering.
37:04Man, I'm going to tell you right now, that's a good jar.
37:05I can tell the spiciness is still there.
37:08The rye's there, just enough of spice on the back.
37:12And that cinnamon does not run away with you.
37:15That is a good jar of liquor.
37:17You've got fruit, then you've got that spice added to it.
37:20Kelly, let me tell you something.
37:22That's a fine jar of rye liquor right there.
37:24Rye whiskey.
37:25That's rye whiskey.
37:26I sure didn't miss him.
37:28I think at the end of the day, Jim Tom would have been tickled to death with all three of
37:33these jars.
37:34Oh, yeah, he hasn't been drinking them.
37:35I just think that there's one on the table that Jim Tom would have liked better, and that's what we
37:40have to judge on.
37:42All right.
37:43Here we go.
37:47Oh, we're going to ride out now.
37:48Here we go.
37:49Oh, here's the biggie.
37:50This is it, boys.
37:52This is it, boys.
38:01All right, boys.
38:02Being here that we're running liquor in Jim Tom's name means that his legend's never going to die.
38:08In honor of the master steel builder, Jim Tom Hedrick, this will go to the winner.
38:18It not only looks like something he would have built, it sounds a lot like him, too.
38:23All right, whiskey, all right, whiskey, please don't let me down.
38:30You ever been sung to by a liquor steel?
38:32I love that.
38:34Now, the trophy with Jim Tom singing in it and the little mini steel, that's sharp, man.
38:38And I really want to win that thing.
38:41Well, guys, it's been pretty bittersweet.
38:44We're here to honor the memory of Jim Tom.
38:46I think we've all done just that.
38:48Chuck, your liquor was a little hot to me and had a lot of flavor.
38:54I mean, good flavor.
38:55Jim Tom would have drank the piss out of it.
38:59Big Chuck, I tasted all those malts.
39:03I tasted your sorghum in there, and it played out well.
39:09Joe, you went with the citrus.
39:11It came through like gangbusters.
39:15It didn't overpower your dank hole.
39:18It was still there on the back end where a rye should be to me.
39:22But it wasn't quite the rye that would have been in this region that Jim Tom relied on.
39:27But I'm telling you, for a screwdriver or a Sonny all day, it'd be its best friend.
39:32Thank you, sir.
39:36Kelly, I saw cinema sticks over there, and I was terrified that you were making a mistake.
39:43Well, it smelled like an apple pie, and it was a very smooth flavor.
39:47And you stuck to the Jim Tom recipe, and that jar is mighty fine.
39:53Thank you, Josh.
39:56You all did your level best to pay an honor to one of our greats.
39:59But it's my pleasure and honor to name the Master Distiller winner that gets this prize in honor of Jim
40:13Tom.
40:13And that person is...
40:22Kelly, you win it again, my friend.
40:25Woo!
40:26Good job, Big Chuck.
40:27Thank you, guys.
40:29Yes, sir.
40:30I have no doubt it wasn't easy, because I have tasted both of those, and these guys did bring great,
40:36great.
40:36Well, I didn't win this one, but hey, I think Jim Tom would have liked me as a person.
40:41And most importantly, I think he'd have liked my liquor, man.
40:44Me and you got nothing to be ashamed of.
40:46Y'all winners in my book.
40:48Looking down at my jar, I really think that this is something that Jim Tom would have definitely dug into.
40:53I'll pay it forward to make sure that I keep that heritage alive and keep Jim Tom's memory alive.
40:59You kept it simple, like Jim Tom did.
41:02Jim Tom would have said, keep it simple now.
41:04Don't make it too complicated.
41:05And we're going to drink a whole jar.
41:08My time with Jim Tom helped me to understand that there's a history to this liquor-making business.
41:14And if we stay true to that, there will be a future to it as well.
41:18And you guys chase on out of here and enjoy those drinks together.
41:23Thank you, guys.
41:24Let's go have a cocktail, guys.
41:25Yeah, let's go get a drink.
41:26I'm going to drink yours since it's so damn good.
41:28I'm going to drink yours since it's so damn good.
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