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Moonshiners: Master Distiller - Season 8 - Episode 02: Rye Whiskey, Rye Whiskey Emgsub
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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 says you got to run rye liquor backwards to what you run.
00:30Corn liquor, and you weren't.
00:31And compete to put their own twist.
00:34Woo!
00:34That's rye whiskey's what that is.
00:37On 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.
01:18He 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?
01:42I guess my women for me.
01:45For over 60 years, Marvin Jim Tom Hedrick
01:49Hello up there!
01:50made 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 steel, and he said,
02:15Jim Tom, what do you think's the look 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. You're the best.
02:30He spent the next half of a century perfecting his craft,
02:34fabricating 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.
03:23You've 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
03:31that you can't enjoy it.
03:33Whoever makes us the best rye whiskey that we judge,
03:37that's your bragging rights 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
03:49that best represents Jim Tom's unaged legacy rye whiskey.
03:55Before you run your liquor,
03:57you're going to have to build your own condenser,
03:59just like Jim Tom.
04:03Behind you is a box of steel parts,
04:06tubing, torch, solder, whatever you need.
04:09You're going to have one hour to get us that cooling tub built.
04:13Get 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
04:20or if you have an issue with your condenser,
04:24when it comes time to run,
04:25fellas, you're going to be up the creek.
04:28All right, guys, let's do this one for Jim Tom.
04:31One hour.
04:32Your time starts now.
04:34Good luck, guys.
04:34Get on it.
04:36Here we go.
04:38We got a coil cop.
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
04:48with a downward slope to create the worm
04:51and solder together a watertight vessel
04:54for it to sit in called a flake stand.
04:57The alcohol vapor must flow freely
04:59from the still through the worm
05:01where it condenses into high-proof liquor
05:03as any leaks will cause the Moonshiners
05:05to 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
05:14that 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.
05:25There's almost zero.
05:26I have seen it.
05:27I have helped with it.
05:28But 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.
05:36Jim Tom would be proud of watching what's going on.
05:38We're reversing.
05:40Yeah, I want it to run backwards.
05:42Yeah.
05:44As Jim Tom said,
05:46you got to run rye liquor backwards
05:48to watch you run corn liquor.
05:50Yeah.
05:51I'm Kelly Williamson, 57 years old,
05:53from Cosby, Tennessee.
05:56We've got liquor coming.
05:58I've been moonshining pretty much my adult life.
06:01Where I'm from,
06:02everybody 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,
06:08I bet these things will make really good spacers.
06:11You know, my moonshining style is old school,
06:13and I think that's what I incorporate into it.
06:16And Jim Tom was one of the forefathers
06:18that taught us that.
06:19I spent quite a bit of time with Jim Tom
06:22over a few years,
06:23and Jim Tom taught a lot to 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
06:33and 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
06:45when I really need it.
06:47I smell hair.
06:48I think you've got the most to lose here.
06:52I'm Joe Jackson.
06:53I'm from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
06:54and 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
07:07at this point in my life,
07:09so making liquor is kind of like
07:11a 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
07:26why 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
07:43interestingly different.
07:44In the moonshine world, Jim Tom is a legend.
07:46The tradition and the heritage
07:48behind what he did and accomplished
07:50is to be respected.
07:51I am a Master Distiller,
07:54and I want the judges to see it in their eyes.
07:57I have really put a lot of time and effort into this,
08:00into the science behind it,
08:02and 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,
08:11something I normally don't do.
08:13I just make the liquor, sell the liquor.
08:16But if a condenser needs to be built,
08:17I gotta build it.
08:18I ain't got mine fitting like y'all.
08:21My name's Big Chuck.
08:22I'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
08:37and learning more about it.
08:39We out in the woods,
08:40so 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
08:51and 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.
09:04So victory, here we come.
09:07Holy crap.
09:09Spelled apart.
09:10Means it wasn't sorted right.
09:12Hey, it might be a crooked road home,
09:14but we'll get there.
09:15As long as it don't leak.
09:19Gentlemen, 20 minutes left to finish those rascals.
09:22All righty.
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.
09:39Is your pipe right in the way?
09:40Yep.
09:41Mm, this is going to be tough here.
09:43Doing all these little things,
09:44seal everything really good,
09:46put all the right places in the right parts,
09:48making 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.
10:03Ben, you got five minutes left.
10:06Look at you.
10:07That's a boy.
10:09Oh, look at that.
10:10Now you're using that head
10:11for 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,
10:17you did the best you can
10:18and it looks like it might work.
10:21Oops.
10:23Here, turn it up and look down in.
10:27I understand how copper works
10:28and how to put it together.
10:30So 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.
10:45You have invented the sifter.
10:47Talking about embarrassing.
10:48If I get on here and this thing
10:49ain't going to run right
10:51and going to be springing leaks
10:52and 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
11:05what I'm doing and soldering and all that,
11:07if it's leaking, then you got to deal with it.
11:09So I'm going to solder everywhere
11:10and seal everything really good.
11:12I 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.
11:20Men, you got one minute.
11:24You've got a leak.
11:25You ain't going to get to do your run.
11:28No leak in the worm.
11:31Five, 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 and see
11:51what kind of gum may have 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
12:01has got a leak in it.
12:02Rock and roll.
12:04I know, yeah.
12:06Yeah, it'll make it spurt.
12:08Yeah, he'll lose liquor.
12:09You know, that's why you got to do this.
12:11This ain't going to work for him like it is.
12:13So now we 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
12:28or his handlet.
12:29Or around the spout.
12:30We ready to move on to number two?
12:32Joe Joe.
12:34Joe's worm looks the way it's supposed to look.
12:35He looks good, don't it?
12:36Yeah.
12:37Yeah.
12:37I'm concerned about the bottom.
12:41Now we're good.
12:42I just blasted.
12:43I'm going to pass Joe.
12:44He's good to go.
12:44Moving 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.
13:01Absolutely 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
13:11for this young man.
13:12But on the upside,
13:14I really don't think his bottom leaked at all.
13:16Hell, he don't 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,
13:24the repair of this condenser
13:27in his four-hour time frame.
13:28Jen's okay with that?
13:29I mean, it could take him one minute
13:31or take him 10 minutes.
13:32That's his fault.
13:33First time he's ever done it, Joe,
13:34I think he's done a good job.
13:35Yeah, for me,
13:36never done any soldering before.
13:49Welcome back, guys.
13:50We put the mash that you built
13:52to best represent Jim and Tom's famous rye whiskey,
13:55and we got these stills
13:57and the condensers you built.
13:59There's still some issues,
14:00and Mark's going to address them.
14:01Kelly, you've got a low spot
14:05on the very top of your worm
14:07that will cause it to spurt.
14:09Psh, psh, psh.
14:11Joe, you're good to go, boss.
14:15No problems at all with your condenser.
14:18Chuck, you've got a pretty bad leak
14:20on 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.
14:28Bad news is it's a pretty bad leak.
14:31If I can't get this all together,
14:32I won't be able to make this run happen.
14:34You don't get any additional time.
14:36You have to rectify the problems
14:38during your run.
14:40All right, boys,
14:41we're looking for a clear jar
14:42of 100 proof that brings out
14:44that spicy rye.
14:47Y'all better get it right.
14:49Three hours bring us that jar
14:51that best represents
14:53Jim Tom Hedrick's
14:55Mountain Rye Whiskey.
14:58That starts now.
14:59Get with you, guys.
15:03For the first run,
15:05Moonshiners brought their own
15:06Backwoods Rye Whiskey Mash.
15:09Producing a winning jar
15:10will come down to its spicy rye flavor
15:13and the capability
15:14of their handmade condensers
15:16to yield a high-proof shine
15:17that holds up to Jim Tom's famous whiskey.
15:20Chuck, you making a miss.
15:22Yeah, baby.
15:22We came here to make a miss.
15:26I went with about 40 pounds of rye.
15:28Then I went with about 20 pounds
15:30of caramel malt
15:31and about 10 pounds
15:32of malted barley.
15:32And then I put a couple gallons
15:33of sorghum molasses in there
15:35just to add another flavor dynamic.
15:37I ain't never seen
15:38no match like that
15:39in 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
15:49seem to be pretty cut and dry.
15:50Just a couple grains,
15:51a little sugar.
15:53And I thought I'd add
15:54my own little twist to it, man.
15:55Put some flavors in there
15:56that maybe they're not used
15:57to seeing put together.
16:00Look at yours.
16:01It's looking like yellow milk.
16:02What you got in yours?
16:04So I got Danko rye.
16:06It's grown in Pennsylvania.
16:07I've got Argentine orange corn,
16:10a little bit of light crystal malt,
16:12some triticale, and some oats.
16:15I ain't heard none of them.
16:17A myriad of things, I guess?
16:19Rye has a story past.
16:20Before Prohibition,
16:22the majority of the spirits
16:23in the United States
16:24were rye whiskeys.
16:25So I wanted to pay homage
16:27to Jim Tom by using
16:28that Danko rye as a base.
16:30I went so far as to even
16:31throw a tequila yeast at this.
16:33I'm sure that was abundant
16:35in Robbinsville, North Carolina
16:37in 1990 when Jim Tom
16:39was at his heyday.
16:40Jim Tom's favorite jar of liquor
16:42was the last one that he'd drunk,
16:43and his next favorite
16:44was the next one he was going to drink.
16:46I'm going back to stories
16:47with Jim Tom and what I feel like
16:49he would have had access to.
16:51But he loved fiery,
16:53spicy rye whiskey.
16:56And I used a sample ground
16:59Carolina rye.
17:00Out of the three competitors,
17:02I'm the only one
17:02that actually knew Jim Tom.
17:04And I feel like that being
17:06from this area and knowing him
17:07and just understanding
17:09the way he did things,
17:10it should have given me
17:11a little bit of an edge.
17:13Damn him.
17:17All right, gentlemen,
17:18you have officially burned
17:2030 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 throwed a worm
17:36on the side and got it fixed,
17:38got it connected.
17:39Now we're rolling.
17:40An hour and a half in,
17:41an hour and a half left, guys.
17:48So far, so good.
17:49If it ain't leaking now,
17:51I'm going to say
17:51you'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
18:11on the nose.
18:12And it's kind of
18:13presenting a funky nose.
18:17I am worried about that.
18:19And yeah,
18:19molasses is acquired taste.
18:21I mean, a lot of people
18:22like it or you don't.
18:23That's all them fancy ingredients
18:24I'm working out for you, boys.
18:25I want notes on notes
18:27and flavor bridges
18:28on flavor bridges.
18:29That's what I'm aiming at.
18:30I understand that flavors
18:32and all these infusions
18:33is the way of the future,
18:35but without some heritage to it,
18:37that doesn't hold on
18:38very long and very strong.
18:40Just remember this part.
18:41Rye whiskey,
18:43rye whiskey,
18:44don't let me down.
18:46That's about the poorest
18:47representation I've seen of it,
18:49but well done.
18:54I played this thing pretty close
18:56on what I felt like
18:58Jim Tom would do.
18:59We've got the spice of the rye
19:00and I've got the proof good.
19:02I think I'm ready
19:03for 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.
19:11One minute, gentlemen.
19:16Not meaning to ensue
19:17any panic or anything,
19:19but you're about
19:20to run out of time.
19:21It's a hunter-proof
19:22on the head.
19:23It ain't got the nose I like,
19:25but it's got the smoothness
19:27and it's got the sweetness.
19:2815 seconds, gentlemen.
19:30I think I got it.
19:31I know we've got
19:32some sweetness
19:33and that spicy characteristic
19:35of rye that is beloved
19:36by Jim Tom.
19:37Five, four, three, two, one.
19:40You're done.
19:42We've got three
19:43pretty clear jars right here.
19:44Hopefully, old Jim Tom
19:45will be smiling
19:46from up above at these jars.
19:48I promise she is.
19:49I'm going to go ahead
19:50and say that this is
19:51a proud day of my life
19:52getting to be here
19:53and be part of this.
19:54We're going to go do
19:55a little tasting
19:56and deliberating.
19:58Here we go.
20:02Gentlemen,
20:03it's time to start
20:05tasting a little less liquor
20:06and see who is best
20:07representative
20:08of our dear old friend,
20:10Jim Tom Hedrick.
20:11We set a criteria
20:13of a minimum
20:13of 100 proof
20:14and the majority
20:15of the grain
20:16in the mash bill
20:17had to be rye.
20:18All right,
20:19y'all start with Kelly?
20:20Yeah.
20:21That right there
20:22is a clear jar,
20:23my friend.
20:25That's a nice feed.
20:26She's high in proof.
20:28I'm going to say
20:29he's a buck ten.
20:30I just played mine
20:31pretty close
20:32and tried to do
20:33traditional
20:34as much as I could.
20:41Whoa.
20:42It's definitely spicy.
20:44It's absolutely
20:45damn lootly rye whiskey.
20:47Nice, sweet flavor
20:49up front.
20:49Very sweet.
20:51Even when it is,
20:51it's got a good nose
20:52on it for rye.
20:53It finishes off
20:55on the back end
20:56with that hot,
20:57spicy pepper.
20:59That's what rye whiskey
21:01is supposed to be.
21:02Let's see what
21:02Joe Jackson's
21:03working with.
21:04Danko rye
21:05is his primary ingredient.
21:07He's got
21:07Argentina orange corn.
21:09I'm going to say
21:10he's in the neighborhood
21:11of 80.
21:12I wanted to find
21:13in the mash
21:14a way to unlock
21:15those little bridges
21:16between the flavors.
21:21It's like drinking
21:24water with alcohol
21:25in it or something.
21:28It's very, very light
21:29on the nose,
21:30but it don't have
21:31any of the spicy pepper
21:33on the back end
21:34like rye is noted for.
21:35I think that's what
21:36Danko's known for
21:37is a smoother finish.
21:39It's definitely low proof.
21:42The flavor profile
21:43is kind of reminiscent
21:44of a non-aged bourbon,
21:45corn liquor
21:46with some barley in it.
21:48How about Big Chuck?
21:49You want to check it out?
21:50Man, Chuck's jar is clear.
21:55That's a nice looking dude.
21:56Nice right on the money there.
21:58He's probably closer
21:59to 100.
22:00All the flavors
22:01didn't come together
22:02like that,
22:02so I pulled the proof
22:03down a little bit
22:04on that final jar
22:05just to try to tone it
22:06down a little bit
22:07so that fiery rye
22:08wasn't on the end.
22:10It reminds me of
22:11some kind of pie crust
22:12or something.
22:14Graham cracker?
22:15Something like that.
22:16I'm going to say
22:16it's from that
22:17chocolate bowl.
22:20I don't get none
22:21of the peppery rye.
22:23I mean, how is it possible
22:25as much grain as he has?
22:27I think his predominant grain
22:28was one of those barleys,
22:29one of those other
22:30malts that he used.
22:32It's got a really good flavor,
22:34and I think it would age
22:36really, really well.
22:37Absolutely.
22:38I think Jim Tom
22:39would have been happy
22:40with any of them.
22:41Yeah.
22:42I know where I sit
22:43on this pew.
22:43I know where Jim Tom
22:44would be at.
22:45If it's good enough for him,
22:47it's good enough for me.
22:47Ain't that the skinny end?
22:49That's right.
22:49Let's go, guys.
22:53Yeah, man.
22:54There comes the maestro's.
23:04Now, what we asked y'all
23:06to do was bring us
23:07a spicy rye jar
23:09just like Jim Tom Hedrick
23:10was known for
23:11at 100 proof.
23:15Big chuck over here.
23:17Your liquor was more of a rum.
23:19I don't think you got
23:20enough rye in there.
23:21The barleys that you put
23:22in there, the crystal malt,
23:24they brought just
23:24a melon oak to it.
23:25Didn't have that spicy rye
23:27bite like you want
23:28with the rye.
23:28It's supposed to punch you
23:29right in the tongue
23:30right off the bat.
23:31Yeah.
23:31But fine drink of liquor.
23:33Thank you, sir.
23:34All in all,
23:35the drink come off clear.
23:37I didn't really think
23:37it was gonna come off clear.
23:38I figured it'd be cloudy,
23:39and being made out of rye, too,
23:41I figured it'd be like
23:42gasoline in a jug,
23:45but had a really good flavor.
23:46It blew my mind, honestly.
23:48Yeah.
23:50Joe, I think Jim Tom,
23:52he would have smacked
23:53his lips two or three times
23:54just trying to get a feel
23:56of where it was at.
23:57You didn't bring
23:58a spicier rye.
24:00I think what you brought
24:01us there was a really good
24:02wheat liquor with some rye.
24:04But all in all,
24:06fine drink.
24:08Kelly, you stuck
24:09to more traditional
24:10Jim Tom recipe
24:12with very simple ingredients.
24:14The spicy pepper
24:15burned on the back end.
24:17It's typical of rye was there.
24:19You tried to stay
24:20as true to what you thought
24:22the recipe would be,
24:23and it worked out for you.
24:25Thank you, Josh.
24:26Men, we can't get you
24:27out of the stock room
24:28unless we get the order
24:28in which market
24:29is gonna take you off.
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
24:43to the stock room,
24:45Big Chuck.
24:46So, that brings in Joe
24:49driving the caboose.
24:50That being said,
24:52Mark's gonna take y'all
24:53to the stock room
24:54and let you get you
24:55some groceries.
24:56Set your jars down
24:57and follow me.
25:07Welcome to our stock room.
25:09This is your chance
25:10to add additional ingredients
25:12to build up on
25:13Jim Tom's legacy
25:14and create
25:15the next generation
25:17of rye whiskey
25:18which he so loved.
25:21We got a lot of stuff in here,
25:23but here's the catch now.
25:24We don't have enough
25:26of everything
25:27for everybody
25:28to get the same item.
25:30Kelly, you're in first.
25:31You're getting one minute.
25:33Your time starts now.
25:37Them peppers will be good, Kelly.
25:38Get them.
25:39Yeah.
25:40My whole plan on this thing
25:41is to go apple.
25:42Apple rye is a win
25:43all the way around
25:44all the time.
25:45I love it.
25:45I've done it before
25:46so I know what I'm looking for.
25:48How you doing over there, boss?
25:4915 seconds.
25:50Getting some apples.
25:51If I can find some caramel
25:52or some cinnamon,
25:53whichever one
25:54is in the stock room,
25:56that's what I'm going
25:56to come away with.
25:58Five, four, three, two, one.
26:02Drop your basket, boss.
26:04You think Kelly
26:04took every apple
26:05in the store?
26:06All right, Chuck.
26:08Your time starts now.
26:12You know,
26:13I know how you are.
26:14There ain't no doubt
26:14in my mind
26:15you're going to pick out
26:16the most weirdest stuff
26:17over there
26:17and make it work.
26:18Yeah.
26:19Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
26:20I got to balance
26:21this drink out.
26:22What I was going to do
26:23was apples,
26:24but Kelly went and got
26:25every single apple
26:26in the bunch.
26:27So, had to deviate.
26:28I notice you're not
26:29worried 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
26:36in there and bring them up better.
26:37Get them started.
26:38I seen a jar of brown sugar.
26:40I found a little old jug
26:41of apple juice.
26:42I got some little syrup
26:43that I might could add to it
26:44to give some sweet effect.
26:45Here we go.
26:45Five, four.
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
26:57in the stockroom third.
26:58There's a lot of things
26:59that have been taken
27:00off the shelf
27:00that, you know,
27:01I could have potentially
27:02used to infuse
27:03in my run.
27:04Halfway there, Joe.
27:0530 seconds left.
27:06So, right now,
27:07I've got a buttload
27:08of citrus to work with.
27:09I see a lot of citrus
27:10going in the basket.
27:11I went for the mandarin oranges,
27:13the lemons, the limes.
27:15Anything citrus
27:15that I could grab,
27:16I put it in my basket.
27:18Four, three, two, one.
27:22You're done.
27:25I hope yours are all
27:26happy with your ingredients.
27:28Either are or you ain't.
27:29Too late now.
27:30We ready to get
27:31this flavor run started?
27:33Yes, sir.
27:34Grab your baskets.
27:35Let's go.
27:35Oh!
27:46All right, guys.
27:47Y'all gonna rerun
27:48the rye whiskey
27:49that y'all made
27:50from your first run.
27:51Now, this time,
27:52you can add
27:52your additional flavor.
27:54We don't want
27:55the classic rye
27:55that Jim Tom
27:56was known for.
27:57We want that rye whiskey
27:59with your spin on it.
28:01So, that being said,
28:03anything goes
28:04except for
28:05low-proof whiskey.
28:07We want that
28:07100-proof jar.
28:10This runs
28:11for all the glory
28:13all the bragging rights
28:14and a special
28:15Jim Tom
28:16Master Distiller Prize.
28:21All right, guys.
28:22Y'all gonna rerun
28:23the rye whiskey
28:24that y'all made
28:25from your first run.
28:26We don't want
28:27the classic rye
28:28that Jim Tom
28:29was known for.
28:29We want that rye whiskey
28:31with your spin on it.
28:33You got four hours,
28:35gentlemen.
28:35Your time starts now.
28:37Good luck
28:37and get with you.
28:50I'm gonna tell you,
28:51now, Joe's mash
28:52is pretty mash.
28:53It's rich.
28:55I always think
28:56that'd look good, too.
29:00Mm-hmm.
29:02There we go.
29:03Now you're cooking
29:04with gas, literally.
29:08I'm gonna keep
29:09everything simple.
29:10I'm gonna go
29:11with what I know.
29:12I know rye
29:12and I know apple.
29:13Jim Tom
29:14always made
29:15simple, good liquor
29:16and that's what
29:17he always said do.
29:19Keep it simple
29:19and stick to your guns
29:21and that's what
29:21I tried to do here.
29:23Needs a little
29:24agua.
29:25Needs a little liquor in it.
29:26I'd put some mash
29:27in it if it was me,
29:28but it's just me.
29:29There we go.
29:32I'm gonna puree
29:33these apples.
29:33I'm gonna put them
29:34in a thumper
29:35so that it has
29:36a little bit of time
29:37to, you know,
29:38just kind of
29:38steep itself in
29:40and I feel like
29:41we can carry
29:41the flavor over.
29:43Mm, look at that.
29:44That's some good
29:45looking stuff
29:46right there.
29:46Oh, I ain't gonna lie.
29:47That's what you make
29:48good liquor out of
29:49right there.
29:50Well, we'll see.
29:52His thing's the simplest.
29:53Kelly's making stuff
29:54Jim Tom made himself.
29:56Kelly knew that, too,
29:58but he had the advantage.
29:59He was able
30:00to get those apples.
30:04He's cutting up
30:04his peaches
30:05and throwing them
30:06in there.
30:06Yep, leaving them
30:07seeds out there, though.
30:09Well, traditional moonshine
30:10back in Arkansas,
30:11back during the
30:12Prohibition era,
30:13they would infuse
30:14their pot
30:15with fruit.
30:16So I'm gonna
30:17put peaches
30:17in my pot.
30:18So that way,
30:19as the liquor's
30:20churning and earning,
30:21it's gonna pull
30:22through them peaches
30:22and maybe throw
30:23some peach
30:23in the body
30:24of that drink.
30:27All right,
30:27I'm whipping up
30:29a little old
30:29peach sauce over here
30:31and going to thump them.
30:34Cook this down here.
30:36Got a little brown sugar,
30:38a little bit of syrup.
30:39If I can't bring
30:40a little bit more
30:40of that rye to it
30:41with the peach,
30:42peach gumbo.
30:45Peach gumbo rye.
30:46Never heard of that.
30:47Well, we asked them
30:48to put their spin on it.
30:50Guys,
30:51you burned 40 minutes.
30:52All right,
30:53here comes the real work.
30:59I see G.I. Joe's
31:01over here
31:01trimming an orange.
31:03I know what he's
31:04bringing to that thumper
31:05is citrus.
31:06Nimes 10.
31:08So I've got some oranges,
31:09limes,
31:10some lemons.
31:11I'm gonna go for
31:12a citrus mountain brandy.
31:14Citrus mountain brandy,
31:16that just goes together.
31:17It does.
31:18It just rolls off
31:19your tongue.
31:20It keeps dropping
31:22the citrus over there,
31:23though.
31:24If you treat rye right,
31:26it really brings forward
31:28a floral,
31:29botanical note.
31:29So I'm expecting
31:31that note to really
31:32play well with that citrus.
31:34I'm struggling 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,
31:43you're halfway home.
31:44Burned two hours,
31:45got 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 gonna run it hot.
31:55You gonna give them
31:56some 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 gonna put some cinnamon sticks
32:11in my thump keg.
32:13I'm only gonna put a few in here.
32:15If it don't carry a lot
32:16of cinnamon flavor,
32:17that's okay,
32:18because I'm gonna hopefully
32:19have a good apple flavor.
32:19Less is better in cinnamon.
32:21It don't take much,
32:22and you find out
32:23you done overpowered yourself.
32:24I believe if I can
32:25control the cinnamon,
32:26I can pull enough
32:27apple flavor through
32:28to make it work.
32:31Hour and a half in,
32:32hour and a half left, guys.
32:35There we go.
32:36It smells like citrus
32:38coming up the end
32:38of that spout right now.
32:41Working with citrus
32:42is challenging.
32:43It has a lot of
32:44really bright notes
32:46that can overpower
32:47whatever base spirit
32:48you put it through.
32:49Is it working out
32:50like you wanted it to?
32:52Somewhat.
32:52I'm gonna have to try
32:53to blend all together
32:54and make it merry.
32:55A lot of those big,
32:56bright citrus notes
32:57were at the beginning,
32:59so I might have to take
33:00like just a...
33:02A little bit of the
33:03high fruit.
33:04Just like a touch.
33:09You're blending right now?
33:10Running it back through
33:11that cinnamon and charcoal,
33:12just running it
33:13across it again.
33:14Pulled maybe just a touch
33:15more cinnamon flavor.
33:16A touch.
33:18Just so you know, guys,
33:19you're down that
33:20straightaway headed home.
33:2230 minutes left.
33:30I believe Kelly's
33:31about ready with his.
33:33It's a good solid jar
33:34of rye apple
33:35with a hint of cinnamon
33:36to it.
33:37You can smell the apples
33:38in it,
33:39and you can kind of
33:40smell the cinnamon.
33:41I'm gonna believe
33:41I'm gonna win this thing
33:42because if I believe it,
33:43I will,
33:44and I want that trophy
33:45really, really bad.
33:47Gentlemen?
33:48Nice and clear.
33:49My jar.
33:50Beautiful, clear jar.
33:53You got five minutes left
33:54to 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.
34:06Absolutely.
34:07Enjoy.
34:08This final jar
34:09does have the peach.
34:10It ain't got the smell I want,
34:12but the flavor's all the way
34:13there front to back.
34:14I think this is it, brother.
34:15I wouldn't waste any more time.
34:17Bring it on.
34:17JJ?
34:19This jar is my best foot forward.
34:21The rye is there.
34:22The citrus has really
34:23played well with it,
34:25and I think that Jim Tom
34:26would love it.
34:27We're gonna go taste
34:28and deliberate,
34:29and then we're gonna try
34:30to reach a decision
34:31on who gets the title
34:32of the Jim Tom Hedrick
34:34Memorial Run.
34:44Look, Robbinsville, North Carolina,
34:45and Cock County, Tennessee,
34:47there ain't much difference
34:48in them.
34:49Jim Tom's like us.
34:50Yeah, I remember him
34:51saying that.
34:52You know, not only did Jim Tom
34:54excel at making good whiskey,
34:56he absorbed it pretty good, too.
34:59Ha-ha.
35:00Wow.
35:01I ain't gonna drink too much.
35:02I just drank enough
35:03to get rid of the flu.
35:06God, I miss him.
35:07What a character.
35:09Here's to you for coming down here
35:10and helping me with this.
35:15The Jim Tom Mountain Rye
35:17and their twist on it.
35:20We've gotta have
35:21100 proof liquor
35:22bare minimum.
35:23Absolutely.
35:24This is Big Chuck's.
35:25It says R.I.P. Jim Tom
35:27on 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
35:37on the nose.
35:38I didn't really have that
35:38on that first run.
35:39Oh, you did?
35:40It was just a different one.
35:41Yeah, yeah.
35:42Chuck was going for peach gumbo.
35:45Being so full of grains,
35:47just making it really hot.
35:50But that's pretty good.
35:51I'm confused whether
35:53it's rye, spicy heat,
35:55or just heat
35:57from heart-run liquor.
36:01That sorghum played out well,
36:04but that ain't nothing
36:05but plain and simple
36:07fierce liquor.
36:08Let's move on
36:09to these other two.
36:11All right, y'all,
36:11this is G.I. Joe's.
36:15Pretty good proof.
36:16I've done a lot
36:17with, like, citrus gins,
36:19so I just wanted
36:20to balance it.
36:27He's up there, ain't he?
36:28Mm.
36:28I think the fruit
36:29definitely made it fireier.
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
36:37some good qualities to it.
36:39It's a good drink.
36:41All right, Josh.
36:42We're on to Kelly now.
36:44See there?
36:45Spot on.
36:46Pretty beat.
36:47For me, it was an honor
36:49to do this because of Jim, Tom,
36:51and the rest of it
36:52was a game playing
36:53with you guys
36:54to see if I could
36:54get y'all to mess yourself up.
36:56Yeah.
36:59This is a smooth jar
37:01for the proof.
37:02The cinnamon is not overpowering.
37:04Man, I'm going to tell you
37:04right now, that's a good jar.
37:05I can tell the spiciness
37:07is still there.
37:09The rye's there,
37:10just enough to spice
37:11on the back,
37:12and that cinnamon
37:13does not run away with it.
37:15That is a good jar of liquor.
37:17You've got fruit,
37:18then you've got that spice
37:19you added to it.
37:20Kelly, let me tell you something.
37:22That's a fine jar
37:23of rye liquor right there.
37:24Rye whiskey.
37:25That's rye whiskey.
37:26I sure did miss him.
37:28I think at the end of the day,
37:29Jim, Tom,
37:30would have been
37:31tickled to death
37:32with all three
37:33of these jars.
37:34Oh, yeah,
37:34he hasn't been drinking them.
37:35I just think
37:36that there's one
37:37on the table
37:37that Jim, Tom,
37:38would have liked better,
37:39and that's what
37:40we have to judge on.
37:42All right.
37:43Here we go.
37:47Oh, we're going to find out now.
37:48Here we go.
37:49Oh, here's the biggie.
37:50This is it, boys.
38:01All right, boys.
38:02Being here that we're
38:03running liquor
38:04in Jim, Tom's name
38:05means that his legend
38:07is never going to die.
38:09In honor of the
38:10master steel builder,
38:12Jim, Tom, Edrick,
38:15this will go to the winner.
38:18It not only looks like
38:19something he would have built,
38:21but it sounds
38:21a lot like him, too.
38:23All right, whiskey,
38:24all right, whiskey,
38:26please don't let me down.
38:30You ever been sung to
38:31by a liquor steel?
38:32I love that.
38:34Now, the trophy
38:35with Jim, Tom,
38:36singing in it
38:36and the little mini steel,
38:38that's sharp, man,
38:38and I really want
38:40to win that thing.
38:41Well, guys,
38:42this has been
38:43pretty bittersweet.
38:44We're here to honor
38:44the memory of Jim, Tom.
38:46I think we've all
38:47done just that.
38:48Chuck, your liquor
38:50was a little hot to me
38:52and had a lot of flavor.
38:54I mean, good flavor.
38:55Jim, Tom,
38:56would have drank
38:57the piss out of it.
38:59Big Chuck,
39:00I tasted all those malts.
39:03I tasted your sorghum
39:04in there,
39:05and it played out well.
39:09Joe, you went
39:10with the citrus.
39:11It came through
39:12like gangbusters.
39:13gangbusters.
39:15It didn't overpower
39:16your dank-o.
39:18It was still there
39:19on the back end
39:20where a rye should be
39:21to me.
39:22But it wasn't quite
39:23the rye that would have
39:25been in this region
39:26that Jim, Tom,
39:27relied on.
39:27But I'm telling you,
39:28for a screwdriver
39:29or a Sonny all day,
39:31it'd be its best friend.
39:33Thank you, sir.
39:35Kelly,
39:36I saw cinnamon sticks
39:38over there,
39:38and I was terrified
39:39that you were
39:41making a mistake.
39:43Well,
39:43it smelled like
39:44an apple pie,
39:45and it was a very
39:46smooth flavor.
39:47And you stuck
39:48to the Jim, Tom,
39:50recipe,
39:50and that jar
39:52is mighty fine.
39:53Thank you, Josh.
39:56You all did
39:57your level best
39:58to pay an honor
39:58to one of our greats.
40:00But, uh...
40:04It, uh...
40:05It's my pleasure
40:06and honor
40:08to name
40:09the Master Distiller
40:10winner
40:10that gets this prize
40:12in honor of Jim, Tom,
40:13and that person is...
40:22Kelly,
40:23you win it again,
40:24my friend.
40:25Woo!
40:26Good job,
40:27big dog.
40:28Thank you, guys.
40:29Yes, sir.
40:30I have no doubt
40:31it wasn't easy
40:31because I have tasted
40:33both of those,
40:33and these guys
40:34did bring it.
40:35Great, great.
40:36Well, I didn't win
40:37this one,
40:37but hey,
40:38I think Jim, Tom,
40:40would have liked me
40:40as a person,
40:41and most importantly,
40:42I think he'd have
40:43liked my liquor, man.
40:44Man, you got nothing
40:44to be ashamed of.
40:46Y'all winners
40:47in my book.
40:48Looking down
40:48at my jar,
40:49I really think
40:50that this is something
40:51that Jim, Tom,
40:52would have definitely
40:52dug into.
40:53I'll pay it forward
40:54to make sure
40:55that I keep
40:56that heritage alive
40:57and keep Jim, Tom's
40:58memory alive.
40:59You kept it simple
41:00like Jim, Tom, did.
41:02Jim, Tom,
41:02would have said,
41:03keep it simple now,
41:04don't make it
41:05too complicated,
41:06and we're gonna
41:06drink a whole jar.
41:08My time with Jim, Tom,
41:10helped me to understand
41:11that there's a history
41:13to this liquor-making
41:14business,
41:14and if we stay true
41:16to that,
41:16there will be
41:17a future to it
41:18as well.
41:18And you guys
41:19chase on out of here
41:20and enjoy those
41:21drinks together.
41:23Thank you, guys.
41:24Let's go have a cocktail.
41:25Yeah, let's go get a drink.
41:26I'm gonna drink yours
41:27since it's so damn good.
41:28Yeah.
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