All language subtitles for Moonshiners.Master.Distiller.S01E01.Rum.Conundrum.SV_FULL

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"master distiller"...

Tim: That does not taste
like any kind of rum

I've ever tasted before.

Rum -- a colonial creation
born from the sugar trade...

More like of a sailor rum.

...Becomes the first
all-american spirit

to capture the taste buds
of a budding nation.

What's this going in here --
a jar of honey?

Yeah, he ain't got
no way to stir it.

And making it remains
a paramount test

of a distiller's skill.

That's fixing to be
a disaster.

Tim: Yep.

Berättare: Across the country,
a handful of amateur distillers

are heirs to
a centuries-old tradition.

Some operate on the legal side.

Others practice their craft
beyond the reach of the law.

Now they'll face off
to earn their place

in america's
liquor-making legacy.

Tim:
What are you doing?

I figure it's only fair
I get to taste the results.

Judged by three
legendary moonshiners

and america's most dedicated
shine sampler,

they'll go head-to-head
in a series of challenges...

Somebody bring me a turd to get
this taste out of my mouth.

There's a liquor store.

...To determine who has
what it takes...

We just need one jar.

Hell, I'm having fun
right now.

...To be named
master distiller.

[ crash ]
herman: Oh, no.

You didn't lose
all of it, did you?

All of it.

-- Captions by vitac --
www.Vitac.Com

captions paid for by
discovery communications

♪

men, I want to welcome y'all.
I'm digger manes,

this is my friend tim smith,
and my best buddy down there --

mark wayne ramsey.

We're here to find out
which one of you all

is the master distiller.

We're gonna run
a little rum today.

Before whiskey was king,
america was ruled by rum.

In the 17th century,

resourceful distillers
discovered that molasses,

a waste by-product from
caribbean sugar production,

could be transformed
into sweet, high-proof rum.

Rum soon became the largest

and most profitable industry
in colonial america,

with americans drinking
an estimated

4 gallons
per person, per year.

In an attempt to cash in
on this liquid gold,

britain enacted a tax
on molasses in 1764,

which helped drive
the freedom-seeking colonists

further down the path
toward revolution.

Today, backwoods moonshiners

continue the centuries-old
rum-making tradition

by distilling
their own heritage recipes

of the classic colonial spirit.

Whoever's deemed
master distiller,

you get your bragging rights,
but that ain't the big deal.

Big deal is, you're gonna
get a limited run

of your signature liquor

here at sugarlands
distilling company.

This is how
it's gonna work.

All of you have
the same identical stills.

All of you have
the same mash bill behind you

to make rums.
Molasses-based mash bill.

Now, what's gonna differ
here is the skills

that you bring to the table.

The good news is, none of you
will go home after this round,

but there is rewards
for the winner.

Whoever turns in the best jar
that we name the winner --

you will get the first choice of
still parts for the next round.

You've got four hours.

Lid on the jar,
jar on the table.

And not four hours
and one second.

Your time starts...Now.

Make some rum.

Berättare: Using the same
equipment of molasses wash,

the distillers
will have to showcase

their technical skills
to deliver a clear,

high-proof rum that will be used
as the base spirit

for the second
spiced rum challenge.

Oop.

Damn, he getting
bad points for messy.

This is slightly
unfamiliar territory for me.

You give me any still,
I can run it.

This wouldn't be
my first choice.

I don't normally use a thumper.

The ones I normally run
look a lot more like that.

Just an old-school
alembic still.

Just a straight pot still.

♪

my name is matt spinoza.
I'm from baltimore, maryland.

Yeah, so, this is
a rotary evaporator.

I got into distilling
first by drinking.

My first love.
This is my baby.

Just wanted to better understand
why the whiskey

I was drinking tasted
the way it did.

It operates under high vacuum.

I have a lot of recipes
for different beverages,

like tepache, lactic acid
bacteria fermented root beer.

Learning the science
behind brewing

and distilling opened my eyes
to science as a whole.

A lot of the botanicals in here

do have proven
ethnobotanical use.

Now I'm currently studying
for a master's in biotechnology.

My ingredients come
from all over the world.

The best bergamot
comes from calabria.

Lapsang souchong
has caffeine in it.

That's a stimulant, antipyretic.
So that's fever-reducing.

Well, my supply chain
is a royal pain in my ass.

I've literally had friends
that just like,

"yeah, just kick him
when you want him to stop

talking about chemistry
or microbiology."

now, this doesn't have
the concentration of cinchona

that would cure malaria.

I make good rum.
I'm a one-man show.

Winning master distiller
would be a big affirmation

of all the time and effort
and devotion that I've put in.

Tim:
Doesn't need to be 100% full.

Well, there's a difference
in spilling a little bit

and just being sloppy.

Mark: Well, well, well.

Herman from kentucky.

Herman from kentucky.

Herman ain't spilled
two drops.

Herman: The pot, the thumper,
and the worm --

I mean, that's basically
what I run all the time.

♪

my name is herman jr.
I'm from beattyville, kentucky.

This is my main still.
A 50-gallon pot.

I got into making
a little bit at a time,

and then it just kind of
snowballed,

and the more I made,
the more people

wanted me to make it,
and they enjoyed what I made.

I pump my water
from a natural spring.

My great-uncles and stuff,
they raised sugarcane,

and they made
their own molasses,

so they would turn it into rum
and then turn that into cash.

This is my small still. This is
where I do my testing at.

Winning a master distiller
could lead to me

being a legal distiller.

And our county just went wet,

so there are gonna
be alcohol sales.

And then if we could
possibly start

a small distillery
in our little town

and bring the tourism
into our community,

it would be a great help
for everybody.

I think they're all
just a little nervous.

Dustin from west virginia.

Dustin.

♪

oh, son of a [bleep]

♪

oh, don't you tell me this.

[ metal clanking ]

sounds like
that's regulated.

♪

here's my little
10-gallon pot still here.

My name is dustin crowley.
I'm from lerona, west virginia.

Works pretty good. I got
a little thumper on and worm.

Two years ago, we was
down there at horse camp,

and we was sitting there
by the campfire,

and somebody passed around jar
of liquor,

and I said, "oh, a little hot.
I mean...

I got to be able
to make something

a little better than this."

so I got back home there
and did a little research

and got me a pot,
and that's what really

got me started into it.

This is just a little 10-gallon.
It's nothing major.

Some of them boy's got 50-,
100-gallon ones,

but this gets you about
one good drinkable gallon out,

and I don't need more
than that for myself.

When you're out here
distilling and making moonshine,

especially in the woods,
being the outlaw that you are,

there's always things
you'll learn.

These three right here
gonna follow me everywhere.

I love experimenting
with flavors.

I've done a lot
of different rum runs.

I really want to see
what kind of liquor

I can make for the judges

and what they think
of my liquor.

I mean, it's gonna be fun.

Tim: Matt's getting ready
to light his up.

And here we go.
Get ready.

I hope he does better
than pouring in his mash.

He's got this [bleep]

yeah, all over the floor.

[ laughs ]

oh, there you are.
There you go.

He got fire in the hole.

Herman's getting ready
to light up.

♪

he's
a little bit nervous still.

Hell, I've got this
all the way up.

Yeah.
There you go.

There we go.

Berättare:
Once burners are lit,

distillers
must carefully control the heat

as the molasses wash
approaches 173 degrees

and the alcohol
vapor is stripped

from the remaining liquid.

The vapor then travels
to the thump keg, or doubler,

for a second distillation before
arriving at the condenser,

where it's cooled
into liquid rum.

Looking good?
Stream's coming out of there.

Usually there's
nobody around me.

This is my happy place.

When I'm running my liquor,
it's tranquility.

I sing to my still.

Herman:
I mean, I was nervous.

Out in the woods.
I do this totally different.

I don't have concrete floor.
If I need to go to the bathroom,

it's, like, the tree over here,
the tree over there.

With the experience that's here,
these young guys, man,

they're putting out
some really good liquor,

and I'm just old school.

Getting nice and hot now.

You better crank
that thing up.

No, it's filling up
the parrot.

♪

there's a lot of copper salts
in the condenser.

Hopefully I can clean
that out with the heads.

Matt come in thinking
he knew everything.

It's from this coil.
This coil is filthy.

Dustin: His definition of shine
was totally different than ours,

and he just kept being
a smart aleck about everything.

Matt: If that condenser was not
properly cleaned,

I might have
carry-over flavor.

It'll taste like dirty copper.

I can run a still.

It's just a matter of figuring
out the best way to use this.

Gentleman, you got two hours
left in your run.

Oh, mine's good to go.

You ain't got to worry
about me, buddy.

Berättare:
As rum runs off the still,

distillers make cuts
to separate the heads

containing the most volatile
flavors and aromas

at the start of the run
from the hearts,

the cleanest
and most desirable,

until reaching
the lower-proof tails,

containing some
of the strongest,

funkiest flavors found
at the end of the run.

Dustin:
I'm gonna catch four shots,
and I'm gonna catch a head.

In 10 gallon,
I should get head,

so I know when about to start
checking and getting my hearts.

So, we'll go run with,

and we'll give them
the best jar I can give them.

Herman: I'm gonna try to run
a medium heat on it,

bring my heat up,
try not to scorch the mash out.

I charged my thumper
with a little bit of the mash

and let it pick up
a little bit of flavor

maybe on the way through.

[ thud ]
oh!

Matt: These condensers are a
pain to adjust.

That in valve
is quite sensitive.

♪

how many jars
you pulled off, herman?

Five.
Oh, wow.

You're way ahead of me.

I'm only on my second.

See, now, dustin, I'm starting
to surge a little bit now.

So I'm getting close
to running out.

That's what I was hoping.

Come on, baby.
Give me this one and one more.

I say that's a good one.

That's a good,
nice 80-proof right there.

Still got a little bit
of a sulfurous note in there

I'm not happy with.
A little more time on the heads.

Very close to hearts, though.

This thumper
is starting to raise up,

getting close to 200.

So I'm coming in
on the tailings.

That last jar
I pulled off there,

I can just about turn that in
straight to the judges

without even touching it.

Without even
touching it.

♪

make sure it settles, and that's
the one they're getting.

Good-tasting jar,
and I've drank about, eh,

maybe half pint of that anyway.

So I'm feeling good.

♪

[ laughs ] these guys say
that they done.

We've got some good,
drinkable jars here.

About a half a pint

out of that.

Did you write
your names on them?

-Uh-huh.
-I ain't got no cowboy.

-I hope you all enjoy.
-Yep.

We run you off what
we thought was drinkable.

Matt, you got about
45 minutes left.

Berättare: Coming up...

[ irish accent ] ♪ the deil came
fiddling through the town ♪

♪ and danced awa
with the exciseman ♪

...A lone distiller sings
to the tune of his own rum.

♪ the deil's awa ♪

Jag vet inte if I want to drink
any of that or not.

It ain't that he don't want
to bring that jar up here.

He just can't.

Berättare: Two outlaw shiners
and one new age distiller

are competing to run
the ultimate rum

for the title of
master distiller.

This coil is filthy.

Berättare:
Using the same molasses wash

and bare-bones equipment,

the moonshiners have put
their best jars

of the classic colonial spirit
on the judging table...

We got some good,
drinkable jars here.

...While the remaining distiller
is running out the clock.

Herman finished in about
under 80 minutes,

and dustin
wasn't far behind him.

At the end of the day,
this is a competition,

and I'm trying to put
my best foot forward.

The way I do that
is by taking my time.

You better keep them land legs
up and under you.

You might get wobbly here
and not make it.

[ laughs ]

I'm gonna take that
as a yes.

Rum is my muse.
[ laughs ]

♪

just time to blend now.

♪

tim: Where you at, matt?

We just need one jar
out of your 24 in the floor.

Yeah, but you want
the best jar, right?

That's up to you.

Hell, I'm having fun right now.
This is fun for me.

Because herman and dustin
up here,

they already got their jars up
here about three hours ago.

[ irish accent ] ♪ the deil came
fiddling through the town ♪

♪ and danced awa
with the exciseman ♪

♪ and ilka wife cried,
"auld mahoun ♪

♪ I wish you luck
of the prize, man" ♪

♪ the deil's awa, the deil's
awa, the deil's awa ♪

it ain't that he don't want
to bring that jar up here.

He just can't.

♪ we'll make our maut,
and we'll brew our drink ♪

♪ we'll laugh, sing,
and rejoice, man ♪

well...

♪ ...That danced awa
with the exciseman ♪

♪ the deil's awa ♪

Jag vet inte if I want
to drink any of that or not.

♪ he's danced awa... ♪

well, every minute
he stays there,

that's another drink.

Been nice knowing you.

I said, "I'm having fun.
I'm in no rush."

I think the rum
tastes better,

and I think I distill better
when I'm singing.

Matt, you're at five minutes,
brother.

Look at that.
I'm done ahead of schedule.

We hope so.

-That is...
-The one, huh?

-...Matt rum.
-Okej, good luck.

Thank you. Thank you.
Appreciate it.

-Herman.
-Kentucky boy.

It's got a rum nose
on it.

Mark:
That's a good start.

Hmm.
I think it's low proof.

Yeah, it's got a decent
flavored front for me.

Gets a little floral,
fruity,

but it kind of finishes
like a back.

You didn't sneak a jar out
with you this time, did you?

No, I did not.

It's not unpleasant.

Tim: No, it's pretty good.

I'm gonna hold
a little reserve on that

until we've tasted
these other ones a little bit.

Yeah.
Try old cowboy out there.

Cowboy's not a bit stuck
on himself, is he?

He got a picture on a sticker
that's stuck on his lid.

I mean,
he's already hollywood.

Sweet up front.

Pretty good, man.
A little bit of floral.

15 proof, though.

Aftertaste isn't bad.

No. It's just tiny bit fiery
on the back.

No, that's a good jar
right there.

Slide over
h.R. Pufnstuf down here.

That's a super-nice bead

on matt's liquor right there,
digger.

That's as good as it gets.

Jag vet inte how in the world
he ever come up

with one jar with all the damn
sipping and twisting.

I'm telling you, you need
to go over there and see...

His configuration
he's got over there.

That's amazing to me.

Honestly, I ain't getting
a whole lot of difference.

Well, it's a little
dryness taste, huh?

Yeah, dustin and matt,

right now, they're
kind of neck and neck.

Only thing I'm seeing really
separating is the bead.

Yeah. He's got
pretty bead on it.

Well, matt's jar...

That one's got
a good front-to-middle flavor.

On the back end's where
he just kind

leaves me wishing
for more.

Golly, this is gonna be
difficult.

Why can't there be one of them
that's really [bleep]

♪

boys, we've looked all over
these things,

been in and out of them,
and I'm telling you,

it's a pretty tough choice.

Dustin, you got a pretty
good-tasting jar of liquor.

Thank you.

What proof
was you shooting for?

I was about 80.

Well, you missed your mark
a little bit, I believe.

-I thought so, too.
-You were way over 100.

Dustin: Oh, I was?

Maybe 110.
Ooh!

-Finished a little hot.
-Yep.

Jag vet inte. You know,
good, solid jar of liquor.

-Pretty jar of liquor.
-Thank you.

And, matt, you got
a good bead on your liquor.

Good, sweet beginning
on your drink.

Finishes out
with those fruity notes.

Doesn't finish
too fiery hot.

Thank you, sir.

I was shooting
for just over 100.

You're in the right
neighborhood.

-You're real close.
-Thank you.

Now, herman, what were you
shooting for with your proof?

-About 90.
-I think you're a little low.

Tim: You're at 80.
About 80?

Digger:
You're in the ballpark.

Had a good, sweet start
on yours.

Finish that real well
with the fruity notes

in the middle.
You know, good drink.

It finished
a little flat for us.

I think that's because you had
to water down a lot.

-Yeah.
-You know, both y'all

come out
of the gate like you

were the only ones
in the race,

and matt took his time.

There's a lot of good
right here, boys.

There really
ain't a lot of bad.

But unfortunately, matt,
you're the number-one jar.

Thank you, sir.

Now, what this got you,

you get
to go to the still pile first,

pick out what you want.

If you want to change your still
in any way, feel free.

If you're happy
with what you got,

leave it the way it is.

Herman.
-Okej.

Congratulations.

Dustin, you're gonna be
the last man to the pile.

I understand.
Thank you.

We look forward
to your next run.

I'm in charge
of the still stage house,

so if yinz
will follow me.

-Copper.
-Good job, men.

Every damn one of you.
-Thank you.

Berättare:
For this next challenge,
distillers must build the still

that they'll use to infuse
additional flavors

into the distill that they
collected from the first round

to create a
one-of-a-kind spiced rum.

Okay, gentlemen, what's
gonna happen here,

you guys go in
and pick your stills,

build them
however you choose.

Matt, five minutes
beginning...Now.

If I see something I like,
I'm 100% gonna take that

and incorporate it
into my setup.

♪

okay, matt,
you good to go?

Yep.
Okay, herman.

Herman: I'm not gonna change a
thing on my still.

I'm gonna use same pot,
same thumper, same worm.

Missing some gaskets.

Done the old-fashioned way,
traditional.

Everything the same.

30 seconds, herman.

I'm good.
You good?

I'm good.
Got everything you need?

Yes, sir.
Okej, dustin.

I got everything but my lid.

I don't see another one
over here.

What do you want me
to do about that?

Just...
Yes, sir.

...Get what you can get.

10, 9, 8...

7, 6, 5...

4, 3, 2...

I'm not going home.
I'm gonna make it onto

the finals,
is what I'm hoping.

You good?
Yes, sir.

Okej. I hope you got
the parts you need.

Y'all got all your parts?

-Yep.
-Yes, sir.

You got plenty of time
on this one.

One hour should get you
where you need to be

with a little time
left over.

Get with it, get
those stills assembled, boys.

Yes, sir.

Tim: He puts that thing on,
he isn't gonna need to have

all that stuff
stacked up on that thing.

Jag vet inte that he's got
what he needs here.

Digger: I don't think we've got
enough connections to go

from that cap down.

If he puts his cap
on top of that,

he can't reach
to his thumper.

He's got to raise
everything else up.

He may use that little table
over there.

Maybe.

I need a cap.
Anybody got a extra thumper --

I think I got an extra one
over here.

Thank you.
Mm-hmm.

That's what
I was wanting to see.

I like to see yinz
working together.

♪

digger:
That's gonna be too high.

Maybe.

Yeah, he's figured it out.
He's taking it loose.

I know what he's trying to do.
I just don't know that --

Jag vet inte that there's even
a fitting out there to do that.

No.

I feel like I'm watching
a big, old game of jenga.

The two boys on the end,
herman and dustin,

didn't change anything.

And they're
damn near done.

Tim: Well, just start hooking up
stuff, matt.

Just connect stuff.

I could make a still out
of a frying pan and a pot.

You're not in baltimore.

You had a perfectly good,
working still when you started.

I can still go back.

All I got to do
is take that piece off.

Herman over here,
he's hooking up his still

like he's in the backwoods.

He about ready to put his mash
in and turn the fire on.

Dustin, did you come up
with enough stuff over there?

Yes, sir.

Boys, you've got
15 minutes left.

Matt's got something
that we've not solved yet.

That hat.

[ laughter ]

that is not
the right-size fitting.

I'd call it unorthodox
at the best,

his approach
getting to this.

Matt:
Do you have any flour?

Digger: Mm...

Seal something up?
Nope.

'cause I got a problem.
These fittings don't line up.

And whose fault's that?

Mine.
Is there any flour?

No.

Dustin:
How you feeling, herman?

Simple, basic pot.
Mine too.

Shrunk-down version
of home.

[ laughs ]

he picked up two thumper lids,

and he knew he was gonna screw
me when he done that.

Gentlemen,
got five minutes.

That won't work either.
Two different fittings.

When I seen
he grabbed that wrong pipe,

he missed the right
connection for it

to go from his thumper
to his worm.

I knew it wasn't
gonna work.

I needed my thumper lid,
so I figured I'd grab the pipe,

and then we'd work out
some kind of deal.

Hey, matt,
see if this fits you.

I had this laying over there
I picked up.

Thank you.
See if that works.

You might be my hero.

Yeah.
Hell, you got me the cap.

Thank you.

It helps when you get
the right partner.

Digger: You're good to your
neighbor, you'll always

get it back to you threefold,
won't you, herman?

Always comes back.

Come in here, boy.

Tickle: How you all doing?
Berättare: Coming up...

I can't ride with him
if he's driving. Good lord.

...A guest judge takes
the distillers on a wild ride.

There's a liquor store
down here.

Tickle, you're the man.
Where you want me to stop?

Well, he's got that son of a
[bleep] hooked up over there.

Berättare: Two backwoods shiners
and one big-city distiller

are battening down the hatches
on their custom stills

for a run of spiced rum
that will take them

one step closer to becoming
the next master distiller.

This is a new setup
to us, though.

I like seeing new [bleep]

but before they can re-distill
their rum

from the first challenge
with new flavors,

they'll have to select
their ingredients.

Two of you were satisfied with
what you had the first time.

Dustin: Yes, sir.

Matt, you kind of got a little
flamboyant there, didn't you?

Okej, guys.
It's time for your pantry run

to get your ingredients
for your flavoring.

I can't actually take you, so I
got a buddy that's gonna --

you sure he showed up?

Yeah, he's here.
Come in here, boy.

How you all doing?

Tim: Tickle can't drive
your truck.

I think I'm sick.

I can't ride with him
if he's driving. Good lord.

[ laughter ]

he knows where
that you have to go.

But I got a big, old dodge
truck,

and he can't reach
the pedals.

Can any of you guys
drive a --

I can.
I can drive a stick.

Whatever you do, don't make
no detours with this man.

No matter how much he says

he's got a cough
or a tickle in his throat,

he needs a little liquor,
do not stop.

There's a liquor store
down here.

We need to make a pit stop?

Think they'll notice
if we stop?

Tickle can tell me
where to go.

Yeah, tickle's navigating.

There's one up here
on your right.

-Yes, sir.
-You gonna drive there?

Tickle, you're the man.
Where you want me to stop?

Stop.

Ah [bleep] that.
Tickle told me to stop.

Go, sir.

I'm not arguing with tickle.
I'm not arguing with nobody.

Hell no.

Yes, sir.

[ laughs ]

I snatched the first thing
that I walked

through the door
and could snatch up.

What's that -- jack rye?

No, apple.
Apple. That's apple.

Oh.

♪

we're here at our roadside
fruit stand.

You've got five minutes

to get what you need
to infuse your rum.

Whatever
your heart desires.

Let's get it.
Five minutes.

Ooh, we got a papaya.

Pineapple. Mangoes.

Mmm-mmm.

Are you doing peach?

Yeah,
I was thinking about it.

I'll do some apple, then. I
ain't gonna do it on top of you.

Apple butter.
Peach jam.

Okay.

Ooh, I didn't see
these tamarinds over here.

Almonds over here.

Let's see if these are sour
or sweet tamarinds.

[ sucks ]

we have got two minutes left.
Let's go.

10 seconds.

Get your ingredients,
whatever.

Might put that in yours.

I'll take two.
There we go.

9...

You get what you got
in your basket and go.

7, 6, 5..

4...

2...

1.

There was no 3, damn it.

[ laughs ]

y'all got y'all's baskets?

-Yes, sir.
-Yes, sir.

Okay. Let's go.

Berättare:
Spiced rum has a history
as old as the spirit itself.

While royal navy sailors diluted
their daily rations of harsh,

unaged rum with water,
lime juice,

and spices to make grog,

caribbean islanders took it
a step further.

By adding local fruits
and aromatics

during the distillation process,
they created their own recipes

that distinguished them from
the hordes of other distillers.

Following in this tradition,

contestants will have to distill
their own unique

spiced rum that can be enjoyed
on its own or in a cocktail.

I mean,
they need a lot of jars.

I don't think herman really
realized that on his first run

because he didn't keep
hardly any liquor.

He just finished where he
thought he had the best jar,

and he stopped.

Excuse me, matt.

Hey, dustin, have you got
a couple extra jars?

I've got seven.

Let me see what I got here.
That's empty.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

I got it. Here.
Here's your good jar here.

Okej.
Good deal. Thank you.

You're welcome.

It's not like dustin
couldn't use it himself.

Digger: Exactly.

And here he is forfeiting
a jar to herman.

Dustin: Herman needed an extra
bottle there, so I slipped him

a bottle of heads.
It'll help him out.

I'm digging what I'm seeing
with these guys.

It's interesting.

They're in a contest
here to win.

Whether he wins this contest
or not, that makes him a winner.

♪

I've got to run real low
and slow,

or I'll scorch the dog
hide off of it.

I put a little water
in my thumper

'cause I was afraid
I was gonna scorch it.

I just want enough
to push across it.

I'm not gonna have
that much liquor.

♪

ah.

Something on the bottom
of that pot.

What's this going in here --
a jar of honey?

Digger: That's fixing to be
a disaster.

'cause if you don't agitate
the hell out of that honey,

it ain't gonna mix up,

and it's gonna lay there
and scorch.

Tim: Yeah, but he ain't got
no way to stir it.

That's some nice apple cider.

Some cinnamon,
put some apple butter in here.

I've done that before,
and it turned out really nice.

Usually I put some stuff
from my actual runs in my mash,

but when we're just
rerunning alcohol, no point.

Herman:
Trying to make a peach cobbler.

I got a peach apple cider,
and then I got peach preserves.

With a very small piece
of cinnamon,

a little bit of nutmeg,
and a little bit of ginger.

May take me a lot longer
just to pull off one jar,

but that one jar will be the jar
that will whup their ass.

Why ain't nobody got
nothing turned on yet?

Herman ain't got a half gallon
to heat up.

I think the only one
at this point

that ain't done a little
something wrong is matt

because he ain't
done nothing yet.

That's so true.
[ laughter ]

Jag vet inte whether
he's a damn moonshiner

or a damn ginsu chef.

It's looking real
interesting, guys.

It's completely
three different deals.

♪

herman, can I use
your cutting board?

Sure.
Where is it?

Sitting against the wall
over there.

Thank you.

Yeah, there you go.

♪

[ loud banging ]

[ laughs ]
that didn't work.

I just need a little piece
anyway.

♪

the almonds are stronger
than the blocks.

Were those
your cutting boards?

No.
That's bad business, son.

I'm giving him the benefit
of the doubt here.

He knows what he's doing.

Jag vet inte what he's doing.

♪

what's that thing there
he's cutting up?

Is that a mango?

Digger: Yep. Yep.

He's got a mango.

He understands
about that zest.

He's trying his best
to get just the zest.

He's not getting any of the
white meat that's under that.

And it don't take
a lot of that zest.

No, it don't. That bitter comes
in out of that meat behind it.

But up to this point, matt
ain't put nothing nowhere...

Tim: Matt ain't did nothing.
...Except fruit in a bucket.

All he's been doing
is cutting up fruit.

Dustin's cutting up
some kind of fruit now, too.

Yeah, they've all got
some fruit.

Crazy.

Dustin:
Good luck with that.

I've had nothing but problems
out of some of them peels.

Matt:
So, I put a lot of different
tropical fruits in there.

I got a papaya, a mango,
a pineapple, some oranges.

Also got some tamarinds,
some almonds,

nutmeg, ginger,
and rustic additives.

The still I'm going with

is not the exact configuration
that I was hoping for.

[ crash ]
oh!

Herman: Aw, dustin.
Trying to heat it up.

Oh, no. You didn't lose
all of it, did you?

All of it.

♪

narrator: Two outlaw shiners and
one eccentric craft distiller

are edging forward
to make the best-tasting rum

and win the title
of master distiller.

After a midnight pantry raid
with former still-head tickle,

the contestants
are running

their own
original spiced rum recipes

that will determine which two
set sail for the final round.

The still I'm going with is not
the exact configuration

that I was hoping for.

[ crash ]
dustin: Oh!

Herman: Aw, dustin.
Trying to heat it up.

Oh, no. You didn't lose
all of it, did you?

All of it.

Dustin:
That bucket up there,

I had the apple cider
and some apples,

and I was gonna kind of cook
them up with some cinnamon,

and I was gonna put it
in there to flavor it.

And I forgot about it,
and [laughs]

she started shaking,
about gave me a heart attack.

I'm gonna flavor
on the fly now.

That's gonna be fun.
[ laughs ]

was gonna do
an apple pie kind of flavor.

Now the liquor's coming out.

Now I have to change
the flavor up.

I think there's still
about two hours left,
something like that.

A good distiller's somebody
who can work on the fly

when accidents like that
right there happen.

Sometimes you don't
have time to...

You kind of got
to wing it sometimes.

Digger: Gentlemen, you got two
hours left in your run.

I'm about
to cut the thing soon.

I've got a jar full of tails
I'm about to switch out.

I'm feeling good.
I don't really have a whole lot

to do on the back end.

Herman:
This is my last step here.

I'm at the end of the run.

And I'm just trying to get
a good, smooth flavor.

[bleep]
I'm about out of liquor.

You got
your jar already done?

It's about done.

I've been trying to get
my palate right.

I can't taste nothing
after drinking all that...

You start sipping them back,
and, boy, you don't know.

Herman loaned me a little bit
of his honey to sweeten it up,

which I'm glad he did,

'cause I didn't have nothing
sweet enough.

Cut up some apples,
some cinnamon.

I'm gonna let this sit.
I had some of the thumper

to actually try to pull
some through.

It's coming through
a little bit.

I think I'm gonna catch
a little bit more in the tails

than I thought I was going to,
so I'm gonna wait for it

and see how it comes out.

Under an hour left.
I got two jars here.

I'm gonna make
a last-minute decision

on which one to use,
but this one's pretty clear

and whatnot,
so we'll see what happens.

I think it's too bitter.

Taste it and tell me
what you think.

I don't think
it's worth a [bleep]

♪

no.

If you hadn't put that bucket
up there,

let it fall,
you'd have had you something

going, brother.
Bad end?

Well, it's been fun.

Oh [bleep]

♪

I'd turn
that right there in.

It ain't cloudy? You think
I should try that, or...

It don't make
no difference.

It's not cloudy
because it's bad.

You put any cinnamon
or anything in it?

No.
I wouldn't do nothing.

Men, 25 minutes.

I'm pretty much done.
I'm on tails.

Sounds good. I noticed you
were pushing that awful hot.

This stuff
boils pretty easily.

We already did a lot
of the hard work, so...

Yeah.

There you go, fellas.
Yes, sir.

Is that it, herman?
That's it.

Guys, got you a good jar
of liquor here.

Run off what I could.
I hope you all enjoy it.

Good luck.

You've got 15 minutes.

My palate is getting tired.

Digger: Tick-tock, tick-tock.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.

Mark: I hope that all this
tasting, tasting, tasting

has not confused
his palate.

His taste buds are getting
numb by now.

One minute, matt.

See? I finished early.

Good for you.

You get 50 seconds to get it
over here on this table.

-Good luck.
-Thank you.

-Yes, sir.
-Okej.

Okej, fellas,
move on over.

Move down.
What are you doing?

I feel it only fair
to get to taste the results.

Well, since you put it
that way...

What we got going on here?
Jag vet inte. It's a mixture.

This is old herman here.

Damn. I believe
he's on the high end.

That does not taste
like any kind of rum

I've ever tasted before.

Does that mean a good thing
or a bad thing?

Herman: I used some ginger
and some cinnamon and stuff,

but I just used
a very, very little bit,

'cause I didn't want it
to overpower.

It's definitely different.

-Sweet.
-Mm-hmm.

Then it's got
that liquor bite.

It kind of finishes
with an apple cider kind of...

Almost, yeah.
...Aftertaste maybe.

I kind of like it.

Yeah.
It's got layers.

Is it like green apple?

I taste the honey in it.

I get the honey,
and then I get the apple,

with maybe a little hint
of cinnamon in it.

Yeah. Finishing up
with a sweet note.

But I'm gonna tell you,
that would sell.

No doubt.

Green apple.
-That is definitely green apple.

One of us is getting the boot.
I mean...

I think a lot of it's
gonna depend on

the judges' preference.

I mean, we have three
very different products.

Tickle: That's got a good flavor
to it. It's not too hot.

I was mixing and playing.
I mixed two jars up.

And I was sitting there,
debating on which one.

This was not the jar
that dustin wanted to turn in.

No.
This was his second choice.

Tickle: It's a good jar.

Dustin's been under the gun
since he started.

He had one red apple

that would probably have brought
a little more flavor.

He wanted to put
the red apple in.

But he went
with a sour apple.

Green apple.
It's what he had.

It's a little weak,
but the flavor's there.

Let's move along
to matt.

The most inconspicuous man
in the whole lot.

I wanted mine to still taste
like rum.

It's got a good flavor up front,
but too much citrus.

Did I see him cutting
some peel?

Too much of that white pith.
Yeah.

And he was trying not to.
I'm certain of that.

The peel messed that up.

You get
that same thing?

-Yeah.
-I can smell it in the nose.

And it's nice on the nose.

It's just like biting
into an orange.

But it's no good
in that aftertaste.

I don't like it
worth a damn.

Somebody bring me a turd to get
this taste out of my mouth.

Damn.

Just lick tickle
on his earlobe.

Yeah, here you go.

I mean,
it's been run hot.

You can tell that, too.
It's been run hot,

and he put
a still together

that we've never,
ever seen before.

Tim: He did a good job.

He was very ingenious
at getting that thing to work.

He's got a lot of knowledge.

He does.
He's real smart.

He's really energetic
and making something.

We got to figure out
which one's the worst here.

I've got an idea of
the order I like them in.

I'm with you, tickle.

Fair enough.

Berättare: Coming up...

Elimination gets heated

as shiners fight for their place
in the final round.

There was no pith
in there.

Well, you used
too much orange peel, then.

Mm-hmm.

I'd turn
that right there in.

Berättare: Two backwoods shiners
and one hipster distiller

have brought their best
spiced rum to the table.

It's their last chance
to impress the judges

and move on
to the final round

to become
the next master distiller.

I've got an idea
of the order I like them in.

I'm with you, tickle.

Digger: Fair enough.

It's that time.

We gonna cut one
of you out of the herd.

Herman, you had less distill
than anybody around.

You did good
with what you had.

You get to go on
to the next round.

Thanks, sir.

Matt, you made a beautiful
clear jar of liquor right there.

A little harsh for me,
but that's okay.

I think you used a little bit
too much of the pith

with your orange peel.

There was no pith in there.

Well, you use too much
orange peel, then.

Mm-hmm.

This, you get a little apple
on the front end.

You get a little bit
of liquor bite in there.

But it goes flat
kind of on the last.

Yes, sir.

If you'd have had
the red apple...

The red apple
would have been --

well, I had that hiccup,
and I tried to work what I got.

All things taken
in consideration.

Unfortunately, it'd be hard
to make a cocktail out of that.

That's not what I make.

If you put just a touch
less orange in there,

we might be having
a whole different conversation.

How much orange do you guys
think I used?

I'm not sure
how much you used,

but it feels like
it's a little much.

I saw you peel, completely peel,
nearly one orange.

This is the flavor profile
I was going for.

Okay. Well, unfortunately
it didn't suit

what we were looking for.
-It didn't fit us.

It's been an honor to work
with all of yinz.

That being said,
it's time to tell you

which one's gonna continue
on to the other round.

And, matt, this jar
bought a ticket home.

I'm awful sorry, buddy.

Matt: I have a very
different style than

mark, tim, and digger.

My palate is different.

Citrus, to me, isn't even
the dominant note in this.

I taste more papaya
than I do citrus.

Dustin, you're getting to go
onto the next round, my friend.

I tasted dustin
and herman's jars.

They made something that's not
in the same category

of spirit
as what I made.

That's the end of that round.
The next one coming up,

that's where we're gonna
see your true colors.

Got your signature mash,
gonna run it,

bring us your best jar.

We're gonna see
what you made out of.

Berättare: To distill rum,

a wash is made
by combining sugarcane juice

or molasses with water
and heat, adding yeast,

and allowing it to ferment.

Using ingredients
they brought from home,

the remaining shiners must
create an original rum recipe

that can ferment
in only five days.

Dustin: I'm adding a little dark
brown sugar

to bring over some
good molasses flavor here.

With my bread yeast,
it should yield a 10%.

I'm putting caramel
in the actual mash.

Then I'm gonna use vanilla
and banana in the thumper

and have a vanilla
banana rum.

Once I put a little bit
more caramel

in the thumper
and some cinnamon,

it should come out
really nice rum at the very end

and be more like of a sailor
rum, is what it'll actually be.

This is my favorite liquor
right here.

For my mash, I'm just
doing a basic molasses rum.

I put my molasses
in my mash first.

Toward the end,
I will do a sassafras spice.

It gives it a flavor
close to root beer.

This recipe
came from my wife.

A lot of my older family members
drank a lot of sassafras tea

'cause they couldn't
afford coffee,

and we incorporated
that into the rum.

It's been a favorite.

A lot of my friends,
they really love it,

especially around the holidays.

It makes a very good hot toddy.

♪

narrator:
Once the yeast is added,

the wash will be allowed
to ferment for five days.

During that time,
if ingredients are right,

the yeast will break down
the sugars in the wash,

converting it to alcohol.

Once the alcohol level reaches
10% to 20%, the yeast die off,

and it's ready to distill
into high-proof rum.

Digger: Herman brought him
a cooler of beer.

[ laughs ]

now's your time to shine.

One of you guys is gonna be
the master distiller.

One of you will win
the bragging rights,

and you'll also
win a limited run

of your signature liquor
at a major distillery.

The best jar that you got,
lid on it, on this table,

in less than four hours.

And your time starts now.

Good luck.
Yeah.

I like that.
Them gentlemen.

Yeah, they're gentlemen.

♪

now, he's got
a really dark mash, and...

Herman's
looks like the more

traditional mash color,
don't it?

Yeah. Dustin's is getting
stopped up.

-Oh, there's solids in it?
-Yeah.

Tim:
What's going on there?

What you got going on
over there, herman?

I'm gonna put a little spice
in the thumper here

and try to get
a little sassafras spiced rum.

Dustin's lit.

Tim: Herman needs to get
some heat up in here.

And then adjust your air.

There it is.
He's got it.

He is ignited. We're gonna
make nanner pudding.

You got vanilla?
Yeah.

Everything you need?
Okay.

This boy right here,
it's potent.

He's putting bananas and
vanilla beans in his thumper.

Digger:
I like his boldness there.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, I just worry a little bit
about herman

heating
his up so slow,

but he's done it
that way every time.

Dustin: I'm probably
running a tiny bit more
heat than you are.

You're going real slow,
ain't you?

Yeah,
I'm running real low heat.

I want to run it real slow and
let it pick up all the flavor

it'll pick up coming
out of that spice.

♪

oh.

And here we go.

You got liquor?

Oh, it smells like bananas.

I swear this [bleep]
smells like bananas.

What all did you put
in your thumper?

Just the spice,
to carry the spice over.

Now, don't you keep
coming up there. Damn it.

It'll come right out.

Berättare: Coming up...

Mark: I've never seen a rum
look like that.

...The winning rum
packs a punch

for the title
of master distiller.

Man, one of us is gonna
have a legal label.

Pretty good.
Good, ain't it?

It's kind of hot.

Berättare: It's an outlaw
rumrunners showdown,

as a seasoned
old-timer faces off

against a young gun
eager to make his name.

Water's good and cold.

Berättare: In the race to turn in
their signature rum recipes,

only one can
be master distiller.

Oh, god.

Boys, you got one hour.

See, it ain't running off
fast enough.

Damn,
that's not bad at all.

I'm gonna be lucky
to get anything of this.

Maybe a gallon and a half.

I'm pouring out
the liquor.

I don't think
I'm gonna get 6 quarts.

Hell, all you need
is one of them things you got,

and you'll be good
to go, buddy.

♪

boys, 30 minutes.

I had enough final flavor
to make two quarts out of it,

so I guess I got just enough.

I just hope it tastes better
than it looks.

Jag vet inte about that look.

I ain't never seen no rum
look like that before.

Digger: Look like
they're coming in.

-Fellers.
-Fellers.

-Coming in in unison.
-Okej, boys.

-Thank you guys.
-Yeah, man.

Thank you.

Mark: Looks like it's
high-proof, don't it?

Tim: I have never seen a rum
look like that.

It's not bad on nose.
Smells a little weak.

Herman's mash, it tasted a
little weak on the alcohol side.

Got a pretty good taste
all 'round,

till you get to that clove
finish, and it's a little bit...

Well, I'm a clove junkie.

That might hit me
right in the crease.

[ sniffles ]
made my nose run.

Dustin: You didn't heat it up
too fast and burn it,

and that was a big difference.
You had some smooth flavor.

I had to keep
from scorching.

We can already figure
where this one's gonna go.

It's got a big stalk of cinnamon
right in the middle of it.

I saw him put banana
in his thump keg.

Little fiery.

Yeah, it's about 130 proof.

But get a lot of banana
on the mid-flavor,

cinnamon on the back,

but not hanging in there
so bad that it's ridiculous.

Pretty good.
Good, ain't it?

It's kind of hot.

Man, one of us is gonna
have a legal label.

Could you imagine?

A legal livelihood.
I could.

Herman's got
the old-fashioned values

that we're kind
of looking for.

Dustin, however, it might need
kind of tweaked a little bit,

but, quite possibly, you could
make a good cocktail out of it.

It's altogether different.
Totally different taste profile.

The thing that I saw dustin put
into his thumper came through.

Dustin,
the proof is too high,

and then, herman,
he's too hot on his sassafras.

♪

well, boys, time's come.

One of you's gonna
get your heart broke.

One of you is gonna be deemed
the next master distiller.

Herman, your flavor,
it's up front,

but there's something
on the nose.

You got a little bit

of a skunky, sulfury smell,
didn't you?

Yes, sir, I did.
It's faint, but it's there.

Yeah.
Most everything,

I think, was pretty well
right-on on it, don't y'all?

Yep.

Dustin, his nose right there,

I mean,
when you smell that jar,

that nanner hits you
right in the nose.

That's what
I was hoping for.

Your vanilla bean,
it's in there.

I mean, it's like smelling
a banana split.

But that cinnamon stick,

I don't think you
need it in there.

Now, you're shooting
for 80 proof, as well.

You kind of overshot it.
I think we're in agreement.

It was probably be
about 100, wasn't it?

It's a pretty good, solid drink.
I think you could even make

a mixed drink out of that
if you had to.

-Thank you.
-The color's good on it.

Herman, on yours, that color
right there, I tell you...

It looks like
apple juice.

Herman, Jag vet inte how many
years you've been distilling,

but it shows.
You made a good cut.

I don't taste
any heads in here.

But it's saturated with
that sassafras and that clove,

and it's really strong.

Dustin?
Yes, sir.

I'm mixed feelings
about the cinnamon stick,

but that being said...

...It's a real pleasant
spiced rum.

Thank you.

And at this point...

Dustin, you're
the next master distiller, son.

Thank you, everyone.
Congratulations.

I won before I got
to the winners' circle.

Herman, thank you.

I had a great mentor --
herman.

You two
have really grown on us,

and it's an honor for us
to call you our friend.

I would not be standing
right here in front of anybody

today if it hadn't been
for that man right there.

It's been an honor to be judged
by some of the top moonshiners.

I'm a winner
all the way around.

We look forward to seeing
bigger things out of each one.

Yes, sir.

Dustin:
I've not had a lot of experience

with this growing up
and kind of went with it,

and here I am now,
master distiller.

Berättare: Next time on
"master distiller"...

Digger: There are people
that spend a lifetime

working in legal distilleries,
trying to achieve this.

...American whiskey meets
modern aging techniques.

You can't even see
through it.

And contestants will pull out
every trick for the top title.

A little evaporation, kind of
like the egyptians used to do.