>>> BACK IN THE DAY, A GOOD BATCH OF MOONSHINE WAS THE
BEST-KEPT SECRET IN THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS
OF NORTH CAROLINA.
WELL, NOW, WHITE LIGHTNING IS MAKING A LEGAL COMEBACK,
ESPECIALLY IN THE SELF-PROCLAIMED MOONSHINE
CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, WILKES COUNTY.
>> I THINK WHEN WE THINK OF MOONSHINE, WE THINK OF PLACES
LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, WILKES COUNTY, MOUNTAINS,
THE APPALACHIANS, AND OLD CARS MAKING THEIR RUN FOR -- FOR THE
DELIVERY, ALL THAT KIND OF GOOD STUFF THAT GETS CAPTURED
IN THE MOVIES.
>> THAT MYSTIQUE IS WHY GEORGE SMITH AND BUCK NANCE TEAMED UP
TO FORM COPPER BARREL DISTILLERY.
THEY BELIEVED IT WAS A WAY TO OFFER A QUALITY WHISKEY TO THE
PUBLIC ALL THE WHILE EDUCATING THEM ON THE RICH, COLORFUL
HISTORY OF THE AREA.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF STORIES AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR FROM A LOT OF
DIFFERENT PEOPLE ABOUT OTHERS THAT WERE -- YOU KNOW, HAVE
BECOME FAMOUS FOR RUNNING SHINE HERE IN THE AREA AND REVENUERS
AS WELL CHASING THEM DOWN.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS FOUND INTRIGUING.
>> YOU TELL THEM YOU'RE FROM WILKES COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA,
IMMEDIATELY, THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT YOU AND SAY, "YOU GOT ANY
MOONSHINE?"
"CAN YOU GET US SOME MOONSHINE?"
"YOU GOT SOME WITH YOU?"
>> WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE IDEAL LOCATION TO BUILD A DISTILLERY,
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO FIND A PLACE THAT PROVIDED THE MOST BASIC
INGREDIENT TO MAKE THE SHINE.
>> SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WELL HERE ON-SITE WHERE WE'RE DRAWING
WATER DIRECTLY FROM THE CRYSTALLINE ROCK AQUIFER THAT'S
UNDERNEATH WILKES COUNTY, AND THE WATER IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT
FOR THE TYPE OF PRODUCT THAT WE'RE MAKING.
>> EVERYBODY COMES UP WITH A FORMULA THAT THEY THINK'S
THE BEST.
SO -- BUT I DON'T THINK THEIRS TOUCHES MINE.
IT'S BEEN PASSED DOWN FOR A LONG TIME.
>> WELL, MOONSHINE IS SOMETHING THAT, I THINK, FROM CANADA,
WE THINK IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T REALLY EXIST ANYMORE.
IT'S KIND OF A MYTH.
BUT, APPARENTLY, IT'S NOT A MYTH.
IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
>> IT DOES EXIST.
IN ADDITION TO SHINE BEING MADE IN THE BACKWOODS AND HOLLERS,
IT'S NOW BEING MADE ON MAIN STREET IN NORTH
WILKESBORO LEGALLY.
>> WITH OUR MOONSHINE, WE START BY BLENDING THE GRAINS, YOU
KNOW, THE CORN AND THE RYE, IN ONE OF OUR MASH TANKS WITH THE
WATER AND THE SUGAR.
ONCE IT GETS TO THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE, THEN WE CAN ADD THE
YEAST AND LET IT FERMENT FOR FOUR TO FIVE DAYS.
>> THIS IS OUR MASH WHERE WE -- OR FERMENTING TANKS.
THE MASH, TO BEGIN WITH, IS WHAT WE PUT ON THIS MORNING.
THIS IS JUST STARTING.
THE SOUND IS ACTUALLY THE GASES BUBBLING UP OUT OF THE MASH
AS IT FERMENTS.
>> AFTER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, WE END UP WITH WHAT'S CALLED
A BEER.
FROM THERE WE TAKE THE BEER, PUMP IT INTO THE STILL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES OUR MOONSHINE, IN MY OPINION,
BETTER AND SMOOTHER THAN ANYBODY ELSE'S OUT THERE IS THAT WE'RE
DIRECTLY INJECTING THE STEAM INTO THE MASH.
AND DOING SO, WE'RE ALLOWED -- OR ABLE TO EXTRACT A LOT MORE
FLAVOR OFF THE GRAINS AND STRIP OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
ARE UNPLEASANT.
IT WORKS ITS WAY OVER TO OUR SECOND STILL AND THEN GETS
DISTILLED A SECOND TIME.
>> AFTER THE SHINE IS RUN THROUGH A COOLING TANK, IT
TRAVELS THROUGH THE WORM, WHICH IS 460 FEET OF COILED INCH AND A
QUARTER COPPER TUBING.
IT CONDENSES THE STEAM BACK TO THE LIQUID THAT WILKES COUNTY IS
KNOWN FOR WORLDWIDE.
>> WE'LL GET US A LITTLE BOTTLEFUL HERE TO WHERE YOU CAN
LOOK AT IT.
AND IT IS A PRETTY LITTLE BOTTLE OF SHINE.
>> IT HAS MORE FLAVOR, I THINK, THAN I WOULD HAVE IMAGINED.
AND YOU THINK OF -- YOU KNOW, I GUESS I USED TO THINK THAT
MOONSHINE WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE RUBBING ALCOHOL OR SOMETHING,
BUT IT ACTUALLY HAS A LOT OF FLAVOR, AND IT'S REALLY NICE.
>> I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME MORE OF THAT.
>> IT'S VERY SMOOTH.
IT'S GOT A REALLY GOOD BURN KIND OF AFTERTASTE TO IT.
IT'S GOT A LIGHT SWEETNESS TO IT THAT I REALLY ENJOY.
IT'S A LOT SMOOTHER THAN I THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE.
I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE HARSH AND, YOU KNOW, PUT A
LITTLE MORE HAIR ON MY CHEST, NOT THAT IT WON'T.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S -- IT'S A GOOD FLAVOR.
>> WHAT I WANT OUR VISITORS TO LEAVE WITH IS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT
WILKES COUNTY SHOULD BE PROUD OF THEIR HERITAGE HERE, THAT THEY
SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE PRODUCTS THAT WE'RE PRODUCING.
IT'S BASED ON ORIGINAL LOCAL RECIPES THAT HAVE BEEN HANDED
DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION, AND WE WANT TO
CONTINUE THAT TRADITION AND, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JUST GIVE THE
PEOPLE IN THE AREA A REASON TO BE PROUD OF THEIR HISTORY.