♪♪
Every time we steal A client or customer
From another moonshiner,
I have to worry about a still Getting blown up.
I have to worry about my entire Operation being destroyed
Because of jealousy.
As cutthroat as some people are,
You've got to worry about How they'll retaliate.
But I will get even with them Through money in my pocket
And liquor in their customer's Bellies that they didn't run.
This history Of blood feuds
And rough justice in appalachia
Is long and bloody.
And in the shadowy world Of moonshine,
Where no protection Under law exists,
Retaliation can be The only means
Of settling a score.
On this episode of "Moonshiners"...
This is not A safe situation.
I've got 30-gallon of liquor
I'm going to sell to a guy That I've met one time.
...The numbers Aren't adding up in kentucky.
After ending Far short of his goal,
One shiner resorts to plan "B."
I've seen hard times before.
I'm gonna have to go To the mountains,
Try to make a living A little different way now.
The pot's gone! *bleep*
And a border war is Heating up in eastern tennessee.
It's all gone, man! Son of a bitches!
♪♪
♪ goin' for a ride ♪
♪ runnin' to survive ♪
♪ when you're livin' Outside the law ♪
♪♪
♪ we're livin' Outside the law ♪
♪♪
This is how We make the moonshine!
--captions by vitac-- Www.Vitac.Com
Captions paid for by Discovery communications
It sure is a nice, pretty, Sunny morning though, ain't it?
Oh, yeah.
In tennessee, It's make-our-break
For mike and daniel,
Who were looking to clinch Their season goal
With a new ingredient.
These satsumas, These here are
Locally grown in mississippi,
Down where I was Born and raised.
My grandpa and uncle's Got an orchard down there
That they grow in.
Satsumas are A type of tangerine
Originally brought From japan to the banks
Of the mississippi In the 1800s.
They're sometimes referred To as "Honey citrus"
Because of their sweet flavor.
Satsumas have long been Favored by growers
Due to their Frost resistance,
With standing temperatures As low as 12 degrees fahrenheit,
Which is nearly 15 degrees lower
Than the majority Of cultivated citrus fruits.
That's A coffee-cup full.
We down to The last run of the day.
I just gotta head forward
And do what I gotta do for me And my family.
♪♪
Take this jacket Off a minute.
After hustling All season,
Mike is only 25 gallons shy Of his 600-gallon goal.
But with winter on his heels,
It'll be a race to the finish.
Time's against me. It's getting cold.
I ain't quite made it To my goal yet.
I've gotta get these satsumas Mashed in and mashed in fast.
While satsumas Are cold-resistant,
The yeast and mash is not.
If the temperature dips Below 50 degrees fahrenheit,
Fermentation slows Nearly to a halt,
Killing any chance mike has To make a sellable liquor
And hit his season goal.
I hope that this stuff works off In time for me to run it.
This means everything to me.
It brings me back To when I was a kid.
You know, we had to use Everything that we had down
There in mississippi To make liquor out of.
Let's get this in there.
Damn, I couldn't have Done it by myself.
There ain't no way.
Mike is betting On this satsuma brandy
To keep with up with demand Across two counties
Into next season.
By god, it's got The sweetener to it now.
Whoo!
We're really rolling the dice On this batch of mash right now.
Let's cap her off.
But if I make this satsuma Liquor taste just right,
I can introduce it to people Up here in the mountains.
I'm trying to get the Brand-new flavor out there,
Create a demand for next year.
Let's get Outta here.
♪♪
You can check it. How's that?
-I gotcha. -you go up there and look.
In kentucky, a recent Cold snap is threatening
Chico and sondra's final run
And the money They're counting on
To get them through the winter.
What's it look like?
It's a little Foamy, still.
Foamy don't hurt none.
It's not sticky At all.
We've had some Cold weather coming in lately.
We don't know if it's affected Our mash or not.
If it's not worked off, If this cold weather
That came in has messed that up, Then we're done for the year.
What's it taste like?
Like we're in business.
Off that barrel And pull it outta that one,
And I'll start Filling the still up.
I'm so proud of you. Next year, I'll stay at home.
I gave sondra the lead On this one, you know.
I sent her up To check the barrels.
This barrel is About empty.
How you looking in the still Right there?
Yeah, she's good! Pull it out.
Ah! We're ready to run!
I think she has got to the point
Where she knows as well As I do how this is.
-all right. -oh, you gonna do it all?
-yeah, I got to. -I told you I could sit at home!
All right.
Last one in.
While sondra's Pomegranate idea is a risk,
The process is similar To any other fruit brandy.
Our mash is good to go, But now we have to run it.
We don't know what It's gonna taste like.
We don't know how It's gonna turn out.
So you get nervous about one Thing, that works out,
And then there's always Something else
To be apprehensive about.
By making back-to-back Runs through the night,
Chico and sondra should Be able to produce
30 gallons Of pomegranate brandy,
Putting them over Their season goal.
Let's get the cap on. Start making money.
This liquor, We haven't run before.
So I'm gonna be extra careful And take all the time it needs,
Because I don't know how it's Gonna turn out anyway, you know.
We've never run Any pomegranate before,
So we're gonna be Extra careful.
We're gonna baby this one Just a little bit to make sure
It turns out as good As it possibly can.
Now we get to hurry up And wait some more.
It's gonna be one Of them nights.
We ain't outta the woods yet. -I know.
This is the part that makes me Nervous as a cat.
Yeah, but you remember How nervous we were
About the watermelon And the strawberry-banana?
Like, we're -- every time We try anything new.
At least that was A normal fruit.
We need this cash To get through winter.
This is a little different Type of liquor
That we've ever run.
And we don't know how This run's gonna turn out.
If we don't make this last push,
It's trouble for my family.
This 30 gallons Is for the savings.
I'm all nervous again. We got a lot riding on this.
♪♪
-look. -it's running now.
-yes! -it's about time.
-we have liquor. -that's liquor, too.
-yeah, the heads is gone. -yeah.
We're done. We're ready to start.
My god, we'll probably be able To taste it soon, any minute.
Hurry!
-here. -now we're going big.
That's all you.
You know you the guinea pig With your liquor.
And this is your liquor.
When you come up with these hair -brained ideas, it is all you.
What you think? -that's awesome.
It's really smooth. Lord have mercy!
It wasn't really like anything I was expecting, you know?
It just kind of has that crisp Tart kind of flavor to it.
It's probably some of The smoothest liquor
That we've ever ran.
Taste it. Like, it's really tart.
Tastes like Pomegranates.
I mean, it's got The after-flavor
On the back of your tongue, Like the tart, you know?
Well, I believe that's about The smoothest liquor
That you've run. -it's very, very smooth.
-yeah, it -- it really is. -it is smooth.
-I like it a lot, actually. -yeah, it's really good.
But don't get attached to it, 'cause it's sold.
Get that back In the bucket.
Chico's lined up A potential buyer
He's never met before,
So he's setting up a pre-sale Meeting to feel him out.
I've got a guy, Gonna take all 30 gallons,
A dude I ain't never met before.
I'm sticking my neck out,
But if I can drop all 30-gallon Off at one time,
That's the last risk I have to take for the season.
We got our first run Of the night done.
Now we need to get after Our second barrel,
And then three and four.
We knew it was gonna be A long night.
-I'm proud of it. -me, too.
Good job, mama.
♪♪
Wanna go up here And meet the buyer.
I'm really hoping He's interested
In my new potato Vodka moonshine.
In north carolina,
It's redemption or the rod For lance.
After a string Of costly failures
Nearly tanked his shine season,
He's throwing a hail mary On an untested potato vodka
With a well-connected buyer.
Hell, this guy's got A lotta connections.
If I can get in good with him,
Get him a product That he really likes,
Be easy street for me.
I made a few mistakes early on.
That hurt, so having a win This late in the season,
That'd be a huge weight Off my shoulders.
While lance's errors
Kept him and jeff from hitting Their season goal,
The higher price Of his new vodka shine
Could earn them enough cash
To make it through The oncoming winter.
Little worried That, you know,
It being a new product, He's not gonna wanna get it.
I've told them that I got something new
And interesting for him,
But I didn't tell him That it was potato vodka.
♪♪
Not much. How are you, sir?
I'm good, you?
Ready to try some New moonshine?
♪♪
Here ya go.
Mm-hmm.
I like it.
Oh, yeah.
Hmm.
They stole Everything I've got!
They ain't leave nothing But my *bleep* barrels!
Mike's failed last run
Is just the beginning Of his problems.
I don't know What I'm gonna do.
♪♪
I like it.
Oh, yeah.
Hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Thank you, sir.
Nice doing business With you.
Holler any time.
Now that lance has Proven the marketability
Of his new potato vodka,
He'll need to capitalize On it quickly
By running and selling One last batch
Before he and his father Shut down for the winter.
This is myflavor. This is mine.
After my earlier mess-ups This season,
It had to go successfully.
And to have dad back on my side,
That means the world to me.
♪♪
hershey.
In a north carolina cabin,
Winter's approach Has mark scrambling
To make every drop count.
♪♪
This is the last batch Of corn whiskey for the season.
I've brought it back To the cabin here
To clean it up and proof it.
Got some cheesecloth here.
Gotta strain this liquor.
After my split with mike...
...'bout 300 gallons' All I can come up with.
It's smelling good now.
I like to strain mine At least twice.
The cleaner it is, the better.
Yeah, I like to proof My liquor down.
It's way too hot to drink.
It ain't safe to drink it Like that,
So better off to get her Down to about 110
Before you drink it, really.
All righty.
Proof, Which is the measure
Of the alcohol content Of a beverage,
Is defined in the united states
As two-times the alcohol Percentage by volume.
To temper the liquor, mark mixes All the alcohol from his run
Into one container.
Next, he adds clean well water
Until the liquor Is reduced to a suitable
Drinking level -- Between 90 and 110 proof.
Lastly, the liquor goes back Into jars for sales.
Let's see here.
Check the proof on this.
When you proof it, You wind up with more liquor.
And I need all the gallons I can get.
Mm-hmm.
That's high. I'd say it's about 160.
When shiners Shake a jar of moonshine
To check the proof,
They're observing the size Of the resulting bubbles
And how long they take To dissipate.
After shaking the jar,
Large bubbles on the surface Of the shine
That quickly pop indicate High alcohol content, or proof.
When low-proof alcohol Is put the shake test,
The bubbles are small And linger on the surface
For a longer period of time.
This is due to the fact That water has
A higher surface tension Than alcohol.
The amount of surface tension Is in direct proportion
To the amount of time It takes for a bubble to pop.
The shake test takes A practiced eye to master.
Some shiners are so proficient At the technique
That they can match the readings Of a hydrometer point for point.
My bubbles' leaving real quick, And that tells me it's too high.
They're just about A-vanishing quick as I shake it.
We gonna have to proof her down.
This right here is a good quart Of ol' good, clean water.
It don't take a whole lotta Water to proof it down.
Yeah, I like high-proof Liquor to drink.
I like it around 110.
It's a-breaking in the middle, Making a bridge.
This right here'll Tell the tale.
Every time I proof my liquor,
I like to pour A little bit in a pan.
Try a little fire test Right here.
See how blue this flame is?
It's what you want.
Your blue flame, It shows you that it's pure --
Pure alcohol.
Mm-hmm.
That is good.
Now I got this liquor Proofed down.
Now all I gotta do is sell it.
It's been a tough shine season.
I've gotta prepare For the winter.
♪♪
We got the last run Of pomegranate done.
I'm getting rid of All the liquor we got,
Putting the money In our pockets.
The last run of the season is
What keeps my family Fed through the winter.
Kentucky shiner chico
Is on his way to interview A new buyer
To see if he's legit.
I'm going to meet this cat That got ahold of me
Through a friend of mine, You know.
I don't know this guy, so I'm Gonna feel this dude out before
I put liquor into his hands.
This cat's wanting 30-gallon.
That's a red flag, you know.
I mean, the first time this cat Ever got in touch with me,
He's wanting that big a number.
Oh, I got a pretty good *bleep*-detector.
I can tell when somebody's Pissing on my boot
And telling me it's raining.
So let's see what happens.
Man, where is this dude?
I don't like when people Ain't on time.
♪♪
Yeah, that's him.
♪♪
What's up, buddy?
Yeah, where'd you say You're from?
I know where you at. I know some people over there.
Which, I know we know Some of the same people,
But I hadn't met you.
So, what's on Your mind?
-30 gallons. -right.
That's a lotta liquor.
What you aiming on Doing with it?
So you -- You bootlegging?
Yeah.
I can respect that.
At least you're honest About it.
I'll be straight-up With you.
It's pomegranate. It's a high-dollar liquor.
I been selling it for $175 To a gallon.
I can't.
$150?
$150 good for you?
Right on.
All right, we'll meet up Somewhere.
But be on time.
I understand. *bleep* happens.
But I don't wanna be sitting Here with liquor in the car.
And don't bring nobody With you.
I mean that 100%.
All right.
Long as your money green On both sides, we good.
-yeah. -all right.
♪♪
I don't know this guy, and you Know, 30 gallons is a lot.
But I believe I can trust This dude, you know,
Because there is tell-tale signs
When somebody's jerking You around, you know.
When I asked him a question,
He delivers a statement Directly.
He keeps eye contact.
He's not fidgety. He's not jumpy.
Your body and your eyes Will tell on you way
Before your mouth does.
And if he's a bootlegger,
It may be a potential customer For the future.
This dude is taking 30-gallon.
I'm comfortable With $150 a gallon,
And he's gonna take My entire run.
I think this is the way To end my season.
But what steps he takes next Will prove to whether
There'll be a future With mine and his relationship.
♪♪
Well, daniel, We'll get down here
And see if this mash Is ready to run.
It's been awful cool.
So it won't be Much longer,
And there ain't gonna be No working mash.
Temperatures have been going Up and down, up and down.
But it's fixin' to get cold And stay cold.
Oh, yeah.
Tennessee shiners Mike and daniel
Are headed back To the still site.
They're going to meet Their production goal
And close out their season
With a run of mike's Satsuma brandy.
I'm anxious to taste That satsuma anyway.
Be some good liquor.
A citrus-flavored moonshine -- What about that?
Yeah, and daniel, I'd like to thank you, buddy,
For coming in here And helping me like you have.
That ain't nothing, But a thang.
Mark had a goal Of 1,200 gallons,
And since I've Went out on my own
And got you to help me And everything,
I cut my goal down To 600 gallons.
-right. -if we get this run tonight,
That's gonna put us Over the top this year.
Man, I've worked My ass off this year.
And, you know, we're narrowing Down to the last run.
I hope we can make us A good run tonight.
Oh, hell.
The pot's gone, man!
*bleep*
♪♪
That *bleep* ain't Happening to me!
♪♪
Everything's *bleep* Gone, man.
Son of a bitches!
It's all gone, man!
Hey, what's up?
Well, he brought somebody Else with him.
*bleep*
S.O.S. In kentucky.
He's waiting on me To get off the phone.
♪♪
-the pot's gone. -*bleep*
♪♪
Everything's *bleep* gone, man.
Son of a bitches!
It's all gone, man!
Just as mike was about
To finish his season In the black,
A ransacked site And stolen still
Have him seeing red.
They stoled Everything I've got!
They ain't leave nothing But my *bleep* barrels!
I know it.This is $3,000-worth
Of damn copper That it's gone.
Everything's sabotaged.
Mash barrels is turned over.
I don't have nothing left.
Man, I tell ya, I've had so many setbacks
This year, It's not even funny.
Oh!
Damn it to hell!
If you'd a-got that damn pump Like I told you to,
I wouldn't be down here Wallowing around
In this damn furnace.
I figured out
Me and mark's Just two different people.
I'm gonna be expanding My territories somewhat.
You don't think that ain't Pretty dangerous?
Moonshiners -- They start getting
Into one another's Territory,
People get hurt.
I'm the bootlegger.
Let me take care Of the bootlegging.
So I split up with mark.
I went out on my own.
$800, man.
Holler at me On the next run.
I been expanding my territory,
Going over into cocke county.
You have good one, son. We'll see ya on the next trip.
Here we go. That'll do it, brother.
That looks like It's all there.
And then I tried to sell To a guy named kelly.
He set me up.
Mark and digger tried to warn me
About other moonshiners In the territory.
We're the nice guys In this neighborhood.
There's boys around here That ain't nice.
I can show you 30, 40 tombstones up here
That oughta be chiseled With the words,
"I was warned."
So I may be some Of the blame of this.
Oh, my god.
I don't know What I'm gonna do.
You gotta watch Who you trust, dude.
You know, I thought I had A good agreement
With them fellers over there, And it felt legit to me.
But you never know. -let me ask you this.
That last time You had a run-in,
Do you think They followed you back?
Man, I don't know.
Might've been that damn snake I tried to sell to.
I'd say you right.
I would say That this was done
By somebody that knew him.
They're trying to shut him down And prove a point.
I don't know who It could've been,
But I've got My suspicions.
I been going over Into cocke county,
So I don't know if it was A couple fellers over there
Or somebody that Walked through here
And tore it down to go Make some pocket change.
The loss of mike's Still not only cost him
His final run of the season,
But over $3,000 invested In copper and hardware.
♪♪
This is how I feed my family.
I know.
I know exactly where you're Coming from on that.
This is what puts bread On the table.
This is what pays the bills.
Still yet, what am I gonna Do for next season?
I've got $3,000 In that still site
Gone down the drain.
It ain't that easy Just to rebuild.
Just have to build another One bigger and better, buddy.
Mnm!
Let's just get this *bleep* And get outta here, man.
Let's just -- let's pick It up and what's left.
I'm trying To console mike.
Hell, what's done is done.
All you can do is pick up The pieces, rebuild,
Get bigger and better Next year.
With turning to The law for help not an option,
The only recourse For a moonshiner
Is backwoods justice.
I'm fixin' to fix Their asses, son!
I know who done this *bleep* to me.
I'll go blow every damn thing They got up.
I've put all my sweat, blood, And tears into this still site.
Whoever come in here And stole my still
Aimed to beat me down, To knock me outta the game.
There ain't no damn way in hell I'm gonna let 'em beat me.
The hell with 'em!
I'm coming back, And I'm coming back stronger!
All these bastards left me is A couple of damn plastic barrels
And my damn burners.
And now I've gotta regroup And see what the hell I can do.
When I rebuild this Coming up in spring,
I'm gonna hurt A lotta damn feelings, son.
I'm gonna go ahead And tell you.
What don't kill a man'll Make him stronger.
I'm coming back stronger Than ever, son, next year.
This sucks, dude.
Yeah, it sucks. Let's get the hell outta here.
♪♪
I've got 30-gallon of liquor In this car right now.
And I'm going to sell to a guy That I've met one time.
On a remote Kentucky road,
Chico is gambling his freedom On one last score worth $4,500.
We really need this money To get through winter.
I mean, it's just Do-or-die for us.
Although The bootlegger seemed
Trustworthy face to face,
Chico is still taking Every precaution.
I set up a meeting, I felt him out.
He's got a good feel To him, you know.
I mean, he was honest And forthcoming with me.
But in this game, I trust no one.
And a stumble like me Getting locked up
Right here At the end of the season,
Put my family In serious jeopardy.
But this sale will pay our bills Till we get up running again
Next year.
♪♪
I picked a gravel road.
It's away from everybody.
The only thing up and down This road is, like,
A few old abandoned houses.
If I have to, in this car,
I can run and get away, If I have to.
I hope it doesn't Come down to that.
I can see where I told him To meet me at.
I see headlights.
When you get this close,
When your nerves'll fail out.
The hell is this?
He brought somebody with him.
I told him to come By his self.
Makes me nervous.
*bleep*.
The hell is this?
He brought somebody with him.
I told him to come By his self.
Makes me nervous.
*bleep*.
On a dark Kentucky night,
Chico finds his new customer Has ignored a prime directive.
I don't want That many eyes on me
When I'm selling liquor, For my safety.
If he can have backup, So can I.
Hey, what's up?
Done yet?
No, he brought somebody Else with him.
*bleep*.
Sondra -- she's the only Person in the world
That I trust When I'm not certain.
He's waiting for you Right now?
-he's sitting there. -did he give you the money yet?
He's sitting In the headlights,
Waiting on me To get off the phone.
Then hurry up and get your money And get the hell outta there.
It's our last run. We've got to have the money.
Sell it and get the hell Outta there.
-all right. -be careful.
-love you. -love you.
Bye.
All right, then.
Let's go.
Who is that?
I know, but two heads Make me nervous
When I got that much liquor In the truck.
Let's see that Greenage.
All right, buddy. Just hang out.
I'll bring it to ya.
I can't take the risk Or the time
Of bootlegging It out separately
And make the same Amount of money.
I'm here. He's got cash.
Sondra told me to go and do it, So let's roll.
Holler at me Next year, man.
Thank you.
And at the end of this,
I may have picked up Another bootlegger.
9 times outta 10, When someone showed up
With somebody else in the truck,
I would've probably Cut bait and left.
But this was kind of A do-or-die situation.
It was worth the extra Little bit of risk
To leave with that money And no liquor
And call it a season.
That's the most money I've made in one drop.
I got a pocketful of cash.
I'm gonna spend some time With my baby.
♪♪
Across appalachia,
As icy winds herald Winter's arrival,
Jeff and lance are toughing out
One final run Of lance's vodka shine.
I built me a fire.
When your body's used To 60s and 70s
And then you drop into the 30s All at once...
♪♪
Jeff and lance made it By the skin of their teeth.
The vodka moonshine Finished fermenting
Just hours before The temperature
Plummeted to near freezing.
Get the cap on this thing. Get it ready to go in the worm.
Although this 11-gallon run of liquor
Hits the halfway mark On their season goal,
The vodka's higher price Should at least fetch them
Enough cash to make it Through winter.
For this shiner duo,
Success is measured in cold, Hard cash at the end of a sale.
This final transaction must Go off without a hitch
To stave off a cold, Long winter.
I'm a little nervous,
But I gotta get this deal done
And finish this season Out strong.
♪♪
What are you up to, Brother?
I have.
Potato vodka moonshine.
I mean, this is Top-shelf liquor.
Like it?
I've got 11 gallons.
Good deal.
Good doing business With you, sir.
We'll get these Loaded up.
♪♪
It's a good bit of money there.
This is a huge success For the season.
Good deal. Maybe dad'll Get off my back now.
With over $1,600 Safely in-hand,
Lance can share the good news With his senior partner.
Hello?
Well, good.
I'm scott-free now.
Okay. I'll see you In a little while.
-bye. -yep.
Tastes like Rye whiskey to me.
Yep.
Whoo!
Found kelly's still. He set me up.
Little bit of dynamite, I'm gonna blow him sky-high.
A war is Brewing in appalachia.
I'd stay right there If I was you.
This is gonna get ugly.
♪♪
I didn't have too good A season this year.
I just have to switch my way Around of living,
Get ready to hunt.
There ain't a whole lot To a box trap,
Just a square box About two-foot long.
It's really just two things That makes 'em work --
Trigger system and the door.
When I get in the woods, I believe I'll cut
My trigger system, moor it up.
Trigger system, it goes down This hole with a notch in it,
And I'll sharpen The bottom of it
And put an apple on the bottom.
And when he comes in there To start eating on that apple,
He pushes on it, Makes the door fall.
Once that door falls, He's in there.
Grandpa -- he showed me how To build these old box traps.
But I'd have to be awful hungry
Before I set in To eating on them.
I like to kill my own meat.
I don't like to go to the store.
It's better meat,
And it's a whole lot More fun going to get.
♪♪
So, what we Gotta get out?
Barrels.
Everything Moonshine-related.
Anything moonshine -related, yeah.
Over in kentucky,
Chico and sondra are back At their still site
Ready to pack it in For the season.
I'm just trying to get Everything cut and dry and gone.
-okay. -you know what I mean?
We're just gonna cover Our tracks, so to speak.
We don't wanna leave any Remnants or evidence behind.
-I got -- yeah, let go. -got it?
Ooh!
Oh, lord!
We set a nominal goal This year of 376-gallon,
But with this last 30-gallon of Pomegranate, we surpassed that.
I will take this Down with me,
And then I'll go Do ground support.
This season, chico and I
Literally got our operation Off the ground.
It's the treehouse You always wanted.
We're physically building
A suspended distillery In the trees.
-all right, good. -are you guys done yet?
-almost. -that's bad-ass.
Ain't nobody else got A setup like this.
That worked out great.
Not one time did somebody Walk up on it.
We got to come up With something new.
Chico and I really kind of Followed the seasons this year.
We're getting soaked.
Let's get some of these Bananas in here.
We really had to kind of Pivot our ingredients
Each time The weather changed.
Looks good, Smells good.
We went from strawberry-banana To watermelon to pomegranate.
-a pomer-what-it? -a pomegranate.
We in kentucky!
You been watching too much "Sex in the city."
This is a drink they would Serve on "Sex in the city."
But it completely paid off.
We did it.
Catch!
You didn't catch it Very good.
I have 100% confidence
That she could run This setup on her own.
Got it? She's been through worse.
Yeah, I know.
Chico puts a lot Of faith in me now,
And I really feel like An equal partner.
We've progressed as a couple. We've progressed as partners.
Sondra has really Turned into a moonshiner.
You done good this year. -think so?
Yeah, you finally made it.
Okay. I learned a lot up there.
You get, like, a "C."
Your my teacher, So you get...
-you get an "A." -...You get, like, a "D."
You get an "A."
Okay, okay. You get an "A" too, then.
You're a pain in the ass, But you're a good teacher.
I love you.
Say "Bye."
This site has served us well.
I really am to The point where I'm tired,
I'm done with the season.
But I always hate To see it leave.
Oh!
This is who I am.
This is how I provide For my family, yes,
But I love this.
-say bye. -bye, sky condo.
We will miss you.
♪♪
This is the end Of the moonshine season,
And I had a rough season.
It didn't work out for me.
Back at his North carolina cabin,
Mark's failure To hit his season goal
Has the self-reliant shiner Turning to other skills
To survive The harsh months ahead.
I fell short of my goal.
Just had too much to do, Not enough time.
Oh, my god.
They're tore all to hell, Ain't they?
This season, had A pretty rough start.
Bunch of loggers come through, Tore my still site up.
You mean to tell me You wanna put
That rotten-ass fruit In your mash?
I'll sell it for you,
But I don't want my name On this, all right?
Me and mike -- We really didn't see eye to eye.
We split up.
Had to do all of The work myself.
It's a whole lotta work, Setting up by yourself.
Having a good partner, it makes All the difference in the world.
I just didn't get the liquor Made that I wanted to.
So I'm gonna have to go To the mountains,
Try to make a living A little different way now.
I'm gonna have to kill About everything
I can this year Just to make it.
Yeah, this is gonna Be a hard winter.
I didn't make near the money I usually do.
But I've seen hard times before.
I'll just have to hunt harder, Is all I know.
This old gun -- It's been good to me.
It never let me down.
Next season, if I could Find me a good partner,
I could make a whole Lot more money.
It's just a whole lot better With a partner.
Yeah, in the mountains Is where I like to be.
Been in the mountains All my life,
And I'm more comfortable There than anywhere I'm at.
Moonshining -- It's a hard job.
It's a lot of work in it.
You have all kinds of problems,
But you just gotta fix 'em.
I've drunk a lotta People's liquor.
But still, I like mine Better than anybody's.
I guess I'll make it till I die.
♪♪
Man, I've worked My ass off this year.
To be honest with you, I'm so tore up about my still
Being stolen and everything.
That's my livelihood. That's what feeds my family!
♪♪
I've come down here, And I've found kelly's still.
Kelly, when he set me up, He stole my still.
And I can't make no more liquor, So I'm gonna retaliate.
Little bit of dynamite -- I'm gonna blow him sky-high.
I'm gonna come in here And give him a little surprise.
You can't go and tell the law, So I'm out here on my own.
And I'm gonna hurt Some feelings.
Little bit of dynamite'll Teach him.
I'd stay right there If I was you.
This is gonna get ugly.
♪♪
Next time on
The season finale of "Moonshiners"...
A sale of this size -- This is gonna be a game-changer.
...Josh's final chance At making a career-record sale
Could turn into an epic fail.
What's the deal, man? Y'all on the way or what?
Change of plans?
*bleep*!
You're gonna be Trapped in there.
From backwoods criminals To legit distillers,
Two partners forge ahead On a new path.
Think I'm gonna be Real comfortable in here.
Oh, no.
And explosive payback In tennessee.