America is a spirited country, and you can second, third, and fourth that sentiment from Discovery’s connoisseurs of redneck engineering and fine sipping white lightening, Mark Ramsey, Digger Manes and Tim Smith of Moonshiners fame in the returning series Master Distiller.
Heck, these guys are so good that they took their whiskey-making skills to entrepreneurial levels and have bonafide businesses making assorted spirits. And Tim even made a copper still from scratch with Tickle on a recent Moonshiners.
Now, Discovery is bringing these three men back to judge a competition in Master Distiller.
This series sees the competitors face off and compete for America’s liquor making legacy. The most active whiskey makers and moonshiners are regionally centered in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States, although it’s made all over the USA.
The art of distilling is a complicated and nuanced affair, and requires patience, quality ingredients and a tried and true methodology. Luck too, but less so than skill.
The show is back for another season beginning March 3, and Discovery shared a preview of what is to come.
What is the show Master Distiller about?
America’s top legal and outlaw distillers are pitted against one another in the ultimate spirit-making competition to see who has what it takes to elevate to the ranks of the super greats and win the title of Master Distiller.
The entire country is craft spirit crazy, as regional distillers carry on a centuries-old tradition from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon.
Some are legal and some, well… best be quiet. The taxman uses the lawman to make sure he gets his cut, and some don’t grease Uncle Sam’s palm for the hooch.
These diverse distillers will compete to earn their place in liquor-making history and bragging rights and perhaps a leg up in the competitive spirit distribution landscape.
To make money you need a distributor like Diageo (UK), Pernod Ricard, United Spirits, Suntory/Beam, and so on. If you are curious to see them all in a handy list, check this.
The judges are our famous Moonshiners – Mark, Digger and Tim – as three competitors will face off each week in a series of challenges focused on making a specific type of spirit including American whiskey, rum, gin, mountain brandy, and mezcal among others.
More than the necessary amount of skill is required to complete the challenges, as these competitors will need to prove their knowledge of the craft and demonstrate impeccable creativity as they turn raw local ingredients into the real deal, handcrafted spirits that will impress the most seasoned of distilling experts.
The champion of each episode earns a limited release of their winning recipe through Sugarlands Distilling Co.
Master Distiller preview
Watch the new season sizzle reel as the guys show their style and wit while competitors sweat it out.
Master Distiller airs on Tuesdays, beginning March 3, at 10/9c on Discovery Channel. It will air after an all-new episode of Moonshiners at 9/8c.