What Is Popcorn Sutton Moonshine Called?

How did Popcorn Sutton get his nickname?

Who is Popcorn Sutton? – Marvin Sutton earned the nickname “Popcorn” because he once attacked a popcorn vending machine using a pool cue when he got frustrated at a bar. He was rarely called by his real name after that bizarre moment. He is known for being Popcorn the Moonshiner because he made a career out of making moonshine.

What did popcorn Suttons moonshine taste like?

On the nose, Popcorn Sutton Barrel Finished Moonshine offers the traditional notes of a very young bourbon or other American whiskey — heavy wood influence, modest vanilla, and a touch of charred popcorn. Sweetness persists beneath all of this, more molasses than the cane sugar of straight Popcorn Sutton.

Who made moonshine with popcorn?

Almost everyone who grew up in and around Cocke County, Tennessee is familiar with the legend of Popcorn Sutton. Some view him as a folk hero. Others view him as a criminal. Still, his name is synonymous with one of the county’s greatest claims to fame: Real mountain moonshine.

• Popcorn Sutton was a moonshiner who was born in Maggie Valley, North Carolina.
• In fact, he came from a long line of bootleggers.
• He considered moonshining his birth rite.
• Sutton learned to make moonshine at an early age.
• He honed the perfection of the craft, much like his father and grandfather had before him.

While Sutton made his career out of this illegal trade, his rise to massive fame didn’t happen until he was about 60 years old. Sutton appeared in several documentaries including ” This is the Last Dam Run of Likker I’ll Ever Make ” (featured below). He was also known for being convicted of crimes related to moonshining and illegal firearm possession.

Since his passing, his fame has only become more widespread with a new whiskey company that bears his name and numerous mentions on Discovery Channel’s popular show “Moonshiners”. Read Also: Is Moonshiners real? Does the TV show make real moonshine? According to filmmaker Neal Hutcheson, Sutton remains an intriguing figure.

Hutcheson’s coffee table book style biography, “The Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton” is a glimpse into Popcorn’s wit, jokes and “hillbilly” way of life. The book also offers a better understanding of how the people of the region survived. Read Also: Legend or lawbreaker: The real story of Popcorn Sutton But how well do you really know the legend of Popcorn Sutton? Here are six interesting facts about his life that might just surprise you.

Was Moonshiners fake?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Moonshiners
Logo
Genre	Docudrama
Narrated by	Jeremy Schwartz
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	12
No. of episodes	251 ( list of episodes )
Production
Running time	60 minutes
Release
Original network	Discovery Channel
Original release	December 6, 2011 – present
Related
Tickle (2013) Moonshiners: Whiskey Business (2019)

Moonshiners is an American docudrama television series on the Discovery Channel produced by Magilla Entertainment that dramatizes the life of people who produce (illegal) moonshine in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia,

1. The series dramatizes their liquor production efforts, law-evading techniques and life.
2. There have been claims by local officials that the show is not what it portrays itself to be.
3. Virginia authorities have stated that no illegal liquor is actually being produced by the people depicted in the show.
4. The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) said in March 2012 that, “If illegal activity was actually taking place, the Virginia ABC Bureau of Law Enforcement would have taken action.” They also said that they had requested for the producers to add a disclaimer to clarify that the show was only a dramatization, “but the request was overlooked”, and the show’s producers, Magilla Entertainment, have stated their documentary content is real.

Portions of the show that feature Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton were taken from a documentary film by Neal Hutcheson. Hutcheson’s documentary was filmed in 2002 and released the same year with the title This is the Last Dam Run of Likker I’ll Ever Make, In 2008, a version of the documentary that was edited for television was broadcast on PBS and the Documentary Channel with the title The Last One, and it received a Southeast Emmy Award in 2009.

Sutton was arrested in 2007 by ATF agents in Cocke County, Tennessee (led by Jim Cavanaugh of Waco siege fame) for illegally distilling liquor and possession of a handgun by a felon, and was sentenced to eighteen months in jail in 2009. He subsequently died by suicide, apparently to avoid serving the federal prison term.

The show’s first season premiered on December 6, 2011. The twelfth season premiered on November 9, 2022, with a preseason special airing on November 2, 2022.

What is a quote from Popcorn Sutton?

Ray, I’ve run my last run of moonshine, I’m not gonna do it anymore, I’m just getting too old to be doing this stuff.

What was the largest moonshine bust in Virginia?

STATE AGENTS DESTROY MOONSHINE OPERATION

State agents have destroyed one of the largest moonshine operations found in Patrick County’s history, and Sheriff Jay Gregory said Friday they were searching for a suspect.Alcoholic Beverage Control agents found the illegal distillery hidden behind camouflage nets near Charity at the Franklin County line, Gregory said.The still was capable of producing 1,800 gallons of illicit whiskey each week and was the biggest operation local officials can remember ever being found in the county, he said.

The operation, believed to have been in operation for several years, was partly concealed in a nearby mobile home and garage. A buried electrical line from the trailer to the still enabled moonshiners to pump whiskey through hoses to the garage, where it was bottled in one-gallon plastic jugs, he said.

• ABC agents searched the home Thursday, but no one was arrested.
• Gregory said he expected an arrest to be made before the week ends.
• The distillery consisted of 16 800-gallon “blackpot” stills and one 400-gallon still.
• The largest still ever seized in Virginia was a 24-pot still found in Franklin County.

“This is an extremely big still for nowadays,” said Gerald Joyce, a member of the ABC task force that worked the case. “It’s the biggest one I’ve been on in 10 years.” Agents had staked out the distillery for several days, but the moonshiners stayed away after they apparently realized it had been discovered. : STATE AGENTS DESTROY MOONSHINE OPERATION

Is moonshine essentially vodka?

Patrick: I spent so much time researching “moonshine” after our call last night that I figured I’d share what I discovered on this blog. So here’s my attempt at answering a few basic questions as we prepare to devise a new line of spirits:

1. How is vodka distinct from “white” whiskey? They’re both clear and unaged, so what’s the actual difference?
2. How are vodka and white whiskey different from “moonshine”? And what is “moonshine” really ? Is it a vodka, a whiskey, or something else entirely?

As pertains to the first question, it seems the difference between vodka and white whiskey boils down to three things: ingredients, oak, and proof, Categorization is basically a function of slight deviations in the production process. Put simply, vodka—unlike whiskey—can be made from a wider range of ingredients, and it doesn’t need to be aged (in oak barrels or otherwise), and it’s distilled at a higher proof.

• Simple enough.
• But why keep it simple? Let’s needlessly delve WAY into this.
• INGREDIENTS The vast majority of well-known vodkas are made from grain.
• But vodka is also popularly distilled from potatoes and fruits,
• Unlike whiskey—the production process and ingredients of which are tightly regulated by law—there are no similar rules dictating or limiting what ingredients vodka distillers have to use.

( In the United States, the Code of Federal Regulations merely defines vodka as “neutral spirits so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color”. Sounds um tasty.) By contrast, whiskey distillers’ choices are limited, as whiskey must be distilled from a grain.

Sure, you can find off-the-beaten path grains with which to craft your spirits—like quinoa, spelt, oats, etc.—but by legal definition, you can’t distill whiskey from such vodka staples as watermelons, cookies, potatoes, grapes, running shoes, etc. OAK There’s another critical restriction on whiskies.

In addition to being distilled only from grains, a grain spirit MUST “kiss” the inside of an oak barrel if it’s to be qualified as a whiskey. If it doesn’t, the spirit cannot legally be considered whiskey. Instead, it would likely just be classified as a grain-based vodka!

• A quick aside, Patrick it’s worth noting that the “oak barrel” requirement is a phenomenon unique to American and Scottish law. Other countries use the term whiskey to reference spirits aged in barrels made of other types of wood, such as maple or hickory. According to this website, “Canadian whiskey, Irish whiskey, and Japanese whiskey only require that wood barrels are used but don’t specify that oak is the only permissible type.”
• But I digress.

Notably, there’s no requirement for how long whiskey must age in an oak barrel to be considered a whiskey. White (clear) whiskies are merely the result of pouring the distilled alcohol from the still into a barrel taking a deep breath and then immediately pouring it right the fuck back out, to be bottled and sent out into the world.

PROOF There’s one final attribute that distinguishes a spirit as a vodka vs. a whiskey: proof. As long as the spirit coming off the still is at or above 95% alcohol by volume (ABV), and as long as it is then cut with water to no less than 40% ABV when bottled, you’ve got a vodka. That two-part determination is what classifies a spirit as a vodka.

With whiskey, on the other hand, the spirit must be distilled at less than 95% ABV. But just as with vodka, as long as the spirit is then cut with water during the bottling process such that it’s still above 40% ABV when bottled, it’s a whiskey. (From my research, it seems that if you cut a spirit to anything less than 40%, then pursuant to the legal classification, you’re just a lil’ bitch.) TO RECAP : when it comes to proof, the spirit must exceed the 95% ABV threshold during distillation to be a vodka, whereas it cannot exceed the 95% ABV threshold during distillation to be a whiskey.

1. In fact, the same exact corn “vodka” could be called whiskey if it came out at the 95% ABV and was then placed in oak barrels,) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Bet.
2. If we know the difference between vodka and white whiskey, then what the fuck is “moonshine”? This was the question that first drove our initial discussion, and it turns out that the confusion stems from the fact that lots of distillers and liquor companies nowadays have elected to use the term “moonshine” incorrectly as a commercial gimmick.

Here’s the bottom line: “Moonshine” is liquor (usually whiskey or rum) made in secret ( a ) without getting the proper state and federal licenses to do so, ( b ) without paying the requisite taxes, and ( c ) without adhering to any of the legal (and safety!) standards governing the production of spirits.

• Another aside here’s an article that conflates the actual definition of moonshine with the more gimmicky modern commercial interpretation of a clear and unaged whiskey.
• “There are lots of products sold today that call themselves moonshine for the sake of nostalgia, tradition, and mystique. But the same product could just as easily be called white whiskey. ” Preach to these liars.

Moonshine purists define the spirit as a homemade, unaged whiskey, marked by its clear color, corn base, and high alcohol content—sometimes peaking as high as 190 proof. Traditionally, it was produced in a homemade still and bottled in a mason jar. And there isn’t much of a difference at all between unaged whiskey and moonshine; they largely have the same production process.

• But “moonshine” is distinguished from whiskey by virtue of its illegal nature, rather than being a different type of alcohol.
• Under this conception, “moonshine” is just a whiskey that hasn’t been taxed and the saga of colonial America’s refusal to pay taxes on its distilling operations is a critical part of our nation’s history that we’ll detail in future posts.

But does moonshine have to be a whiskey ? Nope! Actual moonshine—the stuff you’d buy on the black market if you didn’t want to pay a tax—can be made from any fermentable substrate, from sugar to grain to stone fruit. Whatever clandestine distillers can get their hands on and want to work with (under cover of darkness, by the light of the moon—thus the term) is fair game.

• Recall: Neutral spirits must be at least 95% alcohol coming off the still, whereas whiskey must be distilled to less than 95% ABV.
• By the way, note that the lower the proof at distillation, the more flavorful congeners carry over from the grain to the final spirit.

When it comes to commercial sellers, examine whether the “moonshine” label is proclaiming a whiskey or a vodka. If the label says “neutral spirits,” it’s not whiskey, Is the dead horse sufficiently beaten? Let’s decapitate it for good measure. How does one make moonshine? Answer: illegally.

The recipe is simple— · Corn meal · Sugar · Yeast · Water Sometimes, other ingredients are included to add flavor or kick. (And technically, as I’ve said, though alcohol can be distilled from almost any kind of grain, virtually all moonshine made in the United States for the last 150 years has been made with corn.) The primary aesthetic difference between “moonshine” and the whiskey you buy at the liquor store boils down to aging.

When whiskey comes out of the still, it’s so clear it looks like water—and moonshiners bottle it just like that, There’s no aging process, and that’s what gives whiskey its color and mellows the harsh taste. Moonshine undergoes no such mellowing, which is why it has such a “kick”.

So why is distilling alcohol at home illegal in the first place ? “The government cites several reasons for keeping distilling illegal. First, it can be dangerous, Distilleries bring two materials into close proximity – alcohol vapor and heat sources – that can cause disastrous explosions when not managed correctly.

There are also lots of impurities that can lead to all sorts of health problems even death! And cynically, there’s another reason: Federal excise taxes, Distilled spirits are taxed at the highest rate of any alcohol, far more than beer or wine. (A tax on spirits is the very first tax ever levied in the United States!) Naturally, the government is none too keen on surrendering its share of the revenue raised by a Nation filled with alcoholics.

1. And so it criminalizes any liquor production into the revenue of which it can’t sink its grubby little fingernails.
2. Please admire the grammatically impeccable placement of prepositions in that last sentence.) * * * * * * * * * * * * In summation, New Scotch Spirits will never legally sell any brand of spirit under the “moonshine” moniker.

But catch us back in the woods under cover of a new moon and we might have some New Scotch “Select” to offer you. Shhhhh. I hope this post answers any and all questions we could ever again possibly have on such a stupid subject. I need a drink, and I don’t care whether it’s a vodka, a whiskey, or a moonshine masquerading as both.

Is Popcorn Sutton whiskey still made?

Is Popcorn Sutton Moonshine Still Available? – You can no longer buy moonshine produced by the original Popcorn Sutton because he died in 2009 after committing suicide to avoid jail and because of his cancer diagnosis. But this original recipe still exists.

Hank Williams Jr. in partnership with J&M Concepts LLC and Pam Sutton, Popcorn’s widowed wife, started producing this popular moonshine in November 2010. They used all the same methods to reproduce the fine tasting Popcorn Sutton’s Tennessee White Whiskey. In 2014, Popcorn Sutton Distilling opened a new distillery in Newport.

This distillery was later sold to the Sazerac Company but the Popcorn Sutton brand was not included with the sale. While the original popcorn company no longer produces this whiskey, there are however still some out there who do make it using the original recipe and guidance from Popcorn’s homemade videos.

Is Josh from Moonshiners dead?

Josh Owens, Moonshiners’ beloved cast member, was involved in a tragic accident during a motorcycle race at Daytona International Speedway. – Agencies Josh Owens, a famous personality and a cast member of the show Moonshiners, suffered a severe accident on March 4, 2023, during a motorcycle race at Daytona International Speedway. While fans were devasted by the news, rumors about his death started circulating on social media, but they have since been debunked.

Josh Owens is alive, although he sustained severe injuries from the accident. The circumstances surrounding Josh Owens’s accident are yet to be officially announced, but information is being gathered. Fans of the popular television show Moonshiners, where Josh Owens is a regular cast member, are eager to know more about the accident and his condition.

The news of his accident has gone viral on the internet, and social media platforms are filled with messages of support and prayers for Josh’s recovery.

Is Lance dead on Moonshiners?

Lance Waldroup, a bootlegger featured in the Discovery Channel’s reality series ‘Moonshiners,’ died Feb.25 in Robbinsville, North Carolina. He was 30. The network confirmed Waldroup’s death in Facebook and Twitter posts on Monday.

Who is the most wanted moonshiner?

As America’s Most Wanted Moonshiner, Tim Smith is pursued by lawmen and drinkers alike.

Who is the most famous bootlegger?

Who Were the Top 16 Most Famous Bootleggers of the 1920s? – This list of the most famous bootleggers during the enforcement of prohibition laws were also some of the most successful gangsters of all time.1. Arnold Rothstein: Often called “The Brain” because of his intelligence, Rothstein was a gambler, racketeer, and businessman. A picture taken in 1919 of Jazz Age racketeer Arnold Rothstein by Chicago Daily News 2. Al Capone: Perhaps THE most famous gangster of all time. Capone was the head of the Chicago Outfit, one of the most powerful crime syndicates in the country. He made millions of dollars from bootlegging, gambling, and prostitution. Al Capone in 1930 by Chicago Bureau 3. Dutch Schultz: Born Arthur Simon Flegenheimer in the Bronx, New York, he started out as a burglar and then turned bootlegger during Prohibition. He eventually became one of the most powerful gangsters in New York City, controlling a vast criminal empire that included bootlegging, gambling, and prostitution. Mugshot of Dutch Schultz, 1930 by New York Police Department 4. Charles “Lucky” Luciano: He was one of the most influential mobsters in American history. Luciano was a key figure in the unification of the Italian-American Mafia and the establishment of the Commission, the governing body of organized crime in the United States. Italian mobster Charlie “Lucky” Luciano by Remo Nassi 5. Sherman Billingsley: A former bootlegger who became a successful nightclub owner. Billingsley owned New York’s famous Stork Club, a popular hangout for celebrities and gangsters. He was also a close associate of Luciano and Costello. Photo of Sherman Billingsley at his Stork Club, 1951 by Liggett & Myers 6. William McCoy: Boatbuilder and navigator of seagoing vessels, McCoy decided to give bootleg rum a try to boost his income. Unlike other gangsters, McCoy was against violence, and although he carried a huge machine gun, he only fired warning shots. Rumrunner Captain William S.(Bill) McCoy, 1921 by Outlanderssc 7. Enoch Johnson: Enoch Johnson, also known as “Nucky” Johnson, was a political boss and racketeer in Atlantic City, New Jersey during the Prohibition era. He was not a bootlegger himself but was involved in the bootlegging trade through his political connections.

He was also involved in other illegal activities, such as gambling and prostitution.8. Lee Petty: If you’re wondering if there is any relation to the Pettys of NASCAR fame, yes, there is. Whether Lee Petty actually made bootleg liquor or was simply a distributor, Petty was know for being an expert at outrunning the law while driving.

He later used these driving skills to become one of the founders of NASCAR racing, probably with the money he earned running liquor sales.9. George Remus: The “King of the Bootleggers”. Remus was a former lawyer who turned to bootlegging after Prohibition was enacted. George Remus by jp_stl_mo 10. Johnny Torrio: Al Capone’s predecessor and mentor, he was head of the Chicago Outfit. Torrio was a brilliant strategist who helped build the Outfit into a powerful criminal organization. He was also responsible for importing large quantities of liquor from Canada during Prohibition. John Torrio, 1939 by Unknown author 11. George “Bugs” Moran: A top lieutenant in the Masseria crime family. Moran was a fierce rival of Capone, and he was involved in the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929. Moran was eventually killed by Capone’s men in 1946. George Bugs Moran by Dane Nicklas 12. Dean O’Banion: He was one of the most powerful bootleggers in Chicago during Prohibition, and he controlled a large network of distilleries, breweries, and speakeasies. He was also involved in other illegal activities, such as gambling and prostitution. Dean O’Banion on his wedding day by Unknown author 13. Jack “Legs” Diamond: Known as Gentleman Jack or “Legs”, He started out as a petty criminal but eventually rose to become one of the most powerful bootleggers in New York City. He was known for his ruthlessness and ability to escape from law enforcement.

Diamond was also known for his flamboyant lifestyle. He was a womanizer and a gambler, and he loved to spend money on expensive clothes and cars. He was also a talented dancer and known for his ability to hold his liquor. Diamond’s bootlegging operation was very lucrative, and he amassed a large fortune.

He used his money to buy a luxurious apartment in Manhattan, and he also owned a number of speakeasies. Jack “Legs” Diamond in 1931 by Unknown author 14. Meyer Lansky: Born in Russia, Lansky immigrated to the US in 1911. Lansky started out as a small-time gangster but quickly rose through the ranks of the criminal underworld. He was a close associate of Charles “Lucky” Luciano, and together they formed the National Crime Syndicate, a powerful criminal organization that controlled organized crime in the United States.

Lansky was also involved in bootlegging during Prohibition. He was a key figure in the Bugs and Meyer Mob, which was one of the most powerful bootlegging gangs in New York City. The gang smuggled liquor from Canada and the Caribbean, and they also ran a number of speakeasies. Lansky was a shrewd businessman, and he made a fortune from bootlegging.

He was also a master of political corruption, and he used his influence to protect himself from prosecution. Meyer Lansky’s photograph taken in 1958 by Acratopotes 15. Bugsy Siegel: Born Benjamin Siegel, “Bugsy” started off as a small-time criminal but quickly became one of the biggest bootleggers of all time. Bugsy was known for forming a group called Murder, Inc. Mugshot of Jewish-American mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel in the 1920s by New York Police Department 16. Joseph P. Kennedy: If you are wondering about this name as well, yes, the infamous Kennedys of today are related to Joseph P. Kennedy. While there is no proof that this man made or sold bootleg alcohol, it’s rumored that Kennedy did make money from prohibition.