Plot Synopsis

MOONSHINERS tells the story of those who brew their shine -- often in the woods near their homes using camouflaged equipment -- and the local authorities who try to keep them honest. Deep in Appalachia, where many shiners live, there are some areas where more sugar is sold than local residents could consume on their own. The main ingredients in moonshine "mash" are water, sugar, corn and yeast. It's also no accident moonshine season is from June to October -- the height of the corn harvest and the peak of foliage to hide the illegal operations. This series highlights practices rarely, if ever, seen on television including the sacred rite of passage for a moonshiner -- firing up the still for the first time.

MOONSHINERS returned for its second season on Wednesday, November 7, 2012 at 10pm ET/PT, immediately following a 60-minute special. In Season 2, the series continues to follow Tim Smith, the most wanted moonshiner in the U.S.; Tickle, his partner and sidekick; and Deputy Sheriff Chuck, a law enforcement veteran. Plus, new characters this season include Jeff and Mark, life-long moonshiner Jim Tom, rookies Josh and Bill, and Josh's constant canine companion, Cutie Pie.

Season 3 premiered on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at 9pm ET/PT on Discovery, immediately following a one-hour special at 8pm, during which the shiners preview the new season from a secluded cabin. In the third season, Tim's new venture means Tickle is on his own and he'll need a crash course in still building to prove it's his time to shine. Traditionalists Jeff and Mark go modern in an attempt to dominate and expand their territory, while rookie moonshiners Josh and Bill return with knowledge gained and a serious chip on their shoulders. Veteran Jim Tom also returns as an influx of new shiners creates a wave of competition. Plus, this season gives the show's first taste of Mississippi Moonshines, made in the swamps by Mike, Shot and Darlene.

On Tuesday, November 4, 2014 at 9pm ET/PT, Discovery premiered the fourth season of MOONSHINERS, immediately following an all-day (9am-8pm) marathon and a brand-new one-hour special at 8pm. This season, Tim is back, distilling legally, but his operation is quickly put to a halt when Limestone Distillery is the target of arson. As Tim gets to the bottom of who burned down his legal distillery, he has to make some hard choices, as Tickle, Tyler and Chico continue to make the shine in the mountains of Kentucky, keeping the outlaw distillers running and moonshine adventures rolling, while Jim Tom and Roy pair up to get their piece of the lucrative moonshine pie. The stakes remain high and with the law on their trail, Jeff, Mark, and Lance decide to move their operation into forbidden and unknown territory. Not being at the mercy of the changing weather does come with a price, the chances of getting caught are much higher and they're more susceptible to danger. In the night's one-hour special, "Secret Summit: The Kickoff," Tim, Tickle, Josh, Bill, Jeff and Mark gather at a secret location to countdown the minutes to the new season premiere. Jim Tom surprises producers by making his debut at the roundtable. Then the guys let Tim be the judge of a moonshine taste test.

Season 5 of MOONSHINERS premiered on Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at 9pm ET/PT on Discovery, immediately following an all-day marathon (9am-9pm) of encore episodes. This season, the shiners set out to reclaim the backwoods to meet the ever-increasing demand of thirsty buyers. With the law looming around every corner and rival shiners moving in on long established territory, it's a race against time to brew the very best and strike it rich. New to the series, Louisiana father-daughter shiners Patti and David reinvigorate the tradition the bayou way. Meanwhile, Tim Smith's legal operation outgrows the production means of his current distillery. Faced with the task of expanding his operation, Tim risks leaving his home state to protect the future of his business. Jeff, Mark and Lance aim to double their profits while the law threatens to end Josh and Bill's season early.

The sixth season of MOONSHINERS premiered on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT on Discovery, immediately following a new one-hour special (8pm) and an 11-hour marathon (9am-8pm) of encore episodes. The special, "Moonshiners on Moonshining," highlights the most memorable moments from past seasons. This season, the moonshiners advance the craft to new heights. Starting with techniques honed over generations, they revolutionize their craft with new artisanal recipes, expanded networks of contacts and new innovative equipment. In the season opener (9pm), "Whiskey Rebellion," Josh has hit the ground running, but working solo can lead to catastrophic results. And former outlaw Tim Smith is training his son JT to help run his legal outfit.

Season 7 of MOONSHINERS premiered on Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. For the past six seasons, Moonshiners has documented the intrepid few who are willing to venture into the backwoods, outsmart law enforcement and out produce upstart rivals in order to keep the tradition of artisanal heritage whiskey alive. This season, the moonshiners take us deep into the remote corners of Appalachia to witness outrageous feats of backwoods engineering that keep their illegal distilling operations hidden. It's a world governed by centuries-old unwritten rules where six figure deals are made on a handshake and a moonshiner is only as good as his word. Gone are the days of rotgut hooch, today's moonshiners are masters of innovation; always pushing the envelope of ingenuity to create the finest liquor money can buy. Veteran shiner Tim Smith continues to grow his legal distillery while trying to cement his legacy for the future Smith generation. But is Tim's son, JT, ready to bear the weight of that legacy? Meanwhile, Mark and Digger dive into the new season with an ambitious new triple pot still design and build. Mark Rogers and relative newcomer Mike plot an expansion that could run them dangerously close to Mark and Digger's territory. Patti and David plan to undertake a massive marine-based distribution route into the Gulf of Mexico's fishing, shipping and oil industries. While over in Kentucky, Chico and Sondra are at odds over the best way to maintain their success in the female-targeted moonshines and fruit brandies. Josh wants to go even bigger this year with a plan to distribute his grandfather's recipe cherry bounce moonshine, but without big Chuck by his side, it won't be easy. And Jeff and Lance are clawing their way back after their massive absinthe failure. Each moonshiner must rely on his wits to walk the razor's edge - both visible to customers and hidden from the law in order to make it to the end of the season and hit the big payday.

In Season 8, the surviving moonshiners must join forces to fight for their way of life, before it's gone forever. Branded "outlaws" for generations, unprecedented demand for their backwoods spirits and increased law enforcement is suddenly making it harder than ever for these masters of distilling to practice their craft in the shadows and the very culture these moonshiners stand for is on the line. Facing threats from big corporations trying to take over the market for "craft spirits" with cheap factory-made liquor, the moonshiners will use secrets from past moonshine masters, resourceful frontier engineering, and backwoods antics to keep the traditional recipes and techniques of artisanal heritage whiskey alive in the remote corners of Appalachia. Outlaw turned legal moonshiner, Tim Smith, has worked hard to establish his legal brand and do his father proud. This season, Tim is betting it all on a new double rye recipe that his former partner Tickle happened upon when he accidentally added too much rye to a test batch of whiskey. Mark Ramsey was once the still builder for world-renowned moonshiner, Popcorn Sutton. Now, Mark and his partner Digger are running a whole new lineup of small batch liquors. Former professional motocross racer turned stock car driver, trophy hunter, and moonshiner, Josh, has building stills and running whiskey deep in his blood. This season, he is taking his operation on the road with a mobile still hidden inside his racecar trailer. Fourth generation moonshiner, Patti takes her distilling operation onto the bayou with her husband, Dallas and father, David. Jim Tom's long and storied career in moonshining has made him an integral part of the shining community, spinning yarns and imparting wisdom to the current generation on shiners. Tennessee Moonshiners Mike and Daniel will be hard at work this season paying off a debt to Mark and Digger while pushing the envelope on an innovative line up of artisanal liquors. Throughout the season, the moonshiners must set their differences aside and come together to keep their traditional way of life alive. Season 8 of MOONSHINERS premiered on Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at 9pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel, immediately following a one-hour special at 8pm.

Season 9 of MOONSHINERS premiered on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 from 9-11pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. Fresh out of jail, Tickle chases the siren call of the backwoods, teaming up with legendary outlaw shiners Henry and Kenny Law to make high-proof, high-dollar liquor. Tickle's best friend and legal shiner, Tim Smith, finds it hard to resist the allure of their former partnership on the outlaw side. After rediscovering legendary shiner Popcorn Sutton's multi-grain moonshine, Mark and Digger attempt to reverse-engineer a recipe that was decades ahead of its time. It's the biggest bet they've taken, and one that will put them at odds with a rival shiner. Mike and Daniel face a crossroads after an injury disrupts their massive backwoods build and drives a wedge in their partnership. Josh overcomes a broken back and finds a new partner to help build his most ambitious underground still site yet, carrying on four generations of family tradition in outlaw moonshine. In the two-hour season opener, "Back to the Woods," when Tickle returns to the outlaw side, even Tim can't resist the call of the backwoods. Mark and Digger rediscover a lost recipe from a legend. Mike finds the ultimate secret mountain still site, if only he can build a way to access it.

On Tuesday, November 24, 2020 at 8pm ET/PT, Discovery Channel premiered the tenth season of MOONSHINERS. Times are tough around the world in 2020, and life in the backwoods of Appalachia is no exception. But for these moonshiners, there's a silver lining in these trying times. Just as their forefathers discovered during the Great Depression, outlaw shiners thrive in the face of adversity. While the global economy has shuttered the doors of businesses around the country, the moonshine business is booming. In Season 10, the outlaw distillers are tested like never before as they take bigger risks and ramp up their backwoods operations to meet unprecedented demand while taking advantage of an oversupply of raw ingredients unlike anything they've seen before. Already accustomed to a socially distant lifestyle, Tim, Tickle, Mark, Digger, Josh and the rest of the MOONSHINERS crew are ready to prove that while times may be tough, there's always a silver lining in moonshining.

Season 11 of MOONSHINERS premiered on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. This season, Tickle, Tim Smith, Josh Owens, Mark Ramsey, Eric (Digger) Manes and the rest of the gang are back as the backwoods economy that drives their beloved way of life is thriving. But law enforcement is back on their game, forcing shiners to cross state lines to practice their craft and elude capture. After their stash house was raided by police last winter, Mike Cockrell and Jerry Benson build the courage to return to the scene of the crime, but will they be ready to start a new backwoods operation across state lines? Forced to flee Tennessee after a police raid, Mark and Digger will soon discover the challenges of making good Tennessee Whiskey in a different state. Meanwhile, Tickle expands his partnership with Josh Owens and outlaw shiners Henry and Kenny Law, assembling a new mega still-site operation in Virginia, while new Louisiana moonshiner, Richard Landry, discovers a hot New Orleans market for outlaw absinthe. While the economic shutdown may be in the rearview... so is the law! But as only backwoods 'shiners will know - boom times are for moonshine!

The 12th season of MOONSHINERS premiered on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at 8pm on Discovery Channel and earlier in the day on discovery+. In Season 12, it's the rise of the shine economy as America's favorite outlaws are tested like never before when inflation and supply chain disruptions hit Appalachia. Moonshiners must dig deep into their shared roots for secrets to surviving skyrocketing prices, while inventing clever new ways to make America's favorite backwoods beverages and earn a tidy tax-free profit. For shiners, there's a silver lining to be found in looking to tradition, as moonshiners during the Great Depression and other times of economic uncertainty have thrived in the face of adversity. Tennessee shiners, Mark and Digger face a determined law enforcement officer hellbent on halting their operation as they battle sky high prices for raw materials, such as corn; innovators Mike and Jerry recruit Solomon Sutton, son of infamous moonshiner, Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton, to help them devise new liquor recipes and stay ahead of the competition; to find a bigger market for his popular spirits, Louisiana moonshiner Richard moves his operation to Tennessee; and in Virginia, Tickle and Henry must find a new location for their largest ever thousand gallon still, as their partner Josh goes on the lam to avoid being caught by the law.
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MOONSHINERS returned for its 13th season on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. Tensions brew in the backwoods, pitting centuries of tradition against a budding movement to legalize home distilling. As old guard shiners consolidate power, savvy innovators develop new techniques and recipes to pocket a season of tax-free profits. In the season opener, "Moonshine is a Miracle," Tickle launches a campaign to legalize home distilling, while Mark and Digger devise a plan to distill pallets of unsold light beer into liquor; hobbled by racing injuries, Josh plots his return to making shine; Digger makes a shocking revelation.