In a daring new venture, Mark and Digger, the legendary moonshiners of the Smoky Mountains, have taken on one of their hottest challenges yet. In a recent episode of Moonshiners, the duo was approached by a Nashville bar owner eager to capitalize on the growing Hot Chicken craze. His request? Three levels of fiery moonshine—mild, hot, and dangerously hot.
A Fiery Experiment Begins
Mark and Digger are no strangers to crafting top-quality liquor, but spice-infused moonshine was unfamiliar territory. To ensure success, they sought guidance from Patty Bryant, a well-respected moonshiner from Louisiana known for her expertise in pepper-infused spirits.
Returning to an old still site deep in the Smoky Mountains—a location they had to abandon years ago due to persistent law enforcement—Mark, Digger, and Patty set out to create their hottest moonshine yet. Since peppers lack starch, they wouldn’t produce much alcohol on their own. To counter this, the team packed their mash with sugar to boost fermentation.
Jalapeño Mayhem
Determined to bring the heat, Mark and Digger doubled the amount of jalapeños Patty typically uses. Almost immediately, they regretted their decision. As soon as they began grinding the peppers, the capsaicin-filled vapors stung their eyes and throats, leaving them coughing and gasping for air. Digger joked that anyone brave enough to drink this moonshine would “glow like a light on a .44 Magnum.”
Despite the intense reaction, the team pushed forward, starting the distillation process. However, they quickly learned another painful lesson—pepper-infused steam is brutal. The fiery vapors caused Mark and Digger to choke on their own creation. “Why didn’t we bring any milk?” Digger gasped, struggling to recover.
Turning Up the Heat with Habaneros
With the jalapeño batch complete, it was time for the next level—habaneros, which are 20 to 70 times hotter than jalapeños. The team blended the fiery peppers into a slurry and added it to the thumper keg. The moment the liquor began flowing, Mark, Digger, and Patty realized they had truly gone too far. The overwhelming heat left them breathless, and Mark joked that he felt like he could breathe fire. “This ain’t the kind of liquor we enjoy drinking,” Digger admitted between coughs.
Final Verdict: Too Hot to Handle?
After sampling the final product, Mark and Digger admitted it was one of the hottest things they had ever tasted. While too intense for their own palates, they recognized that spice lovers would relish the challenge. Before wrapping up their fiery experiment, the duo thanked Patty for her expertise—though they also learned just how much heat their lips could handle before falling off!
Would you dare to try Mark and Digger’s hottest moonshine ever? Let us know!
