In a bold and unlikely twist on traditional Appalachian distilling, veteran moonshiners Mark and Digger have successfully turned milk whey—yes, the byproduct of cheese-making—into a smooth, velvety spirit.
After learning that whey still contains fermentable sugars, the duo visited Sweetwater Valley Farm, a major cheese production facility processing over 3,000 gallons of milk daily. Welcomed by owner John, the moonshiners arranged to collect large quantities of the leftover whey to fuel their latest backwoods experiment.
“If we’re gonna upscale this, we’re gonna need a whole lot more whey,” said Digger during the tour. “We might just have something special here.”
Back at the still site, with Mark temporarily sidelined by COVID, the team began pumping the whey into barrels, heating it, and pitching in yeast to kick off fermentation. Using enzymes to break down the lactose, they targeted the glucose — the sugar that would actually ferment.
After wrapping the barrels in moving blankets and letting them sit for over a week, Mark returned, now COVID-free and eager to help run the first batch. Tension turned to excitement as the clear liquor finally came off the still.
“It’s smooth, buttery… velvety,” Digger said after taking a sip. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever made.”
The surprising result left the crew stunned. What started as a long shot had turned into a silky, flavorful moonshine that might just carve a new niche in the world of craft spirits.
“This right here’ll give you four-wheel drive,” Mark quipped.
With a potential partnership brewing with the dairy and plenty of whey on hand, the moonshiners have proved once again that innovation can come from the most unexpected places — even a cow.
