short mountain distillery

If History and passion for the cultural and historical aspects of all things related to the production of illicit whiskey from Middle Tennessee is your thing - then Short Mountain Distillery is "Ground Zero" for you! They have authentic moonshiners who have been plying their trade since they were very young and these people really know their stuff! The staff are easily accessible and ready to share the personal experiences on how things were/are done... The tour is broken down into several areas. There is the, "Shiner's Shack" where they have installed an authentic carefully considered traditional still-set where the whiskey is made by hand in the old-fashioned way, a section where they present the modern high-tech equipment to mass produce the good quality stuff, the tasting room so you can sample the results of all that whiskey-making, a fully functional farm with emphasis to the organic approach, a performance stage for musical or other venues, a small well built playhouse for the little ones who can't drink yet, (LOL) a very nice nature trail which leads to the historically important spring used for their production, and last but not least a new soon to be operational restaurant! This restaurant (Called, The Stillhouse.) is quite spectacular and it's not even open yet! Beautiful grounds encompassing all! Well worth anyone's time! You'll get a kick in the mouth as well as an entertaining education. Quaint spot where you can easily spend a whole afternoon!

Very nice tour, it's a small operation but well done by nice folks. Starting in April they will open a restaurant and will also have music on occasion, looking forward to that. We had a Groupon for 30 dollars that included the tour, two tee shirts or hats and a jigger glass. From what I can gather the usual price is10 dollars and you get a jigger glass with the tour. To be honest is was busy that day and I did not see any body pay other then the folks who had the Groupons. Maybe because it was so darn cold.

This tour was fascinating! They have such dedication to making moonshine in the most historically accurate way possible. It was so interesting to see the farm where they organically grow the corn they use in the moonshine, the old still that was used in the early 1900's and see the cave where the distilled water comes from that made this location the center of moonshine production so longer ago. And we can't wait to come back when their farm to table restaurant opens in March!!

Situated on Short Mountain in a beautiful country setting this is a must see if you are looking for a beautiful drive. Not far from Nashville you can enjoy a tour and tasting and in March they will open a restaurant. The distillery is on a working farm and there are attractions for kids and adults.

Just returned from an afternoon tour of this wonderful distillery. We had reserved our tour online, as they are only offered on certain days/times. The cost is $10 per person, which includes a tasting and a souvenir shot glass. The tour began with a warm welcome by the owner, Billy Kaufman, and his dog, Luna. Mr. Kaufman showed our group the distillery and thoroughly explained how moonshine is made. Very interesting! Even though the farm is large, over 300 acres, the area you tour is small and very little walking was required. Some of the tour is outdoors, so wear suitable shoes. The tour was supposed to last 45 minutes, but actually lasted 2 hours. They are very passionate about their work, and it shows. The tasting at the end was my favorite part. The Apple Pie Moonshine was delicious and the Moonshine Caramels were to die for! They are opening up an onsite restaurant in March 2015. We can't wait to check it out. Visiting Short Mountain Distillery is a great way to spend an afternoon. You will learn something new and sample amazing moonshine. Doesn't get much better than that!

Amazing. This place is definitely worth the journey to find it. I've had so much moonshine in my life (even drank Tickle's from the show Moonshiners), but never have I had moonshine as good as Short Mountains. Definitely the best I've ever had. The surroundings are beautiful, the tour was extremely interesting, and the people were some of the friendliest you will meet. Definitely worth the trip. You can even get it at Sticky Fingers via special request. Come, come, come!

had an unbeliable experience at short mountain distillery!!this is the place to come for the most authentic and strong monnshine!!this place is the best experience evr!!thanks billy for making our best trio ever!!!we will be back soon!!robin and rick

My fiance and I visited Short Mountain Distillery at the end of October and it was a remarkable and very informative tour! After we were shown the process of making the moonshine and answering our questions, we walked up the path to the spring water house and back on a nice trail through the woods. When we returned we got to sample the Moonshine, Apple Pie, Prohabition Tea and the Bourbon they are aging before beginning the bottling process. Of course we had to bring a bottle of each home to enjoy!. We plan to go back in a few years as they are building a resturant. Thank you for your hospitality!

If you want to visit an attraction as an outsider - and leave feeling like a local - THIS IS IT! We arrived at the Short Mountain Distillery and saw a "typical" southern site: several men in rocking chairs on the porch, and a weiner dog that was the first to greet us.Since moonshine was illegal until recently, there was something just a bit taboo about the place. I'll admit, that made the visit feel just a bit naughty, and that much more exciting. We were welcomed to the Distillery by Ricky Estes, a native that grew up just a stone's throw from the distillery, and whose family was in the moonshine business for generations. Ricky walked us through the process of creating traditional moonshine, with the recipe that's been used for 150+ years. He recounted stories that really brought moonshining to life. He shared stories of chopping wood and hauling it into the woods as a boy, getting busted by the cops (only serving time once), and even the dangers of moonshining...showing us his scars from when the still blew up on him once.After learning about traditional moonshining, Ricky turned us over to Jeff to explain the modern process of moonshining. Jeff explained all about the farm we were on...how they grow the corn they need for the moonshine; how they want the facility to be a resource for the community; how Al Capone's minions purchased moonshine on that very property back in the day; and how they use the 150+ year old recipe in a modern facility to ensure quality and consistency.And now it's time for the best part...moving into the tasting room for samples of Moonshine, Apple Pie Moonshine, and Prohibition Tea. (TIP: Bring your photo ID...you will need it to sample!) The Moonshine was much smoother than I anticipated, and has a nose and flavor profile that reminds me of tequila. For those that like the sweet stuff, Apple Pie Moonshine may be for you. And the Prohibition Tea has a peach flavor that would be great chilled or over ice.Overall, this was a fascinating tour and trip back in time. Ricky "stole the show" for us, as he really brought the moonshining business to life.

Go now before they get big, and they will, when word gets around about the natural beauty of the location and the impressive operation they have here. This is oral history at its best from the mouths of Tennessee moonshining legacies, and while the distillery owners are from California, they have honored this age-old art with smart local co-branding and respectful attention to detail while avoiding hokey stereotypes. Sample the wares and purchase on-site, if you like.Highly recommend this to anyone interested in Appalachian history.

Three generations of us visited today, including a very reluctant 11 year old. Right off he was introduced to the adorable kitten who calls the place home. From then on he had a good time, even listening attentively to the staff tell how moonshine is made, along with colorful stories of area moonshiners and events. He especially liked the story of the ghost of the spring and experiencing first hand the coolness of the air coming from the spring's cave. He liked the brownies and cookies we purchased from the souvenier wagon as well as the complimentary piece of fudge during the tour. All of us appreciated the personable staff. Small samples of moonshine are offered to adults but it is not necessary to taste the product. (Have a picture I.D on you.) It was an educational and entertaining experience. We hope to return some time on a special event weekend when there is live entertainment on the outdoor stage. TIP: Although the place is open for tours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday we were the only ones on the tour this Friday when we arrived about 10 a.m. Quite a few people arrived by 11 a.m. so we recommend going early if you want a more personal tour. Allow from 1 to 2 hours for the tour and a short walk to the mouth of the cave spring from which the water flows that goes into the product. I don't believe this place is handicap accessible and I recommend wearing comfortable shoes. Most of the tour is outdoors and all of it is on foot.

This is must see place to visit. A legal moonshine distillery in Tennessee! It appears that road signs are taken by tourists, so it is a little difficult to find it. But if you stop and ask directions everyone in the area will help you get there. They have just opened up during the weekdays and we loved our visit with the distillery owners. If all that you know about moonshining is from a recent “documentary” on the Discovery Channel, then be prepared to have the myths about moonshining changed. The owners will explain the process and take the time to answer all of your questions, even the silly ones. They are great ambassadors for moonshining and distillery owners. The only problem, I can’t buy more as they are only allowed to sell in Tennessee. We will be back for more and very soon.