Austin Lewter/Jefferson Jimplecute
In this day of cell phones and technology and social media, some things are still as they have been for centuries.
Some traditions of craftsmanship are still handed down from one generation to the next.
One such tradition is still alive and well in Marion County and it was recently featured on a nationally televised reality show.
Frank Hicks is a 5th generation moonshiner.
He practices the craft at his home near Smithland.
Over the years, the 58-year old, has made all varieties and flavors of brown liquor.
“You name it and I’ve tried it,” Hicks said. “Blackberry, strawberry, muscadine, watermelon… any type of fruit. I’ve tried distilling it all.”
But it was his pecan brandy that caught the attention of the producers of Master Distillers.
Now in its third season, the reality show is spin-off of Moonshiners.
Both air on the Discovery Channel.
“I’ve always been a fan of Moonshiners,” Hicks said. “Then they came out with Master Distillers… I thought to myself, ‘Man, I’d really like to get my whiskey on that show. I’d like to know what the judges thought of it.’”
The premise of the show plots three whiskey makers against each other in a contest— a professional, a hobbyist and a moonshiner.
Each person makes a batch of a similarly themed whiskey and it is judged by a panel of three experts.
From there, they name a “Master Distiller.”
Hicks said he saw a Facebook post calling for contestants.
Specifically, they were looking for distillers to make a nut inspired whiskey.
“Somehow a bottle of my pecan brandy made it to a ranch party in West Texas,” Hicks said.
It was recommended from there to someone involved with the show and the audition process began.
“I had to send them some videos and there was a lot emailing back and forth,” Hicks said. “Eventually I got the call saying the wanted me to come up.”
Filming took place in Sevierville, Tenn., over the summer.
The Discovery Channel covered his expenses and Hicks said the experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
“I’ve done a lot cool things in my lifetime,” Hicks said. “I was in the Navy and travelled across the world multiple times… but I’ve never experienced anything as cool as this. It was a great time.”
Hicks said he met one of his opponents at the hotel the first night he arrived.
Her name was Amanda Bryant and she was the hobbyist.
“I met Amanda and we hit it off,” he said. “She was like a long-lost little sister. We became friends right off the bat.”
Hicks said they started talking shop and he started giving her pointers.
“She was completely self-taught. All she knew about distilling is what she had read in books,” Hicks said. “End the end, I taught her what she needed to know to beat me.”
Bryant took top honors. Hicks came in second and the professional placed third.
“It’s okay,” he said. “I may have come in second, but I didn’t loose… I was able to teach a new friend new things. I was able to give her some of my knowledge and that was reward enough.”
According to Hicks, the art of moonshining is an oral tradition passed from one generation to the next.
It’s a process of sharing best practices and collaboration on innovating new recipes.
“The fact that I was able to do that with Amanda was amazing,” Hicks said.
The episode aired on November 11 as a part of the current third season.
It has yet to drop on the Discovery Channel App for streaming.