Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying that “Moonshiners” has become a classic in Discovery Channel’s productions. With its interesting and funny set of stars, the show has brought viewers an insight into the supposedly illicit liquor-making industry in the US.
While “Moonshiners” hasn’t been freed from criticism over the alleged staged nature of the events shown in it, that doesn’t erase the fact that the show’s cast has conquered the hearts of the audience by only being themselves. Out of all of them, there’s Tim Smith, who’s definitely one of the staples of the show, due to his distilling talents and the problems that this passion has caused him.
So is it true that Tim Smith’s house was raided? What about his moonshining operation? Is he still in the show? Keep watching to get answers to all of these questions and more!
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Was Tim Smith’s House Raided?
When you’re producing backyard-made alcohol from centuries-old recipes on which you may or may not be paying taxes, chances are that you’ll find police knocking at your door more than once in your life. Star of “Moonshiners” Tim Smith knows this well, as he’s experienced such visits himself, and knows other people who’ve been through it, including his late father.
Tim has had several encounters with the law, with him opening up about it in the show and interviews. One of those police officers involved entered his house seeking alleged evidence about the illegal nature of his distilling operation, though in the end not resulting in an arrest nor a raid, as Tim had been ‘retired’ at the time. That incident happened sometime at the beginning of the show, but it’s unclear if an actual raid took place before or afterward.
According to a video Tim shared on his social media in 2023, initially he’d been reluctant to make his moonshine legal because it would give the local government power to tax his craft. Nonetheless, the death of his father in a car accident made Tim realize that he didn’t want to keep going, running away from the law, even if that gained him accusations of being a ‘sellout’.
Staging Allegations
The fact that Tim Smith and other stars of the show have ‘gone legal’ with their spirits operations has led people to question the nature of “Moonshiners”. For starters, the show’s premise doesn’t treat the scenes portrayed in it as dramatizations, but as real film material of the work of several moonshiners around the US.
In an official statement from 2012, “Moonshiners” production company Magilla Entertainment affirmed that the show featured accurate portrayals of ‘the secret life’ of moonshiners, along with the police officers chasing after them. Nowhere have they ever stated that the show is staged or scripted, yet North Virginia authorities denied that the events of the show were illegal, as no actual alcohol was being produced in it, at least at the time.
As Tim Smith once affirmed in a now-disappeared interview with the specialized site Bourbon Blog, the process of jailing someone for making illegal moonshine was exhaustive, and required actual proof of illegal production, which moonshiners were often smart to erase and not get caught in the future. While Tim’s statements don’t deny the fact that the show’s reality factor is under question, it’s enough to get an idea of how real moonshiners escape the law, whether that’s portrayed in the show or not.
What’s Going On With His Business?
It’s been a long time since Tim Smith went legal with his moonshine, and has been sure to make the best out of this aspect of the business. As loyal viewers of “Moonshine” remember, Tim made his moonshine operation legal around 2013, as a result of being tired of being pursued by the law.
As he confessed in a 2013 interview with Zombies In My Blog, he had plans of making Tim Smith Spirits legal for several years, but didn’t have the money to do so. It wasn’t until “Moonshiners” premiered that he made enough money to make this project a reality.
Tim’s stellar project has always been his Climax Spirits line, named after his home town of Climax, Pittsylvania, Virginia. This line includes moonshine, whiskey, and the Climax Fire N°32 beverage, which is described as a moonshine spiced with cinnamon. This latter product’s name also references his time as a firefighter-turned-voluntary for the Climax Fire Department.
There’s also Tim’s Southern Reserve product line, which consists of whiskey, bourbon, and another rye-based beverage. Last but not least, in September 2024, Tim added another product to his Climax series called Honey Raspberry Flavored Whiskey, which is meant to adapt to the current trend of flavored moonshine.
How Did He Start?
While everyone in “Moonshiners” had a different reason to get into this risky but worthy business, it’s a different story for Tim Smith. Distilling moonshine is simply something he grew up with, as his father introduced him to this centuries-old family tradition when he was barely six years old.
As Tim affirmed during the show, his father didn’t make his young self-consume any of the liquors made at home, but made sure he understood the importance that this craft had on their family. According to Tim, he didn’t grow up seeing moonshine as alcohol but as a medicine, as people commonly used these types of products to treat minor infections at home.
Tim’s childhood tales make it evident that he didn’t have a common childhood, as he was learning how to write and count while helping his father with the commercialization of moonshine. Of course, Tim eventually grew up and improved his knowledge of the business his family had, but didn’t step away from it, even when his father tragically died in a car accident.
Seeing how great of a family story with moonshine Tim has, it’s not a surprise that all of his products are recipes he either inherited from the Smiths or created himself.
Is Tim Still In The Show?
As one of the most popular cast members of the show, it isn’t surprising that Tim Smith has appeared in all seasons of “Moonshiners”, including the 13th which premiered in early 2024.
Besides “Moonshiners”, Tim has also appeared in the spin-off “American Spirit”, and the shows “Master Distiller” and “Master Distiller Tournament Of Champions”. He’s also quite popular on social media, accumulating almost 40,000 followers on Instagram alone, which surely proves how great it’s been going for him when it comes to spreading his brand and craft.
So, while the alleged illegal aspects of “Moonshiners” are often questioned, the truth is that Tim Smith isn’t about that life anymore, and is instead doing what he loves without the trouble of being chased around by the police.
