Judging Barbecue Before Sampling Moonshine

It was only a matter of time before an enterprising organizer connected moonshine and barbecue. Of course, the location has to be Wilkes County, NC, that has popularly been referred to as “The Moonshine Capital of America.” The Stills and Grills Fest, which had a preliminary backyard event last year, was sanctioned this year for the first time in the master series of competitions held by the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

As I drove northwest into North Wilkesboro on U.S. 421, I passed a sign proclaiming that section of the road as “Junior Johnson Highway.” This local racing legend (born Robert Glenn Johnson, Jr.) was one of about 700 people in Wilkes County who made a living by hauling illegal whiskey to its markets. Because North Wilkesboro is located in the foothills of Appalachia, it was a major distribution point for transporting moonshine. The highway linked the backwoods and hills to large cities throughout the South and mid-Atlantic.

A portable still of Copper Barrel Distillery, based in North Wilkesboro, sits among the cooking teams.

Local distilleries, now legal and gaining a far-reaching reputation for their artisanal spirits, source their grains from area farms much like earlier generation of distillers. The corn used by Copper Barrel, for example, comes from Linney’s Water Mill, which has been in business for 187 years. 

Cooking teams set up along the perimeter of the county's agricultural fairgrounds.

Finding moonshine at a barbecue cookoff is not as surprising as meeting a judge who has a pork allergy. Although Bill Moon, from Florida, is a certified judge, he can only participate as a table captain or another capacity requiring a judge. Because he cannot be sure than any meat (chicken, brisket) from a team has not been in contact with pork, he never tastes any entry, but he does enjoy the camaraderie of being at cookoffs and has also competed as a pitmaster.

Judges sign in and receive their table assignments.

In its first year as a fully sanctioned competition, Stills and Grills was an excellent cookoff and has set a good foundation to grow and develop in future years. The 21 cooking teams were spread along the perimeter of the county’s agricultural fairgrounds, but the “artisanal spirits” on display by the local distilleries attracted more attention. Tasting tickets were sold for $10 at the gate to people 21 years of age and older.

The turn-in table is ready for the first entries.

Some barbecue contests end with a cone of ice cream or dish of banana pudding for the judges. In North Wilkesboro, you wouldn’t expect anything other than a sample (or two) of an artisanal spirit, or as it’s better known, moonshine. When the judges were dismissed from their tables, watching them head out quickly to the sample booths made me wonder what they came for: judging barbecue or moonshine.

Local distilleries are ready to pour samples of their products.

Second place in the ribs category helped Two Old Men & A Grill to finish third overall in the contest.