The Story Behind Jimmy Red: The Corn That Started As Moonshine
When Greg was growing up, most kids spent their weeks looking forward to Friday night lights. Greg was drawn to a different kind of light, the glow of headlights winding deep into the woods.
Why would a young boy volunteer to haul and mill corn in a holler? And what exactly is a holler? If you’ve never been to Appalachia, it’s a narrow valley tucked between the hills, where traditions have a way of lasting a little longer.
The answer was Jack Brock.
Jack, a third-generation miller and one of the last people who truly understood the old ways of stone milling, took a liking to Greg and taught him everything he knew. The old-timers would say Jack had a special gift for cracking corn just right, releasing every bit of its oils and natural sugars. Jack never said exactly what that style of milling was for, but if you’ve heard the stories, you can probably guess: moonshine.
Years later, after Greg had dedicated himself to milling heirloom grains, he began hearing whispers about Jimmy Red corn and a seedsman named Ted Chewning who was preserving it. One Sunday during church, Greg turned around in the middle of the service and asked, “Are you the Ted Chewning growing Jimmy Red corn?” Ted smiled and said, “I am.”
The very next day, Ted drove to Edisto Island and handed Greg three ears of Jimmy Red.
Those three ears became the beginning of a long journey. Over the next several years, Greg and his father in law, Adair McKoy experimented with planting methods, seed selection, and growing practices to increase the harvest. With every generation, the corn revealed the rich aroma of its oils and sugars, reminding Greg of the stories Jack had shared about families who treasured certain varieties of corn because they were perfect for that old style of milling.
That’s the remarkable part of the story. Jimmy Red began as a corn prized for making hooch during Prohibition. Today, thanks to preservation, patience, and the work of millers, seedsmen, and farmers, it has become something much bigger. Distillers seek it out for its character. Chefs celebrate its incredible flavor. And Greg has the privilege of helping reconnect the people who grow it, mill it, cook with it, and pour it into a glass.
Some stories are worth preserving. This one just happens to taste good, too.
Watch: Moonshiners
Tim Smith Re-Creates Civil War “Jimmy Red Moonshine”
If this kind of history is your thing, then you’ll love taking a moment to watch this episode of Moonshiners, where they walk through the history of Jimmy Red and its history with Prohibition. You may even see someone you recognize!
