Virgil Lovell told his son Carlos at an early age, “If you make good liquor and put it barrels, it would be the same as money in the bank.”
After being out of the illegal moonshine business since 1960, Carlos, 85, and brother Fred, 83, are back to their old craft of making Georgia moonshine from corn, rye, wheat, corn and barley malt, and their own spring water; but now under the auspices of a state distillery license at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia.
“We’re making the best drinking liquor in the country,” said Fred Lovell. The 95-proof clear moonshine is made in small batches of 120 gallons a day. Additionally, the pair is aging a portion of the sour mash whiskey in oak barrels at 86-proof. Ivy Mountain also makes apple and peach brandy when the fruit is in season.
It was almost 70 years ago, when Carlos Lovell was 16 years old, that his father taught him and his younger brother Fred how to make sour mash corn whiskey, or moonshine, in the mountains of northeastern Georgia. Moonshine and fast cars to avoid the tax man and local sheriff’s deputies has a long tradition in the area, which is credited as the birthplace of NASCAR automobile racing.
“I never thought about retiring,” said Carlos. “I like it, I like seeing that stuff pouring out of the still.” Carlos convinced his daughter, Carlene Holder, to apply for the license and now, after investing some three million US dollars of their own money, bottles are hitting store shelves.
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, shows the pure spring water he uses to make corn sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Clarkesville, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, shows the pure spring water he uses to make corn sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Clarkesville, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell (R), 85, and his brother Fred, 83, survey a vat of their fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled in the still behind them at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell (R), 85, and his brother Fred, 83, survey a vat of their fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled in the still behind them at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, is seen at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, is seen at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, walks inside the spring house for the spring water he uses to make corn sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Clarkesville, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, walks inside the spring house for the spring water he uses to make corn sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Clarkesville, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, walks near the spring house for the spring water he uses to make corn sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Clarkesville, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, walks near the spring house for the spring water he uses to make corn sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Clarkesville, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, shows a handful of the sprouted corn to make malt he then grinds and uses to make corn sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Clarkesville, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, shows a handful of the sprouted corn to make malt he then grinds and uses to make corn sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Clarkesville, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, mixes a vat of fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, mixes a vat of fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, dries out the sprouted corn to make malt he then grinds and uses to make corn sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Clarkesville, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, dries out the sprouted corn to make malt he then grinds and uses to make corn sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Clarkesville, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, had special wooden agitators mad to mix vats of fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, had special wooden agitators mad to mix vats of fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, mixes a vat of fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, mixes a vat of fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Distillery manager Mike Yearwood (L) watches Carlos Lovell, 85, mix a vat of fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Distillery manager Mike Yearwood (L) watches Carlos Lovell, 85, mix a vat of fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, holds the family's 70-year-old copper funnel they now use daily at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, holds the family's 70-year-old copper funnel they now use daily at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Fred Lovell, 83, mixes a vat of fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled in the still at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Fred and his older brother Carlos learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Fred Lovell, 83, mixes a vat of fermenting corn sour mash whiskey before it is boiled in the still at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Fred and his older brother Carlos learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, speaks with distillery manager Mike Yearwood (R) inside the barrel aging room for sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, speaks with distillery manager Mike Yearwood (R) inside the barrel aging room for sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Fred Lovell, 83, watches the crystal clear corn sour mash whiskey pour from the still at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Fred and his older brother Carlos, 85, learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Fred Lovell, 83, watches the crystal clear corn sour mash whiskey pour from the still at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Fred and his older brother Carlos, 85, learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell (L), 85, and his brother Fred, 83, patiently watch their corn sour mash whiskey pour from the still at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell (L), 85, and his brother Fred, 83, patiently watch their corn sour mash whiskey pour from the still at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Fred Lovell, 83, measures the alcohol content of corn sour mash whiskey from the still at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Fred and his older brother Carlos learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Fred Lovell, 83, measures the alcohol content of corn sour mash whiskey from the still at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Fred and his older brother Carlos learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, holds bottles of the corn sour mash whiskey he helped create at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, holds bottles of the corn sour mash whiskey he helped create at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
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![Carlos Lovell, 85, sits in the barrel aging room for sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER]()
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Carlos Lovell, 85, sits in the barrel aging room for sour mash whiskey at the Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mt. Airy, Georgia, USA, 26 February 2013. The Lovell family began distilling the once illegal moonshine 150 years ago in the north Georgia mountains. Carlos and his younger brother Fred learned how to make moonshine when they were teenagers, and continued making the 95 proof spirits until the early 1960s, but now have resumed their craft legally. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
