A taste of white lightning now comes with a bill in Gatlinburg.
On Monday, distilleries began charging a $5 fee for moonshine and whiskey samples that were previously free. The $5 can be earned back when customers make a purchase.
"As a whole it’s going to be good for the city, good for the distilling community,” said Buddy Keyes, store manager at Doc Collier Moonshine. “Good for the people coming in, the people who want to try, the locals, the tourists."
It wasn’t a city decision, however, but something distilleries decided they felt would be best for their community and was a proactive step to keep the family-friendly atmosphere of the town.
"We want to stay ahead of anything that could happen that would negatively affect our wonderful city here in Gatlinburg, and that’s the main thing,” said Keyes.
While the taste test will now cost you, Keyes says they aren’t worried about losing customers.
"Gatlinburg is Gatlinburg, we are the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and I think it’s always going to be that way,” said Keyes.
The City of Gatlinburg released this statement:
“The City of Gatlinburg is pleased with the decision by local moonshine and whiskey distilleries to charge a fee for sampling their spirits. The conversation with distilleries stemmed from concern over maintaining the reputation and image of Gatlinburg as a family-friendly environment for tourists. The voluntary decision to charge for samples is a step in the right direction to maintain Gatlinburg as a family-friendly vacation destination.”
Another Gatlinburg company, Sugarlands Distillery, released this statement:
"Sugarlands Distilling Company is committed to working with the City of Gatlinburg and other distilleries in the area to maintain a safe and enjoyable atmosphere in our beautiful mountain community.
As of August 15, Sugarlands Distilling Company will charge $5 to sample our award-winning moonshine.
All guests who participate in the paid tasting experience, which includes a full seasonal flight of our award-winning shine, will receive a $5 voucher redeemable with any in-store purchase. Vouchers can be combined on any purchase."
Pigeon Forge also has distillery businesses. The Pigeon Forge mayor told 10News he didn't anticipate their city making a change like Gatlinburg.