This Georgia Country Musician Brought His Family’s Secret Moonshine Recipe Back To Life In A Small Mountain Town
A Depression-era mountain moonshiner once left groceries for families in need and quietly paid off neighbors’ bills at local shops. Nearly a century later, his great-grandson brought that man’s recipe back, and he happens to be a guy who played with Waylon Jennings.
Yes, that Waylon Jennings. The great-grandson spent decades on stage and still sings lead for the band Waymore’s Outlaws, so this family story comes with a real soundtrack.
I like how the whole operation sits in a small North Georgia mountain town instead of some slick city warehouse. Copper stills, a vintage Victrola, and an old slot machine from a border roadhouse all share the same roof.
I can’t imagine a better excuse for a mountain road trip. How often does a family secret come with a guitar, a tour, and a story this good?
Meet The Generous Mountain Legend Behind The Name
Groceries left on porches, bills settled at the general store, and firewood hauled to schoolhouses. That was the reputation of Jack Mimm McClure, the man who gave Grandaddy Mimm’s Distilling Co. its name.
McClure lived in Young Harris, Georgia, and started making his mountain recipe in 1933. The Great Depression was squeezing families hard, and he became known as a local philanthropist as much as a craftsman.
His giving went well beyond the occasional good deed. He donated to churches and handed out food and Christmas gifts to struggling families across the area.
He also ran a place called The Border Hop, right on the Georgia and North Carolina line. It was part dance hall, part shop, and part gambling spot, which was very much not legal back then.
I like that the family doesn’t polish him into a saint. He was a rule-bender with a big heart, and that mix makes his story feel real instead of rehearsed.
After he was gone, his family kept his treasured recipes safe for decades. Somebody clearly knew those notes were worth more than a dusty drawer.
The address is 112 Wellborn St, Blairsville, GA 30512. That puts you in walking range of the small shops that give this North Georgia mountain town its charm.
A Waylon Jennings Bandmate Runs The Family Business Now
Plenty of founders have a good backstory, but few can say they spent decades playing with Waylon Jennings. Tommy Townsend can, and he’s the great-grandson of Jack Mimm McClure himself.
Townsend also serves as lead singer for Waymore’s Outlaws, the band that carries on the outlaw country sound. He still writes music, which means the creative streak in this family never really took a break.
He’s often found at the distillery in person. That’s a fun detail when you consider how many brands keep their founders hidden behind a logo.
Townsend likes to point out the natural link between country music and old mountain craft. Honestly, it makes sense, since both grew from the same hollers, porches, and hard-working Appalachian families.
Think about it for a second. Outlaw country songs and backwoods recipes both come from people who did things their own way.
So a visit here carries a little more than history. You’re stepping into a place shaped by someone who knows how a good story should sound, and he clearly enjoys telling this one.
How A Nearly 100-Year-Old Recipe Went Legit
Tommy Townsend rediscovered his great-grandfather’s legendary recipe, which traces back to the Depression years. Then he did something Mimm never bothered with and made the whole tradition fully legal.
The original family recipe is corn-based and bottled at 100 proof. A bolder 140-proof version is also on the shelf, for anyone who likes their history with extra muscle.
Ingredients matter here too. The team works with Georgia-grown corn and apples, so the local roots run deeper than the name on the jar.
I believe that choice says a lot about the family’s priorities. Using crops from the same state where Mimm worked keeps the recipe honest to its mountain beginnings.
Everything is made in small, handcrafted batches. That approach fits a family-owned operation that would rather do things carefully than crank out a warehouse full of bottles.
It’s a comeback story with roots, patience, and a little stubbornness. Mimm would probably approve, though he might ask about the paperwork.
The Copper Stills Out Back Are The Real Showstoppers
Shiny copper always grabs attention, and the stills here are 100 percent copper. Better yet, they’re built in the same style as Mimm’s original equipment from the old days.
That detail turns a regular tour into a little time machine. You get to see how the mountain method looked, just without the lookout posted on the ridge.
Tours at Grandaddy Mimm’s Distilling Co. are led by guides who know the craft well. You follow the whole production process from beginning to end, which makes the finished jars feel far less mysterious.
A video presentation fills in the family history too. It’s a smart way to connect the gleaming equipment to the people who first used something like it.
Here’s my advice for planning. Make the tour your first stop, because everything else in the building makes more sense once you’ve seen the work behind it.
Just don’t expect a factory floor. This is small-batch work, and you can feel that scale up close.
Yes, That Is Mimm’s Actual Slot Machine
Few gift shops come with evidence of past mischief on display. One of Mimm’s original slot machines sits right inside, a leftover from his Border Hop days.
Remember, The Border Hop ran gambling that wasn’t exactly legal. So this piece isn’t just decor, it’s a cheeky little confession that the family proudly kept.
A Victrola record player from the same roadhouse joins it. Picture the music that spun on that thing while folks danced near the state line.
These artifacts make The Co-Op feel more like a family museum than a typical storefront. They give the history a physical shape, which beats reading a plaque any day.
I like that the music connection runs both ways here. Mimm had his Victrola, and his great-grandson ended up on stages with country legends.
Take a few minutes with these pieces before you rush to the shelves. They’re the kind of details that make a visit stick in your memory long after the drive home.
Granny Sue’s Pie Inspired One Of The Flavors
Some flavors come from a lab, but Apple Brown Betty came from a family kitchen. It’s inspired by the pie recipe of Tommy’s Granny Sue, which might be the sweetest origin story on the shelf.
The lineup leans hard into Southern dessert territory. You’ll see Peach Cobbler, Blueberry Cobbler, and Wild Cherry Cobbler, plus Authentic Apple and Blackberry.
Peach Cobbler feels especially right for a Georgia brand. Honestly, leaving peach off the list would be like a barbecue joint forgetting the sauce.
There’s a clever history bit hiding in the sorghum products too. Back in the 1940s, sugar rationing pushed Mimm to sweeten his mash with sorghum syrup instead.
The distillery still honors that workaround today. It’s a nice reminder that mountain folks solved problems with whatever grew nearby.
The family also makes several other small-batch products beyond the classic jars. So the shop offers plenty of choices for different tastes and gift lists.
My tip is simple. Learn the stories behind a couple of flavors before you choose, because a jar with a family tale attached makes a far better souvenir.
Live Music And Comedy Nights Keep Things Lively
A founder who played with outlaw country royalty was never going to run a quiet room. Grandaddy Mimm’s Distilling Co. hosts events like live music and comedy nights.
That fits the family story perfectly. Music has been part of this tale since Mimm’s Victrola spun records at The Border Hop.
Comedy nights add a different kind of fun. After learning about a rule-bending great-grandfather, a few laughs feel like the right way to round out the evening.
The atmosphere leans friendly and engaging, with a rustic look inside. It’s the sort of place where history and entertainment share the room without stepping on each other’s toes.
Want to catch a show? Check the distillery’s social pages before your trip, since event schedules change and you don’t want to miss a good night.
Timing helps too. Friday and Saturday hours run later, so those days give you more room to linger.
I can’t think of a better match for a mountain town evening. Good songs, a few jokes, and a family legend in the background make for a pretty great combination.
Downtown Blairsville Makes It An Easy Stop
Finding this spot takes zero backroad guesswork, which is a little ironic for a moonshine story. The Co-Op sits right in the heart of downtown Blairsville.
Plan around the hours before you go. The doors open at 11 AM Monday through Saturday, closing at 6 PM early in the week and 8 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.
Sundays are closed, so don’t build your whole weekend around a Sunday afternoon visit. That’s an easy mistake to make on a lazy mountain getaway.
The location also connects nicely to the family history. Young Harris, where Mimm once worked his recipe, is just down the road in the same corner of Georgia.
I love that the story stayed close to home. The recipe didn’t move to a big city, it came back to the same mountains that shaped it.
Pair your stop with a stroll downtown. It’s a relaxed way to turn one visit into a full afternoon.
The Award Shelf Backs Up All That Family Pride
Family legends are fun, but trophies make the case official. Grandaddy Mimm’s Distilling Co. earned the Best of Georgia Distillery award in 2021.
It also picked up a diamond award on a worldwide scale. Not bad for a recipe that once had to stay hidden in the hills.
Before you leave, browse the bottle shop and apparel section. A shirt or hat with Mimm’s name makes a fun souvenir for anyone back home who loves a good mountain tale.
The building also has a bar area serving handcrafted creations. Combined with the tour and artifacts, there’s plenty to fill a relaxed visit.
Everything here stays tied to the family-owned, small-batch approach. That consistency is a big reason the place feels personal instead of packaged.
I believe that’s the real win of this whole story. A great-grandson took a Depression-era recipe, a generous man’s legacy, and a lifetime of music, then turned them into something people can visit.
So next time you’re near the Georgia mountains, swing by. Mimm handed out gifts to his neighbors, and his family is still sharing something special with everyone who walks through the door.
