Gatlinburg Moonshine Samples No Longer Free
Since Gatlinburg began allowing the legal purchase on moonshine in 2010, the local distilleries have gained a famous reputation for offering free samples to visitors over the age of 21. All a visitor would have to do is show a license and they would receive numerous samples at a distillery. This free offering worked for a while until more distilleries opened, offered more free samples, and people started “abusing” it. People have increasingly been hopping between each moonshine distillery and consuming enough alcohol to get legally drunk, which has led to increased public intoxication. To counter this “abuse”, the city has imposed a $5 fee that distilleries must charge each guest in order to receive free samples. Some distilleries such as Ole Smoky Moonshine then offer a $5 credit on any purchase to help guests “even out” the new charge.
Before the new charge was officially started, the city ran a test to determine the effectiveness of it. During that test period, public intoxication charges dropped by half. Due to the positive effect, the charge was then made official and started being enforced on Monday, August 15, 2016.
Meanwhile, Pigeon Forge distilleries such as Ole Smoky Moonshine at The Island still offer samples for free.
I guess if people are abusing the alcohol & becoming disorderly then the new law is good. As a resident I don’t want someone drinking & driving.
Occasionally the distillers come up with a new flavors, I don’t want to have to pay $5.00 just to taste it. So there are some drawbacks to the new law.
Awesome! Our family has visited the Smokies and have stayed Gatlinburg for 30 years and got discouraged when we had to walk behind young drunks who would stumble and then throw up on the side walk.
Three men took videos of themselves throwing up while riding the ski chairs. We were behind them as well so got good view.
My grown kids have said we should start staying in Cherokee on that side of the Smokies from now on.
We knew it would not work to have so many moonshine places offering free samples. Too ovious what would happen.
THATS NOT RIGHT! OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE OF STUPID DRUNKS. IM GONNA PAY TO TASTE THE MOONSHINE. I HAVE BEEN GOING TO OLD SMOKY SINCE THEY OPENED AND WE ALWAYS ENJOY TASTING THE NEW FLAVORS. EVEN THOUGH YOU SAY YOU WILL GET 5 BUCKS OFF YOUR PURCHASE, YOUR ASSUMING I WANT TO BUY IT NOW! LEAVES A BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH! MAD