Moonshine: Wire Rusticated Devil Anse with Coffee Stem Tobacco Pipe

The classic Belge shape is characterized by a slender shank and stem and a rounded, Apple- or Egg-like bowl that cants dramatically forward. It's a shape that dates back to the clay tavern pipes of old, predating the use of briar in the mid-19th century, but the Devil Anse is a special Belge rendition with more modern inspiration. An especially compact, Nosewarmer version of the traditional Belge, the Devil Anse takes its name from the History Channel's 2012 miniseries, Hatfields & McCoys. In the show, Kevin Costner portrays William "Devil Anse" Hatfield and is seen in several scenes smoking a short Belge pipe. The series' popularity has since inspired numerous renditions from myriad pipe makers, with Moonshine's version among the most popular. It offers the convenience and practicality of Nosewarmer pipes, combined with the shape's welcome plumpness and distinctive profile.

Every Moonshine stummel is carved on CNC (computer numerical control) machines at the BriarWorks factory in Columbia, Tennessee. Though each individual pipe is based on pre-established templates for consistent shaping across renditions, the stem-fitting and finishing processes are entirely hand-applied by the American workshop's team of artisans: Pete Prevost, Bill Shalosky, Micah Redmond, and Sam Adebayo. All four men are artisan pipe makers in their own rights, and BriarWorks' production model of combining mass-production processes with hand-applied, artisanal techniques results in modestly priced pipes with the engineering and aesthetic quality of handmade work. This particular Moonshine example wears the workshop's Wire rusticated finish, offering a crisp, wire-brushed texture.