PLEASANT GROVE, Utah (ABC4) – When you meet a police officer or firefighter on the street, it may be easy to think that’s all they do. You may be surprised at the jobs some tap into on the side, in this edition of Behind the Badge.

Inside Utah’s 4th District Court in Provo. One of the bailiffs in the courtroom, Deputy Dan Brady of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, knows to expect the unexpected. He recounts one time when he was ordered to handcuff an attorney during a civil case.

You may expect keeping order in court is Brady’s only job, but when he’s not there, he’s got a gig on the side as an alcohol guide.  

During the weekends, Brady is a tour guide for the Clear Water Distilling Company in Pleasant Grove. Don’t be fooled by the name, it has nothing to do with water. Flavorful spirits, whiskeys, brandies and vodkas – it’s all made right there. If you’re ever curious how it’s done, Deputy Dan Brady is your guide.

“We put cinnamon and vanilla in the basket here and that vapor comes through,” Brady explains during a tour. In other instances, Brady points out which drinks are made in-house, from start to finish.

Dan Brady has a love for the process, and three and half years ago he just up and applied.

“I thought to myself, I like booze, I like talking to people why not? I applied and they asked me to start work the next day,” he said.

ABC4 stopped by to see Dan’s passion in action, teaching how sugar and water become award-winning alcohol.

“You learn every step, you want to know more, you want to share this information, I could go on for hours,” Brady said.

He’s in good company. The journey each spirit takes is even longer than that. Some spirits end up on racks, aging in barrels. Some will stay there for up to 14 years.

It’s a job that Brady savors. When it’s finally time to hang up the badge and leave the courtroom, going full-time at the distillery is Dan’s retirement plan.

“It’s the best job I’ve ever had,” he said.

At least that’s Dan’s expectations, but even with alcohol, it’s never 100% proof.

Another thing Deputy Dan said he loves about his job, is he does it in Utah County. He said a lot of people in Utah County haven’t had much experience to know what good spirits are, and he gets to teach them.