Garrison Brothers Distillery is the first and oldest bourbon distillery in Texas. I joined a tour and tasting event organized by a work vendor and it ended up being a beautiful day in the hill country. Read on to learn more about the distillery and the tour.
Garrison Brothers Distillery
Can you believe the first and oldest bourbon distillery in Texas is only nearly 20 years old? Garrison Brothers Distillery got its legal permit in 2006.
The story goes, that Dan Garrison lost everything in the dot com bubble burst and went to Kentucky to take a break (and drink bourbon). While there, he learned from the Kentucky bourbon greats and decided to bring this potion-making to Texas. Long story short (and leaving out all the ups and downs of this endeavor), he roped in his brother Charlie, they set up their process and ranch, and they’ve been making bourbon ever since.
The scrappiness of building this bourbon distillery is something that’s part of their identity. As said during the tour: “We’re just a bunch of rednecks making really good bourbon.”
They now make nine different types of bourbon, from their signature small batch (the black handle) to their 115-proof, twice-barreled Balmorhea (the blue handle).
Take the Tour
At their property, you can stop by the whiskey shack for a cocktail and food and walk around the gift shop, but they also have a tour, which takes you up the hill to their production facilities where you’ll get to meet the people behind the operation.
Like many distillery tours, we got to see the stills, learn the process of making whiskey, and see the bottling room with many volunteers churning out finished bottles. We even joined in for the “quality control” shot. 😉
Something unique I was excited to do was dip my bottle of bourbon for the wax finish! This might have been special for our group, though I think there is an opportunity for anyone on the tour to do it.
Details for Your Visit
The distillery is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 am to 4 pm or 6 pm. The place is an hour and a half away from Downtown Austin and 30 minutes away from Downtown Fredericksburg.
Tours are available Tuesday through Thursday at 12 pm and 2 pm and Friday and Saturday at 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, and 4 pm. Tours are an hour and a half and cost $10 per person on weekdays and $20 on Saturdays.
The whiskey shack also has a kitchen; from experience, the food is delicious! I recommend the burger and fries.
In Texas, we’re proud of what is produced locally, and Garrison Brothers Distillery is another delicious example. If you’re visiting the Texas Hill Country, stop by for a cocktail or a bottle!
Garrison Brothers Distillery
1827 Hye-Albert Rd, Hye, TX 78635
https://www.garrisonbros.com/
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