text: Want to sample high-quality artisanal spirits and learn how they’re made? Tour some top Texas distilleries and sip your way through the state’s vibrant spirits scene. Although whiskey is the most widely distilled Texas spirit, rum, gin, vodka, and sotol are also made here.
  Many distilleries offer guided tours of their production facilities — a fun way to learn about the production process and what shapes each spirit’s character. Tours and tastings are highlights of any visit, but distilleries offer compelling reasons to linger, including killer cocktails, classes, music, and food.
  Still Austin Whiskey Co., Austin
  The live music capital of the world offers more than just music. After taking in the sights around the Capital City, consider a fun day out focused on relaxing in the sunshine and enjoying some camaraderie at a distillery. Some of the state’s finest whiskey distilleries are located within the heart of this city. Hip distillery Still Austin Whiskey Co. uses grains from Texas farms to produce bourbon and rye whiskeys as well as gin. Here, you’ll also find live music, food pop-ups, and other fun weekend attractions. Take a behind-the-scenes tour, view original label artwork on display, and sip specialty cocktails in the outdoor garden. Keep spirits high as at the nearby brewery, winery, and Sake bar.
  Treaty Oak Distilling, Dripping Springs
  Just a short drive from Austin, you can experience the rolling hills of Dripping Springs. At Reimers Ranch, you can climb a limestone cliff. Or float in the blue waters of Hamilton Pool Preserve. Award-winning Hill Country wineries offer tasting rooms and tours for visitors. And on a 28-acre ranch outside of Austin, Treaty Oak is well known for its bourbon, rye, gin, and sustainability efforts. Learn about the heritage and history of crafting spirits in Texas on a 45-minute tour. Tasting experiences, cocktail classes, brisket-smoking classes, live bands, and dining on tasty Texas barbecue at the iconic Alice’s Restaurant can keep you here for hours.
  Garrison Brothers Distillery, Hye
  For many visitors, the journey to Fredericksburg or to Blanco State Park means passing through the tiny town of Hye, where you can stop and view the 1886 Hye post office and general store, now a historic landmark. Turn at the post office and you’ll come to Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first and oldest distillery in Texas. Garrison Brothers offers tastings of their 10 craft bourbon varieties, as well as tours of the distillery located on a 68-acre ranch drenched in Hill Country sunshine. You can also chow down on tacos, Texas chili, burgers, and more while sipping cocktails at the distillery’s restaurant, Whiskey Shack. Check the calendar for a host of unique food and bourbon pairing experiences. Nearby, another ranch worth exploring is on the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site with grazing bison and fields of wildflowers.
  Desert Door Texas Sotol, Driftwood
  Austin visitors looking for some space and peace will enjoy a day out in Driftwood, a small community situated between Dripping Springs, Wimberley, and Kyle, which is home to several notable wineries and breweries, restaurants, and even a dancehall. Also in Driftwood, you’ll find the Desert Door Texas Sotol distillery. Using wild-harvested plants from West Texas, this craft distillery makes sotol, a traditional Mexican spirit bearing a tequila-like aroma, but a distinct flavor profile. Live bands and gourmet food trucks are weekend draws, where visitors can relax and take in Hill Country views. Make a day of it and check out the legendary barbecue spot, The Salt Lick. Before you grab a tray of unforgettable ‘cue, take a tour around the expansive grounds of the restaurant taking in local plants.
  Balcones Distilling, Waco
  Occupying a 100-year-old building, Balcones is an award-winning distillery based in Waco. Experience the distillation process for yourself on a one-hour tour starting at the grain silos and finishing with a sample of blue corn, single malt, or Texas Rye whiskies. While in Waco, also take time to explore the Shops at the Silos, which features six specialty shops curated by the team behind TV’s “Fixer Upper” and other Magnolia Network shows. You can also tour historic Baylor University, or learn about the history of Dr. Pepper at their museum.
  SuTi Craft Distillery, Kennedale
  Located between Fort Worth and Arlington, SuTi is the only distillery in the country producing Rượu Đế, a traditional Vietnamese rice spirit; it also makes two rice whiskies. Long-grain rice grown near the Texas Coast is used for one Rượu Đế, and a Louisiana-grown Jasmine rice is used in the other. Pop into the tasting room, fitted with a solid wood bar and cognac-colored panels, for a free tour and tasting.
  More Texas Inspiration
  Mixologists across the state are crafting new Texas tastes with some favorite local flavors. It’s easy...
  With more than 400 wineries, Texas now is the fifth largest wine-producing state. Earning such accolades as...
  Texas boasts more than 80 microbreweries, each one distinct from the next. Sampling brands at brewpub...