Down to the Distillery!

While researching attractions in and around the Fredericksburg area, Garrison Brothers Distillery came up on multiple sites, so naturally we decided to check it out. Located in Hye, Texas (about 20 miles East of Fredericksburg), the distillery can be found hidden amongst the wilderness off of a dirt road.  Because I forgot to bring appropriate rain attire, naturally the floodgates opened and I was completely unprepared for the walking portion of the tour. But nonetheless,  we continued toward the distillery --and our complimentary samples. There we learned that Bourbon is legally protected by the U.S., like tequila is to Mexico or champagne is to France; to put the name of “Bourbon” on the label of the bottle, there are specific regulations required by law.

Due to the poor weather conditions, we were the only two on tour which gave us the opportunity to interact with the craftsmen and ask questions along the way. The Garrison Brothers distillery is completely eco-friendly, they use collected rain water heat and cool the vats; after they have used the corn/wheat mixture, the rest is donated to feed local cattle. Our tour guides let us come down to the floor where the mixture was undergoing the fermentation process and were allowed to taste the pre-filtered mixture (which had a grainy consistency, smelled like yeast and contained a surprisingly alcoholic aftertaste). Next, we were able to see how the poisonous alcohol was filtered out and even tasted a moonshine-like substance called “white dog”--  the pure alcohol before it is put into barrels to age for two years. You might associate age with the quality, the longer the better, but actually the years have nothing to do with the aging. When the alcohol is put into barrels, the weather causes the vessels to expand and contract which actually helps it age. We visited a vineyard who said the same thing, even a bottle of the best red wine should be consumed no later than six years after bottling. Apparently this crazy Texas weather is good for something after all! At the conclusion of the tour we were given a taste of some of the “Reserve Garrison Bros.” which sold out in stores. I won’t pretend to note the hints of oak and light hue of almond, but I can tell you that it was tasty!

The best part about buying a bottle is not just the delicious contents but knowing that the product you are buying is made with love and care. From the beginning of the tour to the end, you could just tell that the people at the distillery not only care about the product but tread lightly on the earth around them, taking no more than they need and give back all that they can. If only all of us could put the same effort into our daily lives, the planet would be much different place. Tomorrow you will hear about our adventure to Becker Vineyards and our meeting with the burger of death... what will happen next? Come back to find out!