Briggs Distilling Co. in Driftwood, is about 23 miles southwest of Austin, Texas.
Hayden Walker/Courtesy of Briggs Distilling Co.
A new family-owned distillery and community hangout spot is opening its doors in the Texas Hill Country. Briggs Distilling Co. announced it will be making its debut in Driftwood this weekend.
The distillery will open on Saturday, October 17 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 121 Brownson Lane, Driftwood, Texas 78619. Briggs’s grand opening celebration will include a rotating lineup of local vendors, live music, and cold drinks.
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Founded by the namesake Briggs family, the distillery is designed not just to sell and produce craft whiskey, but to also be a family-friendly watering hole for the Hill Country community. The new 9,000-square-foot facility will feature an outdoor stage, an on-site food truck, a dedicated children’s area and a dog-friendly policy intended to make every visitor feel at home.
People pose for photos inside Briggs Distilling Co. during a Texas football game.
Hayden Walker/Courtesy of Briggs Distilling Co.
The outdoor space at Briggs Distilling Co. is lined with wooden picnic tables.
Hayden Walker/Courtesy of Briggs Distilling Co.
“The Hill Country has a spirit all its own. It’s rooted in tradition, shaped by the land, and centered around gathering together,” said R.S. Briggs, Founder of Briggs in a release. “For generations, this part of Texas has brought people together around good food and conversation under wide-open skies. We wanted Briggs Distilling to carry that spirit forward while adding one crucial component: good whiskey.”
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Briggs Distilling is truly a family affair with R.S. Briggs funding the business alongside his daughter Bailey Briggs, vice president of marketing, and his son-in-law, Jason Kowalkowski, vice president of operations, who helped bring their combined vision to life. President of Briggs Davis Tucker, a longtime family friend with decades of beverage-industry experience, who will provide strategic leadership and guidance, according to a release.
The leaders of Briggs Distilling Co. in Driftwood, Texas.
Briggs Distilling Co./Courtesy of Briggs Distilling Co.
The Briggs family behind Briggs Distilling Co. in Driftwood, Texas.
Briggs Distilling Co./Courtesy of Briggs Distilling Co.
The family’s newest addition, Master Distiller Colton Weinstein, will lead production and distilling operations. Briggs Distillery sits on land previously owned by Briggs’ brother-in-law, Casey Dingle, and is next door to the family’s grandmother and Dingle’s two donkeys.
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“Briggs Distilling was born from family and built for families,” said Bailey Briggs in a release. “The distillery stands on family land, just steps from where generations of our relatives have lived and gathered. For more than twenty years, our family has called the Texas Hill Country home, spending holidays, birthdays, and long summer days on the river together. Those memories shaped our lives and inspired us to create a place where other families could make their own.”
Each bottle of Briggs whiskey is crafted using Texas rainwater then hand-selected, thoughtfully finished, and bottled on-site. The Driftwood distillery will offer three expressions: Straight Rye Whiskey, Heritage Reserve Bourbon and Wheated Bourbon. Whiskey tasting flights start at $15.
Briggs Distilling Co. has a full service bar inside its new 9,000-square-foot facility.
Hayden Walker/Courtesy of Briggs Distilling Co.
Briggs Distilling Co.’s three whiskeys: Straight Rye Whiskey, Heritage Reserve Bourbon and Wheated Bourbon.
Hayden Walker/Courtesy of Briggs Distilling Co.
Beyond whiskey, the distillery has a full service bar with something for everyone including frozens and cocktails ($9-12), $6 mocktails and nonalcoholic options, coffee from local provider Sonder Coffee near the distillery, a kids menu and more.
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In addition, the gathering space will have live music on weekends, a multi-level treehouse-inspired kids area and a permanent food truck, A. T. Eatz Burger Joint, serving up burgers, fries and more daily during operating hours. The distillery is also filled with indoor and outdoor seating, pool tables and large TVs to watch games.
The company aims to partner with local makers and musicians, host community events throughout the year, and enact sustainability initiatives such as providing empty bottles to local businesses for recycling.
A burger from A. T. Eatz Burger Joint, permanent food truck at Briggs Distilling Co. in Driftwood, Texas.
Hayden Walker/Courtesy of Briggs Distilling Co.
R.S. Briggs’ granddaughter swings from a multi-level treehouse-inspired kids’ area at the new distillery.
Briggs Distilling Co./Courtesy of Briggs Distilling Co.
“Every effort goes beyond making whiskey; it creates a place for people to gather and feel at home,” the release says.
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The distillery will be open five days a week starting Wednesday and Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Its Happy Hours will be Wednesday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., and kid-friendly specials on Sundays for Family Day.