A new distillery is set to pour into Driftwood with something most Hill Country tasting rooms skip entirely: a treehouse-inspired play space for kids. Briggs Distilling Co. will begin serving cocktails, mocktails, and whiskey flights on Saturday at its 121 Brownson Lane location, about 73 miles from San Antonio, positioning itself as a family gathering spot rather than a typical bar.
The 9,000-square-foot facility is owned and operated by the Briggs family and was founded by R.S. Briggs, according to CultureMap San Antonio. Bailey Briggs, R.S. Briggs's daughter and the company's vice president of marketing, said in a release that the land has been in her family for generations and that a family-first philosophy is central to the business. Her father added in the same release that the distillery aims to carry forward the region's tradition of bringing people together, this time with whiskey added to the mix.
Leadership behind the liquid itself brings decades of Central Texas and national credibility. Davis Tucker, president of Briggs Distilling Co., previously founded Austin's North by Northwest Restaurant & Brewery in 1999 and Red's Porch in 2009, per The Austin Chronicle. Master Distiller Colton Weinstein, who oversees production and distilling operations, brings 17 years of industry experience, including nearly a decade as head distiller at Nashville's Corsair Distillery and as co-founder of Liba Spirits, according to StarChefs.
Rainwater Whiskey and a Treehouse for the Kids
Briggs has developed three whiskey expressions, all made with Texas Hill Country rainwater and bottled on-site, the distillery's story notes. The lineup includes a straight rye with spice, bright herbs, and lingering sherry notes; a Heritage Reserve bourbon offering caramel, candy, leather, spice, and cherry with a medium finish; and a wheated bourbon built around sweet, fruity, and tobacco notes with a medium-short finish. Bottles are available for take-home purchase on-site.
Beyond the bar, the venue features a treehouse-inspired children's area, dog-friendly amenities, contemporary furniture that visitors can rearrange for gatherings, and a permanent A.T. Eatz food truck. The space was designed by Texas-based M. Elliott Studio with several televisions, pool tables, and modular seating built for adaptable group hangouts rather than a static tasting counter, according to CultureMap San Antonio's reporting. Live music from local musicians is planned regularly on Fridays and Saturdays.
Hours, Happy Hour, and What's on the Menu
The distillery will be open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 pm to 10 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 10 pm, and Sundays from 11 am to 7 pm. Happy hour runs Wednesday through Friday from 3 pm to 6 pm, and kid-friendly specials are offered on Sundays, per the same CultureMap account.
Tastings run $10 each, with flights priced at $15 and draft, frozen, and house cocktails ranging from $10 to $14. Non-alcoholic options include soda, ginger beer, and coffee from Sonder Coffee Lounge, alongside a frozen Texas Two-Step made with lime, orange, house cane syrup, and a choice of strawberry, mango, coconut, or passion fruit.
A Regulatory Landscape Shaped by Recent Law Changes
Direct bottle sales at Texas craft distilleries got a boost in September 2023, when Senate Bill 2284 modified Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 14.071 to let craft distilleries sell up to four 750ml bottles per consumer every 30 days for off-premise consumption, doubling the previous limit, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Separately, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission rules cap craft distilleries at 3,000 gallons of spirits annually for on-premise tasting room consumption, plus a 3,500-gallon limit for direct-to-consumer to-go bottle sales.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that Texas had eight distilleries in 2012 and more than 200 in 2023.
Filling a Void Left by a Neighbor's Closure
Briggs' opening comes after nearby Driftwood sotol producer Desert Door Distillery had closed months earlier, according to the Austin Business Journal. Hoodline previously reported that Desert Door appeared closed, with visitors finding the doors locked. Still Austin Whiskey Co. has announced a November 5 grand opening for The Still Austin Quarter, a multi-space venue in Austin's St. Elmo district.
Briggs Distilling Co. says it plans to host community events throughout the year and pursue sustainability initiatives, including recycling bottles through local businesses, along with additional giveback opportunities in the Hill Country. Whether the combination of family amenities, rainwater-sourced whiskey, and community programming can sustain a destination venue in a cooling craft spirits market remains to be seen, but the Briggs family is betting its multi-generational land holding and hospitality pedigree will carry it further than some of its recent neighbors.
