Lone Star Brewing announces first ever agave hard seltzers

Lone Star Seltzer will debut with two refreshing flavors, Agave Lime and Agave Watermelon. Photo: Lone Star Brewing Company, used with permission.

Lone Star Brewing is excited to announce Lone Star Agave Seltzers, refreshing hard seltzers inspired by beloved Texas ingredients and local taste profiles. The new beverages will be available in stores throughout Texas in two flavors, Agave Lime and Agave Watermelon, starting in April of this year. The refreshing beverages are made with Texans in mind and are best paired with fun Texas activities; by the pool, on the lake, or your favorite porch or patio – wherever you find enjoyment in the land of Texas. (Lone Star Brewing Company, 2021)

Brewed locally in Austin, TX with a high quality sucrose base, the 5% ABV seltzer is enhanced with blue agave nectar that provides a crisp, balanced, and distinct drinking experience. Lone Star Agave Seltzers are the ultimate Texas hard seltzers made with locally-minded natural fruit flavors. Lone Star Agave Seltzer’s Agave Lime flavor has a light, natural citrus twang that complements the sweetness of the blue agave nectar. The Agave Watermelon seltzer embodies the light sweetness of the watermelon, making it perfect for Texas’ mild spring and hot summer seasons.

Both flavors of Lone Star Agave Seltzer will be available for purchase in six-packs of 12 oz. sleek cans. The Agave Lime flavor is also available in a 19.2 oz. single-serve can. The six-packs will retail for the suggested price of $8.99, while the Agave Lime single serve will retail for $2.79. Lone Star Agave Seltzer is a refreshing option at just 100 calories for its 12 oz. can, with only 2g carbs and 1g sugar.

To find a nearby retailer carrying Lone Star Seltzer, consumers can use Lone Star’s seltzer finder tool. Lone Star Seltzer will be available at select retailers starting this month including Walmart and Albertsons, Quick Trip, Circle K and HEB slated for May.

To celebrate the launch of Lone Star Agave Seltzers, Lone Star is teaming up with Cowboy Pools, a full-service stock tank pool company based in Austin, who creates unique oases in Texas backyards by reimagining the classic stock tank for outdoor enjoyment. Lone Star will be giving away and installing 5 stock tanks that are perfect to combat the common native enemy, “The Texas Heat.” This giveaway program will run in select retailers throughout the state, and on Lone Star’s own social media channel. The in store portion of the giveaways are slated to begin in May, with the Instagram giveaway rolling out sometime this summer.

“There’s a clear demand for quality hard seltzers, so we’re excited to break into the market with flavor profiles that are both refreshing and have an essential Texas quality to them,” “This is a proudly Texas product, with locally minded ingredients for modern taste palates, perfect for all Texans who enjoy easy drinking beverages and socializing outdoors in our beautiful state. This is just the beginning of our Texas Seltzer exploration. We have some really fun flavors & concepts in the works.” – Daniel Crawford, Lone Star Brand Manager

Lone Star Brewing Co., the makers of Lone Star Beer “The National Beer of Texas” and Lone Star Texas Light Beer, has been proudly brewing beer in Texas since 1884. Since its founding, Lone Star has partnered with local communities throughout the state, supporting Texas-specific charities and organizations. Lone Star Brewing Co. is owned by Pabst Brewing Company, one of the largest independently owned American brewing companies.

Garrison Brothers to release Hye Rye on National Repeal Day

Garrison Brothers’ first rye whiskey, Hye Rye. Photo: Garrison Brothers Distillery, used with permission.

Garrison Brothers Distillery recently announced the release of Hye Rye, the company’s first-ever rye whiskey. This limited-run, experimental expression is a 98-proof rye whiskey that pays homage to rye whiskey’s deep roots in American distilling history. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2020)

Hye Rye will be available exclusively at Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye, Texas, for $99.99 beginning December 5 —the 87th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition in America and founder Dan Garrison’s birthday. Garrison Brothers will celebrate the release of Hye Rye with a drive-thru sealed bottle sales day at their distillery in Hye, Texas, on December 5. Gates open at 8a.m. and singer-songwriter Scooter Pearce will play her own blend of outlaw Americana and country-western music beginning at 11a.m. Purchase limit is two bottles per person.

Rye, known as the “flavor grain,” yields spicy and savory notes that are unique amongst Garrison Brothers’ portfolio of ultra-premium, Texas-born bourbon whiskies. Where bourbons tend to be sweeter and smokier with hints of caramel, rye whiskey is spicier, with notes of pepper, grass, and grain. It has been distilled in America since the late 1700s.

For Garrison Brothers, the production of Hye Rye dates to 2012 when Master Distiller Donnis Todd sourced several hundred bags of organic rye from Justin Crownover’s Lonestar Family Farms in Sunray, Texas. His goal was to create a sweet mash bill of 52% South Texas corn and 37% organic rye. Todd aged the test barrels for two years, tasting them at six-month intervals to assess flavor development. Although he was initially pleased with the progress of Hye Rye’s aging, Todd wanted a more robust flavor profile, so he decided to mature the bourbon for five additional years. In the summer of 2015, Todd and his production team strategically placed fourteen barrels in rickhouses throughout the ranch to allow the flavors to evolve.

“It’s an honor to create Garrison Brother’s first-ever rye whiskey. Although the quantity is limited, we are excited to hear what fans think of this experimental release.” – Master Distiller Donnis Todd

Garrison Brothers Distillery is a small farm and ranch located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country that authentically produces straight bourbon whiskey. Garrison Brothers introduced the first bourbon whiskey legally made in Texas in 2010 and is one of the first distilleries in America outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey—and only bourbon whiskey. The business was founded in 2006. Garrison Brothers is a proud and active member of the communities of Blanco, Fredericksburg, Hye, Johnson City, and Stonewall. The distillery and its barrel barns are open to the public for tours in Hye, Texas.

Garrison Brothers Distillery crowns best bartenders in Texas

Five San Antonio bartenders win title at this year’s Bourbon Brawl. Photo: Marshall Tidrick, used with permission.

Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, announced this week that a team of five bartenders from San Antonio has won its 2020 Bourbon Brawl contest, a statewide bartender competition that ended last Thursday evening. Originally an in-person event, Bourbon Brawl 2020 was adapted to a COVID-safe format through a partnership with Sourced: Craft Cocktails. Sourced packaged and delivered kits of all five team’s cocktails to guests, which allowed them to participate in the final round by tuning-in, tasting each cocktail and casting their vote for the best. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2020)

Twenty-five bartenders, five each from Fort Worth, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Houston, were chosen to compete in the final round of the virtual competition. The San Antonio team is taking home a grand prize of $12,500 as well as the title of Bourbon Brawl 2020 Champions. The $12,500 prize is from a 501(c)3 public charity called Good Bourbon for a Good Cause, founded by the Garrison Family and their staff in 2018. The money will be split evenly between the five bartenders. San Antonio team members include Trinh Quan Huy-Philip, Gladys Estrada, Cruz Gutierrez, Michelle Stephenson, and Johnny Yumol.

In February 2020, contestants submitted a cocktail recipe to Garrison Brothers. A panel of drinks experts judged each cocktail blind and chose 75 bartenders to proceed to the next round. Each of the 75 bartenders’ venues featured their cocktail for two weeks, while the Garrison Brothers team visited each location to judge the cocktail along with the service. After that, they selected 25 mixologists to compete in the semi-finals, five from each major Texas city.

The five semi-finalists from each city collaborated to create one cocktail that represents their hometown. For San Antonio, it was the Alamo City cocktail that carried them to victory. This delightful combination of fresh watermelon juice, hand-squeezed lime juice, rosemary simple syrup, and Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon spoke to the rich history and vibrant culture of the city. Each city’s semi-finalists were then invited to Austin for the Finals event on November 19, where only select Garrison Brothers staff were in attendance.

In further efforts to keep Bourbon Brawl 2020 COVID-safe, Garrison Brothers partnered with Sourced Craft Cocktails, a cocktail curation and delivery service, to create custom cocktail kits available for purchase and delivery in each major city. Those who purchased a cocktail kit were able to follow along with every cocktail made in the final competition, then cast their vote for the winner.

Funds of Good Bourbon for a Good Cause are distributed to charitable organizations in Blanco and Gillespie counties of Texas and to charitable organizations that serve current and former American military personnel nationwide. The types of charitable causes that are supported include, but are not limited to organizations that help current or former American military veterans and their families and organizations dedicated to conserving and preserving nature, wildlife, green spaces, or historical landmarks and historical sites. To date, the nonprofit organization has raised and contributed close to $500,000.

Garrison Brothers Distillery releases limited edition Cowboy Bourbon™

Garrison Brothers Distillery’s limited edition Cowboy Bourbon. Photo: Garrison Brothers Distillery, used with permission.

This week, Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, announced the 2020 release of their limited-edition, highly-anticipated Cowboy Bourbon™. This uncut, unfiltered, limited-edition bourbon comes from barrels that are hand-selected by the distillery’s master distiller. Those barrels are then set aside for several more years for further maturation and the liquid is bottled at cask-strength — this year’s batch clocks in at a stout 133.9 proof, or 66.95% alc/vol. Cowboy Bourbon™ has become known as the crown jewel of Garrison Brothers’ Texas bourbon family, hence the hand-dipped, gold wax seal. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2020)

Although the Garrison Brothers team produced a total of 6,768 (750ml) bottles, only 1,000 bottles will be available for purchase at the distillery’s drive-thru purchasing event on Saturday, September 26. Gates will open at 8a.m. sharp, but patrons are encouraged to arrive early to secure a bottle.

Cowboy Bourbon™ was named “American Micro Whiskey of the Year” in Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible once in 2014 and again in 2017. Balmorhea, the distillery’s first twice-barreled bourbon, was awarded the same distinction in 2019 and 2020. Master distiller Donnis Todd created the 2020 edition of Cowboy Bourbon™ by fusing 100 of his favorite top-shelf barrels, which he calls his “piggy banks.”

Each bottle, priced at $199, comes packaged in a custom-built American white oak gift box lined with a satin pillow and weighty medallion emblazoned with the release year around the bottle’s neck. Only 5,768 bottles of Cowboy Bourbon™ will be distributed to liquor stores, bars, and restaurants, as well as military bases across the 35 states where Garrison Brothers is sold.

Garrison Brothers Distillery is a small farm and ranch located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country that authentically produces straight bourbon whiskey and only straight bourbon whiskey. Garrison Brothers introduced the first bourbon whiskey legally made in Texas in 2010 and has since developed a rabid fan base. Garrison Brothers is a proud and active member of the communities of Blanco, Fredericksburg, Hye, Johnson City and Stonewall. The distillery and its barrel barns are open to the public for tours in Hye, Texas. Anyone interested in learning more about Garrison Brothers Bourbon or in taking a tour of the distillery should visit Garrison Brothers online or follow @garrisonbros on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Garrison Brothers raises funds for Good Bourbon for a Good Cause

Garrison Brothers raised $400,000 using their Laguna Madre bourbon. Photo: Rob Cordes, used with permission.

In April 2020, Garrison Brothers Distillery launched Operation Crush COVID-19, a fundraising campaign to help American communities recover and rebuild from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The initiative raised $400K by pivoting and dedicating the release of their rarest, most exclusive, top-shelf bourbon called Laguna Madre. Fundraising ended on August 15 and recipients of the donations included 53 Texas bartenders, veteran-led disaster response organization Team Rubicon, Southern Smoke Foundation’s Emergency Relief Fund and the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation’s TX Restaurant Relief Fund. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2020)

Laguna Madre is named after the beautiful blue waters along Texas’ Gulf Coast. The ultra-premium bourbon was first aged for four years in new white American oak barrels. It was then aged for four more years in barrels made of Limousin oak from France, which is prized for the vanilla flavor it bestows. Limousin oak imparts spirits with distinct flavors of vanilla, sweet candy, cacao and thick, white chocolate. There are only 400 bottles of Laguna Madre remaining and they are available for purchase for $299/each exclusively at the Garrison Brothers Distillery Gift Shop in Hye, Texas. Additional donations to Good Bourbon for a Good Cause are strongly encouraged at point of purchase.

Garrison Brothers Distillery is a small farm and ranch, located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, that authentically produces straight bourbon whiskey. Garrison Brothers introduced the first bourbon whiskey legally made in Texas in 2010 and they currently have a wait list of more than 17,000 people hoping to land a spot on bottling days. The distillery and its barrel barns are open to the public for tours in Hye, Texas.

Funds of Good Bourbon for a Cause are distributed to charitable organizations in Blanco and Gillespie counties of Texas and also to charitable organizations that serve current and former American military personnel nationwide. The types of charitable causes that are supported include but are not limited to:

Organizations that help current or former American military veterans and their families
Organizations that help former American military personnel get back to leading a rewarding life
Organizations that help American veterans recover from debilitating medical, mental health or psychological challenges
Organizations dedicated to conserving and preserving nature, wildlife, green spaces, or historical landmarks and historical sites
Other charitable organizations that the board of directors determine to be within the intent and spirit of the formation of this corporation

To date, the nonprofit organization has raised and contributed over to $500,000.

“The mission of Good Bourbon for a Good Cause is to change the world through the power of good bourbon. The highly-anticipated Laguna Madre release provided us the best tool to raise the maximum amount of money, and I’m inspired by the coalescence of our community during these uncertain times.” Dan Garrison, founder and proprietor of Garrison Brothers Distillery.

Garrison Brothers Distillery releases honey-infused bourbon

This week, Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, announced its 2020 release of HoneyDew, the latest addition to the company’s portfolio of ultra-premium, Texas-born bourbon whiskies. The 80-proof bourbon, infused with 100% Texas-made Burleson’s wildflower honey, is a smooth, light bourbon with a subtle honey finish. It will be available year-round in select liquor stores, bars and restaurants throughout Texas, California, Florida, New York, twenty one other states as well as on military bases where Garrison Brothers is sold. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2020)

This special release is 13 years in the making and represents a departure from previous expressions created by the brand. Nancy Garrison, business partner and wife of proprietor Dan Garrison, wanted the distillery to produce a honey-sweetened bourbon whiskey since they started the business together in 2006. Dan strongly objected due to his disdain for “flavored whiskies,” hence the name “HoneyDew,” as a play on “Honey Do” requests. Garrison’s objections to flavored whiskies come from the fact that so many are syrupy, chemical concoctions and several are even made with propylene glycol. The new bourbon has tasting notes of sweet elderberry syrup, yellow-flesh peaches, apricots, white chocolate, and of course, delicious, golden Texas honey.

Garrison Brothers will celebrate the release of HoneyDew with a drive-thru sealed bottle sales day at their distillery in Hye, Texas on Saturday, July 18. Per state law, the bottles are sold for off-premise consumption. HoneyDew will be available at the distillery in Hye, Texas, for $89.99 beginning July 18. Bottles will then be distributed to select liquor stores, bars, and restaurants across the nation, available for purchase nationwide the week of August 1.

Garrison Brothers Distillery is a small farm and ranch located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country that authentically produces straight bourbon whiskey. It is the first legal bourbon distillery in Texas history and one of the first distilleries in America outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey—and only bourbon whiskey. The business was founded in 2006. Every expression of Garrison Brothers bourbon is made from a sweet mash bill and barrel-aged in the intense Texas climate. The extreme heat creates multiple aging seasons in a year, resulting in a darker, richer, and fuller bourbon, bolder than almost any other bourbon on the market.

Since 1907, Burleson’s Honey has been manufacturing the highest-quality honey from its facility in Waxahachie, Texas. For the first 40 years, the company operated as a honey beekeeping organization (producer) while also packing honey for local distribution. With company growth came increased opportunities to provide the highest-quality honey to more consumers. Today Burleson’s purchases raw honey from worldwide sources and offer their Clover Blended product, which is found in the distinctive “Blue Label,” as well as a Natural honey, which is darker and more robust in flavor. Both products contain only the finest U.S. Grade A honey.

“It’s exciting to have two family-owned businesses collaborating in support of Texas agriculture and entrepreneurship. It’s been a rewarding experience to work with Dan Garrison over the years and we’re excited to deepen Burleson’s relationship with him and his team. We want to continue bringing fine honey and fine bourbon together for everyone to enjoy.” – Tim Burleson, President of Burleson’s Honey

Garrison Brothers Distillery donates $200K for COVID-19 relief

teamrubicon — Team Rubicon COVID-19 relief. Photo: Trang Lee, used with permission.

On April 2, Garrison Brothers Distillery launched Operation Crush COVID-19, a fundraising campaign to help American communities recover and rebuild from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. One way Garrison Brothers was able to raise these funds was by pivoting the forthcoming release of an eight-year-old, top-shelf bourbon called Laguna Madre and gifting it to donors who contributed $1,000 or more to the cause. Since then, the initiative has raised over $200,000 and has an ultimate goal of $2 million. Veteran-led disaster response organization Team Rubicon received $100,000 from the philanthropic effort and Garrison Brothers recently announced three more groups as beneficiaries, including 53 individual bartenders, Southern Smoke Foundation’s Emergency Relief Fund and The Texas Restaurant Education Association’s TX Restaurant Relief Fund. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2020)

Two Texas hospitality nonprofit organizations each received $23,500 from Good Bourbon for a Good Cause, Garrison Brothers Distillery’s 501(c)3 public charity. Houston-based Southern Smoke Foundation allocated the donation to their Emergency Relief Fund, providing assistance to individuals in need in the food and beverage industry.

Austin-based Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation (TRAEF) allocated the donation to its TX Restaurant Relief Fund, an initiative providing immediate financial support to Texas’s independent restaurateurs and their employees.

Nonprofit organizations were not the sole beneficiaries of funds raised via Operation Crush COVID-19. Bartenders who participated in The Bourbon Take Over of Texas each received $1,000 as well. The Bourbon Takeover of Texas is Garrison Brothers Distillery’s annual mixology event, which pre-qualifies bartenders to compete in a statewide bartender competition, The Garrison Brothers Bourbon Brawl. The competition was originally supposed to take place from March 26 through May 7 but has been tentatively rescheduled to October.

Garrison Brothers Distillery plans to continue their fundraising efforts until their goal of $2 million is met. Anyone interested in making a contribution to the fundraising efforts can do so online. Contributors of $1,000 or more will receive a bottle of Laguna Madre, an eight-year-old, top-shelf Garrison Brothers.

“This crisis has once again shown how our industry and our customers band together to support each other. Restaurants are the core of our communities, and the generosity of individuals and organizations like Garrison Brothers who rally them are helping to ensure that they survive this challenging time. On behalf of those independent restaurateurs and their employees who will benefit from these funds via the TX Restaurant Relief Fund, thank you!” – Dr. Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association.

Garrison Brothers Distillery to release Balmorhea 2020

balmorheabourbon — Garrison Brothers will celebrate the release with a drive-thru purchasing opportunity on Friday May 22. Photo: Adam Voorhes, used with permission.

Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, announces the third release of its multi-award-winning twice-barreled bourbon, Balmorhea. The limited release will kick off on Friday, May 22 in Hye, Texas, at the distillery. The team will have a drive-through purchasing experience for the first available bottles. Balmorhea will then be available nationwide in extremely limited quantities beginning May 25. First released in 2018, the twice-barreled bourbon’s 2020 release produced 6,000 bottles total. Named after the iconic West Texas Park that is home to the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool, the initial release of this bourbon raised over $250,000 to help keep Balmorhea State Park open. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2020)

Garrison Brothers’ Balmorhea has won the most awards to date in the distillery’s portfolio of grain-to-glass bourbon whiskies. Most recently, Balmorhea won a Double Gold medal at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Awards. Double Gold distinctions are only awarded to entries that receive a Gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel; these are noted to be among the finest products in the world.

Balmorhea is the only Garrison Brothers’ twice-barreled bourbon released annually. It is aged four years in new American white oak barrels made from wood grown, yard-seasoned and dry-aged for 25 months in the Ozarks. Then, the liquid is transferred to a second new American white oak barrel, custom designed by Master Distiller Donnis Todd to highlight specific flavors and qualities and aged for another year. The bourbon is bottled at 57.5% alc/vol or 115 proof and comes from a sweet mash bill, like all of Garrison Brothers’ releases. Todd’s tasting notes for Balmorhea include a litany of what he calls “Dairy Queen toppings” including bourbon candy, frozen fudgesicle bars, amaretto coffee with cream, sticky buns and pecan brittle.

Garrison Brothers will celebrate the third release of Balmorhea Twice-Barreled Bourbon with a drive-through purchasing opportunity at their distillery in Hye, Texas, on Friday, May 22, 2020. Distillery gates will open at Hye Noon (12p.m. CDT) and remain open until 2p.m. All bottles allocated to the distillery typically sell out within one hour, so the Garrison Brothers team encourages early arrival. The purchase limit is two bottles per person.

One lucky attendee will win the chance to join Master Distiller Donnis Todd as he tastes his way through the Garrison Brothers’ rickhouse to find the perfect barrels for the 2021 release of Balmorhea. Seventy-seven barrels went into making the 2020 release. One special bottle will be secretly labeled with “#77” and placed on gift shop shelves. The patron who purchases it will win barrel selection rights for the following year. Balmorhea lovers are encouraged to keep an eye on Garrison Brothers’ Instagram page for teasers and more info.

Only 504 bottles of Balmorhea Twice-Barreled Bourbon will be available at the distillery in Hye, Texas, for $159.99 beginning May 22. The remaining 5,496 bottles will be distributed to select liquor stores, bars and restaurants throughout Texas and the other 26 states and military bases where Garrison Brothers is sold. Bottles will be available for purchase nationwide the week of May 25.

Garrison Brothers Distillery
1827 Hye Albert Rd
Hye, TX 78635
(830) 392-0246

Lone Star Beer announces new Mexican lager

Lone Star Beer announces the latest line in the beloved family of Lone Star Beers: Rio Jade. Rio Jade: The New Taste of Texas, is a Mexican-style lager inspired by the appreciation for Texas’ diverse lands and waterways. The beer will be available throughout Texas starting in late April, with full distribution in May, for a limited time until the end of summer. In light of current events, to assist those who have supported its beer for generations, Lone Star is also launching a goodwill initiative called Keep The Lights On Y’all to help support members of the bar and restaurant community during these uncertain times. (Lone Star Beer, 2020)

Lone Star’s first seasonal beer will inspire all drinking-age generations to be proud of what Texas represents. Like the ever-flowing waters of Texas, Lone Star Beer is here to ensure no one goes thirsty. The new beer, which translates to “River Jade,” was inspired by the love of the land of Texas and the color and design is reflective of the natural beauty found in the waters of Texas and Mexico. From natural pools, to running rivers, everyone can find their oasis in Texas with a Rio Jade in hand.

With an ABV of 4.5%, this crisp, Mexican-style lager is locally brewed in the Hill Country of Austin with the finest ingredients Texas has to offer, including award-winning malt from Blacklands Malt, the first malt house to use Texas-grown barley. The beer has a unique-to-Texas flavor that provides a crisp and refreshing taste with characteristic sweetness of flaked maize balanced with spicy, floral and citrus notes from the hops. Rio Jade pairs perfectly with floating the river, sunbathing at a favorite swimming hole, or watching the sunset from your backyard to practice “social distancing” at this time.

Served in bold turquoise cans, Rio Jade is the first beer label designed by Burnt Nopal Creative Director and Texas-based artist Cruz Ortiz. Rio Jade will be available throughout Texas, with six-packs available at a suggested retail price of $7.99. Beer lovers can use Lone Star’s beer finder to find a store selling nearest to them. Rio Jade will also be available for delivery with Drizly. Lone Star encourages everyone to enjoy the new lager at home during this time.

As a response to the COVID-19 crisis effect on members of the service industry, Lone Star is launching the Keep The Lights On Y’all initiative. With the help of the team at popular Texas Humor, Lone Star has created an exclusive T-shirt inspired by the classic neon lights that grace fine establishments throughout the state as a call to action for Texans to support local bars and restaurants. The shirt serves as a reminder to all Texans to show support and help out those in the service industry while their doors are temporarily closed. One-hundred percent of the profits from the new merchandise will benefit Southern Smoke, a Texas-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that supports the food and beverage community and their suppliers—championed by Houston Chef Chris Shepherd. Keep The Lights On Y’all initiative t-shirts are available online for $25 each.

Lone Star Brewing Co., the makers of Lone Star Beer “The National Beer of Texas” and Lone Star Texas Light Beer, have been proudly brewing beer in Texas since 1884. Since its founding, Lone Star has partnered with local communities throughout the state, supporting Texas-specific charities and organizations. Lone Star Brewing Co. is owned by Pabst Brewing Company, one of the largest independently owned American brewing companies.

“We’re excited to launch the Rio Jade Mexican Style Lager as it gives us a chance to honor our heritage, but also celebrate the Texas of today. The beer perfectly represents what we value at Lone Star – connecting to the land and people of Texas, providing new and refreshing ways to enjoy our great state, and above all else, making delicious tasting beer for Texans everywhere.” – Lone Star Brand Director, Emily Hoyle

Garrison Brothers Distillery launches fundraiser

bootflask — Garrison Brothers Distillery launched Operation Crush COVID-19. Photo: Garrison Brothers Distillery, used with permission.

Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, has launched Operation Crush COVID-19, a fundraising campaign to help American communities recover and rebuild. The campaign, launched in partnership with Good Bourbon for a Good Cause, the distillery’s 501(c)3 public charity, aims to raise more than $2 million dollars for veteran-led disaster response organization Team Rubicon, which is currently serving in communities across the country, leading efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Good Bourbon for a Good Cause will also be naming a secondary beneficiary that is helping with the immediate needs of hospitality industry professionals and their families. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2020)

Until recently, Garrison Brothers had planned to release Laguna Madre, a special project over 10 years in the making, later this summer through traditional liquor retail channels. Laguna Madre is the oldest bourbon Garrison Brothers has made to date; an eight-year-old, top-shelf release named after the beautiful blue waters along Texas’ Gulf Coast. The ultra-premium bourbon was aged in new white American oak barrels for four years and aged secondarily for four more years in Limousin oak from France, which is prized for its vanilla content. Limousin oak wood imparts spirits with distinct flavors of vanilla, sweet candy, cacao and thick, white chocolate that an experienced bourbon drinker will never forget.

The original plan was to release just over 2,000 bottles to the distillery’s original supporters, then to close friends, then to bars and restaurants who have always championed the brand. But in light of COVID-19, Laguna Madre will now be available only to donors who contribute $1,000 or more to Good Bourbon for a Good Cause in partnership with Team Rubicon, a global disaster response organization composed primarily of military veterans and first responders who are deploying teams to areas heavily affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

The first 2,004 people to contribute $1,000 or more will receive a bottle of Laguna Madre. Everyone is invited and encouraged to donate whatever they can. “If you donate $100, you will forever have our respect and you can choose to take home any clothing item from our gift shop for free,” adds Rob Cordes, marketing director at Garrison Brothers Distillery. “If you donate $500, we’ll reserve one bottle of Boot Flask (375ml) and one bottle of Honey Dew (750ml) for you.”

There will be 4,008 bottles of Boot Flask, 4,008 bottles of Honey Dew and 2,004 bottles of Laguna Madre available.

“At Team Rubicon, we know we’re only as strong as our volunteers, partners and donors, as we fight this invisible war on COVID-19, we must all work together. During this unprecedented time, we are entirely grateful to have Garrison Brothers Distillery and its customers by our side, supporting our efforts in response to this deadly virus. This generous donation will help us continue to prepare, respond and aid community recovery efforts across the country.” – Jake Wood, co-founder and CEO of Team Rubicon.

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Category: Distillery News