Fitzhugh Brewery

May 23, 2022May 23, 2022 — Food, Travel — 2 min read

A change of pace today. The weather has been Texas summer hot, with today being no exception. My wife is not much of a beer drinker, but she likes to say she really enjoys a cold strong dark beer on a really hot day. None of that Bud Light crap for her. Years ago we spent a day on a beer tasting tour in the Czech Republic. In the group was a fellow from Texas that wanted to try some foreign beers as he put it. Later when we were all talking about our experiences with the different Czech beers he said none them were any good. When someone asked him why, he said none of them were real beers because none of them tasted like Bud or Bud Light. Needless to say, everyone in the group laughed at him behind his back after that.

She who plans where we go had picked this brewery from the many in the Dripping Springs area because of what the photo shows, beer on tap. Looking through the large windows behind the bar we could see the brewing area. There was plenty of seating inside, a large patio outside and beyond the patio was a tree covered slope where all types of kids play ground equipment and picnic tables were located.

Desert Door Sotol Distillery

May 22, 2022May 22, 2022 — Food, Travel — 2 min read

Alcohol can be made from many things, At Desert Door they make it from the desert plant called sotol.

What a difference a day makes. Dipping Springs in just west of Austin, and it being a beautiful Saturday, the crowds were out in abundance.

The part of the sotol plant that is fermented to make the namesake alcohol. One plant makes one bottle.

The menu. All they serve are drinks, but here is food truck on site if one wants food.

Our libations. The three on the right are the tasting flight I ordered. Hers is the fancy dancy one on the left. From right to left they are: Desert Door Original Texas Sotol, Desert Door Oak-Aged Texas Sotol, Desert Door Gold Dust Oak-Aged Texas Sotol and a River Rita cocktail. I thought the original was actually pretty good, but the Gold Dust was really outstanding. At first she thought the River Rita was too much on the sour side, but as the ice melted it improved to the point she thought it was very, very good. We would rate Desert Door as a very good “stumble upon”, something we seem to have happen often in our travels.

Dripping Springs Distillery Tour and Tasting

May 21, 2022May 21, 2022 — Food, Travel — 2 min read

Back again today to Dripping Springs Distillery. We had arrived yesterday afternoon at a RV Park in the town of Dripping Springs since last night (Thursday) is the only night they have a Happy Hour. Today we were going on a tour of the distillery which would be followed by a tasting.

The small batch still room. Small batches and multiple distillations is their hallmark.

Large still. The bottling line is in another building. Sorry, got so involved in what the guide was talking about I forgot to take any photos in there. They also have facilities in another location in Dripping Springs.

The tours are limited in size. The seven people on our tour made it easy to see and hear everything. Next came a tasting of each of their offerings.

They do no advertising. My wife had been looking for the “perfect” gin for a long time. Every visit to a liquor store she would buy a bottle or two of a gin she hadn’t tried before along with her favorite of the moment. Since that first bottle of Dripping Springs Gin she has never bought another brand except when we are traveling and Dripping Springs can not be found. For me, I was surprised at how smooth their Bourbons were.

After the tour we sat outside on their patio and enjoyed three cheeseburger sliders and an Electric Lady for she and three chicken street tacos along with a Blackberry Bourbon Smash for me. Those were followed by a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie for each of us.