Garrison Brothers is Texas’ first legal bourbon distillery, nestled on a wildflower-dotted ranch in tiny Hye. Every step—milling Hill Country corn, slow-cooking sweet mash, aging under the scorching Texas sun, and hand-dipping eac...
Garrison Brothers is Texas’ first legal bourbon distillery, nestled on a wildflower-dotted ranch in tiny Hye. Every step—milling Hill Country corn, slow-cooking sweet mash, aging under the scorching Texas sun, and hand-dipping eac...
This Hill Country distillery has built a stellar reputation for exceptional bourbon and even better hospitality. The staff consistently earns praise for being knowledgeable, welcoming, and going above and beyond - guides like Amy, Mike, and Travis get called out by name for making tours memorable. Guests love that the experience is pet-friendly, photos are encouraged throughout the facility, and the grounds are beautiful and well-maintained. The volunteer bottling program is surprisingly popular, with participants spending a couple days helping bottle bourbon in exchange for meals, merchandise, and new friendships. Beyond tastings and tours, visitors rave about the cocktail classes, the onsite restaurant (those barbacoa tacos get special mention), and simply relaxing on the property with a drink. Limited releases and specialty bourbons available only at the distillery add extra appeal for bourbon enthusiasts. A few practical notes: Uber service is unreliable in this rural area, so plan your transportation carefully. The outdoor space is perfect for unwinding, and even rainy days don't diminish the quality experience.
The tour was absolutely fabulous! The guides are extremely knowledgeable and considerate of all guests (we had our grandparents with us and their dog). Shout out to Mike and Travis for remarkable service and hospitality! The small batch, honeydew, amd single barrel can all be purchased in most Total Wine/Specs stores so those weren't new to me. What I really wanted to try were the limited releases and the cowboy bourbon. I just wish those were more available to the public. The facility itself is state of the art and resides on a gorgeous piece of land in the hill country. Photos are welcomed but not videos. They definitely take pride of their product and how it is produced. Everything was so clean and well kept. The food at the whiskey shack is a bit pricey in my opinion but everything came out very fast. They do keep water bottles stocked up around the grounds which was a life saver since heat + alcohol usually don't mix. This place should definitely be on The Texas bucket list if you are not local.
Joshua Lenz
August 3, 2025
The tour was absolutely fabulous! The guides are extremely knowledgeable and considerate of all guests (we had our grandparents with us and their dog). Shout out to Mike and Travis for remarkable service and hospitality! The small batch, honeydew, amd single barrel can all be purchased in most Total Wine/Specs stores so those weren't new to me. What I really wanted to try were the limited releases and the cowboy bourbon. I just wish those were more available to the public. The facility itself is state of the art and resides on a gorgeous piece of land in the hill country. Photos are welcomed but not videos. They definitely take pride of their product and how it is produced. Everything was so clean and well kept. The food at the whiskey shack is a bit pricey in my opinion but everything came out very fast. They do keep water bottles stocked up around the grounds which was a life saver since heat + alcohol usually don't mix. This place should definitely be on The Texas bucket list if you are not local.
Joshua Lenz
August 3, 2025