Category: Travel

Pulling off the road at the sight of the water tower looming overhead, the Dripping Springs Vodka distillery appears suddenly, like an oasis in Texas Hill Country. Established in 2005, it’s hard to imagine a time before these award-winning spirits splashed across the country, and even harder to believe that they were only the second to obtain a legal distilling license in the entire Lone Star State. Moonshine not withstanding, vodka is what paved the way forward to our now highly spirited landscape.

You can walk straight in, as if it was any other bar, and order one of many classic cocktails, or something more contemporary and creative, like a raspberry mojito or a watermelon cooler. The staff behind the counter won’t give you a scripted sales pitch; they actually talk to you. They’ll tell you about their personal favorites, what’s new, how the lemon vodka gets its bright, zesty bite from real peels, not syrup. If you ask about the stills, they’ll probably suggest you take the tour. If you hadn’t already come for that express purpose, you should.

Behind the Stills

The tour, like the actual distillery itself, is small. You’ll see the copper stills up close, where you can smell the midwestern sweet corn mid-ferment and feel the heat still lingering in the air. Guides will talk you through the history of the brand and the process of converting starches into drinkable alcohol, with plenty of samples along the way. Be sure to take notes if you hope to remember what you’ve learned from the experience, because they’re not stingy with their tasters.

“All vodka tastes the same.”
“Vodka has no flavor.”
“Only people who don’t like alcohol like vodka.”

Statements like these, and worse, have been bandied about by misinformed people since the inception of pot stills. I used to be one of them. Loudly, proudly declaring that I knew better than centuries of distillers and drinkers alike, I was unafraid of being so distinctly wrong. I’ve come to realize that my half-baked opinion was formed on a very limited sample of bottom shelf bottles that could have been easily swapped for household antiseptics without anyone noticing. Perhaps this is shocking, but the fact is, for vodka and every single other thing on this planet, quality changes everything.

Dripping Springs Vodka is quality. An easy way to judge, without ever putting a glass to your lips, is to look at the unique factors that define every bottle:

Small Batches in Copper Pot Stills

Working in 50‑gallon batches, Dripping Springs Vodka may be a huge national brand, but they still treat the business like an artisan upstart. Each patented, handcrafted copper pot still gets individual attention through its 13-hour cycle separating the heads and tails from the drinkable portion, known as the heart.

Distillation and Filtration

Often vodka brands will say “distilled multiple times,” but the exact number is less important than the approach. Just because a vodka is distilled 20 times doesn’t necessarily make it better than one that’s distilled only twice. Final clarification through activated charcoal is part of the signature flavor, too. The idea is to purify the elixir without stripping away its character.

Water Matters

As with New York pizza and San Francisco sourdough, the quality of the water makes a huge impact on the end results. After all that distillation, they finish with mineral‑rich artesian spring water from the Texas Hill Country. The water’s purity, minerality, the local terroir, is what really gives it such distinctive character.

Natural Flavoring, Minimal Intervention

Their flavored vodkas use real, natural ingredients (like fresh citrus zest and whole vanilla beans). Sugar is never added, despite the subtly sweet finish.

All About That Base

Vodka is known as a “neutral spirit,” so it’s hard to know what it began life as. Just about anything can turn into vodka, including wheat, rye, barley, corn, sorghum, rice, buckwheat, quinoa, potatoes, beets, sugarcane, molasses, honey, maple sap, apples, whey… We’ll be here all day if I can continue. Anything high in starch or sugar, mixed with yeast and water, is vodka fodder.

Anything can be added to it without affecting that designation, unless you venture into the territory of juniper. Add the smallest bit of juniper, and now it’s suddenly gin. As such, Dripping Springs Vodka also offers two types of gin; a more traditional take on London Dry, which is very juniper-forward, and a softer, more contemporary blend with hibiscus and cardamom.

More In Store

Behind the scenes, they’ve got their hands in a growing lineup of other spirits brands. Also in their vast portfolio, you’ll find:

• 1876 Bourbon
• Republic Whiskey
• Republic Tequila
• Paula’s Liqueurs

Your best bet for stocking your own home bar is to visit the gift shop on your way out, where you’ll find limited runs of specialties not found anywhere else. The price is right, especially when you buy two bottles or more, and get a tasting flight for free.

Whether you came for the vodka, stayed for the whiskey, or just followed the water tower off the highway in search of a rest stop, you’ll find more than you expected, and probably leave wondering why you ever settled for anything less.