(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
Craft Distillery Whiskey Founders
Texas States Region
Below are links to Whiskey Founders that have made huge contributions to the growth of Texas State Whiskey Industry. These may have been historical figures that lived long ago before prohibition or may be living leaders that have advanced the cause of the industry as a whole. Craft Whiskey has now been its own whiskey category for years.
1
Carlos de Aldecoa
Giant Texas Distillery
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
2
Daniel Barnes
Treaty Oak Distillers
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
3
Mike Chapline
Chapline Distillers
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
4
Natasha DeHart
BENDT Distilling Company
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
5
Daniel Barnes
Treaty Oak Distillers
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
6
Dan Garrison
Garrison Brothers
Garrison's introduction to distilling did not come from family heritage or Kentucky tradition. Instead, it began with independent research. Determined to learn how bourbon was made at the highest level, he traveled to Kentucky in 2004, where he spent time studying operations at some of the most legendary distilleries in the country.
7
Jullian Giraldo
Giant Texas Distillery
8
Jared Himstedt
Balcones
Himstedt and Balcones began releasing age-stated single malts, bottled-in-bond expressions, and limited-edition single barrel programs that have gained national recognition. In 2015, Balcones Texas Single Malt won “Best American Single Malt” at the World Whiskies Awards. Since then, Balcones has earned more than 200 medals.
9
Marlene Holmes
Milam & Greene
In 2018, Marlene Holmes serendipitously met Marsha Milam, founder of Milam & Greene Whiskey, who was seeking someone to lead distillation at her nascent Texas craft operation. The two women hit it off immediately. Ultimately, Holmes, then 62, decided to leave Kentucky, sold her farm, packed up, and moved to Texas.
10
Steve Ison
Rebecca Creek
In 2008, Steve Ison started seriously exploring the idea of distilling spirits in Texas. At that time, no major craft whiskey distilleries operated there. Ison knew very little about distilling, so to fill that gap, he traveled to distilling schools around the country and studied the processes involved. He then met Master Distiller Eric Watson and recruited him as an adviser.
11
Jonathan Likarish
Ironroot Republic
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
12
Kenneth Maverick
Maverick Distilling
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
13
Kyle Michels
Bomb City Distillery
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
14
T.J. Miller
Ranger Creek Distillery
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
15
Brad Nethery
Oak & Eden
Nethery’s transition into spirits began through a professional relationship with entrepreneur Joe Giildenzopf. The two first connected through branding projects when Giildenzopf hired Neathery for design work. They quickly realized they shared not only compatible creative instincts but also a mutual appreciation for bourbon.
16
Ale Ochoa
TX Whiskey
Ale’s role was to build and run a formal sensory program: training panels, quantifying aroma and flavor, and ensuring quality and consistency from new-make through maturation to the bottled whiskey. She described the day-to-day work as “sampling and quantifying the aromas and flavors of whiskey.”
17
Ty Phelps
Andalusia Distilling
18
Tim Raines
Shire Distilling
19
Chris Seals
Still Austin
20
Donnis Todd
Garrison Brothers
Within a year, Donnis Todd’s interest in the distillation process was noticed, and he began training in distillation and barrel management. He learned to run Garrison’s pot stills, design custom fermentation regimens, and catalogue barrels by season and location to understand how the Texas heat and humidity shaped maturation.
21
Stephen Todes
Copper Shot Distillery
22