The Original Texas Brewery to Distill Craft Spirits – including “Shiner Shine” Corn Whiskey – with Barrel Aged Spirits to Follow
The Spoetzl Brewery, the family-owned and independent craft brewer of the iconic Shiner Bock, just announced the addition of a new onsite distillery, the K. Spoetzl Distilling Company, which will distill a line of Shiner Craft Spirits.
After over 114 years of crafting unique and innovative brews, Spoetzl is pushing the boundaries of its Shiner family of brands with the introduction of a new line of craft spirits. Now, the storied Texas brewery is opening a distillery to bring spirits fans expertly crafted spirits including Vodka, Gin and Moonshine—also known as “Shiner Shine”—with barrel-aged spirits to follow.
The town of Shiner and surrounding areas have a colorful history of distilling that dates back to before Prohibition and ties into Shiner’srich brewing heritage. We believe our brewing experience crafting award-winning beers uniquely positions us to similarly craft the highest quality spirits for the demanding spirits consumer. The entire process – from grain to glass – will all be done by our team right here in Shiner; after all, great beer is the basis for great spirits.
Tom Fiorenzi, Director of Brewery and Distillery Operations
Nestled in one of the oldest cellars of the historic brewery, Shiner commissioned a world-class distillation system, including a copper pot still and copper rectifying columns hand-crafted in Scotland. As an ode to the past, each batch of spirits passes through the collection vessel copper grant designed by Shiner’s legendary Brewmaster Kosmos Spoetzl in 1947.
The copper from Kosmos’ grant refines the batch prior to its introduction to the still. From there, each batch receives the same care and attention from our distillers that our brewers would apply to our craft beers.
Jessica Michalec, Spoetzl Distillery Manager
Visitors are invited to tour the distillery and sample spirits seven days a week. The distillery also has a menu of craft cocktails, each tailored to incorporate the local heritage and flavors. Bottles of spirits are also available for purchase exclusively from the hospitality room for at-home enjoyment.
The incredible support from Shiner Beer fans over the years led us to this point where Shinerbegins a new chapter distilling unique craft spirits that deliver on quality while paying homage to the brewery’s historic past.
Nick Weiland, Shiner’s Director of Marketing
About Shiner, the K. Spoetzl Brewery, and the K. Spoetzl Distillery:
The K. Spoetzl Brewery was founded in Shiner, Texas (population 2,127), in 1909, by Czech and German immigrants brewing beer with old-world traditions and recipes for South Central Texas. Since then, the brewery has grown to be one of the largest independent craft brewers in the country with beers available in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and U.S. military bases around the world. In 2023, the Spoetzl Brewery expanded to include the K. Spoetzl Distillery with its line of Shiner Craft Spirits. To this day, every drop of the award-winning beer is brewed right in Shiner, TX, where it all started 114 years ago.
Image Credit: Spoetzl Brewery & Distillery
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