As the most visited city in Texas, San Antonio is known for being packed full of market squares, restaurants, and cafes for tourists to visit along with many spots of cultural significance, however another reason some people will choose to take a trip down to San Antonio is for the cities amazing selection of distilleries.

Whether you’re more of a whiskey and beer lover, or someone who enjoys trying out hand-crafted spirits which are a little more on the experimental side, you can be certain San Antonio houses distilleries of all kinds that you can freely visit to take an informative tour, or taste test some of the distilled alcohol for yourself.

Here are 10 of the most popular and highly rated distilleries you should definitely visit next time you’re in the wide and vibrant city of San Antonio.

1) Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling 

Location: 4834 Whirlwind Dr, SA
First opening its doors to the public in 2010, distilleries don’t get much classier than Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling which makes everything from whiskey, gin, and beer, all the way to a fantastic selection of handcrafted cocktails in real grain-to-glass fashion.

When you visit Ranger Creek, you will be taken on a private tour of the entire distillery by the incredibly friendly distillery team who have worked in the building for many years and will give you a fascinating breakdown of the distillery’s history, and how they came up with their distilling methods.

While you are also given three samples of this distillery’s fantastic selection of spirits and cocktails, you are given the option to stick with the classics such as a refreshing and sweet Texas Bourbon cocktail, or you can test out the more experimental drinks such as their Marvel themed cocktails and fruity Peach Please cocktail.

2) Rebecca Creek Distillery

Location: 26605 Bulverde Rd, SA
Not only does Rebecca Creek have one of the friendliest distillery teams in all of Texas who are prepared to answer any queries or questions you might have about distilling spirits, but the distillery is also known for producing some of the smoothest tasting whiskey out there which has even won top awards from international competitions.

While the whiskey is a must-try when visiting this cozy distillery with its cafe-like interior, don’t miss out on trying some of the other enticing cocktails they have on offer including peach vodka which is topped up with a little bit of blueberry lemonade to add to the fruitiness.

There are even live music performances every month or so that adds to the homely atmosphere that this San Antonio distillery is so beloved for.

3) Artisan Distillery Craft Bar

Location: 402 Austin St, SA
If a distillery combined with a cocktail lounge bar sounds like something you’d like to experience, then the Artisan Distillery is just what you’re looking for, with hand-crafted vodka and whiskey being used in the many rich and delicious cocktails offered on the menu along with custom brewed beer and regular music events to keep you entertained, this really is a distillery unlike any other.

If you’re a little stuck on which of the many drinks to try out first, you can’t go far wrong with their Texas Pride Vodka which is as smooth as it gets when it comes to hand-crafted and locally brewed vodka which has a very subtle marshmallow sweetness to make this drink as delicious as ever.

4) Maverick Whiskey

Location: 115 Broadway St, SA
If there’s one thing that will jump out at you as soon as you step into the Maverick Whiskey Distillery on Broadway Street, it’s the design and aesthetic of the interior which has an incredibly traditional and charming feel to it, and this is because it was actually a bank at one point in time until it was transformed into a family-owned distillery.

This gives the building a very traditional and classy atmosphere, along with a fantastic menu of hand-crafted cocktails to enjoy while snacking on some of the delicious Texan cuisines in the attached upscale restaurant.

Exquisite food, some of the finest whiskey cocktails in all of Texas including the whiskey sour and whiskey jam, and a great and spacious interior makes Maverick Whiskey Distillery one of the best in all of San Antonio.

5) Edwards Ridge Distillery

Location: 16104 University Oak, SA
The Edwards Ridge Distillery may be fairly new, but it has made quite a name for itself, primarily for its talus gold and silver rum which are both aged in 30-gallon charred American white oak barrels for over 6 months at 90 proof to enhance their natural flavors even more.

The tour provided by the incredibly friendly distillery team also provides a fun and informative experience as visitors can learn exactly how Edwards Ridge crafts their rum at such a high quality and what makes their spirits stand out so much, making the whole experience feel that much more memorable.

6) Alamo Distilling Company

Location: 2030 E. Houston St, SA
With oak barrels as far as the eye can see, this local distillery takes great pride in sourcing all of its grains locally in order to form a healthy and cooperative partnership with fellow businesses all over San Antonio.

Alamo is dedicated to handcrafting the very best and most premium quality spirits in all of Texas, and considering their delicious menu of cocktails and beverages including their premium and delicious Coffee Liqueur and Alamo’s Black Label Bourbon, if you’re looking for an exciting and experimental menu that uses only the finest handcrafted ingredients, look no further than the Alamo Distillery located along Houston Street.

7) Seersucker Distillery

Location: 8501 Cover Rd, SA
While this distillery is only open to the public on the weekends, it is still a sheer marvel to walk around and take in all of the fascinating equipment from the mills and fermenters all the way to the stills, you can tell the team at Seersucker knows their craft well.

Alongside an incredibly informative tour where you can learn how much experimentation and creativity goes into distilling and brewing, the gin that the team at Seersucker use to make some of their signature cocktails is some of the smoothest in all of San Antonio.

When you visit, make sure to test out the delicious Seersucker Southern-Style Lemonade which uses a moderate amount of gin and a little lemon juice to make for a refreshing cocktail bursting with flavor (see also ‘What Is Gin And Juice?‘).

8) Dorcol Distilling

Location: 1902 S. Flores, SA
Pairing live music with some of the smoothest handcrafted spirits and beers you’ve ever tasted, Dorcol Distilling is an incredible place not only to try out some delicious locally-sourced cocktails, but also to socialize since it has actually become somewhat of a local hangout for many residents around the city of San Antonio because of its bright and lively atmosphere.

Dorcol Distilling are also highly respected for their selection of craft beers and spirits which have won several national awards, along with many of their cocktails now being available in restaurants and bars all over Texas.

9) Devils River Whiskey

Location: 401 East Houston St, SA
Serving up some of the highest quality whiskey across all of Texas, the Devils River Whiskey Distillery is very well known for their premium handcrafted Texas bourbon whiskey, however, they also serve their very own signature bottled Devils River Rye Whiskey which is locally sourced and is a sheer delight on the tastebuds.

The interior of this San Antonio distillery has a very classy and professional atmosphere to it, with a group of workers who have been there since it first opened its doors back in 2017 who will be able to show you every inch of the distillery and its equipment while also offering recommendations of what you might want to order from the large and expansive cocktail menu so that you can make the most out of your visit.

10) Spike Distilling

Location: 198 Dolorosa, SA
If you’re looking for a distillery that likes to experiment with its alcohol and that makes some of the unique cocktails out there, Spike Distilling located in Dolorosa San Antonio is very well known for making some incredibly interesting drinks such as the very first vodka made entirely from cactus, making the otherwise strong spirit so smooth that you can barely tell it’s even alcohol.

The small, cozy, and chic building itself has a very relaxed and homely atmosphere to it, and with a menu that changes and circulates with different drinks every few weeks, you can be sure that each visit to this distillery makes for a fresh and new experience.

Summary

After checking out the many delicious restaurants and historical landmarks dotted around the fabulous city of San Antonio, make sure to take a load off and pay a visit to some of these nationally-renowned distilleries all with their own unique hand-crafted spirits and cocktails that are a must-try when you’re in the area.