Devils River Whiskey is developing a new distillery in downtown San Antonio, Texas, US. Work on the facility began in October 2019.

The new distillery will support the company’s growth and the development of the downtown area of San Antonio. It is expected to be completed in the second half of 2020.

The downtown whiskey distillery project is a result of two and a half years of planning. It will pave the way for the consolidation of the brand’s operations in the Alamo City, Texas.

Devils River Whiskey’s San Antonio distillery location

The distillery is located in the historic Burns building at 401 East Houston Street in the centre of the city.  The location is one block away from the Alamo and the San Antonio River Walk.

The Burns building, which was built in 1918, is undergoing renovation works to accommodate the distillery.

Design and features of Devils River Whiskey’s San Antonio distillery

The new whiskey distillery will occupy the basement and first floor of the building. It will include production facilities, a visitor centre, tasting room, events space and a patio on the rooftop.

The location will increase the company’s exposure in San Antonio while allowing it to serve a greater number of customers.

The distillery will enable the company to produce 150 cases of spirits a day.  The event space will host corporate gatherings.

Distillation process at Devils River Whiskey

The distillation process for bourbon begins with the selection of grains. The distillation of mash takes place in traditional copper pot stills, while ageing is performed in dark charred oak barrels.

Limestone-filtered spring water from the Devils River is used in the finishing process. The final step includes the chill filtration process to finish the whisky and produce a smooth 90-proof small-batch Texas whiskey. The chill filtration process plays a significant role in the removal of impurities without affecting the whiskey’s flavour.

Product portfolio of the company

The company’s Devils River Bourbon has oak, honey, and caramel notes with a warm, sweet, and smooth finish. The offerings also include 90-proof Devils River Rye, and 117-proof Devils River Barrel Strength Bourbon.

The 90-proof Devils River Rye was launched in 2017, while the Devils River Coffee Bourbon Whiskey in June 2020. The coffee whiskey features the Vienna Roast blend with caramel, citrus and berry notes.

Marketing commentary on Devils River Whiskey

Devils River Whiskey is a premium whiskey maker which made its debut in 2017. Based in Dallas, Texas, the company was founded by Mike Cameron. The company distributes its products in 28 states and intends to expand to 30 states across the US.

The company partnered with Lohr Distributing, Handcrafted Wine & Spirits, Republic National Distributing Company, Empire Distributing, and Central Distributors for distribution of its products.

The Devils River Rye Whiskey received Rye of the Year awards at the Asian International Beverage Competition and New York International Spirits Competition in 2018 and 2019 respectively. It also won a Double Gold at the San Diego Spirits Competition. Devils River Bourbon Whiskey, a high-rye whiskey with less corn, received 18 medals, including eight gold medals.

The company delivered more than 30,000 cases and reached 5,000 points of distribution across 12 states in 2018. It aims to continue its growth in the craft whiskey market.

Devils River Whiskey currently distils and packages its spirit in Dallas. It is planning to open a much larger facility in the Alamo City to increase its footprint in San Antonio.