If you love day tripping, this one’s for you! The Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner is the perfect way to spend a day because now, not only is the iconic brand offering brewery tours, but they have a barbecue restaurant and brand-new distillery onsite!

Located about an hour and a half from both Austin and San Antonio, Spoetzl Brewery is a prime example of Texas pride. In 1909, the brewery was started by the residents of Shiner, Texas. It is the oldest brewery in Texas and though it’s no longer owned by the townsfolk, it is as much a part of Shiner as any other thing that lives there (including just over 2000 residents).

When you take a tour of the facility, you’ll learn all kinds of fun facts about the brand — facts like what makes Shiner the ideal place for a brewery, how the company stayed in business during prohibition, and what a Shiner Beer Break is.

But before you take a tour, you can grab a bite at the K. Spoetzl BBQ Co. This new addition to the property serves up traditional barbecue. We’re talking brisket, pulled pork, and sausage that can be ordered solo or on a sandwich. Of course, they offer all the "fixins" as well. Daily offerings include potato salad, green beans, and creamed corn.

Pork ribs are only available three days a week, but it’s the loaded baked potato that’s really a treat. You can stuff that tater full of brisket or pork on Wednesdays and Sundays only!

And that’s not all: After over 114 years of crafting unique and innovative brews, the brand is adding distilling to their repertoire. Opening on Memorial Day weekend, the K. Spoetzl Distilling Company will start offering a line of Shiner Craft Spirits. These bottled spirits can only be purchased onsite and include vodka, gin, and Moonshine, aka “ShinerShine.” Barrel-aged spirits are still to come.

Before, during, or after your tour, you can sip on draft cocktails in the tasting room made with Shiner Vodka. Specialty cocktails include Spoetzloma (their spin on a paloma), Half Moon Mule, Bea’s 19th Hole (a spiked iced tea), and a Kosmospolitan (a cosmo riff with a name inspired by brewery founder Kosmos Spoetzl). A fan of the traditional Shiner offerings? Don’t you worry. All your favorite brews are on tap, too!

Tour prices at the Spoetzl Brewery start at $25 per guest and include some Shiner/Spoetzl specialty branded items and complimentary pours of Shiner beer. The fun is free!

  

Photo by Dani Dudek

Welcome to Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas