The Donation was Presented to Amarillo Area Foundation by fundraising partners Garrison Brothers Distillery, III Forks Steakhouse, and William Chris Vineyards.
Dallas, TX (October 15, 2024) — On Monday October 14, 2024, on behalf of Panhandle Proud’s fundraising partners, Good Bourbon For a Good Cause presented the Amarillo Area Foundation with a check for $220,000.00. The funds were raised by Garrison Brothers Distillery, III Forks Steakhouse, William Chris Vineyards, Texas Distilled Spirits Association and Texas Whiskey Association. The check presentation ceremony and donation represent the efforts of “Panhandle Proud”, an initiative dedicated to providing both urgent relief and long-term recovery for the farmers, ranchers, and families affected by the Panhandle wildfires.
The special event was held at the Omni Las Colinas, in Dallas, Texas. Dan and Nancy Garrison, Garrison Brothers Distillery co-founders, and Curtis Osmond, president of III Forks Steakhouse, presented Clay Stribling, president & CEO of the Amarillo Area Foundation, with the extra-large sized donation check. The Amarillo Area Foundation is the only nonprofit community foundation serving the more than 400,000 people in the Texas Panhandle, dedicated to improving quality of life for its residents.
When the largest wildfire in Texas’ history broke out across the Panhandle in February 2024 and ravaged over 1 million acres of land, the Garrison Brothers team sprang into action finding ways to raise awareness and support for those most affected, particularly the farmers and ranchers who are the backbone of the Texas agricultural industry. As a proud supporter of Texas agriculture, Garrison Brothers emphasized the importance of giving back to the very communities that provide the grain they need to make their whiskey.
“The Texas Panhandle is the great breadbasket of American agriculture. Garrison Brothers and other whiskey producers purchase their grain from producers, coops, and malting houses located there. Panhandle residents are tough as nails. We are happy to help them rebuild with these raised funds,” adds Dan Garrison, founder, Garrison Brothers Distillery.
The much-needed funds were raised through a variety of Texas’ best style events and activations. In June, the Garrison Brothers’ Winner Winner Chicken Dinner, held after the Stonewall Peach Parade, raised over $100,000 alone, through ticket sales and an auction that included artist-painted bourbon barrels, Hill Country business donations and live music. In August, III Forks Steakhouse in Austin and Frisco hosted two special Panhandle to Table Benefit Dinners featuring Curtis Osmond of III Forks, Dan Garrison of Garrison Brothers Distillery and Chris Brundrett of William Chris Vineyards. The five-course ticketed dinners showcased the bounty of Texas’ meat and produce and raised over $120,000 over the two evenings.
Since its founding, Garrison Brothers Distillery has remained committed to giving back to the community through, Good Bourbon for a Good Cause, a non-profit started by Dan Garrison. The 501c3 has raised funds for a variety of causes, both local and national, proving that good bourbon truly can make a difference in the world, helping to rebuild and uplift communities in times of need.
About Garrison Brothers Distillery
Garrison Brothers Distillery is located on a small ranch in the beautiful Texas Hill Country that authentically produces straight bourbon whiskey. Garrison Brothers introduced the first bourbon whiskey legally made in Texas in 2010 and has since developed a rabid fan base. They currently have a waitlist of more than 18,000 just to volunteer on bottling days, and their Cowboy Bourbon® normally sells out within hours of its release. Garrison Brothers is the first legal bourbon distillery in Texas history and the first distillery outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey—and only bourbon whiskey. Every expression of Garrison Brothers bourbon is made from a sweet mash bill and aged in custom barrels to withstand in the intense Texas heat. The cool nights and hot days create multiple aging seasons in a year, resulting in a darker, richer, and fuller bourbon, bolder than almost any other bourbon on the market.
In 2023, Garrison Brothers Distillery, was named Distillery of the Year and presented with the prestigious Bubble Cap award by the American Distilling Institute. Garrison Brothers Distillery was also named Bourbon Distillery of the Year for both 2022 and 2023 by the Melbourne International Spirits Competition. In 2024, Garrison Brothers Distillery was named Texas Small Batch Distillery of the Year by the New York International Spirits Competition.
Garrison Brothers continually takes home prestigious award wins across spirits competitions and expressions. Most recently, Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon® was awarded Platinum at the 2024 TAG Global Spirits Awards; Platinum at the 2024 SIP Awards; Double Gold, Best in Show, Best of Class and Gold at the 2024 American Craft Spirits Competition. Garrison Brothers Balmorhea was awarded Platinum at the 2024 Chilled 100 Spirits Awards; Platinum at the 2024 San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge; Double Gold at the 2024 Global Whisky Challenge. Garrison Brothers Guadalupe was awarded Double Platinum at the 2024 ASCOT Awards and Double Gold at both the 2024 Global Whisky Challenge and the 2024 North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition.
Garrison Brothers is a proud and active member of the communities of Blanco, Fredericksburg, Hye, Johnson City, and Stonewall. The distillery and its barrel barns are open to the public for tours in Hye, Texas. Anyone interested in learning more about Garrison Brothers or taking a tour of the distillery should visit garrisonbros.com or follow @garrisonbros on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
For Garrison Brothers media inquiries, please contact garrisonbros@dimodapr.com.
