Hill Country bourbon makers invite Lone Star State bartenders and mixologists to vie for the title of “Best In Texas”
AUSTIN, TEXAS (January 24, 2019) — Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, announced today a statewide bartender competition taking place throughout the first half of 2019. Dubbed The Garrison Brothers Bourbon Brawl, the competition is set to launch one week prior to Texas Independence Day, March 2, and will unfold in three stages across five major Texas cities from March to May. The grand prize? $10,000 cash from a public charity called Good Bourbon for a Good Cause, founded by the Garrison Family and their staff in 2018.
To qualify, hopeful contestants are invited to participate in Garrison Brothers’ annual bourbon culinary event, The Bourbon Takeover of Texas, a full week in which 50 distinguished bars and restaurants across the state feature culinary and mixological specials that include Garrison Brothers’ Small Batch Bourbon. These limited-time offerings will be available at fine restaurants from Sunday, February 24, through Saturday, March 2, 2019. During this period, the Garrison Brothers team will visit every participating location to taste, critique, examine and enjoy each cocktail, considering its potential for advancement to the second round of the competition.
Dan Garrison, founder and proprietor of Garrison Brothers Distillery, will visit select locations in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. The cocktail itself is not necessarily the key criteria for advancement; the bartender’s attitude, charm, camaraderie with customers, and concern for the well-being of their community and constituents are also factors under consideration.
The five bartenders Garrison Brothers selects in each city will face off in a semi-final round that will qualify just one from each group for the final round of competition to be held in Austin. Each market champion will represent his or her home turf in a five-round, Top Chef-style matchup to determine which bartender will take home the $10,000 prize.
Tentative dates of the spectator-focused contest are as follows. Time and location details will be released soon.
Saturday, February 24 – Sunday, March 2 Bourbon Takeover of Texas Qualifying
Thursday, March 28 Houston Semi-Finals
Thursday, April 4 San Antonio Semi-Finals
Thursday, April 11 Dallas Semi-Finals
Friday, April 12 Fort Worth Semi-Finals
Thursday, April 18 Austin Semi-Finals
Thursday, May 2 Austin Finals
“Good bourbon has the power to change the world, and that’s exactly what we want to do with this competition. We want to permanently and positively change someone’s world,” said Garrison. To this end, the $10,000 cash prize will be paid out by Good Bourbon for a Good Cause, a 501(c)3 public charity.
If a bartender, chef, mixologist, or restaurateur would like to participate in the 2019 Bourbon Takeover of Texas (February 24 – March 2, 2019), he or she should send an email expressing interest to BTOT2019@garrisonbros.com. The Garrison Brothers team will begin extending personal invitations to participate this week.
“If I wanted to win $10,000, I’d start considering my recipes and my dream now,” said Garrison. “I’ve seen how creative, competitive, passionate, and innovative the Texas talent is. That’s just one reason I’m incredibly excited for what 2019 has in store.”
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ABOUT GARRISON BROTHERS DISTILLERY
Garrison Brothers Distillery is a small farm and ranch located 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 waiting list of more than 15,000 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 is one of the first distilleries in America outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, made-from-scratch bourbon whiskey and only bourbon whiskey. The business was founded in 2006.
Every expression of Garrison Brothers bourbon is made from a sweet mash bill and barrel aged in the intense Texas climate. The extreme heat creates multiple aging seasons in a year, resulting in a darker, richer, and fuller bourbon; bolder than almost any other bourbon on the market.
At the American Craft Spirit Awards in 2018, the Garrison Brothers team was awarded a gold medal for its Single Barrel Bourbon, a silver medal for its 2016 Small Batch Bourbon, and another silver for its Balmorhea Double Barrel Bourbon. Garrison Brothers was voted Best Craft Whiskey Distillery in America by readers of USA Today in 2017.
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 Bourbon or in taking a tour of the distillery should visit garrisonbros.com or follow @garrisonbros on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
ABOUT GOOD BOURBON FOR A GOOD CAUSE
In association with the distilled spirits community, GOOD BOURBON FOR A GOOD CAUSE is the beneficiary of marketing and promotional events conducted for philanthropic purposes. Funds of GOOD BOURBON FOR A GOOD CAUSE are distributed to charitable organizations primarily, but not exclusively, in Blanco and Gillespie counties of Texas and also to charitable organizations that serve current and former American military personnel. The types of charitable causes that are supported include, but are not limited to:
● Organizations that help current or former American military veterans and their families
● Organizations that help former American military personnel get back to leading a rewarding life
● Organizations that help American veterans recover from debilitating medical, mental health or psychological challenges such as coping with memories of torture, lost friends and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
● Organizations dedicated to conserving and preserving nature, wildlife, green spaces, or historical landmarks and historical sites.
● Other charitable organizations that the board of directors determine to be within the intent and spirit of the formation of this corporation.
To date, the organization has raised and contributed close to $200,000.
MEDIA CONTACT
Bryan Gonzales | 512-797-8579 | bryan@giantnoise.com | garrisonbros@giantnoise.com
