Texas’ Most Iconic Brewery Is Releasing Its First Rye Whiskey

(Photo: Shiner)

K. Spoetzl Brewery & Distillery, the maker of Shiner Bock, will release its first straight rye whiskey on Feb. 14, continuing the iconic brewer’s venture into small-batch Texas whiskey.

The new expression, Shiner Texas Legend Straight Rye Whiskey, comes from the distillery’s first rye run in December 2023. The release is limited to three barrels and will be sold only at the brewery and distillery in Shiner, Texas, starting at 10 a.m. The suggested retail price is $199.

The move follows the company’s 2023 expansion into distilling after more than a century focused on beer.

“This release represents a defining moment for Shiner as we continue to evolve beyond brewing and establish our place in Texas whiskey,” Tom Fiorenzi, director of brewery and distillery operations, said in a news release. “Bottling whiskey from our first rye distillation reflects the long-term vision we have for the distillery and the standards we’ve set from day one.”

What’s in the Bottle

Texas Legend Straight Rye is distilled from a mash of malted rye, yellow dent corn and two-row barley. The distillery double pot distills the spirit in copper stills and ages it in heavy toast, level 1 char barrels in a single-story open-air warehouse.

The whiskey is bottled at cask strength, 125.4 proof (62.7% ABV). It is non-chill filtered.

According to the distillery, the rye shows notes of cinnamon, clove and citrus, with toffee, vanilla and baking spice.

There’s no getting around the price on this one: A $199 asking price for a rye whiskey that’s at most just over two years old is pretty wild. Two factors slightly help — bottling it at barrel-proof adds value, and the Texas climate does have legitimate value as far as spirits aging “faster” — but not even those add up to this price. A rule of thumb many follow for fair whiskey pricing is $10 per year, and Shiner’s debut rye is valued at about 10 times that. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, however; this rye’s bourbon counterpart, around the same age, debuted at the same price in November.

At the end of the day, though, these are highly limited releases, and rarity adds value. Big fans of the brand will probably be willing to pay the steep asking price for the novelty of it.

A Brewery Steps Into Whiskey

The brewery opened in 1909 in Shiner, a town of about 2,100 residents. Czech and German immigrants founded the operation, which has grown into a national craft beer brand. Its beers now ship to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico and U.S. military bases abroad.

In 2023, the company added a distillery and launched a line of Texas spirits that includes vodka, gin and bourbon. The rye marks the first release from its initial rye distillation.

The bottle will be available only at the K. Spoetzl Brewery & Distillery in Shiner. The company has not announced plans for wider distribution.

For consumers, the release offers a high-proof, limited Texas rye tied to a brewery brand with national reach. For the company, it signals a broader push into the state’s growing whiskey market.