Topic: A Sip of Knowledge with Dan and Charlie Garrison, Garrison Brothers Distillery

Hosts: Liz Rhoades, Lew Bryson, & Martin Duffy

What You’ll Learn: Join a trio of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing, and the current state of the drink industry. This week, Dan Garrison (Proprietor & Distiller) and Charlie Garrison (National Sales Director) of Garrison Brothers Distillery join the group.

About Dan Garrison, Proprietor & Distiller:

Dan Garrison learned to distill bourbon from Kentucky’s finest craftsmen, where he spent the early 2000’s learning the trade. During multiple trips to the birthplace of bourbon, Dan visited the nine producers that existed at the time. At each distillery tour, a guide would state that “Bourbon could only be made in the great state of Kentucky.” This statement seemed unlikely to a serial entrepreneur like Garrison. He called BS and wrote a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (now known as the Tax and Trade Bureau) asking what part of the Code of Federal Regulations stated this as fact. The BATF responded that there was no truth to the statement. Soon thereafter, Garrison Brothers Distillery was born.

It took Dan over 60 tries to perfect the cook and fermentation procedures for his original mash bill — a combination of only the finest grains: plump white corn harvested from the Texas Panhandle, two row malted barley from Wyoming and Montana, and soft red winter wheat he planted and harvested himself on his farm.

Every step — from cooking the mash to bottling — takes place right there on site at their distillery in Hye, Texas. They make bourbon in a range of ages and finishes, but it’s the scorching Texas climate that has an intense impact on the bourbon’s flavor. Once the charred oak barrels have been filled with the distillate (white dog), the constant fluctuation in temperature from hot to cool causes the bourbon in the barrels to swell and shrink, forcing the aging bourbon to cycle through the wood’s crevices. As it moves in and out, the liquid extracts sugars from the sap in the wood’s pores, yielding a bourbon with a distinct, rich caramel color and bold flavor. “We believe the Texas heat makes a better bourbon than a bourbon made in the Kentucky climate,” Garrison says.

About Charlie Garrison, National Sales Director:

Whiskey Peddler Charlie spent the first 20 years of his career in the wireless communications industry. As his career grew, his love for entrepreneurialism developed and he found himself working for smaller companies in bigger roles. In his final position in telecom he was running the sales and marketing for a wireless carrier that had networks across the country.

As his children got a little older, he decided to make a career leap and open a business in his own community. That decision led to 10+ years in the restaurant industry working alongside his wife and kids at their restaurants.

When Charlie’s brother opened the first legal whiskey distillery in his home state of Texas, the writing was on the wall. He did double-duty with his restaurants and the distillery for several years and finally jumped in full time in 2013. Since 2013 Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey has expanded from Texas to 35 states and is just getting warmed up.

Charlie has been married to his wife Julie for 25 years and has two children that are smarter, kinder and better looking than he is.

About the Hosts: 

• Liz Rhoades, founder of Spirit Safe Consulting, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.

• Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.

• Martin Duffy, former DIAGEO Master of Whisky for the Midwest, DIAGEO Reserve Brand Ambassador for The Republic of Ireland, North American Brand Representative for Glencairn Crystal.