THE PROCESS AND RECIPES OF AN AWARD WINNING VODKA
Dripping Springs Vodka is made by San Luis Spirits – a family run company located in the Texas Hill Country. Brothers Gary and Kevin Kelleher began making Dripping Springs Vodka in 2007, it was the third distillery in the state. The process begins with sweet, Midwest Corn, slow distilled in 50-gallon batches.
The micro distilling process begins within copper stills. These stills are unique in the world of vodka distilling; their small size is designed to retain the distinctive character of the vodka with the equivalent effect of distilling the vodka 20 times. The big differences between vodkas result from the quality and type of the raw materials used, the distillation technique and the quality of the bottling.
Kelleher knew he wanted a copper still. Stainless steel is often favored for being easy to maintain and it doesn’t affect a vodka’s flavor. Copper, on the other hand, is a soft metal that requires greater maintenance and repair, but reacts with alcohol to contribute its W_V ÆI^WZ MVPIVKMUMV\
Each batch is heated to temperature in the copper still until steam rises into the unique web and mesh expansion chamber where the high proof, high density vodka is mirco-distilled over 20 times prior to moving through the condensation and cooling chambers.
After the vodka comes off the proprietary copper stills, it’s mixed with pure, mineral rich artesian spring water from Edwards Aquifer in the Texas Hill Country to cut it down to the proper proof.
Kelleher tasted waters from different artesian springs that burble up from the Edward’s Aquifer. The water he settled on comes from a spring located a few miles east of the distillery in Dripping Springs. It’s high in minerals, including calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium, which give a full palate of flavor.
Many vodka producers use distilled water which removes many of the minerals. To enhance the flavor Dripping Springs uses spring water from the hill country - a quality source of fresh water.
The Edwards Aquifer is one of the most prolific artesian aquifers in the world. Located on the eastern edge of Edwards Plateau it discharges about 900,000 acres of water a year.
Vodka comes off the still, by law, at 190 proof. The average bottle of vodka is sold at 80 proof after being mixed with about 57 percent water.
Next, the impurities of the vodka are removed from its batches by a simple Swedish activated carbon filtration system. It is micro-distilled 20 times to retain its purity and then macrodistilled only once to add character to its flavor profile.
Every batch distilled is tested by hand for quality and perfection. The master distiller is in charge of distilling the vodka and directing its filtration, which includes the removal of the “fore-shots”, “heads” and “tails”. These components of the distillate contain flavor compounds such as ethyl acetate and ethyl lactate (heads) as well as the fusel oils (tails) that impact the usually desired clean taste of vodka. Through numerous rounds of distillation, or the use of a fractioning still, the taste is modified and clarity is increased.
Finally the packaging process takes place on site in the warehouse. After the filling machine distributes the exact amount of vodka into each bottle they are labeled and put into cases by hand.
Dripping Springs produces about 390 cases of vodka every day. Once packaged the vodka is distributed to five states including; Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana and Colorado. In 2012, Dripping Springs Vodka will sell over 50,000 cases.
Dripping Springs Texas Orange is the new flavor made with fresh oranges from the Texas Rio Grande Valley. Each one is hand zested for the perfect hint of flavor.
Dripping Springs Vodka is teaming up with Mr. & Mrs. T’s to create a Bloody Mary co-package for the holidays.
1876 is Dripping Springs’ more affordable vodka brand. The vodka is named after the year the Texas State Constitution was ratified and the image is a depiction of the well at the Alamo. It contains purified instead of artisan water.
Dripping Springs Vodka won the The Vodka Purity Trophy from the 2008 International Wine and Spirit Competition and won gold (best in class) for non-European vodkas. It is the only American vodka ever to win IWSC’s Vodka Purity Trophy.
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LEMONADE SPRINGS
HILL COUNTRY MULE
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW 8I\EW :SHOE S^ *VIWL 0IQSREHI S^ 9T SV 7TVMXI *VIWL 1MRX 0IEZIW õ 0IQSR
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ +MRKIV %PI *VIWL 0MQI .YMGI
1YHHPI 1MRX 0IEZIW MR E S^ +PEWW *MPP [MXL GVYWLIH MGI %HH :SHOE ERH PIQSREHI *MPP [MXL 9T SV 7TVMXI +EVRMWL [MXL E PIQSR [IHKI ERH E JVIWL QMRX PIEJ
7LEOI MRKVIHMIRXW MR E GSGOXEMP WLEOIV 4SYV SZIV MGI
SUNSET SIPPER
SUMMER PEACH
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW 3VERKI S^ 'VERFIVV] S^ *VIWL 3VERKI .YMGI S^ +VETIJVYMX .YMGI
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ 4IEGL 8IE *VIWL 7PMGIH 4IEGL
4SYV SZIV MGI ERH 7XMV +EVRMWL [MXL +VETIJVYMX
-R E GSGOXEMP WLEOIV ½PPIH [MXL MGI GSQFMRI :SHOE ERH TIEGL XIE 7LEOI ZMKSVSYWP] ERH WXVEMR MRXS E KPEWW ½PPIH [MXL MGI ERH KEVRMWL [MXL TIEGL WPMGIW
ROSEMARY FIZZ
GARDEN SPRINGS
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE 7TVMRKW 1YHHPIH 6SWIQEV] XFWT 7YKEV .YMGI SJ 0IQSR IKK [LMXI
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ +VETIJVYMX .YMGI S^ +MRKIV 0MUYIYV 0EVKI 7TVMK SJ &EWMP
1YHHPI VSWIQEV] WYKEV NYMGI SJ 么 PIQSR MR E WLEOIV %HH ZSHOE VMRH SJ NYMGIH PIQSR JVIWL IKK [LMXI XS WLEOIV (V] WLEOI [MXLSYX MGI ZMKSVSYWP] XS JVSXL %HH MGI ERH WLEOI XS GLMPP 7XVEMR MRXS E VSGOW KPEWW SZIV MGI
1YHHPI WTVMRK SJ FEWMP MR E WLEOIV XLIR EHH ZSHOE KVETIJVYMX NYMGI ERH PMUYIYV 7LEOI ERH WXVEMR SZIV MGI
POMEGRANATE 75
AMOROSA
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ 4SQIKVEREXI .YMGI 'LEQTEKRI
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE FMK NYMG] VMTI WXVE[FIVV] S^ *VIWLP] 7UYII^IH &PSSH 3VERKI .YMGI
7LEOI ZSHOE ERH NYMGI SZIV MGI ERH WXVEMR MRXS GLEQTEKRI 戮YXI 8ST [MXL GLEQTEKRI
(MGI ERH QYHHPI WXVE[FIVV] [MXL ZSHOE MR E WLEOIV EHH MGI ERH FPSSH SVERKI NYMGI 7LEOI [IPP XS JYVXLIV GVYWL ERH QM\ WXVE[FIVV] 7XVEMR SZIV MGI MRXS E KPEWW +EVRMWL [MXL E WXVE[FIVV]
TEXAS MARY
LONG ISLAND
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S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ 8IUYMPE S^ 6YQ S^ +MR S^ 8VMTPI 7IG S^ 7[IIX ERH 7SYV 1M\ 7TPEWL 'SGE 'SPE
7LEOI SZIV MGI ERH WXVEMR MRXS VSGOW KPEWW SZIV MGI 8ST [MXL GIPIV] SPMZIW TITTIV ERH WUYII^I PMQI SR XST
1M\ MRKVIHMIRXW XSKIXLIV ERH WLEOI SZIV MGI 4SYV FEGO MRXS XLI KPEWW ERH QEOI WYVI XLIVI MW E XSYGL SJ ½^^ EX XLI XST +EVRMWL [MXL PIQSR
PURE ADRENALIN
FREEZE FIRE
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ ;LMXI 6YQ S^ 4MRIETTPI .YMGI S^ 'VERFIVV] .YMGI
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ 'VERFIVV] .YMGI S^ &PEGOFIVV] 0MUYIYV 8SRMG
1M\ MRKVIHMIRXW MR E XEPP HVMRO KPEWW +EVRMWL [MXL E KVETIJVYMX [IHKI ERH TEWWMSR JVYMX
7LEOI MRKVIHMIRXW SZIV MGI ERH WIVZI MR E QEVXMRM KPEWW +EVRMWL [MXL E KVETIJVYMX [IHKI ERH FPEGOFIVVMIW
THE BERRI SOPHISTICATED
TEXAS WATERMELON COOLER
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE &PYIFIVVMIW S^ *VIWL PMQI NYMGI S^ 7MQTPI W]VYT S^ 'LEQTEKRI FPYIFIVVMIW SR E XSSXLTMGO
GYT (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE GYT SJ EKEZI RIGXEV GYTW [EXIVQIPSR TYVII
1YHHPI XLI FPYIFIVVMIW MR E WLEOIV %HH :SHOE WSQI JVIWL PMQI NYMGI WMQTPI W]VYT ERH MGI GYFIW 7LEOI ERH WXVEMR MRXS E KPEWW 8ST MX SJJ [MXL GLMPPIH 'LEQTEKRI ERH KEVRMWL [MXL FPYIFIVVMIW
1M\ EPP MRKVIHMIRXW MRXS E TMXGLIV ERH TSYV SZIV MGI +EVRMWL [MXL E [EXIVQIPSR WPMGI 1EOIW EFSYX GSGOXEMPW
CLASSY COSMOPOLITAN
DON COLLINS
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ 3VERKI 0MUYIYV XWT *VIWL 0MQI .YMGI XWT 'VERFIVV] .YMGI
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ 7MQTPI 7]VYT S^ 0IQSR .YMGI S^ 7TEVOPMRK 1MRIVEP ;EXIV WPMGIW 'YGYQFIV
1M\ MRKVIHMIRXW XSKIXLIV SZIV MGI MR E WLEOIV ERH KMZI SRI FVMWO WLEOI 4SYV MRXS XLI KPEWW ERH KEVRMWL [MXL E PIQSR X[MWX
-R E XEPP KPEWW TSYV ZSHOE WMQTPI W]VYT ERH PIQSR NYMGI (VST MR SRI WPMGI SJ GYGYQFIV ERH TMIVGI [MXL E JSVO ½ZI XMQIW *MPP KPEWW [MXL MGI GYFIW 8ST [MXL WTEVOPMRK QMRIVEP [EXIV +EVRMWL [MXL E WPMGI SJ JVIWL GYGYQFIV
CRANBERRY MIST
COLD RIVER SHIVER
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW 8I\EW :SHOE S^ 'VER &PYIFIVV] .YMGI 么 S^ *VIWLP] 7UYII^IH 0MQI .YMGI 么 S^ %KEZI 2IGXEV
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ 8IUYMPE S^ +MR S^ 6YQ 鹿 S^ 'EWWMW 7TPEWL 7MQTPI 7]VYT 7TPEWL 'VERFIVV] 0MQI 7SHE 0MQI ;LIIP *VIWL 1MRX
4SYV (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE 0MQI .YMGI ERH %KEZI 2IGXEV MRXS WLEOIV [MXL MGI ERH WLEOI %HH E WTPEWL SJ NYMGI XLIR TSYV SZIV MGI +EVRMWL [MXL FPYIFIVV]麓W
4SYV MRKVIHMIRXW MRXS E PSRK HVMRO KPEWW +EVRMWL [MXL PMQI ERH JVIWL mint
PALOMA
CLASSIC SCREWDRIVER
S^ (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ 0MQI .YMGI TMRGL SJ 7EPX +VETIJVYMX 7SHE
SYRGI (VMTTMRK 7TVMRKW :SHOE S^ 3VERKI .YMGI
'SQFMRI ZSHOE PMQI NYMGI ERH WEPX MR E XEPP XYQFPIV %HH MGI XST [MXL KVETIJVYMX WSHE ERH WXMV
'SQFMRI MRXS E GSGOXEMP WLEOIV %HH MGI ERH WLEOI 7XVEMR ERH TSYV MRXS E KPEWW [MXL MGI