Outside of Balcones distillery

OUR PROCESS

Our process starts with our people. People who knew Texas had a story to tell and were determined to give it a voice.

With little more than an idea, we set out to see what the heart of Texas had to offer. Adapting the ways of whisky-making to our home to create something original, in an entirely new landscape. From collaborating with an uncompromising climate to discovering how to let local flavor flourish, we dedicated ourselves to embracing our surroundings.

Over 15 years later, our journey into the unknown turned into an award-winning line of deep and bright whisky crafted with the rhythms of Texas.

Scroll down to learn how we make our award-winning whiskies.

Balcones bottle in grain

INGREDIENT SOURCING

OVERVIEW

Just like chefs who depend on sourcing the very best ingredients for their dishes, us whisky-makers rely on the best raw materials for our whiskies. We pride ourselves on sourcing distinct and expressive grains; leaning local when possible and even helping introduce new Texan grains to ensure our whiskies are an authentic expression of this state.

INGREDIENT SOURCING

GOLDEN PROMISE

When we began our mission of making American Single Malt Whisky in Texas, there wasn’t any malting-grade barley growing in the state. So we turned to the original masters of single malt in Scotland to source Golden Promise, the most flavorful barley in the world, and brought it back to Texas to see how it would fare.

handful of barley grain spilling out between hands onto plate

INGREDIENT SOURCING

TEXAS BARLEY

In addition to Scottish Golden Promise Malted Barley, we use Texas malted barley-a feat that became possible only within the past decade.

rows of corn field

INGREDIENT SOURCING

BLUE CORN

We source the highest-quality local ingredients to capture the distinctive flavors and nuances of our unique region. Our Texas-grown and roasted blue corn is nuttier, earthier, more oily and complex than classic yellow corn. Using blue corn brings a freshness and a new sophistication to the corn whisky tradition for which classic American distilling is known for.

field of rye plants

INGREDIENT SOURCING

RYE

When we started our journey into the American whisky style of rye whisky, we were determined to use a variety of rye developed close to home. This led us to explore the potential of Elbon rye. Originally developed as a cover and forage crop for Texas farmers and ranchers in the 1950s, we had no idea how this unique rye would pan out as a whisky. Luckily for us, as a distillate, Elbon is soft and expressive, loaded with grassy notes of parsley, carrot frond and mint, along with citrus notes of bergamot, lemon verbena and ground coriander, all of which results in nuanced layers of flavor that add depth to our whisky.

MILLING & MASHING

OVERVIEW

At this stage, we prep the raw ingredients for fermentation. To us, it’s important to split our production process into two distinct lines: one that honors our single grain whiskies and one for our single malts.

machine milling barley in a vat

MILLING & MASHING

DEDICATED PRODUCTION

We have a dedicated process for malted barley and another for corn and rye, which begins with the way we mill and process the different grain types. This honors the specific qualities of the raw ingredients and gives us space to fine-tune our corn and rye expressions while devoting attention to our American Single Malts.

man overseeing the milling process in the background

MILLING & MASHING

SINGLE MALT PRODUCTION

We use a dedicated roller mill to make our American Single Malt Whisky, which is exclusively designed for malted barley-never shredding or crushing, instead lightly cracking the malted barley so it's fit for brewing in our mash tun.

a series of pipes of the cereal cooker for the whisky process

MILLING & MASHING

AMERICAN WHISKY PRODUCTION

In American whisky tradition, unmalted grains such as corn, rye and wheat, tend to be milled on hammer mills resulting in a coarse floury meal before moving to the cereal cooker. This method is used across America, Ireland and Scotland when producing grain whiskies.

FERMENTATION

OVERVIEW

For us, fermentation isn't just about creating alcohol; it's our environment's chance to craft entirely new notes and aromas for our whiskies. To this end, we've taken a fresh approach to traditional styles, developing a process that opens the way for an array of flavors.

a grassy meadow with green trees, blue skys and red flowers

FERMENTATION

LONG AND OPEN FERMENTATION

We opt for a long and open fermentation that spans seven days. This process takes place in vessels that are “open” to the Texas environment, allowing the microflora living in the local Waco air to influence our flavor. So when we say we make whisky you can find only in Texas, we mean exactly that—nowhere else in the world has the same fingerprint as our local microflora.

large steel vats with a backdrop of blue sky

FERMENTATION

YEAST PITCHING

Yeast is a crucial component of any fermentation process as it is responsible for converting sugary wort into alcohol and CO2. Historically, the strains we've used in our single malt whiskies are a malt whisky yeast and an ale yeast, resulting in fruit-forward flavors and a rich malt character. We use only a malt whisky yeast in our corn and rye whiskies, which helps honor the core character of our Texas-grown grains.

a bottle of Balcones Lineage on a rock in the foreground with tall green grass and trees behind it

FERMENTATION

FRUIT PRECURSORS

Our process intentionally encourages the microbiotic ensemble to form fruit-forward notes that are a signature of our expressions. Through letting go of the need for complete control in our process, we can work in partnership with the natural world and allow its voice to be heard in our whisky. By coaxing the yeast and bacteria to work with one another, we create the foundation for our whisky's fruity flavor.

DISTILLATION

OVERVIEW

Making whisky in Texas requires us to bring a unique perspective to every aspect of production, including distillation. From the helical shape of our lyne arms to our double copper-pot batch distillation, we've curated our ways of working to allow us to be active partners with what our stills are producing.

large copper pot still with pipes and gauges

DISTILLATION

COPPER POT STILLS

Our stillhouse is home to four stills: two wash stills and two spirit stills. These copper pot stills allow the more sumptuous components of the distillate to be captured in the new make spirit, giving our whisky a delightful weight on the tongue, and a distinct density and full-bodied mouthfeel on the palate.

large copper distillation pipes coiled in rings with metal catwalk near the ceiling

DISTILLATION

UNIQUE SHAPE

Back in 2015, when we began building our current home, we partnered with the premier still manufacturer Forsyths, located in Scotland, to engineer equipment completely customized to our process and climate. This includes the two distinct helical lyne arms of our spirit stills, where spirit still one has ten turns and spirit still two has four turns. The differences in the circumference and number of turns yield different results depending on what mashbill is being distilled. The longer lyne arm on spirit still one results in a brighter spirit, whereas the shorter lyne arm on spirit still two creates a heavier liquid.

man on catwalk opening the hatch to one of the stills

DISTILLATION

ON- & OFF-GRAIN DISTILLATION

Our American Single Malt Whiskies are distilled off-grain, meaning the solids have been left behind in the mashing process. In contrast, our Single Grain Whiskies are fermented and distilled on-grain, meaning the solids remain in the liquid during cereal cooking and during the wash distillation. We use pot distillation for both styles of whisky, a process that requires specialized equipment paired with a deep understanding of distillation.

top down view of the coiled pipes over the stills

DISTILLATION

LOW & SLOW DISTILLATION

We distill each batch of our new make spirit slowly at a low steam level. Not only does this allow ample time for the alcohol-rich vapors to interact with the high amount of copper in our spirit still's helical lyne arms, but it also improves visibility of the heads and tails cuts and allows time for the intense and rich hearts to develop.

MATURATION

OVERVIEW

We believe whisky is best when made in partnership with its environment. That's why, from the size and variety of barrels we use to the drastic temperature swings they’re exposed to during aging, every part of our maturation process is intentionally designed to partner with our climate. By fully embracing the extremes of our natural environment, we create whisky only Texas can make.

bright white sun in an orange glare

MATURATION

TEXAS WEATHER

Rather than resisting the volatile Texas weather, we fully embrace it. This philosophy informs our decision not to temperature control our warehouses, allowing our blazing hot summers and harsh winters to put their own unique fingerprint on our whiskies, producing a distinct character you can't find anywhere else.

a man surveying shelves of casks undergoing the maturation process

MATURATION

CASK & BARREL SELECTION

We travel far and wide to hand-select and acquire the right barrels to help facilitate maturing in a dynamic climate. Each one is selected based on several key factors including oak species, length of yard aging, stave count, stave width, toast and char levels, how fine or coarse the oak grain is, how "used" the cask is and what spirit was previously in the cask.

three barrels of varying sizes in the middle of a large room with more barrels against the walls

MATURATION

BARREL SIZE

The rapid temperature swings and deep-breathing barrels can cause a significant amount of distillate to be lost to evaporation. Because of this, we favor a barrel that is larger than the industry standard for our virgin oak fills, ranging from 240 liters to 500 liters, as it reduces the amount of distillate lost to evaporation. This helps us to craft a more balanced and elegant whisky over a longer period of time.

BLENDING

OVERVIEW

Blending is the point at which the character of our whisky reaches its final form. Blending is meticulous and hard to predict, but there is nothing more rewarding than when you strike the right balance, opening up a world of flavor. We blend casks from our warehouses with care to achieve whiskies that encourage you to slow down and savor the moment.

man looking at a bunch of jars of spirits on a workbench

BLENDING

THE ART OF SELECTION

Selecting mature casks and combining them to create balanced and expressive spirits is a constantly evolving art. Our blenders meticulously smell and taste every barrel of Balcones to ensure the quality and flavor meets our standards. We have a responsibility to listen and respond to the mature whisky before us. This isn't just another step in the process for us; it’s a profound vocation, where the casks demand something of us, and it's our responsibility to be present and form a cohesive whole from what we hear.

four people collaborating around a table of labeled bottles and jars while sipping from glasses

BLENDING

COLLABORATION

Through brainstorms, meticulous notes and lively discussion, the collaborative spirit that guides us comes to life in the blending room.

a bunch of labeled jars on a table with sticky notes on the table around them

BLENDING

BATCH ANALYSIS

The blending staff is also responsible for tasting batches of new make (unaged spirit) off our stills. Through batch analysis, we determine the quality and character of the liquid followed by what casks it should go into and what entry proof would be best in light of its unique character. We then closely monitor our spirit's unique character as it rises and falls with the seasons, and we custom tailor the barrel and entry proof pairing accordingly.

labeled jars around a bottle of Balcones Lineage

BLENDING

SEASONAL BLENDING

Texas is notorious for its volatile seasons with dramatic temperature swings and weather that can change on a dime. These uncompromising weather shifts pose significant challenges for our blending team, but also lead our whisky to develop its most desirable flavors.