At Hill Country Distillers in Comfort, there are some unique Texas ingredients going into their spirits.
"I was very impressed with the fact that you could make this wonderful liquor from our prickly pear cactus,” Hill Country Distillers co-owner John Kovacs said. “And we decided that since distilling is new in Texas it was a chance for us to come out and do something uniquely Texas."
Kovacs and his wife, Cayce, didn't stop there. They turned to another regional favorite, the jalapeno.
"We really do get great reaction. Our challenge in that being different is getting people to taste it,” Kovacs said.
Distillers have to suit up, protecting their eyes before any chopping begins.
"We don't use corn or grain so everything we do is very simple,” Kovacs said. "So it's an extremely easy process to make a beautiful alcohol.”
The mash is mixed with some yeast and sugar then left to cook for several weeks.
Hill Country Distillers also developed its own special blend of gin with another lethal Texas ingredient.
“We make Texas Revenge from two of the most hated plants in South Texas: the cactus and the cedar tree,” Kovacs said.
The couple also has created a variety of fruit liqueurs which they named Texas Dulce.
Whatever your poison, Hill Country Distillers say they'll bring you a new kind of drinking experience with their spirits and liqueurs.
"It really makes for a great cocktail and that's really what it's all about: making a great cocktail,” Kocvacs said.