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Discover Fitzhugh Road

LIBATIONS, FIZZY CONCOCTIONS, AND FEMENTABLES ON FITZHUGH ROAD!

In the 1800s, Fitzhugh Road was used as a cattle drive trail, now it’s one of the booziest roads in the Austin area. If you still haven't visited the wineries, breweries, and distilleries along this winding road that begins in Southwest Austin and ends west of Dripping Springs, then put this easy day trip on your weekend to-do list. Fitzhugh Road is a fantastic destination for wine, beer, and spirits enthusiasts!

A family walking a trail on a blue sky day.

photo: Do512 Family

First stop: Jester King Brewery

Jester King Brewery is set on a 165-acre ranch about 18 miles west of downtown Austin and just 9 miles from downtown Dripping Springs. The world-renowned maker specializes in farmhouse ales and barrel-aged wild ales fermented with wild yeast. Jester King has preserved the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country while at the same time providing unique experiences on their property. While the beers at Jester King are the biggest draw, you can also find walking trails throughout the ranch, a herd of darling goats, and a kitchen that serves up scratch-made items, and when possible uses farm, fermented, or foraged ingredients. There’s even a gorgeous event venue, the Hall at Jester King, tucked in the natural wooded landscape on the grounds.

Beerburg Brewing

Beerburg Brewing is a new brewery that also takes their food and menu items just as seriously as they take their beer. Everything is made from scratch. Everything is farm to table. All the food at Beerburg is an inclusive menu that appeals to a variety of diets like gluten-free, vegan, or keto. On their taps, you’ll find beers that are brewed with a focus on hyper-local ingredients and made with Texas malts. Beerburg also features a spacious outdoor area for seating as well as a dog park for your four-legged friends.

Photo: Clay Grier

In the neighborhood of Big Country is Goodnight Loving Vodka

Goodnight Loving Vodka*

If the TV set of Mad Men made your heart happy, you’ll love the interior design of Goodnight Loving Vodka where the distillers have taken the culture and spirit of the 1960s and put it in a bottle. The vodka is hailed as some of the smoothest around and has garnered fans from all across the country. The distilling process begins with pure Texas artesian spring water and then the vodka is perfectly filtered and bottled at a distillery in Austin, TX. While the tasting room is currently closed, the mid-century modern throw-back destination is worth a stop on a Saturday once the tasting room has re-opened. *temporarily closed.

Further down, right off the street on Paul’s Valley Road is Last Stand Brewing, Revolution Spirits, and Wine for the People/ C.L. Butaud.

Wine for the People / c.l. Butaud

Based in Austin, Texas since 2005, Rae Wilson is the Founder/Winemaker of Wine for the People. A food and wine industry veteran from St. Louis with roots as a sommelier, she learned winemaking in Napa Valley and Portugal, and upon a return to Austin, established Wine For the People, which now produces three wine brands- Dandy Rosé, The Grower Project & La Valentía.

Enjoy the shared tasting space with partner winery C.L. Butaud , that gives visitors an opportunity to explore two winemakers with distinct styles and a shared vision of connecting people to high quality wines made from 100% Texas grapes. The tasting rooms is located at 12345 Pauls Valley Rd (Austin, TX 78737) just down the road from Jester King Brewery & next door to Revolution Spirits & Last Stand Brewing. Tastings are $25/person and we'll have our most exclusive wines available on site.

LAST STAND BREWING

Last Stand Brewing offers a spacious beer garden and air-conditioned taproom featuring 14 rotating taps. Their great collection of beers on tap includes well-known favorites, seasonal selections, and their newest creations. Last Stand is a small craft-brewery that enjoys tinkering with the hops and the yeast during the brewing process to create unique beers with award-winning flavor. Enjoy your beer and get a tasty bite from Brewers Choice Grill, a local food truck located on the grounds of Last Stand.

REVOLUTION SPIRITS

Revolutions Spirits is a boutique distillery with an intimate taproom crafting innovative, gin-based cocktails in a relaxed ambiance. A visit to their tasting room will introduce you to a menu that is full of interesting and unique cocktails that can only be found at the distillery. You can also purchase tried and true bottled favorites like their Austin Reserve Gin, and Cafecito Coffee Liqueur. Every year, Revolution collaborates with neighbor and beer fermenting wizards, Jester King Brewery to create a gorgeous Raspberry Farmhouse Liqueur with the brewery’s spent fruit and leftover yeast to produce a gorgeous, and delicate liqueur.

A hand holding a glass of white wine in front of grape vines.

Photo taken at Solaro Estate Winery.

Fitzhugh Brewing

Fitzhugh Brewing, opening fall 2020, is a new brewpub that will feature Kolsch style beers, Belgian table beers, Stouts and Porters along with seasonal favorites and even some Sparkling Australian Ambers. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the opening of this gorgeous farmhouse style brewery who is partnering with Pok-E-Jo's for in-house and take-home food.

Solaro Estate Winery

Known for its laid-back atmosphere and knowledgeable staff, Solaro Estate has been a working agricultural farm in the Solaro family since 1909. An afternoon at the Estate is best spent sipping some of their wines out on the patio that overlooks the expansive vineyard. Head out to the tasting pavilion where you can sample the wines that have been hand-selected by Solaro Estate winemakers. They also offer a walking educational tour of the estate and the gorgeous vineyards, as well as a personalized tour where you will learn about the winemaking process in the production setting.

TREATY OAK DISTILLING

Treaty Oak Distilling is truly a unique Hill Country experience. The 28-acre ranch is home to a distillery, brewery, and winery. Plus, Treaty Oak also has an awesome BBQ restaurant, Alice’s Restaurant, on site that perfectly complements the variety of wine, beer and spirits they serve. The rustic, hill country ambiance with simple, modern spaces will satisfy a wide range of expectations.

Next to Treaty Oak Distilling is ABBY JANE BAKESHOP and Barton Springs Mill.

Owner Abby Love and team serves a selection of baked goods featuring heritage grains grown in Texas and freshly-milled by their next-door neighbor, Barton Springs Mill. Expect naturally-leavened breads, wood-fired pizzas, sweet and savory pastries, and seasonal treats. The bakeshop also has ready-to-eat lunch items like fresh grain salads, slices of quiche, and spreads and dips to accompany our breads. Meanwhile, the cafe bar offers locally roasted coffee and loose-leaf tea alongside Hill Country wine, beer, and cider on draft.

Moving down the road...

If you’re needing lunch or a sweet treat, a cigar at a casual Hill Country lounge, or a bite to eat, stop into the shopping center located on the corner of RR12 and Fitzhugh Road. In this center, you’ll find Smokey’s Cigar Lounge, Route 12 Filling Station, and the delicious Thyme and Dough!

Hill Country Olive Company

One of the most unique stops on Fitzhugh Road is the Texas Hill Country Olive Company – the most awarded olive oil company in Texas. Inside the Texas Hill Country Olive Company’s Tuscan-style tasting room, sample the wide variety of delicious homegrown olive oils and balsamic vinegars at their tasting bars.

Order from the bistro’s selection of “lite bites” like cheese, hummus, and crackers; lunch options including soups, salads, and sandwiches; refreshing drinks; and desserts. The bistro also serves locally made wines priced by tasting, glass, or flight. Peruse their gift shop where you will find fine accouterments for the kitchen, natural beauty products, and just about any item made with high-quality olive oil. On Fridays and Saturdays, the company offers guided tours of its facility and orchard that gives you an up-close look at the inner workings of the business.

12 FOX BEER CO.

12 Fox is a veteran-owned brewery that crafts high-quality European beer all from single-sourced malt. The large and spacious outdoor area is both family & dog friendly and they even have a large playscape for the kiddos. 12 Fox also pours guest beer, wine, cider, and mead from their taps. Kick back under their covered patio or out in their large biergarten and enjoy a bite from their weekly guest food truck.

Want to make your trip down Fitzhugh an extended weekend? Check out some of these amazing places to stay on Fitzhugh Road:

Asante Lodging - Asante has five beautiful rental homes on property, perfect for vacations, reunions, wedding parties, corporate retreats and more. Able to accommodate up to 34 guests.

Liney Moon - Just beneath the stars" in Dripping Springs, TX is a fun and unique place to stay. One of the first of its kind, The Liney Moon, features the modern "Stellar House" and 13 quirky cottages.

Arbor House - Arbor House, hotel featuring stays in luxury tree houses located off-the-beaten-path tucked above the tops of the oaks and cedars.