Raise a Glass

To local wineries, distilleries, and breweries to discover your new favorite after-work drink

By Sydni Ellis

Who hasn’t turned to wine after a long day, grabbed a celebratory beer with friends, or treated yourself to a kids-are-finally-back-in-school cocktail? We all have our favorite drinks and go-to happy hour orders, but that doesn’t mean we can’t switch it up every now and then. This month, try something new and support local businesses by visiting a nearby winery, brewery, or distillery! You can do a wine-tasting, stomp grapes, taste a beer flight, and try a delicious cocktail, all within easy Uber distance from home. Check out a few of these cool places in the area. Who knows? You might just discover your new favorite adult beverage! 

Wineries

Wine helps you relax, enriches the food you pair with it, and is so flavorful! 

Start your adventure at a boutique winery. VineCrafters, located at 146 Shady Creek Lane in Rockwall, is a small, family-owned winery that makes wine simply because they love it. At VineCrafters, you can dance to live music on the weekends, participate in harvesting and grape stomping (at select times), order handcrafted and woodfired pizzas, and simply
enjoy a fun wine experience off-the-beaten path. vinecrafters.com. 

The Eden Hill Vineyard offers fantastic guest experiences at their Eden Hill Estate in Celina and their Eden Hill at Dallas Farmers Market. Visit the Estate to tour the Tempranillo vineyard, visit the tasting room, go behind-the-scenes in the winery, and more. Try the best of Texas wines at a wine flight (paired with artisan bread and Texas olive oil). Or, bring your own picnic, grab a drink from the cellar bar, and simply enjoy the quiet farm life by the fishing pond. Later, you can drink more Eden Hill at the Dallas Farmers Market, where you can order a flight of wine in the tasting room or wine by the glass or bottle. edenhill.com. 

Looking for a weekend getaway? Book an overnight stay at Fortunata Winery, located at 2297 FM 2931 in Providence Village. This luxurious winery has six villas and three casitas designed to give you a lavish experience reminiscent of an Italian getaway. You can spend your weekend touring the winery, enjoying live music served with pizza, charcuterie boards, and amazing wines on the weekend, or celebrating a special event in the gorgeous setting. Learn more at fortunatawinery.com. 

Breweries

Nothing beats the casual camaraderie found at a local brewery. Invite your friends or make new ones wherever you go. 

TUPPS Brewery is located on the historic Cotton Mill property at 721 Anderson Street in McKinney. They offer a taproom filled with beer, beer to-go, and brewery tours (during non-COVID times).

The open-air taproom is a cool place to hang out, sip on your favorite drinks (even non-alcoholic options are served) and eat food from Barley and Rye. They offer over 20 craft beers and four hard seltzers at any given time, making each visit feel unique. The atmosphere is designed for slowing down, taking a step back, and truly enjoying life. When you want to bring those good vibes home, simply order some of their amazing beer to-go so you can sip on it all week long. Learn more and place an order at tuppsbrewery.com. 

Eccentric art mixed with delicious beer makes ODD Muse Brewing Company at 4488 Spring Valley Road in Farmers Branch a distinct experience. The tap list has a wide range of options in traditional, hazy/juicy, sour, dark/malty, and experimental flavors. ODD Muse also hosts many events, like trivia nights and painting parties, so you’ll always have a good time. Don’t forget to order some beer to-go to inspire your creativity even while at home! oddmusebrewing.com.

The recently opened Siren Rock Brewing Company offers a place for an exciting night out and a casual family get-together at the same time. It’s located at 310 South Goliad Street in Rockwall, and offers handcrafted beer, a beautiful aesthetic, and a delicious menu in the 13,000 square-foot brewery. Tour the brewery, hang out in the taproom, and unwind under the stars in one of two beer gardens filled with live music, outdoor games, and gorgeous views. Of course, the beer is the most important part, and Siren Rock is dedicated to creating the perfect taste for all preferences. From the Prima Diva American Blonde Ale to the Magnetic Muse Chocolate Milk Stout to the Strange Fellow Scottish Ale, it won’t be hard to find your new favorite drink. sirenrock.com. 

Distilleries 

Smooth flavors with a strong kick keep people coming back over and over again to these local distilleries.

The multi-award winning Ironroot Republic (including winner of the World’s Best Bourbon for the World Whiskies Awards) is located at 3111 Loy Lake Road in Denison. This family-owned distillery combines Texas flavors with French traditions, resulting in some of the best liquor you’ve ever had. They offer limited-space distillery tours, where guests can see behind-the-scenes how everything is made. They also have a cocktail lounge (only open at select times), where you can unwind with a glass. Be sure to take a bottle of bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin, or moonshine home with you to mix into your own cocktails! Book a tour at ironrootrepublic.com. 

For a boutique experience, you can’t go wrong with Deep Ellum Spirits located at 2880 Clover Street in Dallas. This artistic place invites everyone in its doors, where you can sit in the tasting room that is part bar, part working distillery. Try a flight of vodka — which comes infused with coffee, pineapple mango, cucumber mint, blueberry lemon, strawberry basil, peach tea, cherry lime and so much more — or try one of their original cocktails, bursting with flavor. You can also book a tour and grab a few bottles to take home. Learn more at deepellumspirits.com. 

At Bendt Distilling Co., located at 225 South Charles Street in Lewisville, distillery tours are offered every weekend and include a spirit tasting. You can see the way Bendt Distilling Co. creates their premium spirits, from sourcing U.S.-made raw materials to fermenting to distilling, aging, bottling, and packaging for a high-quality product. Later, hang out in the tasting hall, lounge, and outdoor whiskey garden. Relax the weekend away sipping on your favorite drinks and stay late for happy hour and live music. You can also book private tours for an exclusive experience for your friends. bendtdistillingco.com. 

Drinking is all about the journey, and experiencing how wines, beers, and spirits are made makes them taste so much better. Plus, supporting Texas business just feels right! Try one or all of these cool places this month for a fun date night, get-together with friends, or awesome bonding time with co-workers. Cheers to that!