I've visited this lovely establishment three times, and overall, I've had a great experience…read more During my first two visits, I was assisted by Gabby. She truly knows how to take care of customers and has a wonderful way of brightening your day.On my third visit, I was disappointed to learn Gabby was off, and I was helped by another employee. While she wasn't as warm or attentive, what concerned me most was that I wasn't given a receipt. When I got home, I found myself trying to figure out what I had been charged for because the total didn't seem to add up.That said, the wines are fabulous, and the selection is extensive. Despite the last experience, I look forward to returning for the Bourbon Barrel Red Blend and Java Bay.

What a fun afternoon, trying some new wines and enjoying the playful atmosphere during our…read moretastings. Sasha greeted us like we were Norm walking into Cheers. The vast wine selection was so hard to narrow down to the 4 tastings. LOVED the fruit infused wines the best! Will return to this gem whenever I take out of town guests to experience Gruene.

A great stop on our way between Houston and San Antonio. Excellent samples to taste, and a very…read moregood short tour of the distilling process for Vodka and Bourbon that were underway. Very refreshing drink cocktail options, too! Travis, the distiller, almost seemed to be ready and waiting for us...very down to earth and informative. Well done!!

We popped into CY Distillery on our trip from San Antonio to Houston. Travis provided a very…read moreinformative tour of their production facility. The distillery offers tastings of their products...we enjoyed their vodka and a coffee flavored vodka. This is a small place that is a bit off the beaten path of I-10, but an enjoyable stop to break up the car ride. Their products are working their way into liquor stores.

What started as an accidental phone call to a distillery in Luling, Texas, led me to discover a…read moreremarkable hidden gem. KC Cantwell, the self-proclaimed "Chief Bottle Washer," introduced me to Edelbrand--a European-style fruit brandy with over 6,000 years of Austrian mountain tradition. The Austrian Connection In the Alpine slopes, Edelbrand production is strictly regulated by local government. Distillers receive low taxes but can only use water, yeast, and fruit--absolutely no sugar or added flavors. Violators face license revocation, heavy fines, or imprisonment, echoing Germany's Beer Purity Law philosophy. Founder Alexandra Cantwell traveled to Austria's Alpine region, where she discovered that in the town of Stanz alone, 52 distilleries operate--each guarding family secret recipes passed down through generations. These craft producers make only about 62 gallons annually, too limited for chain stores and typically served only in local restaurants. The Austrian tax system is fascinating: officials visit each distillery during fruit season to assess harvest volume and estimate liquor yield. Since taxes are based on fruit input rather than sales, producers are incentivized to optimize their processes for maximum yield. Just before Alexandra's departure, a local master discovered her true mission--bringing Edelbrand to Texas. Intrigued, he arranged for her to be interviewed by seven masters from another village. They believed Edelbrand-making is a cultivated ability, not merely a learned skill. After passing their tests, she trained intensively for two weeks, leaving not as an apprentice but as a certified master. The Texas Operation KC and Alexandra launched their Luling distillery in 2016, sourcing only pristine fruit from across the United States--no rot, bruises, or windfalls accepted. Their fermentation process occurs in temperature-controlled rooms around 65°F. While standard fermentation lasts 3-10 days, theirs extends 3-4 weeks using temperature-sensitive Austrian yeast with multiple monitoring alarms. Distillation happens in two German-built Schmidt stills with two runs: the stripping run quickly removes alcohol and water, while the spirit run precisely separates heads, hearts, and tails to capture the purest spirit. The chemistry is complex. The fermented mash contains water, alcohols, ethers, esters, acids, sugars, tannins, and sulfur compounds. The critical second distillation has three temperature phases. The "heads" contain toxic methanol that must be removed, but this temperature range also includes desirable esters and aldehydes contributing fruity and floral aromas. Masters taste the product constantly--every hour, then every 30 minutes, then every 5 minutes, finally every 30 seconds--to capture the "heart" that's methanol-free but retains aromatic compounds. The second cut separates "heart" from "tail," which contains heavier problematic compounds like higher alcohols, fatty acids, and sulfur compounds with rubbery or rotten-egg odors. Cutting too early loses flavor compounds that provide sweetness and fruity notes. Aging Innovation After distillation, the liquor ages 7-18 months depending on batch conditions. Here's where they innovate: traditional bourbon aging can lose 20% to "angel's share," unacceptable for high-end Edelbrand. Instead of barrels, they age in stainless steel tanks with lightly toasted American white oak spiral strips soaked in the liquor. The oak amount is carefully controlled to avoid overpowering the delicate fruit aromas. The Tasting Experience I sampled six varieties: clear apple, pear, and cherry, plus their oaked versions. The apple's aroma was so pronounced I could smell it three feet away when KC opened the half-empty bottle. The clear pear showed layered complexity, while the cherry didn't initially smell like cherry but revealed its flavor after a moment in the mouth. Among the oaked versions, the apple oak opens with oak and finishes with apple; the pear oak reverses this--pear first, then oak. The cherry oak achieves beautiful balance with both flavors present throughout. Worth the Investment I spent nearly $85 that afternoon--significant for a graduate student--but felt completely satisfied. The $22 tasting, $44 clear apple bottle, taxes, and $10 tip were well worth it. KC generously spent two hours with me, a single customer, sharing his knowledge and passion. This distillery represents something special: authentic European tradition transplanted to Texas soil, where Austrian mountain craft meets American innovation. If I return, I'm definitely bringing friends for the full tasting experience.

Go here! Me and 3…read moreother guys went here for a bachelor party evening. Kasey was absolutely unbelievable, his knowledge was amazing and the lesson he gave us was amazing. The drinks are spectacular. If you are into good Brandy, check this place out. It's cheap and you will learn a lot. Alexandra's ability as a master distiller is beyond amazing and you'll learn that.

My husband and I love this place. It's always clean, the bartenders are friendly and the foo and…read moredrinks are great. We love bringing our dog and just relaxing on beautiful days. I was happy to see that they had a few more German beer options available this time (schwarzbeir), and would love to see it year round, or even Octoberfest (hint hint, wink wink). There is definitely something for every taste (beer, wine and coffee).

Beer was warm at best l, below average flavor and the owner only wants certain people to come visit…read morehis location. I would choose any other place.

Came to Gruene, TX and stopped by The Grapevine. Such a lovely place to visit! A great selection of…read morebeer and wine, along with some small bites. They have a wonderful outdoor area with a stage for live music. The staff were very nice and the atmosphere is so relaxing. Definitely come check it out!

Going to Gruene, TX is a special treat for everybody. There is food, fun and music for all ages…read more The Grapevine is a great place to relax outside at a table, enjoy a glass of wine, chat and people watch. It is actually a perfect end to your evening in Gruene, TX. The service inside at the bar is usually quick and friendly. The only negative is that they only have two one-person restrooms inside. So the line is often long and weaves through the store part of the winery. Seems like they could add one or two outside. Otherwise, a must visit in Gruene.

I wanted to support local so instead of going to Specs or Skips Liquor I went here. It is a very…read moresmall store. The cashier sat behind the Covid plastic face shield counter and asked if there was anything she could help me with. I asked where I could find the gin and She pointed to where the gin was . I asked if they had Paula's orange liqueur and they did not. I was already getting the feeling I wouldn't be back again because of limited selection and inventory. Another lady walked in and went to counter they started talking. I went to check out , after a few seconds the cashier looks at me and says "ok come on".. I looked at her because it just sounded so rude to me. She said " we're just talking". I still was offended by her tone and wish I would have just walked out. I went to Skips liquor to find Paula's orange liqueur , was greeted and the guy WALKED me to the area where it was , and WaLKED me to another area where tonic water was. Now Lehman Liquor THAT Is called service. I won't be back to Lehmans --- slightly higher prices ,limited selection, no customer service, bad vibes.

Great little liquor store! Popped in after not wanting to drive 15 minutes to Spec's this caught…read morethe corner of our eye as we drove past. We only needed vodka and they didn't disappoint. Plenty of options for all liquor with many brands. Beer was limited and basic (limited craft) and their cigar selection was small they did have fresh citrus which was a bonus as we needed limes. Overall this place is great for how small it is! Also had many games (drinking and regular) for purchase. Only reason I gave 4 stars was because of the small beer selection. But their sign does say liquor and they plenty of that!

I was waiting to pick up my girlfriend nearby and decided to stop in with a few minutes on hand…read more Angela was great. Welcoming, well-versed, and has a great beer selection. I purchased 3 really cool beers for less than $15. Not a cigar guy but they have the nicest looking cigar display ive seen.

Wow.. Sydney, you're a little out of line. I understand if you had a bad experience, but directly…read moreinsulting someone based on their physical uniqueness is out of line. It's definitely not cool in a Yelp review. Grow up. Leaf & Barrel is a good spot & smells AMAZING. I've had the pleasure of meeting the employee who Sydney mentioned, and she's sweet! Laws are laws, and under the TABC LAWS in TEXAS, a picture of an ID is not acceptable. Be well prepared to show your actual ID y'all

I discovered this company while out at the Pearl this past weekend. They had a stand there…read morerepresenting their products, which was also manned by a very polite soldier that explained their processes thoroughly. He had two different meads to try from. The ones introduced at that time were the semi dry, Traditional Wildflower Mead and I believe the Cherry Nice to Mead You. I couldn't resist and bought the Wildflower which was delicious! I forgot the gentleman's name that represented that day, however, he definitely provided exemplary customer service while also explaining the process of how mead is made. He was very knowledgeable, approachable, and really represented this company at its finest! He truly exemplified the best qualities and aspects of the product he was representing, showcasing it highly and I truly admire that as it is very rare nowadays for somebody to go all out to showcase their product at the Pearl in such way. Thank you for your service once again, and I hope, especially as a veterans owned company, you will succeed and have many more followers to come! After looking at your website, I will definitely have to try that Lemon Citrus Mead sometime in the near future. Hooah! From my family to yours! Well done!

Amazing product ! We found their product at the Pearl market in STX. We will be ordering more …read more Can't wait for more flavors ! Texas made and veteran owned is a plus !