Still Austin Whiskey Co. Wins Top Industry Award
The Austin-based distillery secures the Rising Drinks Brand of the Year title from Next Wave.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Cocktails
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Still Austin Whiskey Co. has been named Rising Drinks Brand of the Year by the industry organization Next Wave. The distillery, which operates in the St. Elmo neighborhood, reached a milestone of 100,000 visitors in 2025.
Why it matters
The recognition reflects the company's growth within the competitive American whiskey market, which produced over 350 million proof gallons in 2024. Their success highlights the regional impact of 2013 state legislation allowing Texas distillers to sell spirits directly to consumers.
The distillery utilizes 100 percent Texas grains across its production line, including 100 percent Brasetto rye for its artist rye whiskey. This output contributes to a national industry volume that reached 350 million proof gallons in 2024.
The players
Still Austin Whiskey Co.
This distillery operates in the St. Elmo neighborhood of Austin and focuses on using locally sourced Texas grains.
Cleveland Seals
He is the founder who initiated the whiskey distillery project in 2012.
John Schrepel
He served as the lead distiller who produced the company's inaugural liquid in 2017.
The details
Founded as a project in 2012, the company broke ground on its St. Elmo facility in 2014 and began distilling its first liquid in 2017. The brand employs specific élevage methods for blending and maturation, utilizing white corn for its Musician bourbon.
Timeline
2012: The project was initiated by Cleveland Seals.
2013: New Texas law permitted direct spirit sales and on-premise tastings.
2014: Ground was broken on the distillery facility in the St. Elmo neighborhood.
2017: John Schrepel distilled the first liquid for the company.
2025: The facility hosted 100,000 visitors throughout the year.
Culture Shift
Still Austin Whiskey Co.'s business model directly follows the pattern established by the 2013 Texas law allowing direct-to-consumer spirit sales. This shift has enabled a new wave of local craft producers to thrive by bypassing traditional distribution hurdles.
Local residents and visitors can continue to visit the St. Elmo facility for on-premise tastings permitted by state law. The distillery’s growth indicates that demand for locally sourced Texas-grain spirits remains high for regional consumers.
The takeaway
The success of the brand demonstrates how state-level regulatory changes can catalyze growth for craft spirit producers. Consumers interested in supporting local agriculture may look for products labeled with 100 percent Texas grains to mirror this regional trend.
Further reading
For more on local beverage industry trends, explore the Austin Cocktails section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by VinePair.
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Do you prioritize buying spirits from local independent distilleries over purchasing major national brands?
