TREATY OAK DISTILLATION
The wide variety and numerous sizes of stills we have running has given us a depth of knowledge of distillation that allows us consistency and quality. That search for consistency has led us to the column still. We have incrementally scaled up from a 5 gallon pot still to a continuous column.
BARRELS
We purchase all of our barrels from Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, Kentucky. They are a smaller operation with a similar attention to detail that we have. They are flexible and excited to try new techniques and varieties of oak so that we can zero in on the exact bourbon profile that we desire. Our current barrel is a Char 3. One of the defining points of their process is that they toast the barrel before they char creating a better caramelization of the oak.
TEXAS SUN
Central Texas has a very different climate than Kentucky and other areas producing bourbon. The wide swings of temperature and humidity allow for a maturation that is specific to the weather of the hill country. Especially the winter northers that can go from 85 to 25 in the course of an hour is a perfect environment for the spirit to flow in out of the barrel, picking up all the flavors along the way. Our non climate controlled rickhouse was designed to showcase the environment and seasons that we experience. Our bourbon tells that story.
CLOSING THE LOOP
SUSTAINABILITY
At Treaty Oak, we’re striving to capture the spirits of a place, but more—we believe in taking care of the people and the place that inspires us. We are part of a community of hard working folks who understand the value of healthy soils and clean water. We care so deeply about practicing sustainable processes that we assess our operations from top to bottom in an effort to find ways to increase efficiency of water and energy usage, decrease waste and carbon footprint, and ensure responsible sourcing of our raw materials. At Treaty Oak Distilling, doing things right not only feels good, its tastes good, too.
Sustainability EFFORTS
Awareness & Education
Water and Energy Efficiency
Resource Management
Carbon Footprint Reduction
Corporate Social Responsibility
Partnerships with Local Suppliers
Water
Pure, crisp water is the basis for all of our products and it’s the lifeblood of the Hill Country. We are constantly improving our processes to use water more efficiently, reduce usage, and reuse wastewater wherever possible.
Energy
Our operations equipment is highly efficient. By moving to steam injection and continuous column distillation, we reduce the amount of energy required to heat and cool our bourbon mash. Future plans include a photovoltaic solar array and biogas generation.
Waste
We manage our waste by farming it out. Spent grain goes to local farmers to feed livestock, is dehydrated and compressed into dog treats, or is composted and used to feed the garden.
Land
Plans are underway to secure organic certification for Treaty Oak, positioning it to become the largest certified organic distillery in Texas.
Sourcing
We source many of our botanicals and grains locally and mill them next-door, which cuts our carbon footprint. We know farmers whose hard work keeps them connected to the land. We want our work to make theirs more fruitful.