Dime Box Distillery Opens Tasting Room, Bottling Operation; Distillation Facility Plan In Progress

Giddings, TX (June 10, 2019) – After more than a year of planning and renovations, Dime Box Distillery,™ a Texas-based distiller of premium spirits, has opened its doors and begun bottling operations for its Sixth Street® whiskey brand in the historic Freight Station at the Depot Complex in downtown Giddings.

The company, which began operations at the complex in April, recently began welcoming visitors to its on-site whiskey tasting room, which is now open from Thursday through Saturday.  

“As far as I know, this is the first legal whiskey ever bottled in Giddings,” says owner and General Manager Michael Leidel. “Our bourbon labels now list Giddings as the bottling location, and these bottles will soon be available on the shelves of Texas liquor stores.”

The distillery pours complimentary ¼-ounce servings of products that are bottled on site. In addition to tastings, the distillery is allowed under state rules to sell a limited number of commemorative bottles to visitors over the age of 21. Visitors may purchase no more than two bottles every 30 days.

The company has bottled a 4-year-old bourbon and a 10-year-old bourbon. Both of these products are traditional bourbons, and the 10-year-old bourbon is aged with charred oak and toasted oak. Shortly, the company plans to begin bottling a 4-year-old bourbon that is infused with sassafras wood.

“We’ve spent the last few months getting our bottling operation up and running,” says owner and general manager Michael Leidel. “This is strictly a bottling and tasting location at present, because we aren’t distilling on site.

The site was secured through a multi-year lease from the Giddings Economic Development Corporation (GEDC). The lease was developed with the agreement that the company would purchase land downtown for the development of a building in which to operate a distillery, as well as pay utilities and maintain the building in good repair.

In return, the GEDC coordinated and funded building renovations and purchased an adjacent lot in order to secure access from Highway 290 for the Depot Complex.

Today, plans are in the works for the distillery, which will be located on Highway 290 frontage property previously owned by the Orsag family and thanks to Leidel’s efforts, the Freight Station now features new landscaping, , ew under-decking, comfortable seating, an open-air deck, signage, and souvenir items for sale. 

Leidel is also using the tasting room to display a portion of his extensive collection of vintage cocktail swizzle sticks. “I’ve always had an interest in cocktails, and I’ve been collecting swizzle sticks for decades,” Leidel says. “I think the collection adds some visual interest to the tasting room, and every stick has a story. Visitors can view these vintage swizzle sticks while enjoying a sample of one of our aged bourbon whiskeys.”

“We’re pleased to be part of the GEDC effort to bring new businesses and tourists to Giddings,” Leidel says, “and we’re proud to showcase our products in a location that is well matched to our brand identity.”

“This has been a long and involved project; however, we could not be more pleased, both with the company and its product.  Already, we are fielding calls from people who are looking at our old buildings and considering bringing their businesses to downtown,” says Tonya Britton, Giddings Economic Development Corporation Director. “We needed an anchor tenant to bring tourists and development money into downtown and that is the role that Dime Box Distillery is fulfilling.  I believe that we will look back and see this at the point at which downtown turned the corner toward a brighter future.”

Dime Box Distillery joins other distillers operating in Texas. “The distilled spirits industry in Texas is thriving,” Leidel says. “In our immediate area we have several distilleries, including Kooper Family Whiskey Co., in Ledbetter, Copper Shot in Bastrop, and Bone Spirits in Smithville, TX. These distilleries, along with Dime Box Distillery, will bring more commerce and more visitors to the area and to Giddings.”

Dime Box Distillery™ (DBD®) is a family-owned business founded in 2012 in Lee County by brothers Michael and Peter Leidel. The company launched its first product, Sixth Street® Bourbon in 2015. DBD products are offered exclusively in Texas.