Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling

4834 Whirlwind Dr, San Antonio, TX 78217, USA

Address:	4834 Whirlwind Dr, San Antonio, TX 78217, USA
Phone:	+1 210-775-2099
Site:	drinkrangercreek.com
Rating:	4.6
Working:	Closed Closed Closed 6–10PM 5–9PM 5–9PM Closed

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 8

viva yoyis

I honestly thought I would get bored when I saw that the tour takes 2 to 3 hours. Weve gone on a lot of beer tours, locally and throughout the USA, so I didnt really expect to learn anything new. We really enjoyed it. The brewery is in one of those industrial pocket locations thats a bit ratty, but dont let that deter you from going. Its just right off that mess of roads where 410 & I-35 meet. If youre coming from 410, ignore Google directions and get off the next exit to Thousand Oaks, then loop around. Tours are on Saturday, & start at 2pm, when they open. The tour is $10, and gets you three tickets. You get a choice of three beers, or two beers & a whiskey tasting. No flights here, you get a full size mason jar/glass of beer, and the glass is yours to keep. The whiskey is served neat, in little medicine size cups. Theres no food, and no restaurants in the industrial park, so make sure you have a good lunch, or youre going to feel it after two beers and three whiskies. Be warned, theres one bathroom (and one porta potty) for an average of 70 people. My favorite Ranger Creek beer has been Red Headed Stranger since they started making it, so I decided to try something different. The San Antonio Lager, which has won medals, tasted pretty much like any other lager. The Mission (cant remember the full name) took me by surprise. It smelled like grapefruit, but didnt have that sour flavor that normally accompanies citrusy beers; it was darker than expected, and leaned a little more towards an amber. I enjoyed it more than the lager. My spouse, who doesnt like IPAs, tried the black IPA (again cant remember the name, sorry), and he really liked it. For those that dont like the heat, dont take the tour in summer. These types of businesses are laid out to maximize workflow, not meet expectations of comfort. Ive never known a cool summer in Texas, so the production warehouse will be uncomfortably warm for some of you. It was about 85-90 degrees in the warehouse, on a 100 degree day, but I didnt break a sweat until we stepped outside to the whisky container. It all depends on what youre used to. The entrance/taproom/gift store is air conditioned. We took the tour with Mark, one of the owners. He went into a lot more detail than Ive seen at other tours, which was nice, and answered everyones questions. The best part was learning about about the production of whiskey from beer, the whys of aging, and all the rules that go into styling it. I got a kick out of the tanks being named for rangers; Big Foot Wallace has his own little corner. But honestly, one of the things that really impressed me about this place, is that its a family affair and they support Texas farmers. Marks parents are a part of this business; his father gave the other tour, and his mother works the gift shop. They use Texas grown corn, and give the grain slop to local farmers for feed. If youre a local and you like beer (& whiskey), I encourage you to visit Reader Creek. I dont know why it took us so long to go check it out.

Kris Umlauf

The brewery and distillery tour (approx. a 3 hour tour!) is one of the best tours of this type Ive experienced. Our tour guide was genuine, entertaining and informative, and the time passed quickly....plus you can have a drink in hand throughout the tour. $10 includes the tour, a mason jar logo glass and 3 tasting tickets; we went for the 2 beer tasting and 1 whiskey "flight" deal. The beer is poured into your included jar, the whiskey samples are passed around in mini plastic solo cups (and they arent keeping strict track of your samples). The tasting room is comfy and offers a lot of seating in the modest sized room, and its fun to look around at their displays, whiskey barrels and items for sale. Ive been a long time fan of their Berliner Weisse and Strawberry Milk Stout (they use Poteet, TX strawberries!), but it was nice to be able to try their less available beers such as their Oktoberfest and their latest Small Batch. Theres a lot of pride that goes into their craft beer and whiskey process and ingredients.

Jeff Taylor

Hit their spring fling today. Line was 40+ deep when we got there right at the start time. Got in in about 15 mins...so pretty fast considering. $10 got you in the door, a glass (for keeps), & either 3 beers or 2 beers and a whiskey sample flight. We went for 2/1 and enjoyed it. I got a heife beer and a strawberry porter. Heife was the better of the two for sure, but their wasnt much strawberry taste (none really) in the porter, good thing though. Whiskey tasting was good as I am not usually a whiskey/scotch guy. Mark walked us through variations in methods for tasting them and we sampled 4x varieties. Rim fire scotch was my favorite. The place was really crowded and I didnt bring a chair do we didnt stay long. They had 3 food trucks there that looked good but I was saving my appetite for another place so I didnt try them. Also had a live band and corn hole boards.

Felipe Duron

Have been to a few special events here at the brewery. Even when at max capacity,things seemed organized and under control. They have a great lineup of beers and bourbon and whiskey. I am a long time craft beer drinker, and can honestly say I enjoy all of their beers. Beer recipes are great examples of traditional styles brewed with quality ingredients. Besides the regular lineup,there are seasonal and special releases. Ranger Creek has a barreled beer program. I absolutely loved the bourbon barreled brown and stout. I do not drink bourbon or whiskey so I can not give a first hand review. I have gifted a few different bottle variations to friends, all my friends were happy with their gifts. Tasting room hours are available on the Ranger Creek website. Ranger Creek is worth a visit.

Chelsea Cox

The people here are really nice and accommodating. My husband enjoyed the whiskey and I enjoyed the hefe and a few of the other beers. The only downside to the experience was how HOT it was inside. There seemed to be such a small amount of cool air pretty much everyone was sweating! Aside from that it was a great experience and we would definitely go back in the cooler months!

James Lowe

This is a nice venue, especially for those interested in a brewing and distilling tour. The staff and service is very good and friendly. The beer is average as craft beers go. When I did the tour most of the beer was hop forward or sour and I prefer neither. I thought their bourbon was very good. I also tasted their single malt whiskey... not so good.

Ole Cowboy

Ranger .36 is the best Bourbon that has ever passed my lips in over 50 years of drinking bourbon and water. Their Mesquite smoked Scotch is different but its great and puts a Texas spin on Scotch. They also offer several beers and while not a major beer drinker I enjoyed the ones they have. Great folks, stop in and see them...

Rick Benson

If you love Texas beer you will love this place. If you love Texas Bourbon then you will love this place. They are playing will some cool ideas to keep Texas beverages fun. I loved it. The tour was great and the beer and bourbon were excellent. If you are in San Antonio, Texas this should be on your list of places to visit.