Fire Oak Distillery sits on a sprawling 60-acre property in Liberty Hill, Texas, about 30 minutes northwest of Austin. Founded by husband-and-wife team Rick and Angie Kallish, who opened their doors in 2016 after Rick transitioned from a career in corporate finance to follow his passion for craft spirits. The distillery operates out of a custom-built 7,000-square-foot facility that houses their copper pot stills and barrel aging warehouse, where they produce bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka, and gin. Rick’s journey into distilling began as a home hobby that grew into something much bigger when friends and family couldn’t get enough of his experimental batches. The Kallishes spent three years navigating permits and perfecting their recipes before opening to the public. Angie handles the business side while Rick serves as head distiller, personally overseeing every batch from grain to bottle. Their philosophy centers on small-batch production using locally sourced grains when possible and a meticulous aging process that takes advantage of Texas’s extreme temperature swings to accelerate flavor development. Visitors get an intimate look at craft distilling in action, with Rick or Angie often leading tours personally. The tasting room overlooks the production floor through large windows, so you can watch the distilling process while sampling their spirits. They’ve built a reputation for their bourbon and rye, which benefit from the Texas climate that pushes spirits in and out of the barrel wood more aggressively than traditional aging regions. The property includes outdoor seating areas where you can sip cocktails made with their spirits while taking in the Hill Country scenery.