Ranger Creek in San Antonio is an interesting operation. The founders, who met through the UFO club at The Flying Saucer, couldn't decide between distilling whiskey or beer, so they did both.
They call their shop a "brewstillery" because they make both whiskey and beer one batch at a time. And when they're feeling really creative, they age beer in bourbon barrels or distill beer into whiskey.
Three years ago the guys at Ranger Creek worked up a nice batch of Belgian beer, but couldn't sell it because they didn't have the right paper work. (Yes, paperwork. There's lots of paperwork in making drinks.) At the same time, they needed to test equipment on the distillery side, so they distilled the Belgian beer into whiskey.
Now Ranger Creek has bottled and released this "happy accident," called La Bestia Defavorable, which is described as a "Belgian White Whiskey," an entirely new term and genre of whiskey. If you want to experience the full combo play, there is also the Belgian beer, La Bestia Aimable. (Translates to the friendly beast, while the whiskey is the unfriendly beast.)
La Bestia Defavorable is available only in Texas, at a suggested retail price of $32.99 at most Spec's. Mark McDavid with Ranger Creek said that the Spec's at 9500 N. Central Expressway should have it, and other stores should be able to get it "if customers ask for it."
Less than 500 cases of the Ranger Creek La Bestia Defavorable have been released. If you're partial to Texas craft whiskey or beer, you might want to consider a bottle.
