OUR STORY
Coastal Bend Distilling Company provides customers with a distillery experience that captures the spirit and lifestyle of South Texas. We proudly represent the independence and heritage of South Texas and the Coastal Bend Region, and our quality spirits reward customers with an experience as memorable as Texas itself.
Opened in 2019, Coastal Bend Distilling Co. produces Live Oak Vodka, Lucky Star Gin, Colonel Fannin's Whiskey, and limited releases Louisiana Purchase Single Barrel Whiskey, Aged Rum, Copano Bay Rum, and La Lechuza Agave Spirit.
Coastal Bend Distilling Co. is located in downtown Beeville, Texas, and distributes state-wide and in limited nation-wide locations.
Opened in 2019, Coastal Bend Distilling Co. produces Live Oak Vodka, Lucky Star Gin, Colonel Fannin's Whiskey, and limited releases Louisiana Purchase Single Barrel Whiskey, Aged Rum, Copano Bay Rum, and La Lechuza Agave Spirit.
Coastal Bend Distilling Co. is located in downtown Beeville, Texas, and distributes state-wide and in limited nation-wide locations.
MEET OUR FOUNDER
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Kenneth Bethune is often asked, "Why a distillery?" and even more often, "Why Beeville?"
When any other entrepreneur would want to establish business in booming Texas cities like San Antonio or Austin, Bethune wanted to put down roots in an understated city that was a part of history. With his family ranch not far off in Live Oak County, the city of Beeville played a role in his youth and in his vision as an entrepreneur. Bethune is an advocate for small-town America and Beeville perfectly encapsulates all he loves that small towns have to offer.
The other question - Why a distillery? - well that answer came a little more easily. It sounded like a fun challenge. And it is.
Bethune established Coastal Bend Distilling Co. in 2016 and we opened our Tasting Room and Stillhouse doors in January 2019. By March of 2020 we were approved to distribute in Texas; just in time for Covid to shut much of the nation down. But we persevered. We produced a limited amount of spirits while we pivoted for much of 2020 to mass product sanitizer to answer desperate needs within our region. Since 2020 Coastal Bend Distilling has diligently worked to distribute our three main products across Texas: Live Oak Vodka, Lucky Star Gin, and Colonel Fannin's Whiskey.
With Covid now seemingly far behind us, Coastal Bend Distilling has grown a strong presence and distribution in the Texas Coastal Bend and San Antonio. We continue to make inroads to become a known name state-wide across Texas. With a small but mighty team behind him, Bethune's vision is to grow and establish a respected quality spirit brand that can hold its own against any other label and gives back to the community that we love so dearly.
When any other entrepreneur would want to establish business in booming Texas cities like San Antonio or Austin, Bethune wanted to put down roots in an understated city that was a part of history. With his family ranch not far off in Live Oak County, the city of Beeville played a role in his youth and in his vision as an entrepreneur. Bethune is an advocate for small-town America and Beeville perfectly encapsulates all he loves that small towns have to offer.
The other question - Why a distillery? - well that answer came a little more easily. It sounded like a fun challenge. And it is.
Bethune established Coastal Bend Distilling Co. in 2016 and we opened our Tasting Room and Stillhouse doors in January 2019. By March of 2020 we were approved to distribute in Texas; just in time for Covid to shut much of the nation down. But we persevered. We produced a limited amount of spirits while we pivoted for much of 2020 to mass product sanitizer to answer desperate needs within our region. Since 2020 Coastal Bend Distilling has diligently worked to distribute our three main products across Texas: Live Oak Vodka, Lucky Star Gin, and Colonel Fannin's Whiskey.
With Covid now seemingly far behind us, Coastal Bend Distilling has grown a strong presence and distribution in the Texas Coastal Bend and San Antonio. We continue to make inroads to become a known name state-wide across Texas. With a small but mighty team behind him, Bethune's vision is to grow and establish a respected quality spirit brand that can hold its own against any other label and gives back to the community that we love so dearly.
MEET THE TEAM
Robert J. Nollen, II
General Manager Daniel Naselli
Sales Representative - San Antonio Bo Davis
Sales Representative - Coastal Bend Peyton Myers
Tasting Representative |
Lindsay Horton
Director of Marketing |
![]() Craig Olson
Distiller Joseph Tenerias
Assistant Distiller |
BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS
Social Responsibility
Coastal Bend Distilling Co. guides its business on the principles of transparency, authenticity, quality, and innovation.
At Coastal Bend Distilling Co., doing business in a responsible and conscious manner has always been central to our vision and strategy. Our values are at the forefront of all business decisions, in the leadership of our executives, and in the daily operations of all staff. As a family business, Coastal Bend Distilling Co. shares a collective culture toward corporate and social responsibility that is built upon three pillars: craft, community, and culture.
At Coastal Bend Distilling Co., doing business in a responsible and conscious manner has always been central to our vision and strategy. Our values are at the forefront of all business decisions, in the leadership of our executives, and in the daily operations of all staff. As a family business, Coastal Bend Distilling Co. shares a collective culture toward corporate and social responsibility that is built upon three pillars: craft, community, and culture.
Craft
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Community
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Culture
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"Craft Spirit" Disclaimer
Coastal Bend Distilling Co. utilizes Grain Neutral Spirits (commonly referred to as GNS or NGS) as an alcohol base in some of our products. The use of GNS is disputable in the craft liquor industry as many distillers only consider grain-to-glass production truly "craft". We take the position that GNS is a part of the free market, that hand-craft distilling of spirits can be prohibitively expensive for many start-ups, and that our direct involvement in the distilling process and packaging entitles us to the "craft" label. Coastal Bend Distilling, however, will also forego the use of GNS when feasible. We are transparent when GNS is included in any of our products. All GNS products undergo multiple rounds of distilling and proofing in our stillhouse in Beeville, Texas, and are hand-bottled on site, thereby earning the label "craft" in that we have had a direct hand in its production and packaging in our own facility.