Another one bites the dust

Sorry to see one of our favorite liquor stores, Wiggy's, close its doors. But things move on.

Texas Tea

No, no, not oil. (BP thinks they've stanched the British Tea in the gulf but that's another story.) This is a shop window (Wiggy's on W. Sixth) showing some Texas liquors including one called Graham's Texas Tea, a tea vodka. Besides the Texas-shaped bottle we also see locally familiar names: Balcones and Dripping Springs. The Orange Liqueur is Paula's Texas Orange which is made by, yes, our friend Paula. It's been around quite a while and it is used in place of Grand Marnier or Triple Sec in Margaritas and in other mixed drinks that need an orange liqueur. So, yeah, you can drink local around here and not just beer.

Favorite Liquor Store

Well, not my favorite, but the name of a long-standing liquor store on West Sixth with some good, old-fashioned neon still burning. My favorite liquor store would be more problematic. This one will be close to my new home, but I can't ever remember shopping there.

Iconic Liquor Store

West Sixth Street has restaurants, bars and galleries but also a couple of liquor stores that have outlasted most everything. Wiggy's is truly iconic. It's been there as long as I've been in Austin and, I think, even longer based on the creaky wooden floors inside. They have the usual brands but also some fine wines. They weren't open when I took this but, when they are, I think they have a cigar store Indian outside. Yeah, I think they have the tobacco vice covered, too.

Tito's Vodka

We were in the bar at Taverna on 2nd Street last week and some folks from Tito's Vodka were there. I got a free gimlet (served up in a martini glass as shown here) and they gave us hats and T-Shirts, too. You see Tito's poured all over town. It's locally distilled. That seems to be a thing now. Think Globally, Drink Locally.

Texas Spirit(s)

Daniel Barnes is making rum in Central Texas from all Texas ingredients. He was pouring samples at one of the neatest invitation only receptions of the weekend on Saturday night. (No, not for Lady Bird's mourners. This one was for the birthday of a local food writer and was held at the iconic Boggy Creek Farms and had lots of locally famous foodies contributing to one ultimate pot luck.) Daniel and his lovely companion (sorry, didn't get her name) posed with the rum they are making from raw materials sourced in Texas. It's called Treaty Oak Platinum. They were giving away samples at the party. Daniel and his company join several other Central Texans who distill here. I understand it's good to eat local food (saving transportation and such). That must go for liquor as well!