Houston business owner Bryan Clary remembers his first distillery visit like it was yesterday.
He was 8 years old, but the experience left a lasting impression.
“I was born in England and raised all over the world,” Bryan, now 38, recalls. “I was a military kid.”
His parents wanted to expose him to different cultures, so they took him all around the United Kingdom. Their trip to Scotland included Loch Ness, Edinburgh Castle and Glenfiddich distillery.
“I have a vivid memory of being hoisted up on my feet and smelling the beer brewing in the mash tun,” he says.
This memory sparked Bryan’s “aha!” moment when he realized he wanted to create a similar experience in Houston.
“We wanted to build a destination distillery that is family-friendly, so people can come and have great experiences like that and remember us for years to come,” he says.
Bryan and his business partner Zachary Hiller — a Houston native — made that dream a reality when William Price Distilling Company opened in Garden Oaks. The company is named after Bryan’s fourth great-grandfather, William Price Clary, the first of his family who, in 1848, moved to Texas from Illinois, where he owned a liquor store.
When Bill wasn’t selling spirits, he was wagering $10 that his cousin would beat Abraham Lincoln in a wrestling match.
Bryan and Zack planned to open their distillery in 2020 but had to pivot when COVID-19 arrived. They pivoted by selling hand sanitizer, providing jobs to hospitality workers who had just been furloughed.
The duo also donated funds to bars so that they could stay open.
In December 2020, Bryan and Zack finally launched their spirits, then opened their tasting room in April 2021.
“It's been a long and winding road," Bryan says. "Without the support of friends and family, we wouldn't be here."
COVID-19 caused major delays and hard choices.
“We had to choose to pay rent and payroll instead of installing our equipment,” Bryan says. “Now we are looking for investors to complete startup, distill our own whiskey and fund growth.”
William Price Distilling offers a variety of spirits, including coffee liqueur, gin, limoncello, rum, rye, single malt, vodka and whiskey. The distillery's award-winning products are now in 250+ bars and restaurants and 200+ liquor stores in Houston and across Texas (including Spec's and Total Wine and More).
The Garden Oaks destination distillery combines a unique venue rental and event space with custom experiences from private barrel selection for groups to cocktail classes, guided tours and watch parties featuring the distillery's 20-foot screen.
"It's just a good place to come and have a good time," Bryan says.
To learn more, visit williampricedistilling.com.