We recently connected with Nick Droege and have shared our conversation below.

Nick, appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

We chose the name Texas Tail Distillery because of our love of the Texas outdoors. From hunting in the hill country to fishing along the coast, we wanted our product to capture the unique tails of Texas. When you visit the distillery you will find a large neon sign with “Never Stop Chasing Tail” highlighting the importance of never giving up on a dream. Cheers to pushing forward and exceeding your own goals!

Nick, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Texas Tail Distillery was founded in 2013 with the original product, Texas Tail Vodka, hitting liquor store shelves across the state. Now, we are a full service bar and eatery located on Galveston island distilling our original vodka, Coastline Whiskey, and Seawall Shine Moonshine. My partner and I chose to jump into distilling solely based on our passion for handcrafted spirits and that same passion is still our “why” everyday.

I am extremely proud of the current state of our distillery. When we opened our first tasting room in 2018, we were wondering if we made the right decision. “As an owner, you have to take risks and I knew expanding, adding a food menu, and a patio was the way to truly become a Galveston attraction,” Nick Droege shared. Now, TTD is a known location on the island where people come for the drinks and stay for the food! Our food truck has become such a great addition, and many locals enjoy stopping by for lunch or swinging by after work for Happy Hour.

If you are a fan of speciality cocktails, great eats, and a laid-back atmosphere, here is your invite to join us on the island!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Our business had to overcome the shutdown and strict laws many bars and restaurant owners in the state of Texas ran into during the pandemic. Harsh regulations forced our business to shut down and shut out our local and tourist crowds for what felt like an unforeseeable future.

In an effort to keep our employees on payroll, myself and Greg made the decision to pivot our business and utilize our business to create hand sanitizer. When the world was running out of safe and effective hand sanitizers, many distilleries stepped up and helped the only way we knew how! Our employees were able to keep their jobs, and we were able to stay afloat until Texas lifted restrictions.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Our business has the reputation it does due to our heavy involvement within the community. From the Galveston Chamber of Commerce to the Rotary Club of Galveston and many other civic organizations, our business is thankful for the constant support of locals who truly recognize the passion behind our brand. These organizations fully support businesses and want to see every single owner thrive!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.texastaildistillery.com
• Instagram: @texastaildistillery
• Facebook: Texas Tail Distillery
• Twitter: @TxTailDistill
• Yelp: Texas Tail Distillery
• Other: Tiktok: @thetexastaildistillery

Image Credits
Nick Droege Headshot: House of Hangs Photography