We recently connected with Rachel Green-Williams Lawrence Williams and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel Green-Williams, thanks for 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?

Naming Grapes & Rye definitely took some thought! It actually started quite organically in our home. We loved hosting gatherings, creating cocktails, and building this little community with our friends and family. Before we knew it, our friends were inviting their friends, and our home events became quite lively!

For a while, several of our friends kept suggesting we start a business, but we mostly laughed it off, probably thinking they’d had one too many of our creations! But then one day, we looked at each other and thought, ‘Why not give it a shot?’ So, we moved forward with creating our brand.

The name itself is a nod to our personal passions. ‘Grapes’ is because I, Rachel, have a deep love for wine and am currently studying to become a Sommelier. ‘Rye’ represents Lawrence’s appreciation for bourbons, whiskey, and especially rye. So, ‘Grapes & Rye’ is a true combination of our two favorite things, and we think it perfectly reflects the diverse and curated beverage experiences we offer.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For folks who may not have read about Grapes & Rye before, we are a curated cocktail and mobile tap trailer business based right here in the Austin area, with our exciting new innovation hub now open in Hutto, TX! We got our start by sharing our passion for crafting delicious cocktails and building community through intimate events hosted in our home. What began as a love for creating unique drink experiences for friends and family quickly grew as word spread.

Now, Grapes & Rye offers a range of services designed to elevate any occasion. For those looking to learn the art of mixology themselves, we host engaging and fun **mixology classes**. If you want to bring the bar directly to your event, our stylish **mobile tap trailer** is a fantastic option, ready to serve everything from curated cocktails to wine and beer. Our signature offering is our **curated cocktail experiences**, where we work closely with clients to design bespoke drink menus that perfectly match their event’s theme and guest preferences.

What sets us apart is our dedication to creating more than just drinks; we aim to craft memorable experiences and foster genuine connections. We take pride in our attention to detail, our passion for quality ingredients, and our ability to tailor our services to each client’s unique vision. We are most proud of the community we’ve built, both through our events and now with the opening of our **new Hutto location**. This space serves as our headquarters and a hub where people can gather, learn, and even rent the space for their own private events.

The main thing we want potential clients, followers, and fans to know about Grapes & Rye is that we are passionate about what we do. We believe that a well-crafted drink can be a catalyst for connection and celebration. Whether you’re looking for a unique mobile bar for your wedding, a fun mixology class for your team, or a memorable cocktail experience at our new Hutto hub, we’re here to bring a touch of artistry and community to your event.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Interestingly, our best source of new clients has been a combination of word-of-mouth referrals from the community we initially built through our home events and, increasingly, local online searches and community engagement since opening our physical location in Hutto. People who experienced our passion for creating great cocktails and fostering connections at smaller gatherings have been incredibly supportive in spreading the word. Now, with our new hub, we’re also seeing a lot of interest from people in the Hutto and surrounding Austin areas discovering us online and through local community events.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe a few key things have helped us build our reputation. Firstly, it’s the genuine passion we bring to creating both delicious cocktails and memorable experiences, something that started with our initial gatherings and continues to be at the heart of Grapes & Rye. Secondly, our commitment to building community, whether it was among friends at home or now with our new Hutto hub, has fostered a sense of trust and connection. Finally, I think our diverse offerings – from engaging mixology classes and the unique mobile tap trailer to our curated cocktail experiences and now our event space – show our versatility and dedication to meeting different needs, which has helped us stand out.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://grapesandrye.com
• Instagram: grapesandrye
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559046744558
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVlXHU-WdQjB_ks5ZWT5fHA
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/grapes-and-rye-hutto-2

Image Credits

Photographer : Kelly Phillips of Discovering ATX