We'll Drink to That

This new members-only app will buy you a round of drinks at Austin's top bars

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Hooch is a new app that gives subscribers a complimentary cocktail every day.

Photo by Melody Fury

Ready your smartphone, because there’s a new app you’re going to want to download immediately. It involves complimentary cocktails. Do we have your attention yet?

Okay, so they’re not totally free, but for $9.99 per month you can enjoy a free beverage every single day at participating Austin restaurants, bars, and live music venues. Meet Hooch, a new subscription-based app that launched in Austin with the onset of SXSW.

Initially launching in fall of 2015, Hooch gained momentum in its home base of New York before growing its popularity in Los Angeles. How does it work? Once downloaded to your phone, you can choose from a variety of venues, scroll through the drink options, and then head to the place to show your bartender the app. Hooch will then buy you a round of drinks.

Austin is the third city Hooch is available in, and the company is offering some sweet specials during SXSW. In addition to giving away free trial memberships, Hooch is also throwing the Lose Control 8 dance party through March 20. In order to gain entrance to the secret party, attendees must download the app. You can also win a chance to visit Hooch’s VIP artist lounge simply by redeeming one of your drinks through the app.

“We are very excited to bring the Hooch app and experience to Austin during SXSW,” said Lin Dai, Hooch CEO, in a release. “The festival is the nexus of digital innovation and what’s next in music and film, which makes it the ideal time to bring Hooch to Texas. We look forward to buying everyone a round of drinks on us.”

During its initial launch in Austin, “the cool club for stylish sippers” has partnered with Empire Control Room, The Nook Amphitheater, and Blackheart, among others.

Hooch is available in the Apple Store or on Google Play for $9.99/month or $99/year.

drinks sxsw cocktails

Back to the Plow

Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market

Confituras/Instagram

Confituras Little Kitchen is closing its brick-and-mortar store, but feeling optimistic about the future.

A famers market find is returning to its natural environment after six years in a brick-and-mortar location. Confituras Little Kitchen, which specializes in locally sourced preserves, is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22. However, it will continue selling goods at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and via retailers.

Confituras announced the change in a newsletter to its customers in December. The letter called the news "bittersweet."

"Although the brick and mortar will no longer be, the good news is that this will be a fresh new start for us – we are bursting with energy and creativity at the thought of being back out in the community where it all started for confituras," it said.

The kitchen is closing because the lease is up, and the team has decided to "give up the chase." The newsletter emphasized the ups-and-downs of business over the past several years — ones that were chaotic for just about any business, let alone a small, fairly niche food operation.

"So much has happened since we decided to open a brick + mortar – a wonderful kickstarter fundraiser, THE PANDEMIC, the AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, and an ever growing city," the letter says. "We tried so very hard but never really got our footing. We know we are not alone, many small business are in the same boat. We renewed our lease during the pandemic because we were hopeful we could make it work - the changing times had other ideas."

Finally, it shared how customers could keep enjoying Confituras creations:

The Barton Creek Farmers Market is open at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
A list on confituras.net compiles retailers including Royal Blue Grocery, Farmhouse Delivery, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.
Jam share and Table22 subscription customers will have more instructions coming soon about picking up their goods in January at the same space, 2129 Goodrich Ave.
Customers may also reach out to inquire about continuing to order meals directly.

The kitchen also hosted frequent events and workshops, but the letter did not address this aspect of the business.

A shorter message shared on Instagram has inspired 63 comments so far, five days later. Customers eulogized the shop for its community feel and providing a sense of regularity during the height of the pandemic thanks to weekend pick-ups.