Marching In

Austin's massive new public marketplace brews up 2 more local businesses

Saint Elmo Public Market rendering South Austin 2015

St. Elmo's Public Market is set to debut next year in South Austin.

Rendering courtesy of Andersson-Wise Architects

One of Austin’s most ambitious hospitality projects is continuing to take shape. On September 22, St. Elmo Public Market — Austin’s answer to foodie hubs like Seattle’s Pike Place — released the second wave of local businesses to set up shop in the 40,000-square-foot marketplace now under construction at 4329 South Congress Ave.

First up is a new shop from Anthony Sobotik and Chad Palmatier, the couple behind Lick Honest Ice Creams. According to a release, the concept is a departure from the flagship brand, complete with a different name and expanded offerings that will include more than just frozen treats. More details will be spilled in the upcoming months.

“We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to join this project as local farmers markets are a huge source of inspiration for Lick Honest Ice Creams,” said Palmatier in a release. “We appreciate the mission that St. Elmo Public Market is providing Austin by focusing on bringing the community together, and we are looking forward to taking all of the things that our customers love about our brand and presenting them in a remixed way.”

Also on tap is a new location from Family Business Beer Co., a Dripping Springs brewery that opened in January. Helmed by Supernatural star Jensen Ackles, his wife Daneel, and her brother Gino Graul, the new location will act as St. Elmo’s brewpub.

Head brewmaster Nate Seale, previously of (512) Brewing Company, will bring some of the signature recipes from the Hill Country outpost, but the beer list won’t be identical. "Our focus in the market will be small batch limited release beers, one-offs of our existing flagships, and we’ll be working on an exciting barrel program,” said Graul in the release.

The pair of projects join previously announced tenants Salt & Time, Texas Hill Country Olive Oil, and Mignette, a new bakery and all-day eatery from Olamaie executive chef Michael Fojtasek. The grounds, renovated from 1950s warehouse space, include offices, apartments, a boutique hotel, and even more food businesses.

Originally, St. Elmo was announced with a 2018 opening date, but that was eventually pushed back to spring 2019. The latest announcement has dropped the seasonal projection, only estimating that it will debut sometime next year.

openings news-you-can-eat desserts craft-beer ice-cream breweries

Refill, revere, rejoice

Austin distiller refills Kentucky Bourbon bottles for $1 in UT gameday stunt

Photo courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.

Still Austin is filling up empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles and adding its own label in a display of Texas dominance.

Cheap bourbon isn't usually something people line up for, but in this case they know it's good. Still Austin Whiskey Co., a favorite Austin distiller, is offering $1 refills of its own Cask Strength Bourbon on empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles on November 23.

The promotion celebrates the Texas Longhorns vs. Kentucky Wildcats football match the same day. This is a highly anticipated game because the two teams have only been matched up once, back in 1951. Kentucky coach Mike Stoops reportedly also upped the ante by saying the Longhorns have "no weaknesses."

Essentially, this is a parallel challenge by Still Austin: Replace your Kentucky Bourbon with our Texas spirit and watch the Lone Star State win again.

"Why would I ever taint your bourbon with dried up Kentucky juice[?]" asked a (frankly, terrifying) customer on Instagram.

There is a misconception that bourbon has to be made in Kentucky. The Kentucky Distillers’ Association itself points out that, "According to the 1964 Congressional Resolution, in order to have “Bourbon” on the label it must be made in the United States of America and meet all other federal “standards of identity” for Bourbon."

Still Austin CEO and co-founder Chris Seals is setting the record straight with a little snark, inviting both fans and "skeptics" to stop by to take advantage of the deal.

“We’re deeply grateful to Kentucky for inventing the stuff, but after 200 years of the same old bourbon, people want something new,” said Seals in a press release.“The idea that great bourbon can only come from Kentucky is a myth based on decades of misinformation. We’re inviting everyone still holding onto this old guard notion to ‘Kentucky Fill Up’ to experience the difference for themselves.”

The product he's chosen to represent the brand, the Cask Strength Bourbon, is described as "a deeper more 'metal' version of our beloved straight bourbon." It's 116 proof (58 percent ABV) and has won double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition twice, in 2022 and 2023.

Still Austin will only refill 500 bottles. Here are the rules: The bottles have to be 750 milliliters, clean, intact (with the original cap on hand), and they must have originally contained bourbon from a Kentucky Distillery. There are two time slots for refilling at 9 am and 11:30 am. Patrons can get tickets ahead of time at stillaustin.com.

In addition to the fill-ups, Still Austin will host a watch party starting at 2:30 pm. More Texas-Kentucky crossover will include Frozen Texas Julep cocktails, Texas fried chicken, and an armadillo derby race. There will also be exclusive merch and giveaways. Still Austin is the official corporate partner of Texas Athletics.

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Fans of Austin sports and Austin food and drinks can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm December 12 at Distribution Hall. Find out more about it here.

whiskey university of texas longhorns