Once Austinites get used to sotol, we get a little cocky. Riding the high of learning about a new, obscure spirit, we forget it's still a big world out there. Senza Maeso Spirits is bringing sippers back down to earth — specifically to San Marcos — with a new tasting room for their propriety spirit.
Senza Maeso ("without master" in a Spanish-Italian hybrid) is made from the South American cape gooseberry, a relative of the tomatillo with a similar paper lantern-like husk. Whereas a tomatillo is large and tart, a gooseberry is only about the size of a cherry (some may recognize it as a gooseberry or a husk cherry) and is sweet and nearly pineapple flavored.
The gooseberry product is then aged with herbs like damiana and epazote, bottled at a high proof, and served on its own or in a cocktail. "The taste is bright, balanced, and complex," explains the website, "yielding notes of apricot and citrus, with an herbaceous, bitter finish."
The new tasting room opens February 29.Photo courtesy of Likeness Studio
“It was a lightbulb moment when I tried the cape gooseberry (also known as a goldenberry) at the grocery store all those years ago," said co-founder and COO of Senza Maeso Ryan Gitman in a release. Gitman brought the service industry knowledge to the creation, while his twin, Jay, handled more of the business side. "I had been bartending for some time and this was during the (re)birth of the modern cocktail movement when I decided to try and make my very own liquor out of this fruit."
If that description piques a local's interest, they can stop by the Senza Maeso Tasting Room and Bar at 1090 FM 32 — about an hour and 20 minutes from downtown Austin, and halfway between here and San Antonio. It is scheduled to open on Thursday, February 29.
The space will serve straight sips and cocktails inside a 500-square-foot bar and lounge, and outside on a 1,200-square-foot covered patio. This very country outpost is near Wimberley, perhaps the most famous Hill Country town for nature retreats, so it makes sense that the emphasis is on the outdoor space, which is on half an acre of land. (Although the town is gathering some very classy, retro establishments here and there.)
Ryan Gitman and Jay Gitman are teaming up on the venture.Photo courtesy of Likeness Studio
More exotic for the area is the interior design by the New York City-based 71 Collective. A press release calls the design an "amalgamation of science fiction, Space Age meets Mad Men." This James Bondian space (that also looks a little like the Pushing Daisies pie shop) combines an Art Deco ethos with a rich green-and-gold color scheme and knickknacks like kinetic sculptures and vintage science tools.
Perhaps to stave off sensory overload — but much more likely just because it's cool and fun — secret doors are promised, as well as Carl Sagan's Cosmos series on a loop in the bathroom. That's where you'll have your oddly pleasant third-drink existential crisis. Fans of Marfa who love its artsy, contemporary edginess in the desert will surely find similar wonder in this anachronistic pocket of Hill Country.
Aside from the beautiful, quirky design, the tasting room will offer "high concept and easily approachable" cocktails with house-made and infused vodka alongside other beverages like wine and non-alcoholic options. Food trucks and weekly entertainment are also coming in the future.
The art deco-cool tasting room looks like it belongs in Marfa.Photo courtesy of Likeness Studio
“Our years of experience, spent working, observing, and learning in related fields, have paved the way for Senza Maeso's creation,” said co-founder and CEO Jay Gitman in the release. “We've dedicated ourselves to perfecting a product that stands out, and we can't wait to share it with the Central Texas communities as we open our tasting room doors this February.”
Although the flagship product, Senza Maeso Hybrid Spirit, isn't brand-new, it was only created in 2021 and launched for retail sale in January 2023. The Gitmans had help from consultant Mark Shilling of Revolution Spirits, and the product can now be found in Central Texas at local stores and bars including Central Machine Works, Swan Dive, and Radio Coffee & Beer, Specs, Austin Shakers, and Total Wine.
Senza Maeso Hybrid Spirit is sold at several local liquor stores.Photo courtesy of Likeness Studio
Senza Maeso Tasting Room and Bar will open on Thursday, February 29. Beginning operating hours are Thursdays and Fridays from 1-9 pm, Saturdays from noon to 9 pm, and Sundays from noon to 8 pm, with plans to expand from there. More information about the spirit and where to purchase it is available at senzamaeso.com.
