Conroe man finds a new career with a rum and whiskey distillery
CONROE, Texas (KTRK) -- A new rum and whiskey distillery is attracting crowds in Conroe.
But the owner of Bartletts Distillery never thought he'd even be a distiller.
He spent most of his life working on oil rigs.
"The downturn in 2015 when oil hit about $35 a barrel, and they shut the rig down and laid everybody off, I started talking to my wife about it," Van Brackin said. "What now? What are we going to do?"
Then, Brackin noticed craft spirit distilleries getting more and more popular.
"Hang on a second. I'm a licensed mechanical engineer. I know how to cook and brew beers. I'm kind of handy. If these guys can do it, I know I can," he said.
Brackin and his wife opened the distillery in 2018, and they already have their products at local liquor stores.
Bartletts Distillery is open every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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