In Episode 35 of Downtown Depot, Austin Meek of WacoBusinessNews.com visits with Jared Himstedt. Jared is the head distiller of Balcones Distilling, the original Texas whisky, located at 225 S. 11th Street in downtown Waco. Jared walks through the company's history, since its founding ten years ago under a bridge, to its current place as one of the top craft distillers in the world. Before that conversation, Meek reviews local news about street direction changes and TIF funding and hears about Towny, a new app that connects Waco customers with businesses sharing deals, from local engagement coordinator Hannah Franzen.

Inside the Episode:

Jared Himstedt with show host Austin Meek

0.39 - Proposed two-way street reversion
1.54 - Brazos riverfront development financial update
2.28 - Hannah Franzen of Towny
5.20- Jared Himstedt’s history in Waco
7.09 - First starting to brew
7.43. - Early craft scene in Waco
10.05 - "There was beer everywhere."
10.52 - First drinking Scotch
12.03 - Connections between brewing and distilling
14.06 - Forging a new whisky tradition
16.57 - Describing every Balcones product in 1 word
20.05 - Operations in new space on Franklin
22.09 - Perfecting the product
24.00 - A responsibility to customers’ tastes
25.33 - The purpose and problems with innovation
26.15 - Whisky in Texas