Crystal Creek Moonshine, Spicewood

In many ways, the distilled spirits crafted by Crystal Creek Moonshine are a tribute to its community. The team hand-makes the moonshine right in Austin, using ingredients that they source locally and a spirit sourced from all those people that wouldn't stop dancing during the 1920s. Atop that base, they infuse inventive and exotic flavors including piping hot serrano pepper. The distillery always has at least five different products available for sample.

Beyond its Texas ties, though, the story of this company's moonshine stretches all the way to Ethiopia. That's where co-founder Shane Berber was moved to action by the country's poverty. In response, he and co-founder Sam Wakefield opened Crystal Creek Moonshine as a charity-focused business, and now a percentage of the profits from each bottle sold goes to building water wells in Africa.