Recommendations, recipes, and Texas pride from the folks who stock the shelves. New guides land here as the seasons (and our tastes) change.
Monarch Liquor's Lakeway store at 1700 Ranch Road 620 N has a walk-in beer cave and a 17-door cooler, the biggest cold beer selection of our two Austin locations. Every case, six-pack, and seltzer is kept refrigerated from delivery to checkout, with Texas breweries like Austin Beerworks, Live Oak, Real Ale, Saint Arnold, and Shiner alongside lake-ready seltzers and canned cocktails.
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The best wines under $20 come from regions that overdeliver: Spanish Garnacha, Côtes du Rhône, and Argentine Malbec for reds; Portuguese Vinho Verde and Chilean Sauvignon Blanc for whites; Spanish Cava and French Crémant for bubbles; and Texas Hill Country bottles from Fall Creek, Becker, and Llano Estacado. Monarch Liquor stocks all of these at its East Austin and Lakeway stores.
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Alcohol delivery in Austin works like this: shop a licensed liquor store's website, choose delivery or curbside pickup, and have a 21+ adult with a valid government photo ID meet the driver. Monarch Liquor delivers from its own shelves Monday through Saturday, 10am to 9pm, with no Sunday delivery under Texas law.
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Texas package (liquor) stores may sell Monday through Saturday from 10am to 9pm and must close on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Beer and wine are sold at grocery and convenience stores on Sundays starting at 10am. Alcohol delivery requires a TABC delivery permit and a 21+ recipient with valid photo ID at handoff.
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Plan on about one drink per guest per hour, with a little extra in the first hour, so a 4-hour party needs roughly 5 drinks per guest. A 750 ml bottle of wine pours about 5 glasses, a 750 ml bottle of spirits makes about 16 cocktails, a 1.75 L bottle about 39, and a case of beer is 24. For 50 guests over 4 hours, that works out to roughly 4 to 5 cases of beer, 20 bottles of wine, and 3 to 4 bottles of spirits with mixers.
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Ranch water is a West Texas highball made with 2 oz blanco tequila, 1/2 oz fresh lime juice, and Topo Chico mineral water, served over ice in a tall glass or built right in the Topo Chico bottle. It's lighter and drier than a margarita, with no sugar added. Any clean 100% agave blanco works; for a fully Texan version, swap in Desert Door sotol.
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The best Texas bourbons and whiskeys we stock come from seven distilleries: Garrison Brothers (Hye), Balcones (Waco), Still Austin (Austin), Treaty Oak (Dripping Springs), Ironroot Republic (Denison), Milam & Greene (Blanco), and Andalusia (Blanco). For an everyday pour under $50, start with Still Austin The Musician or Balcones Texas Pot Still Bourbon; for a gift, Garrison Brothers Small Batch or Ironroot Harbinger. Texas heat ages whiskey fast, so expect bold oak and dark sugar even in younger bottles.
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If you're on the Lakeway, Steiner Ranch or Bee Cave side of Lake Travis, the closest full liquor store is Monarch Liquor's Lakeway location at 1700 Ranch Road 620 N #107B, Austin, TX 78734, next to Don Mario Mexican Restaurant. It's open Monday through Saturday, 10am to 9pm, and closed Sunday under Texas law. It has a walk-in beer cave, a 17-door cooler, and online ordering for curbside pickup or delivery.
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Our staff's favorite bourbons and whiskeys at every price, plus the Texas whiskeys worth seeking out.
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Five classic cocktails anyone can make at home: Margarita, Ranch Water, Old Fashioned, Paloma, and Espresso Martini.
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A tour of Texas-made spirits: Tito's and beyond in vodka, Desert Door sotol, Hill Country gin, and the state's best whiskeys.
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