Dorćol Distilling Company

We came here last weekend for the Crêpe & Beer Social that Dorćol hosted on Father’s Day. It was a great time! The owners were there and were super nice, they took the time to explain the featured beers to us. The location is very nice, right by the train tracks in soflo. The beer and crepes were also delicious. My favorite was their kolsch-​style beer, very close to a traditional German Kolsch.

Unique in the fact that they brew their own rakia, however it’s not the best tasting liquor. You have to stand in line WAY TOO LONG to get a drink if it is a weekend night. The art on the walls would be the only reason I would go back. Give me a full bar that sells varied liquor and different brands any day!

We came in for dinner and drinks for cinco de mayo. I must have missed that they don’t usually have food here. Lucky for us, they had Vietnamese crawfish. Having never had them, I thought they were excellent, despite being mind numbingly hot!
The décor of this place was kinda cute: hipster chic.
The menu was interesting and vibrant, and the drinks were just excellent.
I tried:
— habanero strawberry shot
— apricot something or another
— strawberry port cake (I think that’s the name)
— pimms special (also unsure of the name)
— a sip of the Moscow mule (never had before — I didn’t fancy it, but our friend who ordered it says it was comparitively good)
Everything I tried was really quite tasty and had a good alcohol content. Everything is made meticulously and there were only 2 people making drinks. That said, the wait was a little long. The prices were a little on the higher end, but somewhat typical of cocktails\martinis.
All in all, it was an enjoyable experience and I’d go back.

A fun and eclectic location by the train tracks, there is something new going on their weekly. Add a couple amazing mixologists creating away and your sure to have fun with drinks and friends! Check it out and you won’t regret it.

I don’t know what Dorcol means, but I have been lucky enough to learn about rakia well before my trip here. Back in Novi Sad, Serbia and all around Croatia, rakia is a brandy-​like spirit that often comes in a variety of flavors. The most common ones were usually herbal in flavor, but the most satisfying ones I found tended to be laced with honey. In any event, it’s an uncommon spirit and certainly not one you will find frequently in the States.
Enter Dorcol. All of Dorcol’s cocktails have rakia added to them. In some cases, it takes the place of more common liquors as when it is the substitute for bourbon in the brandy crusta or can be an additive like the rakia Pimm’s Cup. Still, perhaps the best cocktails I tried at Dorcol masked the rakia altogether. I’d come back here specifically for the Waffle (all sorts of egg and maple syrup in a thick, sweet cocktail) and the Strawberry cocktail (tasted almost like strawberry cake). Again, I understand that some cocktail drinkers become visibly angry at the very thought of consuming alcohol where the additions carry the flavor profile, but if you can get over your traditionalist leanings and lack of appreciation for sweet things, Dorcol is certainly worth a look.

Amazing drinks and family owned, what more could you ask for? My brother and sister-​in law hosted a rehearsal happy hour here. The staff and drinks were equally amazing!

Awesome bar! It is a smaller venue that has a clean modern feel to it. The service was quick, but there weren’t any other people there when we went. The bartender was great. He was engaging and pleasant with out being overbearing. I also liked that he didn’t get super handsy with the garnishes. The drinks were amazing. They are all made with the spirit they distill there called Rakia. It is an apricot distilled brandy that mixes very well, and is pretty strong. The drinks we had ranged between $ 9 — $ 11, but they were well worth it. I’d definitely go back for a quiet evening with a few friends.

Oh bless thee Dorćol for making your place my go to hidden gem in town. I’m sad I have to let the city know about you but I feel it’s town to disclose your location and have everyone else enjoy you like I do.
This is not your standard bar nor is this a place that holds itself to the uppity up fru fru spectrum that can be known around town. Nope they’re genuine and stay true to themselves.
Located near the train tracks (which you honestly can’t even really hear unless you’re located outside in the patio) you’ll see a beautiful lit patio available for you to sit at.
Once you enter the doors you’ll see an impressive menu focused around the rakia that is made in house.
If you’d like don’t forget to ask the owners for a tour as they’ll be more than happy to give you one in the back!
I love this place and how low key it is. You’ll have such an appreciation for craft cocktails once you come here.
Their interpretation of iconic and innovative drinks is simply impressive!

This was my first time here for the Helado borracho social. I had a great time, the atmosphere was fun and festive and the drinks were good. They are known for their Apricot brandy, the cocktails feature the spirit. I had the pimms cup and my friend had the eastsider. Very good. Great place to meet friends for a Sunday funday!

I wrote this review in caps because my ears are still ringing from the summer ice cream and cocktail social last night. But Unilocal automatically lowered case everything, sigh.
A group of us came here sat night to hang out and trying some ice cream
The mix drinks are good, my favorite is the Pimm’s cup and NY sour
The ice cream social is a pretty happening party, we had a lot of fun trying different rakia based ice cream and sorbet
The only thing is the music was way too loud (i know, i’m old), and since the front patio is the only place we found seating, the speakers were right infront of our ears, we had to yell at each other.
Overall, I would wear ear plugs or get there super early to to find a place that isn’t in front of speakers for those events.

Great family owned business. Cool factor of 10. Live music on the weekends and great drinks.

All of their cocktails revolve around the house-​made rakia. They manage to bring out a variety of flavors with it in a range of different cocktails. While they are on the pricey side, they are expertly made and quite good.
However, a couple of things detracted from my experience there. While the drinks are great, they take forever to make. At one point, my friends and I stood at the bar for 15 – 20 minutes after ordering to receive our order. We were confused since it didn’t look like they were working on any other drinks. There’s also a loud train that rolls by every 10 minutes or so. It can get annoying, especially if you’re sitting outside.

Fantastic distillery on the southside!
I met these guys at the San Antonio Cocktail Conference, and was wowed by their Rakia! It’s a clear brandy made from apricots that’s made on a Slovakian pot still. They make tons of this stuff. Their apricots are imported from Eastern Europe! It’s like we’re at a Slovakian bar, here in San Antonio!
The owners were roommates in college, and one was from Slovakia, so they traveled back there, checked these rakia distillers out there, and copied their concept to here in Texas!
They serve a wide variety of drinks, but are all based around the Rakia. They have sweet drinks, sour drinks, fruity, spicy– a huge variety of drinks with great fresh ingredients made by a master mixologist.
The have a small indoor area to chill out and try out their drinks. Local artists’ art is shown off, and available for sale as well.
They have their work area, where you can chill out and check out how they run their still. In all, it’s quite an impressive operation!
They sell their liquor in all the local liquor stores, or you can buy it there.

This place was fantastic. I took my parents and it was a hit with everyone. Excellent drinks, friendly bartenders, and a cool tour of the distillery. I will definitely come back the next time I’m in town.

I was very pleased with our experience. Tho small Dorcol was warm and inviting with both a small bar and cozier sitting arrangements. The gentlemen manning the bar were welcoming, giving us a sample of their rakia and producing superb drinks, my hubby said the old fashioned was the best he’d ever tasted. We had a very informative «tour» of their distillery room. I can recommend Dorcol for wonderful drinks and a unique experience.

Great place! Drinks were fantastic and great ambiance. The «Watermelon Refresher» was perfect for the summer night, and then the cucumber and chili cocktail was just the right combination with a kick to beat anything similar you could find at 1919 or the Brooklynite.
Smallish bar with bartenders both highly skilled and friendly — a rare combination compared to today’s trendy and potentially pretentious mixology scene. Outdoor patio is a phenomenal place to be on a Saturday evening — upbeat and fun latin band had people dancing, strings of lights around made for a nice atmosphere. Enjoyable and chill vibe. I’ll be back!

I give the innovative drinks 10 stars
Kudos for being not just a great place for Rakia but for being a part of the community, arts scene & fundraisers just the best neighbors on the block & a wonderful family tradition

Had met these very personable guys at SACC and was curious to visit. Went relatively early on a second Saturday, plenty of seating still available indoors and outside (they have heaters). Had a great mini-​tour and explanation of the distillation process from Boyan, then followed up with four excellent Rakia-​based twists on classic cocktails from Nick and guest bartender Chris Ware. Food was available from Wheelie Gourmet truck because of second Saturday, I’m guessing they otherwise have no dining availability. Would be a plus if trucks were there on a regular basis like Brooklynite, otherwise it’ll remain a pre-​dinner cocktail option on their open days.

Excellent Apricot Rakia! A fine distillery right in the heart of San Antonio.

Nicely done! The opening seemed a huge success! Wonderful rakia, the bottle and label is wonderfully designed! I’m unsure if the drink menu will stay, but everyone loved their carefully created beverage.
Again, unsure if it’s going to stay open as a bar or be just a distillery… either way the outdoor ambience is nice… lots of stringed lights
If it’s a bar, although not incredibly convenient, not walking distance to anything else I’d want to go, I’ll prob be back. I’ll def add a Dorcol rakia to my bar… not only for the well crafted brandy, but the bottle presentation as well. :)