County resident getting into the spirit of entrepreneurship

Dalondo Moultrie The Seguin Gazette

A Guadalupe County man is making a spirited effort to bring a new business to the area.

Saturday will mark the grand opening of CY Distillery, the new venture in which adult beverages crafted and sold on the ranch he and his wife operate, Brent Convey said.

“We’re located on a working ranch with cattle, horses and an equine facility with team roping,” he said. “In the future we’ll have team roping, barrel races and barrels clinics out there. Our target market is the rodeo, country-life demographic. What better way to sit out there and watch your daughter get trained on how to ride a horse than sitting there and having a glass of whisky.”

Operating the distillery on the 70 acres Convey and his family bought about four years at 1535 Hoffman Road came after 24 years traveling the globe in the oil and gas industry.

Convey spent time everywhere from Saudi Arabia, Australia, Canada and beyond. At each stop, he dabbled in what now is his new business, Convey said.

“I’ve lived all over the world,” he said. “I’ve made moonshine all over the world.”

CY Distillery will open with an inventory of rye whiskey and vodka distilled at the site. Convey plans to add bourbon later as the company currently has barrels of it aging on the premises.

Once the barrels of bourbon have reached proper maturity, visitors are welcome to buy a bottle of it, whiskey or vodka or have a swig or two in the tasting room at CY Distillery, Convey said.

“I can sell you bottles of rye and vodka,” he said. “There are rules on how much I can sell direct. You can purchase there as well as you can come over for a cocktail.”

Bourbon is required to age at least two years, whiskey has to sit for at least four, Convey said. His whiskey, considered a rye whiskey, has aged about four and a half years, Convey said.

After already barreling libations, he started working toward making it a business about a year ago when he was looking for a change and found it in distilling, he said.

“After 24 years working in the oil and gas industry and the last five or six years of the industry being what it is, it’s been a real struggle, I was looking for a different way to be at home with my family every day,” Convey said. “That’s how I got into that.”

While starting to get his start-up running, he met the two people who help run the shop.

Distiller Travis Durben focuses on operating the still while McKayla Mayfield works as sales person and provides marketing expertise, Convey said. All three pitch in where needed to complement the others and form a tight-knit crew, he said.

“We’re all a team,” Convey said. “Everybody does everything. The goal is to be proficient at every level.”

Durben had worked at a distribution company for three years but wanted to do something different. He found it in Convey’s distillery.

“I needed a change,” Durben said. “I started doing research on (distilling spirits) and learned it was an art form. It’s pretty much something we can be proud of.”

Mayfield worked at an area collision shop until she saw an opportunity for growth and a chance to be a part of something at CY Distillery, Mayfield said.

She coaches youth sports in New Braunfels and felt she is able to carry over skills used in that arena to helping build CY Distillery into something special, Mayfield said. Stepping out on a limb with the fledgling company was the right move, she said.

“This is brand new for me,” Mayfield said. “When you get a chance, you run with it.”

CY Distillery buys most of the materials used in distilling its products from around the Seguin area, Convey said. That includes grains and corn, and any other local supplies he can find, the entrepreneur said.

The byproduct from distillation, used grains, are fed to livestock on the ranch so little is wasted, Convey said. He, his wife Tiffany McGrath, 9-year-old daughter Carsyn and 4-year-old son Lincoln love Guadalupe County and are here to stay, he said.

“We truly care about the property and the environment,” Convey said. “Texas is home. You won’t get me to move anywhere else.”

Convey his hosting a grand opening event from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the ranch. The catered event will feature live music by Marcy Grace, spirits sampling and light food.

For more information, CY Distillery on the web at cydistillery.com 

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