in-n-out and about

In-N-Out Burger reveals highly anticipated third Houston location

Double doubles are coming to Willowbrook this year.

Photo courtesy of In-N-Out Burger

Exactly none of the proposed In-N-Out Burger spots slated for Houston have opened yet, but that hasn’t stopped the family-owned southern California favorite from adding a third location to its proposed Bayou City expansion.

As CultureMap media partner ABC-13 reports, the burger joint is looking to open in northwest Houston on the site of Willowbrook Mall. Reports indicate the restaurant will have seating for 70 customers as well as a drive-thru lane and should have about 50 employees.

No firm timeline yet on In-N-Out’s Willowbrook construction plan — let alone an opening date — but the company’s vice president of real estate told ABC-13 new concepts typically take five to six months to build and open.

That’s got to be tantalizing news for In-N-Out devotees, who raised a collective cheer when the company announced last year it would set up shop in Stafford on the former TI campus. That announcement was followed swiftly by one touting plans to open in Katy in the Y Shops at Park West. According to Eater Houston, construction on the Stafford spot is set to start in June, with a projected fall opening.

In-N-Out founder Harry Synder opened the first In-N-Out in 1948 in Baldwin Park, in Los Angeles’ San Gabriel Valley. Across its 70-odd-year history, the company had become known for a number of firsts and traditions – the first drive-thru restaurant to use a two-way speaker system, hand-leafing its lettuce on site, that (not so) secret menu that’s attracted a cult following, having its food trucks at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.

The burger chain is also well known for is its glacial expansion. The company is still family-owned and current president Lynsi Snyder, Harry’s granddaughter, has been adamant that In-N-Out won’t ever sell franchises. Further, the restaurants famously don’t have freezers or microwaves, which means that every ingredient is delivered fresh to the locations. That requires a high-level supply chain and without having it in place, In-N-Out refuses to open new locations.

The stories of the company’s expansion into Houston go back at least to 2011, proving that it’s taken eight years of development to make the restaurant a reality here in the Bayou City. Now that there’s light at the end of the In-N-Out Burger tunnel for California transplants and plain ol’ In-N-Out fans, expect the In-N-Out versus Whataburger feud to heat up (again).

burgers openings

cheers to that

Texas bourbon named one of 2024's top 10 whiskies

Still Austin Whiskey Co. Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey

Still Austin Whiskey Co./Facebook

Now if only we could snag a bottle...as a Christmas gift, of course.

Three cheers for Still Austin Whiskey Co.! The distillery's Bottled in Bond Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey was recognized as one of Whisky Advocate'sTop 20 Most Exciting Whiskies of 2024.

Every year, Whisky Advocate's expert panelists rank hundreds of whiskies based on their quality, availability, value for the price, and "X-factor," meaning an excitement-inducing component like a unique flavor or an innovative idea. An international panel also reviews contenders through several blind taste tests without knowing each whisky's producer, origin, age, or price.

The magazine ranked Still Austin's five-year Red Corn Bourbon No. 7 on the list with a prestigious score of 94 points. The Red Corn whiskey, which was released in June 2024, has mash bill consisting of 36 percent Jimmy Red corn, 34 percent white corn, 25 percent rye, and 5 percent barley.

According to panelist Shane English, tasting notes start big and bold with cracked pepper, dusty leather, and cocktail cherries, before moving on to a palate of chile pepper, caramel, and buttery cornbread.

"Each sip is electric — the pepper gives this whiskey a zing balanced by poundcake and glazed doughnuts," English said. "Charred oak fades to chocolate, coffee, and pecan pie on the finish."

Still Austin had the only Texas product on the list, which was fitting given the brand's recent boasting that it could match any Kentucky Bourbon. As a game day stunt when the Texas Longhorns played the Kentucky Wildcats in November, Still Austin refilled empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles with its own Cask Strength Bourbon for just $1.

When the brand isn't playfully antagonizing Kentucky fans, its Red Corn Bourbon sells for a retail price of $85 per 750-milliliter bottle, falling nearly in the middle of the price category out of all 20 bourbons on the list, with eight others priced for less.

For additional context, none of the top five bourbons fall under a $100 price tag. In fact, the most expensive bottle on the 2024 list is the Angel's Envy 2023 Cask Strength Port Wine Barrel Finished Bourbon, which ranked No. 12 and retails for $230 per bottle.

"Our top 20 whiskies represent a curated collection that deserves your attention. Each whisky on the list stands out for its superb taste, representing the pinnacle of a year filled with remarkable tastings," said executive editor David Fleming in a release. "This list features whiskies offering exceptional value, leaders in their respective styles, and superbly made expressions that are well worth seeking out."

Whiskey Advocate's 2024 Whiskey of the Year is Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Cask Strength Scotch Single Malt, which earned 95 points and retails for $165 a bottle.

whiskey bourbon distilleries awards lists