Tito's Vodka
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Alcoholic beverages |
| Founded | 1997 in Austin, Texas, United States |
| Founder | Tito Beveridge |
| Headquarters | Austin , United States |
| Products | Tito's Handmade Vodka |
| Website | www |
Tito's Handmade Vodka is a vodka label created by Fifth Generation, a company established by Tito Beveridge in 1997 in Austin, Texas. Unlike vodkas made from potatoes or wheat, this vodka is crafted using yellow corn, undergoing six distillation cycles and is bottled without aging.[1]
Initially, the vodka was produced in copper-pot stills at Texas' inaugural legal distillery for craft spirits. By 2001, the brand had exceeded the 40,000-case production mark that defines a craft distillery.[1][2]
Today, production takes place in a facility equipped with 10 floor-to-ceiling stills and a bottling line capable of handling 500 cases per hour.[3] By 2016, Tito's had sold around 3.8 million cases (9 liters each) within the U.S.,[4] securing a 7.1% portion of the American vodka market as of 2017.[5]
History
Tito Beveridge started distilling spirits as a personal interest, infusing low-cost vodka using a pot still.[2] Commercial operations commenced in 1997 when Fifth Generation, Inc. was formed and Mockingbird Distillery was launched, producing an initial volume of 1,000 cases that year. Sales had grown to over 160,000 cases by 2007. Production continues at the enlarged distillery located in southeast Austin.
Following Tito's Handmade Vodka receiving the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2001,[6] sales and distribution expanded rapidly. That same year, it earned a four-star rating from Spirit Journal, which it maintained through 2007. In 2013, United Airlines designated Tito's as its exclusive vodka served onboard.[7]
Tito's products are available throughout the United States and Canada.[8] During the COVID-19 pandemic, the distillery adapted its production lines to manufacture hand sanitizer approved for industry use.[9] Additionally, the company donated $1 million to support development of the COVID-19 vaccine Corbevax.[10]
In 2025, Tito's acquired controlling interest in LALO Tequila.
Handmade controversy
In 2014, Tito's faced two lawsuits alleging false advertising in California and Florida over its use of "handmade" to describe its vodka. The lawsuit in California contended that because Tito's vodka is produced in a large-scale industrial facility employing advanced stills and high-capacity bottling equipment, it does not qualify as "handmade." Since the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau lacks an official definition for "handmade," these cases relied on dictionary interpretations. By 2016, the lawsuits had either been resolved or dismissed.
Tito's Prize
Tito's Vodka sponsors an annual $15,000 award known as the Tito's Prize, which supports artists based in Austin and is administered by the nonprofit Big Medium gallery. Winners are granted a solo exhibition at Big Medium Gallery located at Canopy. This award represents the largest monetary recognition dedicated specifically to Austin’s artistic community.
Among notable recipients are Ariel René Jackson and Michael J. Love (2021), Betelhem Makonnen (2019), Steve Parker (2018), and Zack Ingram (2017).
Further reading
External links
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