MEET NATHAN BITZ

OWNER AND FOUNDER OF AERODROME DISTILLING

There’s nothing quite like sipping a locally crafted spirit that captures the essence of where it was made. At Aerodrome Distilling in Flour Bluff, each pour carries the soul of the Coastal Bend. From the grains to the glass, everything happens on-site, right down to the bitters used in their cocktails. For owner Nathan Bitz, this isn’t just about making bourbon. It’s about making something that couldn’t be created anywhere else.

Originally from California, Nathan spent 26 years in the Navy. During his service, he was stationed at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and found himself drawn to the area's mix of opportunity, climate, and character. The more time he spent here, the more it felt like the right place to put down roots, and to bring his passion for fine spirits to life.

"I used to travel around the world, usually drinking from port to port,” he said. “As I got older, my drinking habits changed. I started appreciating fine spirits, and that led to a curiosity."

That curiosity turned into a business, and not just any business, but the only distillery producing spirits in Corpus Christi city limits. Nathan moved to the area in 2017, bought the property for the distillery in 2018, and opened at the end of 2019, just in time for the COVID-19 pandemic that affected many businesses. At the time, he was still on active duty, and on weekends, he would walk over and work on the distillery himself.

Everything at Aerodrome is done the old-fashioned way. Nathan describes himself as a pre-prohibition, European-style distiller, which means no commercial enzymes, no additives, no artificial shortcuts, just traditional techniques and a deep respect for the craft. Fermentation tanks are left open, allowing naturally occurring yeast and bacteria from the local environment to interact with the mash.

"What we bring to the city is just this utter uniqueness,” he said. “This is Corpus Christi bourbon. Literally."

The distillery’s spirits reflect that sense of place. The bourbon is the standout, but the tequila, a house-made genepy inspired by an 1855 French recipe for green chartreuse, and a collection of rums add variety to the lineup. Nathan compares the process to being a mad scientist and experimenting with flavors to get it right.

Located at 401 Aviation Drive, Aerodrome Distilling is more than just a place to try spirits. It’s an experience. The décor draws heavily from Nathan’s Navy aviation background, with old flight instruments embedded into tables and aviation wings built into the floors to display a tension between tradition and modern decor.

"My distilling techniques are similar to pre-prohibition days, but all the equipment is modern, state-of-the-art."

The spirits are single-barrel and cask strength, with no water added for proofing, so each barrel has its own unique flavor profile. Bourbon here doesn’t sit in a warehouse for ten years. Instead, it benefits from Texas heat and humidity to age rapidly and intensely. Their two-year bourbon rivals eight- to ten-year-old Kentucky bourbons in complexity and depth. Starting next year, they’ll be offering their first four-year “bottled in bond” release, which is a milestone of both quality and authenticity in the bourbon world.

If the spirits are the main act, the cocktail menu is the encore. Aerodrome’s cocktail philosophy is rooted in simplicity and tradition, designed to showcase the spirit rather than mask it. The Old Fashioned is made with house-distilled bourbon, bitters crafted in-house, and maple syrup barrel- aged for eight months in used bourbon barrels. No gimmicks, no shortcuts, just excellent ingredients used well.

"Classic cocktails have stood the test of time,” he said. “Those are really good, especially when you make them with really good ingredients."

Aerodrome Distilling is a rare gem on the Coastal Bend, a place where tradition meets precision, and local means every step of the process. From its humble start as a weekend project to its reputation as one of the most unique distilleries in Texas, Aerodrome is proof that sometimes, the best spirits are the ones made close to home.