Local spirits bar MKT Distillery focuses on Katy’s heritage, family-friendly fun

By: R. Hans Miller - Community Impact

Nick and Nici Jessett opened MKT Distillery on Oct. 6 in the silos on First Street in downtown Katy. The bar offers whiskey and moonshine distilled in-house as well as a selection of nonalcoholic drinks.

The Jessetts decided to open the distillery after volunteering at No Label Brewing Co. and taking a trip two years ago to Tennessee, where they toured a distillery.

“We decided then and there, ‘let’s bring something like this to Katy,’” Nick said.

Named after the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad that runs next to the distillery, MKT sells Aged Texas Corn Whiskey, Bonner’s Point Vodka, Silver Spike White Whiskey and Old KT Shine Moonshine.

All the liquors are brewed under the MKT label with the assistance of local distiller Paul Guidry. The couple uses rice from local farm Jasek Farms in their brews, and they want to increase their selection over time.

“We want to do a bourbon. We want to do a gin,” Nick said. “We want to do an absinthe, believe it or not.”

The couple also plans to add flavored moonshines to the menu, Nici said.

MKT does not sell food, but food trucks are available. Seating is available outdoors with tables crafted by Republic Creations, also located on First Street.

Locally sourced products are important to the Jessetts, and using Jasek Farm’s rice and locally manufactured furniture are just a part of it. Nick and Nici explained they are very selective about the vendors they use, choosing businesses from Katy first, then Houston and then Texas.

The venue is family-friendly and includes TVs for watching sports, lawn games, such as cornhole and giant Jenga, and board games. There are even water bowls for dogs.

In time, the Jessetts hope to grow the distillery, which is only open on weekends, and provide spirits to big-box liquor stores.

The couple knows they are just starting out and have to build up a following before they can move on to the next phase of production. Nici works as an executive assistant at J.B. Poindexter and Co., and Nick works as a business and technology delivery manager at Accenture during the week.

“If we can start opening every day of the week, that would be great if we can get the demand,” Nick said.

MKT Distillery
5373 First St., Katy
833-658-1870
www.mktdistillery.com
Hours: Sat. noon – 10 p.m.,Sun. noon – 5 p.m.

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