In the heart of the Texas Hill County on the outskirts of San Marcos sits an unassuming building that houses the Senza Maeso Tasting Room and Bar. But step inside, and San Martians can be transported to a retro-futuristic world that has been carefully curated to provide a unique experience for guests—from the decor to the cocktails.

Ryan Gitman, the co-founder of Senza, has poured his passion for music, design and bartending into creating artisanal hybrid spirits. The two spirits currently available—Senza Maeso and R.A.Y. Vodka—can be purchased in cocktails and by bottle at the Tasting Room that opened in February.

“[The bar] is crossing decades and genres,” Gitman said. “It's supposed to feel like an alternate universe kind of thing. And so I want people to walk away feeling like they actually got to experience something unique.”

The backstory

Senza Maeso came to life with the help of Gitman's twin brother, Jay, who runs the business side of the operation. The journey into the business venture began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Gitman tried a gooseberries from a local grocery store and had a “lightbulb moment.” From there, he spent years perfecting the spirit and concocted the first few batches in his closet before taking the leap to start production on a larger scale.




The inspiration

Before opening Senza Maeso, Gitman was a career bartender and musician. One of the qualities he was set on upholding in his brand is to make an affordable and versatile spirit for the blue-collar industry. Bottles of both Senza Maeso and R.A.Y. Vodka ring in at under $30.

“I think Austin and San Antonio and the growth that's all happening around here is a place for innovation. Spirits are either 150 years old or made by a venture capitalist, [a] celebrity or something. Bartenders start bars; bartenders don't create liquor brands usually. And I really pride myself on that; I wanted to create a bartender service industry spirit, and so that's how we're attacking it.”

The tasting room includes a diverse cocktail menu that showcases the versatility of Senza spirits, from tiki-inspired creations to classic cocktail variations.




Some of the signature cocktails include Blind Science, Peggy's Martian Vacation and the Pink Cadillac. Adaptations of classic cocktails on the menu include an espresso martini, bloody marry and Moscow mule. Gitman attributes his general manager, Jennine Turow, to helping to bring the vision to life and create a menu that can appeal to everyone.

Looking ahead

In the future, Gitman has ambitions to extend Senza Maeso’s influence to outside the Hill Country and take the spirit nationwide, positioning Senza as the “artistic little brother” to the industry’s giants.