As the largest corn producer in the nation, it’s no surprise that Iowa is home to an abundance of distilleries. As many are fueled by Iowa farms, they embrace the state's strong agricultural roots, embody the spirit of Prohibition and feature family legacies.
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Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery - Swisher
Recognized as the first licensed distillery in the state since Prohibition, Cedar Ridge shows off the best of what Iowa has to offer. Started in 2005 in Swisher, it released its first batch of whiskey in 2010 and quickly became a nationally recognized leader in craft spirits. Stop by to sample the award-wining spirits and wine, enjoy a night on the patio listening to live music and feast on a selection from the gourmet seasonal food menu, all while surrounded by peacefully rolling hills.
Read more about Cedar Ridge’s rise to fame here.
Mississippi River Distilling Co. - Le Claire
Located on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi, this distillery sources all its grains from local farmers and transforms them into authentic craft spirits. It started in 2010 with an idea shared by two brothers and has since grown into a well-known destination in Le Claire, and has since added a lounge in Davenport. Stop by to sample their creations yourself, as well as tour the distillery and enjoy live music.
Revelton Distilling Co. - Osceola
Family-owned and -operated, Revelton Distilling was created after the owners visited the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and fell in love with the variety and nuances of whiskey. They became repeat attendees and met many distillers over the years, all who said they sourced their grains from Iowa. So, they thought why not take the best corn in the world and make it into whiskey, where it’s grown? After years of mastering the craft and fine-tuning a business plan, Revelton joined the industry and united an Osceola family.
Iowa Distilling Company - Cumming
With a goal of bringing the art of distilling back to its agricultural roots, the Iowa Distilling Company works with local farmers to grow and transport all their grain. The hard work by both farmer and distiller has paid off. Visit the distillery’s tap room, located inside a 100-year-old brick building in Cumming or grab some delicious cocktails to-go to sample at home.
Iowa Legendary Rye - Carroll
This Carroll macro-distillery’s beginning can be traced back to a bootlegging grandma during Prohibition. Today, Iowa Legendary Rye continues to use the owner’s grandmother’s moonshiner recipe, which consists of organic rye, cane sugar, hyper-filtered water and yeast. And it’s even distilled in pre-Prohibition era replica 26-gallon pot stills, creating an all-natural, handcrafted and hand-bottled rye that can’t be found anywhere else.
Wych Dr Distilling Co. - Cherokee
Located on a 150-year-old grain elevator site in Cherokee, this small-town distillery wows visitors and locals alike with its handcrafted premium vodka.
Lonely Oak Distillery - Earling
Known as one of the few on-farm craft distilleries left in the country, Lonely Oak Distillery is directly sourced by the surrounding family farm and other local producers. The intimate seed-to-spirit process ensures every batch comes from raw ingredients and is done with love, complete only when the batch and bottle number are handwritten on the final product. Take a tour to dive into the entire process then sample their unique creations in the Earling tasting room.
Century Farms Distillery - Spencer
Started by married mechanical engineers, it’s no surprise that Century Farms Distillery boasts one of the most unique processes in the industry. Owners Amanda and Ryan Bare turned an amateur hobby into a full-blown career, and hand built a one-of-a-kind small batch system that uses corn provided by farmers from Iowa and beyond. Every bottle tells the story of the family farm, the land and corn used in each handcrafted batch. Stop by the Spencer tasting room to sample the various flavors, tour the unique distillery and enjoy freshly made food from the onsite food truck, the Alibi.
Read more about Century Farms Distillery’s journey here.
S&B Farms Distillery - Bancroft
Established in 2018, this small-town distillery took inspiration from the nation’s original moonshiners, learning how best to make the product perfected centuries ago. Today, owners Sara and Brian Winkleman are turning corn grown on their Bancroft farm into award-winning spirits in what has become a family business. After the corn is milled at the farm and brought to the distillery, Brian works to distill the grain into alcohol using Sara’s carefully crafted recipes. Stop by the tasting room to see why their Iowa flavors are bringing home national awards.
Cats Eye Distillery - Bettendorf
Don’t underestimate this family-owned micro-distillery. With a mission of creating high-quality products at an affordable price, they’re making big waves in the industry and are especially known for the Magi Blended Rye Whiskey. Visit the Bettendorf tasting room to give it a try and learn about the distillery’s specific process.
Templeton Rye Distillery - Templeton
Rooted in the rebellious and entrepreneurial mindset that started with bootleggers during Prohibition, Templeton Rye Distillery now operates under the motto of creating whiskeys that respect the past and are inspired by the future. Take a tour of the Templeton distillery’s onsite museum to learn all about Prohibition in Iowa and the creative ways bootleggers maintained their passion for whiskey, then taste the history yourself and take a bottle of award-winning bourbon home.
Wildcat Distilling Co. - Webster City
Owners and siblings Brad and Alissa Lemke grew up near Duncombe and spent their childhood mesmerized by the nearby Wildcat Cave, which was surrounded by tales of speakeasies and moonshine. Those stories eventually inspired the creation of Wildcat Distilling in Webster City, not far from where the cave still sits. Now, the siblings have expanded the family affair. Alissa’s husband Tony leads sales efforts and Brad’s wife Amanda keeps things running smoothly as the general manager. Together, the family farms the grain that they transform into award-winning spirits. Visit the tasting room or book a guided tasting experience to sample their creations.
Foundry Distilling Co. - Valley Junction
Recognized at the only operating distillery in Des Moines, The Foundry is fueled by some of the industry’s best. It all started with Scott Bush, who co-founded Templeton Rye and built it into one of the most successful craft spirit brands. He left to focus on distilling authentic, high-quality spirits in Historic Valley Junction where he leads a small team that collaborates with regional and national distillers, brewers and vintners. The Foundry is recognized as an industry leader in custom spirits and serves unique concoctions using local ingredients inside a former Rock Island Railroad Co. railcar repair shop and foundry.
173 Craft Distillery - Clear Lake
What happens when a chemist, physician and engineer join forces? They create something that can’t be found anywhere else. This locally-owned distillery combines the science of distilling with the art of blending to create a unique take on spirits. Step inside the Clear Lake tasting room and admire the chemistry theme, take a tour of the distillery, participate in a mixology class to craft your own creations or grab a house cocktail and enjoy it on the rooftop patio.
TYCOGA Winery & Distillery - De Witt
Started as a small winery with only 50 plants in 2013, TYCOGA has since grown into one of Iowa’s best winery and distillery attractions. The distillery was added to its De Witt location in 2021 and now offers delicious mixed drinks featuring their own vodka and whiskey. Grab your drink of choice then enjoy a wood fired pizza and relax in their serene outdoor space. Visit again in the winter to enjoy the igloos.
