2019-12-20 04:58:24
Wineries, breweries and distilleries are upping the ante with new locations, recipes and events. Taste the results. WINERIES South Dakota has a long history of winemaking, derived from local berries and fruits like rhubarb, crab apples, chokecherries, buffalo berries and plums. The region’s four wineries continue to win fans over as consumers become more knowledgeable about the unique varietals. Take a tour, try a wine tasting, or attend a concert or festival. The area’s original winery, Prairie Berry Winery in Hill City, has been making South Dakota wines for five generations and offers more than 20 grape and fruit wines to taste and purchase. The family initially pioneered near Mound City, where the area’s “prairie berries,” or chokecherries, were turned into fruit wines using “old country” techniques. Prairie Berry’s Kitchen also offers artisan plates and flat-grill sandwiches to pair with your favorite wine. Naked Winery has two tasting rooms in the Black Hills, located in Hill City and Deadwood. The grapes are from Oregon and Washington, but the atmosphere is homegrown. Try their fantastic variety of reds, whites, blushes and fruit wines. Belle Joli’ Winery Sparkling House, owned and operated by Jackson Winery and Vineyards, established in 2000 near Belle Fourche has a presence that stretches across the northern Black Hills. Their Sparkling House, a state-of-the-art facility producing sparkling wine by traditional Champagne methods, is at the entrance to Vanocker Canyon near Sturgis and offers vineyard tours that include the processing room, complete with wine tasting. Local tour operators specialize in wine tours, including Black Hills Adventure Tours & Vacation Planning, Black Hills Tour Company and Black Hills Open-Top-Tours. For more Tour & Transportation Services business listings, turn to Page 138. BREWERIES The craft beer scene is expanding into every corner of the Black Hills. Whether you’re a beer aficionado, or just curious to taste what’s out there, the emerging microbreweries of the Black Hills have you covered. CENTRAL HILLS The owners of award-winning Prairie Berry Winery opened Miner Brewing Company, located off Hwy 16 in Hill City. Open daily, the brewery produces craft beers that are traditional in nature, highlighted with local and regional ingredients to make them distinctively South Dakota. The cozy, 30-person taproom expands during the warmer months to include a large outdoor beer garden with seating for 85 people. The Concert Lawn hosts a great lineup of local and national touring artists all season long. Sick-N-Twisted Brewing Company serves 22 in-house brews using local ingredients in Hill City’s Naked Winery. Take a break and relax on the patio. Keep an eye out for events, as this venue regularly hosts concerts, theatrical performances, comedians and more. NORTHERN HILLS Stop at The Knuckle Saloon & Brewing Company in downtown Sturgis during your visit to sample their craft beer. The Saloon doubles as a museum filled with antiques and memorabilia and you’ll find all types of entertainment here from bull riding to live concerts. SOUTHERN HILLS Downtown Custer is home to Mt. Rushmore Brewing Company. Their full-flavored beers, brewed by one of only three women master brewers in the state, are built on balance and drinkability, and pair well with their brewery-inspired food menu. Their taproom features a direct-draw tap system with 24 rotating taps. Just above the taproom is their full-service restaurant, Pounding Fathers. RAPID CITY As the largest city in the region, Rapid City is home to a variety of local breweries. Stop on your way to Mount Rushmore, at Zymurcracy, a veteran-owned brewery just off Hwy 16 with a rotating menu. Meanwhile, downtown Rapid is always “hopping” with even more breweries for you to enjoy. DISTILLERIES The Black Hills and Badlands distillery scene is becoming every bit as celebrated as the region’s thriving craft brewery and winery explosion. Two distilleries in the region are ready to quench your thirst. For an up-close-and-personal experience, make sure to take a distillery tour. Located on I-90 at Exit 150 in Kadoka, Badlands Distillery is a local, family-owned and operated business that provides handcrafted distilled spirits. Their Special Reserve uses the original recipe that has been handed down through generations since the 1920s and is made from corn grown on their family farm — right in the Badlands — to make their traditional bourbon mash that’s barrel-aged into fine whiskey. Visit their tasting room for a spirit tasting session, or to purchase spirits to take with you and share with your friends. Black Hills Contraband Distillery is South Dakota’s first licensed, full distillery. The distillery offers 14 flavors at their establishment in downtown Rapid City. For the past 40 years, they’ve perfected a secret, family recipe that’s been passed down for generations. It’s said that the notorious Al Capone drank the original family recipe while hosting a friend’s wedding at a Chicago hotel and made the family’s flavored liqueur the most popular drink of the night. Visit the distillery for free tastings. Check their events calendar, as this establishment regularly hosts karaoke nights, comedy shows, theme nights and more. Plan a trip with the Black Hills Tasting Trail Map, available at blackhillsbadlands.com/maps/tasting-trail.
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