Dakota Spirits Distillery sits just outside Pierre, South Dakota’s capital, in a 15,000-square-foot facility that founder Erik Johnson built from the ground up starting in 2007. Johnson, a former pharmaceutical executive who’d spent years in corporate America, decided to pivot completely when he moved back to his home state with dreams of creating premium spirits using South Dakota grains. The distillery officially opened its doors in 2012, making it one of the first craft distilleries in the state, and they’ve been quietly building a reputation for bourbon, vodka, and gin that showcases local ingredients. Johnson’s journey wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. He spent years navigating South Dakota’s licensing requirements and convincing local officials that a craft distillery could work in Pierre. The learning curve was steep—he taught himself distilling through books, conferences, and plenty of trial and error with his custom-built stills. What started as a personal passion project has grown into a operation that produces around 1,000 cases annually, with Johnson still hands-on in every aspect from grain selection to bottling. His master distiller background comes purely from dedication and obsessive attention to detail rather than formal training. Visitors get to see the entire operation in action, from the 500-gallon copper pot still that Johnson imported from Germany to the barrel room where bourbon ages in South Dakota’s extreme temperature swings. The facility feels more like a working warehouse than a polished tourist destination, which is exactly what Johnson intended. You’re watching real production, not a show. The tasting room overlooks the distilling floor, so you can sip their Paddlewheeler Bourbon while watching the next batch come together.