La Crosse Distilling Co. sits in downtown La Crosse on Vine Street, founded by Pat McQuillan and Andy Koehler who opened their doors in 2012. These guys didn’t stumble into distilling—McQuillan brought years of brewing experience while Koehler handled the business side, and together they built Wisconsin’s first legal distillery since Prohibition. Their 3,000-square-foot facility houses a custom-built 500-gallon copper still that they use to produce vodka, gin, and whiskey in small batches. The story started when McQuillan, already deep in craft brewing, got fascinated by the distilling process and convinced Koehler to jump in. They spent months navigating Wisconsin’s complex distilling laws—which hadn’t been updated since the 1930s—working with state officials to even make their operation legal. The duo focuses on using local ingredients when possible, sourcing corn from Wisconsin farms and building relationships with area suppliers. Master distiller McQuillan handles production while Koehler manages the tasting room and business operations. Visitors walk into a working distillery where you can watch the entire process unfold. The tasting room showcases their spirits alongside cocktails made with house-distilled products, and the atmosphere stays relaxed and educational rather than flashy. Tours let you see the mash process, fermentation tanks, and that impressive copper still up close. What makes this place special is how accessible the founders are—you’ll likely meet Pat or Andy during your visit, and they’re genuinely excited to talk about the technical details of distilling.