Mississippi River Distilling Company sits right on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Davenport, Iowa, making it one of the most scenic distillery locations you’ll find in the Midwest. Founded in 2010 by Garrett Baumgarten and Ryan Burchett, two friends who left corporate careers to chase their distilling dreams, the operation started in a modest 3,000-square-foot facility before expanding to their current riverside location. They produce a range of spirits including bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum, all crafted on-site using a custom copper still system. The journey wasn’t easy for these guys. Baumgarten had a background in engineering while Burchett brought business experience, but neither had formal distilling training when they started. They spent months learning the craft, tweaking recipes, and navigating Iowa’s licensing requirements before opening their doors. Master distiller responsibilities eventually fell to Baumgarten, who developed their signature mash bills through countless small-batch experiments. The team’s persistence paid off when they became one of the first craft distilleries to establish itself along Iowa’s stretch of the Mississippi River corridor. What you get here is an authentic craft distillery experience without the pretension. The tasting room overlooks the river, and on clear days you can watch barges drift by while sampling their latest releases. Tours take you through their entire production process, from grain to glass, and the staff actually knows the stories behind each spirit they’re pouring. It’s the kind of place where you might end up chatting with one of the founders about the early days, and you’ll leave understanding why they picked this particular spot to build their dream.