Badlands Distillery, LLC

There is History in the Badlands

At Badlands Distillery LLC, we have a family history of bootlegging since the 1920s. We come from a ranching community and we are unique in the sense that we use corn which we grow on our ranch. The

Ranch, located in the Weta basin of the Badlands, is just a short distance from where the original still was back during the prohibition days. We also use locally sourced spun honey, jalapenos, and other ingredients to make our spirits. This makes us a truly unique, handcrafted distilled spirit-producing company. 

The Pioneers of Distilling

The very thought of bootlegging speaks about the pioneer spirit. South Dakota Pioneers played their part in that section of American history. We couldn’t be making our spirits today without thinking of  Jim Herber's Great Uncles. The revenuers caught the 5 brothers down on Sears Creek in the Weta Basin as they were trying to stay a step ahead and destroy the evidence of their operation that was still on. When they dumped the kegs in the White River, unfortunately, the kegs floated, so they waded out to break some holes in, but some spirits ended up in a nearby well. It didn’t take long for the revenuer to dip a little out and use as evidence to put Great Uncle Joe in jail. It was said that Sheriff Buff Solon led the Federal agents to the area where they stayed to raid. Jim Herber, a part owner of Badlands Distillery, acquired that pioneering spirit and just the right recipe through the generations.

What are you waiting for? Pick yourself up a bottle of authentic Badlands spirits and try it today!