Cedar Ridge

In a world weary of craft this and small batch that, Cedar Ridge Distillery is a refreshing change. In 2005, Jeff Quint -- ninth-generation farmer and fermenter -- followed his heart from accountancy back to his distilling roots when he and his wife Laurie opened Cedar Ridge, the first licensed distillery in the state of Iowa since Prohibition. In the ten short years since their first release, Cedar Ridge whiskeys have won national and international acclaim, led by their Iowa corn Bourbon Whiskey, made of corn from their own fields. Cedar Ridge Distillery is set amid rolling corn fields in bucolic Swisher, Iowa, which is located about a ten-minute drive from both Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. The distillery is a favorite local attraction for tours and tastings, as well as excellent yet casual dining including brick-oven wood-fired pizzas; local vegetables, cheeses and charcuterie; and a popular Friday Night Grill. Live music generally plays on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons, a...