(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
Craft Distillery Whiskey Founders
Western Plains States
The Western Plains States include the States of: Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota
Below are links to Whiskey Founders that have made huge contributions to the growth of the Western Plains States Region’s Whiskey Industry. These may have been historical figures that lived long ago before prohibition or may be living leaders that have advanced the cause of the industry as a whole. Craft Whiskey has now been its own whiskey category for years.
1
David Epstein
Tom's Town
Upon his return to Kansas City, David Epstein and Steve Revare quickly reconnected, picking up a conversation that had effectively been paused rather than ended. Both sensed that Kansas City’s new phase was one defined by an interest in locally made spirits and by a renewed interest in the city’s own complicated past.
2
Patrick Garcia
Union Horse
Patrick Garcia always felt at home in the shifting seasons of Kansas. Garcia grew up in Kansas City alongside his older brothers Damian and Eric, and sister Mary, learning early that family ties often form the backbone of successful enterprise. So from their childhood, the Garcia siblings looked for the chance to build something together.
3
Gary Hinegardner
Wood Hat Spirits
Gary Hinegardner, owner and founder of Wood Hat Spirits, frequently challenges visitors at his distillery with a compelling question: “Why do we make whiskey from the same corn that cows and pigs eat? We should be making whiskey from corn meant for people – better yet create a corn just for whiskey.” This perspective embodies his forward-thinking approach and steadfast commitment to both agriculture and whiskey artistry.
4
Patrick Hoffman
Lonely Oak
Pat Hoffman kept the plan for his distillery to himself while he tested whether turning farm-grown grain into spirits was truly workable. By the time he raised the idea with his wife, Amy, he had already done enough groundwork to believe it could succeed. Surprisingly, Amy Hoffmann backed the idea wholeheartedly.
5
Ben Holladay
Holladay Distillery
Ben was able to purchase the land for the distillery in 1849 after discovering the limestone spring on the site. He went to work with his brother David to secure the necessary equipment and materials and was able to begin distilling whiskey at the Blue Springs Distillery in 1856. The first whiskey was sold for 35 cents per gallon the following year.
6
Keith Kerkhoff
Templeton Distillery
Keith Kerkhoff grew up in rural western Iowa, surrounded by farms and hidden stills. His grandfather, Alphonse (“Al”) Kerkhoff, was among the bootleggers in Templeton who produced rye whiskey during Prohibition, utilizing rye grain and aging it in barrels to make their product smoother and more marketable.
7
Alex Lindsey
West Bottoms
Alex Lindsey began distilling on his own more than a decade before his business became public, starting with sharing his results with friends and family and paying close attention to what people actually liked. Soon, Lindsey noticed that some people who normally avoided whiskey enjoyed what he was making.
8
Ryan Maybee
J. Rieger DIstillery
n 2010, Ryan Maybee met Andy Rieger at the restaurant and ended with the two beginning serious conversations about reviving the old family whiskey name. The legacy they were reaching for belonged to Jacob Rieger and the pre-Prohibition firm sometimes rendered as Jacob Rieger & Company.
9
Kyle Merklein
Holladay Distillery
Kyle Merklein’s passion for bourbon and distillation is rooted in both science and craftsmanship. As Master Distiller at Holladay Distillery in Weston, Missouri, he combines his technical expertise with a deep appreciation for the art of whiskey-making, ensuring that every bottle reflects the highest standards of quality and innovation.
10
Jeff & Laurie Quint
Cedar Ridge
Jeffrey (Jeff) Anthony Quint, alongside his wife Laurie, founded Cedar Ridge Distillery in 2005 in Swisher, Iowa, becoming the first licensed distillery in Iowa since Prohibition. Fueled by a passion for spirits and a deep-rooted connection to winemaking, Jeff envisioned creating not just a distillery, but a destination that would offer a unique experience for both locals and visitors traveling through the Midwest.
11
Jacob Rieger
J. Rieger DIstillery
Jacob Rieger opened a grocery store, a practical business for a new immigrant family, and one that put him in daily contact with the rhythms of a booming river-and-rail city. At that time in history, Kansas City, Missouri, was not bashful about any form of appetite, industrial, commercial, or recreational.
12
Jamie Siefken
Cedar Ridge
In 2010, Jamie Siefken joined Cedar Ridge Distillery as General Manager. It was a consequential moment to step into the operation. Cedar Ridge wasn’t merely a tasting room; it was a hybrid business that had to balance tourism, production realities, and distribution, with wine and spirits under one roof.
13
Dave Weglarz
Still 630
Dave Weglarz took ownership of the location he intended to turn into a distillery and moved into what was previously a Hardee’s. He positioned himself as the working distiller. He planned to build the brand’s identity around intensity, experimentation, and a refusal to be subdued, despite several setbacks.