Sit & Sip

drinks

Each year, new breweries pop up in the Hills, offering a variety of craft beers and guided tours of their facilities. Many local breweries offer exclusive choices for beer tasting. Watch for both free individual samples and “beer flights”—a rack of four or more testers, usually for purchase. Most breweries will also fill and seal your growler for you to enjoy later.

Expect lighter, crisper beers, some of which feature locally grown, hand-chosen ingredients when you visit in the summer. As the season begins to change, enjoy heavier porters and stouts in addition to classic IPAs, lagers, wheat beers, and more.

Brewmasters in the Black Hills claim it’s the local water that gives their beer its unique flavor—making these craft brews one-of-a-kind drinks that you don’t want to miss.

25+ local breweries, wineries, and distilleries can be found throughout the Black Hills. 4-6 different brews are available to taste when you ask for a flight!

Photo by Mt. Rushmore Brewing Company

The wineries located in and around the Hills provide the perfect excuse for you to explore something other than the typical. Whether you are a “grape novice” or an experienced wine connoisseur, you will love tasting the different flavors available here.

The Black Hills Wine Trail along Highway 385 connects the charming tasting rooms in Hill City and Custer to the tasting rooms in Deadwood.

Black Hills tasting rooms tend to be a laid-back experience. Personable, well-informed guides will introduce you to the wines the winery produces, along with the local stories behind each label.

The sommelier will often start with whites, then pour reds, and finish with dessert wines. Find your favorite and take a bottle (or two) home!

Step away from the grapes you know for a little while, and try some of the area’s award-winning flavors. Allow your taste buds to journey through the countless options of wines, starting with the lightest whites and progressing to the heaviest reds. A sip of water and a plain cracker between tastes will help to clear your palate. 1,040 wine competition awards won by Prairie Berry Winery since 2001

Photo by Prairie Berry Winery

Enjoy a martini, margarita, or whatever you can imagine at local spots throughout the Black Hills. From high-class nightclubs to laid-back bars, the mixologists at each venue in the communities around the area have prepared unique concoctions you’re sure to enjoy.

Distilleries during the roaring 20s, the Wartime Prohibition Act put a ban on the sale of all alcoholic beverages, launching the culture of speakeasy lounges and distilleries. Today, there are a handful of distilleries in which to experience one-of-a-kind liquors. From whiskey and bourbon to vodka and rum, tasting the local flavors of moonshine the area has to offer is an experience all its own.

Many local venues host a number of events throughout the year, too. Visitors can experience live music, stand-up comedy shows—complete with complimentary tastings—as well as themed food-and-drink pairing dinners.