Spotlight: La Crosse Distilling Co.
Meet La Crosse Distilling Co. — the purpose-first craft distillery redefining what “grain-to-glass” can mean and the Seeing Green Solutionist of the Day for October 10.
La Crosse is raising the bar on what spirits can be: rooted in community, powered by sustainability and proud of its Driftless Region roots.
Distilling with Purpose
Founded in 2018 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the distillery began with a simple idea: make honest, organic spirits that reflect the land they come from. The founders looked around at the Driftless Region’s rolling farmland and saw the chance to build something circular — sourcing from nearby growers, using renewable energy and giving back to the soil that sustains them. The result: small-batch spirits that carry the story of local grains, clean energy and care for place.
A New Kind of Craft
The La Crosse team calls their approach “field-to-still.” They work directly with local farmers to grow certified-organic grains, sourcing heirloom corn and rye from just a few miles away. Their focus on regional agriculture keeps money in the local economy and cuts the emissions of long-haul supply chains. Inside the distillery, geothermal systems power production while spent grains are returned to farms for feed or compost — a full-circle approach that’s as practical as it is principled.
The Proof Is in the Pour
Their lineup — from Fieldnotes Vodka and High Horse Gin to Downtown To Dusk Rum and High Rye Light Whiskey — captures the essence of the Driftless landscape. Each bottle is a nod to transparency and terroir: clean water, organic ingredients, regional partnerships and regenerative intent. It’s a model for how local producers everywhere can turn craft into climate action.
Raising Spirits, Restoring Place
Distilling can be resource-intensive, but La Crosse shows it doesn’t have to be extractive. By using renewable energy, supporting sustainable farms and minimizing waste, they’re proving that flavor and responsibility can coexist beautifully. Because great spirits shouldn’t just taste good — they should do good.