Which Are South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa’s Most Iconic Drinks?
When the discussion of a state's signature drink comes up you're most likely going to assume that whatever it is you'll find it being whipped up by your favorite bartender in your favorite neighborhood watering hole.
But that's not necessarily the case.
Recently, 24/7 Tempo did a deep dive into state websites, alcoholic beverage industry publications, and various pop culture sources to compile a comprehensive list of the most iconic beverage from each state.
Just a heads up, you are not going to find the Mount Rushmore State's behind the bar.
South Dakota is one of 20 states that have designated milk as its official beverage, but the only one on this list that actually has milk as its signature drink. That's a nod to the state's dairy industry, which produces more than 300 million gallons of milk annually.
Two other states have milk-based drinks - Rhode Island's Coffee Milk (chocolate milk with coffee syrup) and Mississippi's Milk Punch (milk, bourbon, sugar, vanilla extract, and nutmeg).
If you're a bit let down by South Dakota's choice, it could actually be worse. Indiana's signature drink is listed as water. It became that state's official beverage in 2007.
In Minnesota, they reach for something quite a bit stronger.
The Bootleg (or Bootlegger) dates back to the Prohibition Era and can be made with gin, rum, or vodka, combined with frozen limeade and lemonade, simple syrup, and chopped mint, with a float of club soda.
Over in Iowa, it's a staple of the bar scene, the Tom Collins.
There is no known connection with the state, but it consistently ranks as Iowa's most popular cocktail.
It’s a great way to beat the heat during the summer with a pretty simple list of ingredients: gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda.
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