[ad_1]
Aug. 31—HURON — The United States’ 250th birthday is expected to be a big party in 2026.
And for South Dakota, Platte Creek Brewing Company is providing the beer.
On Saturday at the South Dakota State Fair, the small-town brewery from Geddes formally unveiled the special brew called “Dakota Liberty” that will represent South Dakota as the official beer of the semiquincentennial.
Platte Creek Brewing owner Doug Dykstra told the crowd on Saturday at the Freedom Stage that Dakota Liberty has been a staple on the Platte Creek lineup for a while. Normally, it’s known as Dakota Light.
“It was chosen because it’s an American lager, brewed with pilsner, and has a corn base to it. It’s light in weight, light in color, and perfectly built for South Dakota,” he said.
Being selected as the state’s official beer for the semiquincentennial was a case of being in the right place at the right time, Dykstra said.
“They were looking and we gave them samples at the right time to get on their radar,” he said. “They had a few different ones that they were choosing from and they tried Dakota Liberty. … I think they preferred being able to have an established beer, rather than one we were trying to create from scratch.”
As Dakota Liberty, the beer will be used as a fundraiser for the South Dakota State Historical Society, with a portion of each sale going to the organization.
“They definitely wanted something lighter, something that the general public could easily enjoy,” Dykstra said.
He said he’s most excited for Platte Creek Brewing to be able to participate in more statewide events as part of the 250th anniversary celebration, which is expected to run through the 2026 State Fair.
“We’re super excited about that being our beer and being on tap at different places around the state,” he said. “For us, we’re a small-town brewery and I think it represents that South Dakota is a small-town community. We love that part of it.”
The Platte Creek brewery has been open since 2021 in the small town of 250 people. The brewery’s location is more than 100 years old and previously housed a hardware store before its extensive renovation. Dykstra pointed out to the crowd that the brew team includes a history teacher, a doctor and a farmer that all help bring the beers to life at Platte Creek, something he said is emblematic of small-town South Dakota.
Saturday’s event included Dykstra’s wife Jo Ellen and son Carter helping unveil the new branding on a huge display of a beer mug. The logo includes South Dakota America’s 250 branding, which includes a buffalo silhouetted against a Badlands-like landscape.
Dykstra said the beer will likely be more widely available around the state starting in December.
“We look at ourselves going to some of the bigger events around the state, whether that’s in Rapid City or Aberdeen and bringing our beer there to share with people,” Dykstra said. “We’ll have Dakota Liberty and there will be some merchandise as well, and the proceeds of those support a good cause in the Historical Society.”
[ad_2]