The three stages of Templeton rye whiskey, from left: fresh from the still, after four months in a barrel and after four years. Kevin E. Schmidt/AP

TEMPLETON, Iowa — Nestled among the rolling hills of corn and soybeans in western Iowa, the tiny town of Templeton is seeing its history of Prohibition-era bootlegging repeating itself.

This time around, Templeton Rye is legal, public and part of a broader craft-distillery trend. And taking the hooch legal is bringing jobs, spinoff businesses and even tourists to this rural German Catholic burg of 362 people.

"The distillery people came along at a good time," said Larry Sporrer, executive vice president of Templeton Savings Bank. "There's really a lot of name recognition for Templeton."

The Templeton Rye story dates back to Prohibition, when the 18th Amendment to the Constitution banned alcohol in the United States beginning in January 1920.

Bootleggers sprang up around the country, including in Templeton, population then 373. Rye whiskey was the hooch of choice, with local general stores selling sheets of copper to build stills, kegs and jugs for aging and distribution, and lots of sugar.

The market for Templeton Rye, known as the good stuff, extended beyond Carroll County to Des Moines, Denver, Chicago and beyond. In fact, the quality of the drink reportedly made it a favorite of Chicago gangster Al Capone.