Craft distilleries in Southwest Michigan abuzz with creative spirit

When you think about spirits certain names spring to mind: Jim and Jack, and Johnny certainly top the list. But what about Bill, Chuck and William?

Those last three probably aren’t common monikers bandied about at your neighborhood pub or found in your living room liquor cabinet, but if you like the idea of imbibing local spirits then you just might make the acquaintance of those gentlemen sooner rather than later.

"Craft distilling is exploding right now in states where craft distilleries are allowed to sell directly to consumers," says Andrew Faulkner of the American Distilling Institute and managing editor of Distiller Magazine.

There are currently five licensed distilleries in West Michigan and several more popping up around the state, such as the soon to be opened Detroit City Distillery, all of which are by law allowed to sell their products to consumers on site at the distillery and through distillery owned tasting rooms.

The birth of Michigan’s contemporary distilling industry can be traced to 2008 when the state passed a distilling law the cut the price of a distilling license to $100, allowed makers to produces up to 60,000 gallons annually, and operate a tasting room from which it can serve and sell its liquor.

Beyond new legislation, some credit for the rise in popularity of locally distilled liquors can also be attributed to the craft beer industry, whose success is often seen as motivation for business owners seeking to branch out into other craft enterprises.

"It’s a logical progression. It became a fascination for a lot of people who are turning their creative focus towards creating something that is unique," Faulkner says.

Distilleries such as New Holland Spirits, made a name for themselves first as purveyors of high quality craft beer.

Based in Holland, New Holland Spirits makes a wide selection of locally produced liquors, available at several specialty shops around Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. And three of the company's spirits medaled in the American Distilling Institute's 8th annual judging of Craft American Spirits. 


Brands such as Bill’s Michigan Wheat, Beer Barrel Bourbon, and Hatter Royal, a hoppy barrel aged whisky are made to suit the sensibilities of craft beer drinkers as well as fans of traditional hard alcohol. But winning over beer drinkers isn’t always easy.

"When I go to tastings and there are also beer and wine vendors near our table, people tend to be afraid of spirits. It's really up to us to educate them and let them know even though it's 90 proof you’re not drinking a stine full. You’re really just drinking a quarter ounce or a thimble full," says Daniel Milsk of Journeyman Distillery in Three Oaks. "Yes it’s stronger, but you don’t have to drink as much. It’s a little difficult to get through to people, but it’s something we’re working on."

Journeyman which opened for business in 2011 creates its spirits using two German-made stills and it sources its ingredients locally from organic producers to create spirits such as Ravenswood Rye, Red Arrow Vodka and its signature WR Whisky, made to honor William Welter, grandfather of Journeyman founder Bill Welter.

"We order all our grains through an organic farmers co-op. Something else that we contribute our success to is that were certified organic and kosher," Milsk says. "That was driven mostly on the part of our owner; he’s always been committed to purchasing organic products. When you’re drinking it you know you’re not drinking anything else but the essentials."

Corey Lake Orchard, the producer of Hubbard’s Brandy also seeks to make a product that is natural and traceable.

The family-run farm in Three Rivers has been crafting a variety of fruit brandies using fruit from its own orchards for going on three generations.

"We have our standard apple, cherry, grape and pear pretty much no matter what. We have double distilled grape and apple which are a lot smoother. The surplus produce we don’t sell we use in our brandy making process," Becca Sonday says of Corey Lake Orchard, which has been operating for 53 years.

Both the orchard and the brandy practice were started by Sonday’s grandfather who recently passed away and the orchard is now in the process of transferring the distilling license which had been in his name.

Hubbard’s brandy, which Sonday describes as "genuine and true to what people were drinking during prohibition in one-room cabins in the middle of the foothills," represents a local, small batch distilling tradition that has been around for a century or more but now seems to be giving way to modern craft distilleries.

"Marketing against some of the destination distilleries is pretty hard," Sonday says. "We do really well because we have a farmers market; we have a bakery; it’s a pretty unique set up here. We’re the closest fruit or vegetable market to anybody, a lot of people buy their groceries here."

Some distilleries like Round Barn in Baroda have a diverse portfolio of not only spirits but also wine and beer to draw people in, but some smaller liquor producers haven’t been so lucky and have recently gone out of business despite the growing acceptance by consumers of craft distilled spirits.

Big Cedar Distilling in Sturgis, makers of Incentive Vodka has been one of the more recent operations to close its doors.

"I think a lot of the places that have gone under have gone under because of trouble marketing, or being too far away from where the money is," Sonday says.

Which on the flip side should give Journeyman hope of making a lasting impact on the craft distilling landscape as its location in Three Oaks sits roughly halfway between Chicago and Kalamazoo, not far off the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Of course, there are still plenty of obstacles, including the Michigan tax code which taxes distillers at a higher rate than wine makers or beer brewers.

"Each of these types of alcohol are regulated differently. Whisky is perceived as being a harder form of alcohol and with that in mind it gets taxed and regulated heavier. There are lots of efforts in place to try and fix that," Milsk says. "We’re trying to get some sort of meeting here at the distillery and want to invite our local representatives to show them the distillery."

Milsk hopes that by showcasing the distilling process, the tasting room, and the overall impact Journeyman is having on the Three Oaks community that legislators will see the job- and product-creation possibilities in the distilling industry and be inclined to continue passing favorable legislation.

Other ways the distilling industry is showcasing itself is through workshops and seminars, which also help to educate future distillers on proper practices and techniques since home distilling is still currently illegal in all 50 states.

One such workshop was recently hosted by New Holland Sept.7-12 and conducted by the American Distilling Institute. It was "a weeklong, hands on whisky distilling workshop," Faulkner says.

Nearly every detail was showcased and discussed "from creation of spirits, to the aspects of starting the distillery, to applying for the license, complying with government regulations, packaging, design, marketing issues; every aspect of the startup distillery."

Through workshops, or trips to farms and distilleries, people are beginning to discover locally produced spirits and as time goes on may begin to ask the bartender for something besides Jim, Jack, and Johnny.

Jeremy Martin is the craft brew writer for Southwest Michigan's Second Wave.