1/7/2024 0 Comments Long road distillersWell, Aquavit was certainly the thing that put us on the map. What spirits do you consider your “strengths” or flagships & why are you distilling those particular spirits? While neither of us had any experience in distilling or hospitality, we were confident and committed to proving that world class spirits could be produced at Long Road using Michigan-grown agricultural ingredients. If you know much about the culture of West Michigan, temperance was pretty fierce given some of the religious history in the region.Īdditionally, Michigan has the second greatest agricultural diversity in the country next to California, so we have access to world class grain and fruit all within a short proximity to our distillery. Funny thing is that in all our research, there had never been a legal distillery in the history of Grand Rapids. With our proximity to amazing agriculture and the water we get from Lake Michigan, it just seemed like this was a place that needed a distillery. The people of GR obviously loved beer, but there was also an emerging farm-to-table restaurant scene. Grand Rapids just seemed like such an amazing place to start a distillery. It was great being in a town where there was so much appreciation for craft beer, but at heart, Jon and I love spirits and cocktails. When we came up with the idea for Long Road, Grand Rapids had been voted Beer City USA several years in a row. In his own words, Kyle talks about their distilling process, how they are surviving pandemic and how he sees the world of craft distilling/small batch spirits evolving. On top of being in the pandemic-struggling field of craft distilling, they also operate two restaurants/cocktail bars (Grand Rapids and Grand Haven) and a tasting room (Boyne City). With Vendome Copper & Brass Works and Müller stills, they turn out a wide range of spirits, including aquavit, nocino, vodka, gin, bourbon, corn whiskey, rye whiskey, apple brandy, rum, fruit liqueurs and their Amaro Pazzo coffee amaro. From the beginning, Kyle and Jon committed to local Michigan ingredients and “grain-to-glass.” They opened what ended up being the first distillery ever in their home of Grand Rapids, where Kyle lives with his wife and two children. Long Road Distillers co-founders, Kyle VanStrien and Jon O’Connor, have racked up awards and nominations since launching their Grand Rapids distillery over a shared passion for spirits in May 2015. She easily answered questions and was a wonderful host for the tastingĬomprehensive kitchen menu alongside a varied selection of craft spirits to ensureĪ great day or a night on the town.Jon O’Connor at Long Road Distillers Kyle VanStrien of Long Road Distillers Kelsey was passionate about Long Road and understood her Long Road Distillers had a good crowd on a Saturday, and we were lucky to add some last minute Reserve gin, wheat whiskey, straight rye whiskey, two versions of aquavit, and several Additional spirits available include original vodka, barrel You cannot find a spirit more closely associated with the Juniper picked from Beaver Island located in Lake The wonderful Michigin [sic} is a base spirit flavored by Hudsonville, Michigan and it is everything you would want in a flavored This crafted liqueur is made using handpicked raspberries from nearby Many spirits offered at this comfortable location on Leonard Street. Where the magic happens at Long Road Distillers Suggested by Victoria who was our outstanding server and was a great ambassadorįor the front of the house. House smoked bacon, cheddar seasoning, and more. The fully loaded chips were a unique version of nachos that included The fried biscuits with honey and pimento cheese wereĪmazing. Long Road also features an above average menu with some I enjoyed the bourbon neat, and the distinctive wheat flavor comes across as very smooth. As expected, the bourbon is a little thin because of its young age but offers a sweet, honey flavor. Grains are locally sourced, and red winter wheat is an ingredient in several mash bills including the straight bourbon. There are no shortcuts here with the whiskey being aged in full-size barrels for a little over two years. I admired the small batch selection coming in at a robust 93 proof. The first spirit that I was anxious to try was, wait for it, Long Road Distillers Straight Bourbon. Our guide Kelsey was a knowledgeable host, who deftly told us the Long Road Distillers story. On this visit, we were able to make time for a tour. We took the opportunity to visit the distillery for a second time. Co founders Jon and Kyle have created spirits without cutting corners. Long Road Distillers – First in Grand Rapids means it is the first distillery in the history of Grand Rapids, Michigan. 53 gallon barrels aging at Long Road Distillers
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |