Michigan Small Batch Distillery
While most of our Great Lakes State’s grain ends up as feed or fuel, a small number of our local farmers are hatching a new industry. They’re growing grains and turning them into fine spirits — vodka, whiskey, gin, rum, and brandy — that are bringing home awards for their distinctive tastes.
Michigan Small Batch Distillery, a craft distilling renaissance is taking place. And like Michigan craft beer and wine before it, small distillers are in the midst of a consumer-education process. Using tasting opportunities, they’re helping consumers discover an affection for locally distilled spirits.
Michigan Small Batch Distillery: Crafting Unique Flavors
After visiting micro-distilleries on the West Coast, Kent Rabish envisioned bringing hand crafted spirits to Michigan. His family’s heritage and his passion for high-quality spirits inspired him to start Grand Traverse Distillery in Grand Traverse City.
Rabish and his team work hard to ensure the quality of their products, from grain selection to cooking to distillation to aging. They believe in the importance of educating their customers, so they host regular tasting events at their distillery and offer classes for those interested in learning the art of distilling.
They’re also a member of the Michigan Craft Distillers Association, a trade organization dedicated to supporting and growing Michigan’s booze industry. Jon O’Connor, president of Long Road Distillers in Grand Rapids, agrees that education is key to building a successful craft spirit industry in Michigan.
The next step in the distilling journey is earning a Qualified Small Distillers Certificate from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission. The 2025 application period is now closed, but it will reopen in the spring of 2026. This certification allows the distiller to adjust the gross profit they return to MLCC through their Equote system.