Distilling Industry News and Events

Michigan Craft Distillers Association Names 2023 Board of Directors

The Michigan Craft Distillers Association (MCDA) elected its 2023 Board of Directors at the association’s annual meeting on Friday, January 20 in Grand Rapids. President: Jon O’Connor — Co-Owner of Long Road Distillers, Grand Rapids Vice President: JP Jerome — Founder / Distiller of Detroit City Distillery, Detroit Treasurer: Nancie Oxley — Vice President-Winemaking at Read More

September Named “Michigan Craft Spirits Month”

The Michigan Craft Distillers Association (MCDA) is proud to announce September has once again been proclaimed “Michigan Craft Spirits Month” by Governor Whitmer. Michigan currently ranks #7 in the national for the number of licensed craft distilleries (with nearly 90) as noted by the annual “Craft Spirits Data Project” released by the American Craft Spirits Read More

Michigan Distilleries Bring Home Awards from American Craft Spirits Association Annual Competition

Four members of the Michigan Craft Distillers Association (MCDA) – Detroit City Distillery, Iron Fish Distillery, Long Road Distillers and Wonderland Distilling – brought home a collective 15 medals from the Annual Judging of Craft Spirits at the American Craft Spirits Association (ASCA) held in Charleston, SC in April. More than 30 expert judges evaluated Read More

Michigan Distillers Celebrate Passage of HB 4842, Encourage Gov. Whitmer’s Signature on Important Legislation

The Michigan Craft Distillers Association (MCDA) is one step closer to its goal of reducing the markup on its distilled spirits with news that HB 4842 has passed out of the Michigan Senate just this morning (Thursday, April 28, 2022) after being passed in the House in May, 2021. This bill, which has received overwhelming Read More

September Named “Michigan Craft Spirits Month”

The Michigan Craft Distillers Association (MCDA) is proud to announce September as “Michigan Craft Spirits Month” throughout the state. Michigan currently ranks #7 in the national for the number of craft distilleries (with more than 80) as noted by the annual “Craft Spirits Data Project” released by the American Craft Spirits Association. Michigan’s craft spirit Read More

Governor Whitmer Signs Bills Benefitting Michigan Craft Distillers

The Michigan Craft Distillers Association (MCDA) is proud to share that on Monday, May 24, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed four bills benefitting Michigan craft distillers. She was joined by the sponsors of these bills (SB 141, 142, 143 and 144) Senator Curt VanderWall, Senator Wayne Schmidt, Senator Jeremy Moss and Senator Winnie Brinks. Executive Read More

Member Spotlight: Grand Traverse Distillery

Unlike other distilleries, Grand Traverse Distillery is focused on using resources from access crops as well as grains grown by local farmers to distill their spirits. Supporting local agriculture is very important because it helps provide jobs in the community, and ensures spirits are distilled with fresh local ingredients.  Grand Traverse Distillery has been crafting Read More

Member Spotlight: Iron Shoe Distillery

A horseshoe, an extremely lucky charm, is the symbol of the family-owned Iron Shoe Distillery. Located in Niles, Michigan, this distillery has created an extremely unique name for themselves through the urban legend of St. Dunstan. It is said that the devil “agreed to never enter a building that is protected by the sign of Read More

Member Spotlight: Long Road Distillers

Take no shortcuts. This is a philosophy that honors the craft of everything Long Road Distillers creates. Their name encapsulates the very core of how they conduct business, which is to take the “long road,” to not cut corners, and to do things the right way. Recognized as the first distiller in Beer City, USA Read More

Member Spotlight: Kalamazoo Stillhouse

“Honest spirits, Local people”. In the 2000’s husband and wife learned to distill from the husband’s father, who was a distiller and wine proprietor from Washingtom. Both born and raised in Kalamazoo, the husband and wife duo wanted to do something locally that they could call their own and give back to the community. Noticing Read More