WE’LL SHOW YOU HOW, TOMORROW AT
10 A.M.
>> Jason: MANY PEOPLE ARE
HOSTING HOLIDAY PARTIES AND IT’S
OFTEN COME WITH BEARING OF GIFTS
AND A SPIRITED VARIETY AND WE’RE
TALKING ABOUT BOOZE.
GIN MAY SEEM LIKE A GOOD CHOICE,
BUT IF YOU’RE NOT A FAN OF THE
PINEY TASTE, ONE DISTILLERY HAS
A SPECIAL LINE OF GIN THAT IS
PERFECT FOR EVERY SEASON.
MICHELLE OLIVER IS TAKING US
INSIDE THE ANN ARBOR DISTILLING
COMPANY.
♪
>> Michelle: WORKING IN THIS
DISTILLERY CAREFULLY REFINING
GINS AND BOURBON UNTIL IT TASTES
JUST RIGHT, IT’S HOW HE LIKES TO
UNWIND.
>> THE THING I LIKE THE MOST
ABOUT IT IS THAT IT’S REALLY
HANDS-ON AND WHAT WE’RE DOING IS
VERY ANALOG AND WE’RE DOING IT
BY TASTE AND SMELL.
>> Michelle: HE STARTED IT WITH
HIS FRIENDS BACK IN 2014.
>> AS YOU LOOK AROUND HERE, A
BEAUTIFUL BRICK BUILDING WITH
TURN OF THE CENTURY WOOD THAT’S
PUT IN HERE.
AND SOMEONE MADE AN EQUIP TO ME
AND SAID, THIS WOULD MAKE A COOL
DISTILLERY.
>> Michelle: THEY DECIDED TO
SELL GIN BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE
TO AGE IT LIKE WHISKEY OR
BOURBON.
BUT THEY GOT INTERESTING
FEEDBACK.
>> WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COMING
IN SAYING, I’M NOT A GIN
DRINKER.
MOST PEOPLE DON’T LIKE THE PINEY
TASTE.
>> WE HAVE A SEASONAL GIN LINE,
SPRING, SUMMER, WINTER, FALL.
>> AND EVERYBODY CAN SENSE WHAT
THE SEASON IS.
>> Michelle: HOW DO YOU FLAVOR
GIN?
>> IT’S MADE FROM CORN.
WE GET THE CORN IN THE GROUND,
FERMENT AND MASH IT OVER THERE,
AND THEN STRIP IT OF ALCOHOL AND
PURIFY THE ALCOHOL AND GET A
GRAIN SPIRIT.
THEN PUT THAT IN THE STILL WITH
OUR BOTANICALS.
>> Michelle: THAT’S WHERE THE
FLAVORS COME IN.
>> THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT
DIFFERENT, HOW WE SEASON IT.
>> IT’S A LIGHT FLORAL GIN, NOT
A LOT OF JUNIPER, LIKE MOST
GINS.
>> Michelle: AND IT GIVES THE
GIN THE PINE FLAVOR.
YOU KNOW IT’S GIN AND IT’S VERY
SMOOTH, FLOSHLGS AND SWEETNESS
AT THE END.
>> SUMMER IS OUR FARMERS MARKET
GIN, FILLED WITH PRODUCE.
>> Michelle: SMELLS LIKE A
GAZPACHO.
OH, THAT’S VERY DIFFERENT.
YOU GET A HINT OF SOMETHING AT
THE END, I THINK IT’S BLACK
PEPPER.
>> THIS IS AGED IN A USED
BOURBON BARREL MADE WITH BAKING
SPICES, CLOVES, CINNAMON,
ORANGE.
>> Michelle: IT’S CARAMELY AT
THE END WITH A HINT OF CINNAMON.
>> IT’S A DRY STYLE, BUT INSTEAD OF USING A LOT OF JUNIPER, WE
OF USING A LOT OF JUNIPER, WE
USE NORWEGIAN SPRUCE.
>> Michelle: IT DOES GIVE KNEE
CHRISTMAS TREE VIBES BUT NEEDLES
NOT POKING AS IT GOES DOWN MY
THROAT.
ALL THE HERBS AND PRODUCE COMES
FROM LOCAL FARMERS.
>> THERE’S GREAT PRODUCTS FROM
ALL OVER THE STATE.
IN THIS AGRICULTURAL STREAM,
WE’RE TAPPING INTO THAT.
>> WE HAD THREE DIFFERENT
BOTTLES UNDER ONE MONIKER, AND
IT HAS GROWN AND DIVERSIFIED
INTO 20 DIFFERENT TYPES OF
SPIRITS UNDER FOUR DIFFERENT
MONIKERS.
>> Michelle: THEY HAVE SOMETHING
FOR YOU TO TRY.
♪
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COOL
PLACES AND EVENTS HAPPENING IN
THE ANN ARBOR AREA, VISIT THE
WEBSITE, ALLABOUTANNARBOR.COM.
WHICH IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THESE
SPONSORS.
#.
>> Jason: ALL RIGHT, THE
DISTILLERY AND TASTING ROOM ARE
AT 220 PHELPS STREET IN ANN
ARBOR.
AND FIND IT AT SEVERAL LOCAL