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Straight Bourbon Long Road Distillers

If you ask 10 whisk(e)y drinkers to define bourbon, you’re likely to get 10 different answers. That seems to be due to a variety of myths, misconceptions, and misunderstandings surrounding one of America’s favorite whiskies.

According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (or the TTB), the branch of the U.S. Department of the Treasury that regulates and oversees the distillation, sale, and taxation of distilled spirits, Bourbon Whisky is:

Whisky produced in the U.S. at not exceeding 80% alcohol by volume (160 proof) from a fermented mash of not less than 51 percent corn and stored at not more than 62.5% alcohol by volume (125 proof) in charred new oak containers.

 

As we prepare for the release of our first Bourbon Whisky on Tuesday, November 8, we thought it might be helpful to clear up some of these misconceptions with a series of four blog posts, pulling apart the definition piece by piece, and offering explanations for the where, what, how, and why of Bourbon.

Today, we start with the “where”: “Whisky produced in the U.S….”

One of the most common myths about bourbon is that it has to be made in the state of Kentucky. There are many reasons why people may have heard or think this, not least of which is the fact that the term “bourbon” became associated with whisky in Kentucky as early as the 1820’s and consistently used to describe whisky made and distributed from Kentucky by the 1870’s. There is some debate on the inspiration of the term, though. Some suggesting it had to do with the county, Bourbon County, in Kentucky where bourbon whisky was allegedly first made (this is heavily disputed, and it seems to us, based on research, that it probably was NOT first made in Bourbon County). Others argue that the term “bourbon” was more likely inspired by Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Whisky was one of the largest exports (and still is) from the State of Kentucky, and many barrels were marked “Bourbon Street” and sent down the Ohio River to Louisiana. Over time, people began asking for it in New Orleans as simply “Bourbon”.

The other reason many folks assume Bourbon must come from Kentucky is the sheer volume that comes from the State. As of 2014, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association reported over 5.5 million barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky – outnumbering the people in the state by over 1 million! And, in terms of global production, Kentucky makes 85% of the world’s bourbon.

Some distilled spirits, by legal definition and international treaties, have geographically protected names. Scotch must be made in Scotland; Tequila must come from certain regions of Mexico; Irish Whisky has to be manufactured in Ireland. Bourbon doesn’t have such protection.

The legal definition of Bourbon Whisky from the TTB mandates that it must be made in the United States – anywhere in the United States.

As the number of distilleries in the U.S. rises, so too does the number of bourbons being produced outside the State of Kentucky.

At Long Road, we’re proud to offer the first Bourbon ever milled, mashed, fermented, distilled, aged and bottled 100% in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We’re excited to add our whisky to the rich heritage of distilleries and distillers that have come before us. And, we can’t wait for you to taste what we’ve been working on! Take the Long Road!

Stay tuned for Parts 2-4 of “What is Bourbon?” coming over the next several days!

Join us Tuesday, November 8 between 4 pm and midnight for the release of Long Road Bourbon!

Wendy Peppercorn Long Road Distillers

International Flavored Vodka Tasting Event Awards Grand Rapids Distillery with Double Gold

Long Road’s Wendy Peppercorn Vodka stands out from a crowded field of flavored spirits.

Grand Rapids, Michigan – Internationally recognized Grand Rapids distillery, Long Road Distillers, announced more top honors for their line-up of spirits, this time coming from a competition in New York City. The distillery was awarded a Double Gold medal for Long Road Wendy Peppercorn at The Fifty Best Flavored Vodka tasting event.

The award-winning-101-proof spirit is made from 100 percent locally grown red winter wheat, milled, mashed, fermented and distilled on-site at the Westside distillery,  then redistilled with pink peppercorns, the berry from the Peruvian Peppertree. Non-chill filtration techniques give all of Long Road spirits a smooth, handcrafted taste rather than the overly processed, astringent flavors that result from the carbon and charcoal filtration technique used by many. Wendy Peppercorn is  a whopping 101 proof, or 50.5  percent alcohol by volume (ABV), a full 10.5% higher than any of the other entries in the Fifty Best competition.

“As far as we know, Wendy Peppercorn is the only pink peppercorn flavored vodka in the world,” said Co-Owner Kyle VanStrien. “Pink peppercorn happens to be one of the botanicals in our gin, and since we’re distilling each gin botanical individually, we discovered that we loved pink peppercorn all by itself!”

“We’re products of the 80’s,” said Co-Owner Jon O’Connor in reference to the name Wendy Peppercorn. “Most of us on the Long Road team grew up watching the movie The Sandlot. We all remember the scene where Michael “Squints” Palledorous expressed his passion for Wendy Peffercorn, the lifeguard at the community pool, and we feel the same way about this vodka! This is our nod to a classic movie for our generation, and a fun way for us to play up the high proof of this spirit. Wendy 101 has a great ring to it, but we’ve also left the spirit at 101 proof to amplify the flavors and keep the essential oils that carry over in the distillation process suspended.” Similar to an absinthe or ouzo, Wendy Peppercorn will cloud up with the addition of water, altering the aromas, texture, and flavor to make the spirit more floral and fruity.

Spirits from around the world were entered into the Fifty Best event. 17 pre-qualified judges evaluated each spirit separately based on preset tasting rules. Each spirit was served to judges in fresh glasses from newly sealed bottles and was served slightly above room temperature to ensure optimum flavor. Judges noted their nose, palate and finish impressions of Long Road Wendy Peppercorn, which provided, “attractive spice notes, a wonderful mouthfeel, and a surprisingly sweet, soft and subtle finish.” The judges added that it would be, “perfect for a Bloody Mary!”

Long Road Distillers has garnered a multitude of international honors for their line of spirits. The most notable accolades were earned at the world’s largest spirits competitions and include several “Best in Show” awards, nearly a dozen double-gold medals, and numerous gold, silver and bronze medals. The West Michigan Distillery has also expanded distribution to over 400 Michigan grocers, specialty retailers, and bars and restaurants in the past year.

“This has been a huge year of progress for Long Road,” said O’Connor. “Every award won and distribution expansion made motivates our team to stay committed to our mission and values. We look forward to what the future has in store for our distillery.”

Long Road Distillers

Grand Rapids Distillery Awarded Top Honors at SIP Awards, World’s Largest Consumer Tasting Competition

Long Road Distillers adds to recent international acclaim and awarded a Platinum Medal for Long Road Gin, and Gold Medals for Long Road Aquavit and Long Road Vodka.

Grand Rapids, Michigan – Internationally recognized Grand Rapids distillery, Long Road Distillers, announced three new awards from the world’s largest consumer tasting competition. At this year’s SIP Awards, the distillery won a Platinum Medal, the highest honors, for Long Road Gin, and added two new Gold Medals for Long Road Aquavit and Long Road Vodka.

Long Road’s award-winning line-up of spirits are made from 100 percent locally grown grain and are made 100 percent on-site at the distillery on Grand Rapids’ West Side. Both Long Road Gin and Long Road Aquavit have been recognized as “Best in the World” at recent international competitions; recognition that the Long Road team attributes to several factors, locally grown ingredients.

“Every one of our spirits start from the finest, locally-sourced ingredients,” said Brian Pribyl, Head Distiller at Long Road. “We owe a ton of credit to our suppliers, like Heffron Farms and Pilot Malt House, who continue to provide us with top-notch wheat, rye, corn and barley, grown right here in West Michigan. We’re proud to show off the amazing agriculture we have available to us through the spirits we craft at Long Road.”

Nearly 500 spirits brands from around the world were entered into the 2016 SIP Awards, held in Newport Beach, California. A panel of 98 pre-qualified, consumer judges evaluated each spirit separately, in a double blind manner, based on preset tasting rules, using the SIP Awards’ patented delivery system to ensure a consistent, focused, and accurate survey of consumer impressions in each category. Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals were awarded in 59 categories.

Long Road Gin was the highest rated domestic gin, winning a Platinum Medal, and Long Road Aquavit was awarded a Gold Medal and named Best Aquavit, an honor the spirit also won in Denver, San Francisco, San Diego and Seattle.

“We’re extremely proud of our team for all of the hard work they have put in to get us to this point,” said Jon O’Connor, co-owner of Long Road Distillers. “Our no shortcuts approach, combined with quality ingredients and amazing talent, continues to reaffirm our commitment to making world-class spirits right here in our city!”

For more information about Long Road Distillers please visit: www.longroaddistillers.com.

For more information about the SIP Awards please visit: www.SIPAwards.com.

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About Long Road Distillers:

Long Road Distillers was born from the belief that making world-class spirits means never taking shortcuts along the way. After becoming the first craft distillery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Long Road Distillers formed relationships with local farmers to bring that mission to Grand Rapids’ West Side neighborhood. Each spirit produced at Long Road Distillers is milled from locally sourced ingredients, fermented, and distilled on-site. The result is an uncompromised lineup of spirits including Vodka, Gin, Whisky and more. Their spirits, along with a handcrafted collection of cocktails and a wide variety of food can be enjoyed at their tasting room.

About the SIP Awards: Catering to the opinions and palates of the discerning public, the SIP Awards present a unique spirit judging competition, unaffected by industry bias. This pragmatic and refreshing model of evaluation provides an honest stage for feedback and recognition where top brands showcase their achievements. To learn more about the SIP Awards beverage competition, venue partnerships, or for a complete list of 2016 winners, visit www.SIPAwards.com.

Gin Long Road Distillers

A local craft spirits maker has won the Best Gin honor at a global blind-tasting competition for gin.

The gin by Grand Rapids-based Long Road Distillers won the top honor and a double-gold medal at the recent Fifty Best gin event, which included 17 pre-qualified judges tasting 41 gins.

Holland-based Coppercraft Distillery also took home a silver medal at the global tasting.

Long Road gin

Long Road’s gin starts with a neutral spirit made at 537 Leonard St. NW from locally grown red winter wheat and features an individually distilled six-ingredient botanical blend.

The product was noted as having notes of lemon, lime, cherry, floral, juniper, eucalyptus and more.

“When we started Long Road Distillers, Jon (O’Connor) and I made a promise to ourselves that we would source our ingredients locally, mill, mash, ferment and distill everything on site at our distillery and filter it honestly,” said  Kyle VanStrien, co-owner, Long Road Distillers. “I believe our commitment to sourcing ingredients, rather than spirits, and using time-honored techniques without taking shortcuts is what sets us apart from others in the industry and in competitions like these.”

Ten gins were awarded double-gold medals, and Long Road’s gin was rated atop other brands, such as Hendricks gin and other staples from the Netherlands and the U.K.

The double-gold medal for gin joins three double-gold medals recently awarded to the distillery’s aquavit. The gin has also previously been awarded gold, silver and bronze medals at various spirit competitions.

Long Road Distillers celebrated its first anniversary last weekend.

“This has been a huge year of progress for Long Road,” said Jon O’Connor, co-owner, Long Road Distillers. “Every award won and distribution expansion made motivates our team to stay committed to our mission and values. We look forward to what the future has in store for our distillery.”

Coppercraft gin

Judges noted smell and taste notes such as lemon, honey dew, toffee, pine, smoky and licorice when evaluating Coppercraft gin.

Coppercraft Distillery includes 13 botanicals in its gin.

Full story here.

Long Road Distillers

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A new staple on Grand Rapids’ west side is Long Road Distillers. The distillery is celebrating its first anniversary with a celebration to thank the community for its support.

The Long Road Distillers First Anniversary Celebration is Saturday, May 21 from noon to midnight. There will be free tours of the distillery, live DJ and music, and the release of Long Road Distillers Single Barrel Wheat Whiskey. There is no cover, but you are encouraged to reserve your space with a free ticket.

There will be a live music show in the Rickhouse at 8 p.m. Tickets for that are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

Long Road Distillers
537 Leonard Street NW
Grand Rapids

Aquavit Long Road Distillers

A West Michigan distillery has won its second double gold medal and best of show in an international competition.

Long Road Distillery won double gold for its Long Road Aquavit at the 16th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition earlier this month. That honor follows on the heels of the double gold best of show Long Road received for aquavit at the Denver International Spirits Competition in March.

“The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the most influential in the industry and winning a medal here is very meaningful,” said Anthony Dias Blue, competition director, in a press release. “We have the industry’s most respected experts serving as judges, and every entry is blind-tasted under highly focused conditions. There is no better way to discern quality and identify trends.”

Long Road also won silver for Long Road Gin and bronze for Long Road Wheat Vodka at the San Francisco competition.

The awards were based on the evaluation of 1,899 entries by a 39-person panel of judges. Long Road Aquavit was among 200 spirits to receive the double gold designation.

Aquavit is a traditional Scandinavian spirit. Long Road’s aquavit, and other spirits, can be found at the distillery’s tasting room at 537 W. Leonard St. NW and at more than 100 retailers in Michigan.

“At Long Road Distillers we strive to make spirits worthy of people’s admiration while staying committed to our core value of doing things the right way, from start to finish,” said Kyle Van Strien, co-owner at Long Road Distillers. “This second double gold recognition reaffirms what we set out to do all along and gives us the determination to continue our pursuit of making the best spirits in the world in each category we enter, no matter how big or small.”

Pat Evans, Grand Rapids Business Journal, Full article here: http://www.grbj.com/articles/84973

Aquavit Long Road Distillers

A local distillery is on par with a $199 bottle of Dewar’s 1846 Signature Scotch Whiskey.

Long Road

Long Road Distillers in Grand Rapids won Double Gold and Best in Show this month at the Denver International Spirits Competition for its Aquavit, the same honors the Dewar’s scotch took home.

“From the beginning, it was our goal to make the best spirits in the world right here in Grand Rapids,” said Kyle Van Strien, co-owner, Long Road Distillers. “For us to tie for Best in Show with Dewar’s . . . is unbelievable.

“We are happy to see so much growth so quickly and are proud to let the quality of our products speak for themselves through these awards.”

The city’s first distillery also won a silver medal in wheat vodka category, a bronze in the flavored/infused vodka category for its Wendy Peppercorn and a bronze in the dry gin category.

In the wheat vodka category, no gold medals were awarded.

“We have always put an emphasis on doing things the right way,” said Jon O’Connor, co-owner, Long Road Distillers. “We have a ‘no-shortcuts’ policy. . . . Earning these awards makes that commitment to quality worthwhile.”

The spirits were judged on a 100-point scale by 20 judges.

There were 200 applicants in the competition.

Other brands in the competition included Bacardi, Johnnie Walker and Jim Beam.

Coppercraft

Holland’s Coppercraft Distillery won a bronze medal at the competition in the straight gin category and a silver in the white rum category.

Coppercraft’s Straight Bourbon and Cask Strength Bourbon both won bronze in the small batch bourbon, 10 years or younger category.

 

Full story here.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) If you are looking to mix it up a little this Valentine’s day, why not turn to a mixologist for a little help? Long Road Distillers is perfecting the art of the craft cocktail with some special events for Valentine’s Day weekend.

Long Road Distillers prides itself by using local ingredients and making every drink by hand. They also offer classes to teach the art of making cocktails.

On Valentine’s Day weekend, you can find Long Road Distillers at the Downtown Market Grand Rapids on Saturday for Valent-ICE. They will also have some special cocktails at their Leonard Street location, along with live music on Saturday from local musician Alexander Lynch.

Long Road Distillers
537 Leonard St. NW
Grand Rapids

Monday – Thursday, 4 p.m. – midnight
Friday & Saturday, noon – midnight
Sunday, noon – 9 p.m.

Long Road Distillers

There’s a lot more to Long Road Distillers than just being Grand Rapids’ first distillery.

Kyle Van Strien and Jon O’Connor took an old grocery store on the west side and turned it into a state-of-the-art distillery that, within the first year of operation, is already one of the state’s largest.

As long-term proponents of the city’s west side, Van Strien and O’Connor are expanding on the organic neighborhood revitalization occurring on the corner of Leonard Street and Quarry Avenue with The Mitten Brewing Co. and Two Scotts BBQ.

It helps that the two owners are involved in the community, with Van Strien on the Grand Rapids Planning Commission and O’Connor a newly elected city commissioner – and a Business Journal 40 Under Forty honoree.

The pair are fond of telling their story, highlighting the process of going grain-to-glass with their product, with ingredients sourced from within 30 miles of their Grand Rapids tasting room.

The products are better for it, too. Long Road has already been named Michigan Vodka Distiller of the year, and is helping define what cocktails can be in the Mid-west.

And they know they’re doing in right.

“I’ve tasted it. We know good spirits when we taste them,” Van Strien said. “We went out to find the right equipment you need to make it; we found the guys capable of making it; we’ve put the pieces together to be able to make the best liquid.”

See the full publication for GRBJ’s Newsmakers of the Year here.

 

Long Road Distillers

GRAND RAPIDS — The West Grand neighborhood in Grand Rapids soon will offer residents and visitors the ultimate trifecta when it comes to craft alcoholic beverages.

That’s because a local cidery plans to open a tasting room in the growing neighborhood along West Leonard Street, a development positioned to complement its neighboring businesses: a microbrewery and a craft distillery.

While having locally-made beer, booze and cider available at consecutive addresses may be a boon for craft beverage fans, those developments and others underway in the immediate area signal a renaissance for one of Grand Rapids’ hardscrabble neighborhoods.

That’s a vibe that Jason Lummen, owner of Grand Rapids-based The People’s Cider Co. LLC, wants to tap into as he plans to open the company’s first off-site tasting room. If his plans are approved by the city next month, he hopes to have cider flowing by May at 539 Leonard St. NW, next door to craft distillery Long Road Distillers LLC and two doors down from The Mitten Brewing Company LLC.

Lummen admits that his plan to move into 450 square feet of space is fairly modest in the broader scope of Grand Rapids development, but it’s indicative of a period of growth not just for his nearly four-year-old business, but also for the West Grand neighborhood as a whole.

“It’s not too much of a stretch and it’s responsible for us,” Lummen said of the tasting room. “It allows us to keep the blue-collar ethic of the cider company intact and allows us to do something to get into what’s going on (on West Leonard). We’re just very fortunate to piggyback with (Long Road) and the guys at The Mitten and to have supportive neighbors.”

The move would give People’s Cider more exposure than it has at its current tasting room and production facility at 600 Maryland Ave. NE near Oak Industrial Park in northeast Grand Rapids, Lummen said. The site would offer seven ciders on tap — including one guest tap — and would be open to guests bringing in outside food.
ADDING DENSITY

If approved by the city, Lummen would rent the West Leonard Street space from Long Road’s owners, Kyle VanStrien and Jon O’Connor, who were also drawn to the opportunities presented by the neighborhood revitalization. Indeed, VanStrien and O’Connor plan to “double-down” on that revitalization with a proposed new mixed-use development of their own.

They’re in the early planning stages of converting an abandoned and contaminated gas station property at 555 Leonard St. NW into a two-story or three-story project with potential apartments or offices upstairs and a ground-floor commercial tenant that’s “complementary” to neighboring businesses.

Currently, the Kent County Land Bank Authority is using state funds to clean up the contamination at the 96-foot by 132-foot site. Following the remediation process, an entity controlled by the owners of Long Road plan to acquire the property.

VanStrien said he wants to attract some mixed-use development to the area along the West Leonard corridor similar to what’s developed in neighborhoods like East Hills and along Bridge Street in recent years.

“We need more density and to build up the population so that they can support the businesses,” VanStrien said.

O’Connor agreed.

“We believe in developing in a good urban context,” he said. “We see opportunity in this neighborhood and we are putting our money where our mouth is.”

The West Grand Neighborhood Association welcomes the prospect of adding new housing and other businesses to the area.

Interim Executive Director Annette Vandenberg told MiBiz the neighborhood strives to support developers, provided they attempt to accommodate all income levels and make a push to hire people already living in the West Grand area.

“Anyone who’s willing to create jobs and housing for all income levels, we think that’s a great idea,” said Vandenberg, adding that the neighborhood association board is in the process of drafting a letter of support for the proposed People’s Cider tasting room.

She added that the board is aware of the proposed gas station redevelopment, but the parties have not yet had formal talks.

“Nothing functions here without the support of the community,” Lummen said. “That’s the big thing. I love the vibe and it’s the residents that will continue to support these things. People are walking from their houses to come to these establishments, and it’s more and more people everyday.”
TAKING NOTICE

While plans for the gas station site remain in the early stages, VanStrien and O’Connor said they hear increasing demand for newly built quality housing options in the neighborhood.

As proof, they noted that many staff members at Long Road now live in the immediate area.

Other investors appear to be taking note of the demand as well. A drive or walk down the West Leonard corridor shows multiple older buildings — many of them vacant — quietly being worked on and at various stages of construction and redevelopment.

Additionally, the property at the southwest corner of Leonard Street and Broadway Avenue went up for sale in early January for $1.5 million, according to the property listing. The site consists of two single-family homes and four commercial buildings with frontage on Leonard Street. It last sold in 1999 for $60,968, according to property records.

Long Road’s owners say they’re hopeful more developers come into the West Grand neighborhood and activate many of the vacant buildings in the area. And while they’re confident that their proposed mixed-use project will take place, VanStrien and O’Connor said it was too early to offer a specific timeframe for the redevelopment because the growth and sustainability of their distillery operations must take priority.

Since launching in late May last year, Long Road has focused on ramping up its distribution efforts and already expanded with an upstairs event space and music venue. In the coming months, the distillery also plans to release a variety of small-batch aged ryes and whiskeys.

As they continue to develop the plans for the mixed-use project, they’re watching the neighborhood grow and eyeing needs that could be filled in the ground-floor commercial space at the redevelopment.

“The first two things that came to our head were cider and coffee,” O’Connor said of needs in the neighborhood. “We saw this as a really great opportunity to do something unique in the fact that I can’t think of another place in this country where you can get beer, liquor and cider in consecutive addresses and independently owned and operated. … The fact that we have three independent things is just a unique opportunity to sort of put a foothold here as this corner of craft beverage making.”

Full Story by Nick Manes available here.

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