Spirits industry on rise in Michigan

Wine making, distilleries popping up across Michigan

FERNDALE, Mich. – The Michigan spirits industry is no longer something novel for the guy with the big bucks and extra time on his hands.

Once the Silicon Valley of micro-breweries, savvy businessmen and women have gotten the message, the talent and know-how to go after big-name and big-time distilleries right here.

In Metro-Detroit at Valentine Distilling Company in Ferndale, you can have a taste in their tasting studio and then buy what you like fresh from the distillery because the distillery is right there in plain view. And their not just doing award winning Vodka that's gone up against, and beaten the likes of Grey Goose, an international staple, but they're also crafting Gin to compete against Bombay Sapphire and Whiskey that would give Kentucky a run for the roses.

Around the corner and over the bend, B Nektar is doing something few else are doing in the universe. They're crafting fine wines from Honey. One of oldest forms of spirits in history, a husband and wife team, laid-off from their full time jobs, decided to do their passion for brewing for real. It's turned into a huge undertaking with a national following.

Once crafting about 30 gallons a batch, B Nektar is now stirring up and fermenting thousands of gallons a batch per week. And they've just received several new stills to meet demand. Their wines range from fresh and dry, to crazy sweet and their proud to celebrating a 5 year anniversary.


About the Author:

Paula Tutman is an Emmy award-winning journalist who came to Local 4 in 1992. She's married and the stepmother of three beautiful and brilliant daughters. Her personal philosophy in life, love and community is, "Do as much as you can possibly do, not as little as you can possibly get away with".