It's official, it's been 20 years since we started Grand Traverse Distillery! Back in 2005, we were entering into a young industry for the state of Michigan with just the goal of making a good vodka locally. That idea blossomed into the distillery we are today making craft spirits from vodka to whiskey to gin to rum, we do it all now. Focusing on sourcing grains from local farms in Northern Michigan, we make sure to support our community as much as possible and continue to provide transparency and education about the craft spirits industry.
Over the past 20 years, a lot has changed with not only us but craft spirits in general. When we started, we were the first of our kind to be exclusively a grain-to-bottle craft distillery. Back then, we couldn't even have a tasting room; we were only allowed to act as a distillery and ship out for distribution. Through continued lobbying and interest in the craft spirits industry in Michigan, we were able to be a part of some massive changes throughout the state that allowed us more accessibility to offer spirits to the general public Today, we have tasting rooms across the state, we have expanded our product line, and we distribute throughout the entire state. Having said that there is still more work to be done to help craft distilleries in Michigan reach more customers, and we continue to be a part of these changes.
As we reflect on the past 20 years at Grand Traverse Distillery, we want to thank all of you who have supported us. Whether you discovered us recently, or have known about us from the start, we wouldn't be here without you. We also know that today there are more choices than ever for locally made craft spirits, so we want to thank you for choosing our locally made, family-owned and operated distillery. Our mission has continued to be the same from the start: to make great locally sourced and distilled products under one roof supporting our Northern Michigan community.
As we celebrate 20 years this year, we continue to look to the future at 20 more years. We're excited to continue to evolve and grow over time, develop new spirits while maintaining our original ones, experiment with new ideas, flavors, and techniques, and help to grow the Michigan craft spirits industry.
Feel free to stop into our distillery at 781 Industrial Circle, Suite 5 to take a tour and see what we're up to today. You can also stop into any of our tasting rooms in downtown Traverse City, Frankenmuth, and Leland seasonally to taste our current spirits, pick up bottles, or grab a cocktail. You can also visit our website www.grandtraversedistillery.com to learn more about us, browse our current collection of spirits, and even order some online to have them shipped directly to you!
