How Big Is Michigan's Craft Distilling Scene, Really?

Bigger than most people assume, even people who live here.

The growth in numbers

Michigan had 36 craft distilleries in 2016. That number more than doubled within a few years, and the state is now home to more than 80. The overall spirits industry, including manufacturing, wholesale, retail, and tourism, contributes more than $1 billion to Michigan's economy.

What changed

A 2008 law reduced small distiller licensing costs and allowed on-site sales without a distributor, making small-scale distilling practical for the first time in generations. That single change explains most of the growth since.

Spread across the state

Distilleries aren't concentrated in one area. Detroit, Grand Rapids, and the Up North region around Traverse City have all developed their own distilling activity, each shaped by different local factors, from whiskey history to tourism to an existing craft beer scene.

What it means for shoppers

A bigger, more competitive local industry generally means more variety on the shelf, different mash bills, barrel approaches, and finishing techniques, rather than just more bottles that all taste similar.

Ask us next time you're in which Michigan-made options we currently carry. There's more out there than most people realize.