Ann Arbor Distilling Company

My partner and I stumbled onto this place yesterday while cruising the neighborhood for garage sales. I am a hardcore fancy gin lover and had no idea this place existed! We came back later that day for post-​dinner cocktails and they were both delicious. We were allowed to taste the gin before ordering– I got the Gin Old Fashioned, since the bartender said that was the best drink for highlighting the natural flavor of their gin, and my partner got a Rhubarb Shrub. Both were delicious. And I bought a bottle of gin for home use later. I will definitely be back.
I was so sad when Leopolds closed their doors and am now ecstatic that there is another locally produced gin!!!

Amazing staff and drinks!
I came here earlier this week for the Spring Cocktail class event they were holding. I’m so glad I went! We had a great time. We learned about the distillery first and were able to go into the distillery room. We learned the history of how they came to open it, who works there, their backgrounds and what they plan on doing for the future.
The class itself was great. We sampled 5 different cocktails (and received the recipes for them!) and learned some techniques for how to serve them, pour the drinks, use the herbs, etc. So, it was also very informative. We received some light snacks that actually paired with the drinks and were suggested on how to eat with the drinks.
Overall, great tasting room, awesome ambiance and incredibly friendly staff. Definitely stop in and try their spirits!

I came for the Spring cocktail class this last Monday and I fell in love with the Ann Arbor Distilling Company.
Our class began with a brief introduction of the staff and then they took us back to the area where they distill all the gin, rum, vodka, etc and explained the process for how they make the delicious spirits used to make the cocktails we were going to enjoy that evening.
Off the bat, I was extremely impressed by two things: the cleanliness of the distilling area. It’s cleaner than my kitchen (and I run a tight ship), and the fact that they use a lot of local products to make their spirits. I’m more inclined to spend $ 40 on a bottle of vodka when I know everything was grown in Michigan. That’s just me.
After the tour we sat in the bar area for instruction on how to make several spring beverages. I consider myself to be a beverage expert, but I had no clue that grenadine was a pomegranate elixir. All this time I thought it was cherry! I was wrong!
I think I can speak for the group when I say we had a great time learning, laughing, tasting and drinking. The class was informative. The recipes were so useful. The samples were extremely generous. The presentation was beautiful.
While it’s a little off the beaten path, I’d be sure to stop by for a drink or bring friends new to the area to try some of Michigan’s best.
I wish the bar area was bigger, but I am sure with time it will be!

Well we’ll be back here for sure. A distillery within walking distance? Um, yeah.
Went in with a couple of friends for some pre-​dinner drinks. Nice little tasting room, fairly small, but well decorated. Good cocktails from grapefruit and thyme combos, to dirty martinis, to straight up G&Ts. Asked about a tour and they led us through a door into their production space. There, a guy named Phil told us all about their products (gin, vodka, and rum, whiskey coming this summer, statewide distribution in April), their distillation equipment (custom made in germany, ask about the assembly instructions), and all kinds of stuff about how they think about creating their flavor profiles etc.
Plus, they had a deal going — $ 10 off your tab if you buy a bottle, so we walked home with a few bottles of gin. Looking forward to some cocktails and becoming a regular!

I guess it all depends on what you are looking for in a place to have a drink. On the upside the drinks are delicious. I had a Moscow Mule and my friend had the Cuba Libre (with Mexican coke with the real sugar) and both were excellent. The staff is really knowledgeable and can tell you all about the ingredients. We sat at the bar so we had plenty of access. We were educated in the creation of shrubs (not the kind you plant in your yard) that was really interesting.
On the down side, because each order is prepared individually without prepared mixes it takes a long time to get a drink. We went opening day (a madhouse) but returning two months later they still have not gotten much faster. The room is small without much seating and it is a little chilly, the metal stools don’t help warming you up much either.
On the mid side, it is a little pricey but not really more than you would pay in an upscale restaurant and with the attention and detail put into the drinks it is probably a break even point.
I can’t wait until Summer to see if they expand outside with a possible deck and tables. See you there in June.

I was excited to come here since I love local places and craft cocktails! I brought my husband, sister, and brother in law & we all tried the Moscow Mule which was $ 9 or $ 10 per person. I was so disappointed! I love Moscow Mules & this one totally missed the mark. I think it was the ginger beer that was lacking. The bar area is quite small, but the distillery area is huge. I was surprised that it was a way older crowd than I’m used to seeing in A2, like majority in their 40’s!
The highlight was joining the distillery tour (more like a talk) which was given by the owner. He was so nice and well– spoken. We only stated for a drink then went to Main Street where there was a lot more room to hang out. I might go back, but I’d definitely get something else next time.

Fantastic craft cocktails and an awesome space. The place has a great vibe, I just wish there was a bit more room and they stayed open later than ten. However, the cocktails are on point– among the best I’ve had anywhere. Although since they only use things distilled in house (check out the still through the window) you’re limited to gin and vodka based drinks right now. I can’t wait for their whiskey to be ready. Definitely worth a visit. Or two or three

Went here for the first time last night with a few friends. The cocktails were delicious. I had the Pomegranate Fizz, others in my group had the spiked hot cocoa and Annie’s Eyes, and everyone enjoyed theirs. The space is great, you really get a sense of the history of the building which was once a factory of some sort. Friendly staff/​management. I also loved the old map of the neighborhood on the wall. Only downside is that the place filled up quickly and there aren’t many places to sit, so get there early!

I was only here for a quick stop but it was enough to make me want to come back soon. The atmosphere is fun and laid back while the staff are attentive and well versed on what makes a good drink. I had the greyhound which was refreshing and enjoyable. The hint of rosemary was a nice change of pace to a solid gin recipe but not too overwhelming. I really wanted to try the honey but, alas, time wasn’t on my side.

We came in minutes before closing time, but were gladly served anyway. The ginger gimlet was superb – a refreshingly spicy cocktail. You’ll find it hard not to walk out with a bottle at the end of the night.

Great atmosphere and ambiance, and the servers were super knowledgable and informative! The White Russian was AMAZING – they use their own coffee liquor, which really does the trick.
They currently only have their own vodka (the vodka is fantastic though – and I’m not usually a fan) and gin at this time, but should have a bourbon and rum by mid-​summer 2016!

Two words for me– Dirty martini.
My date had a White Russian and declared it excellent.

A refreshing addition to the typical Ann Arbor bar scene. Great to have a place distilling spirits. The White Russian is AMAZING. I’ll be excited to try the rye and bourbon.

This place applies the «slow food» philosophy to drinks. All spirits served here are made on site, drinks are carefully planned, and additional ingredients locally sourced. The vertical structured business model is unique, and unlike any other local options. Every aspect of every component that goes into a drink is under the mixologist and distiller’s control, with no corners cut.
The quality in this method shows and is standout.
Last night, I had the best cocktail I’ve had in Michigan here. It was the «shrub» — order it. The gin, vodka and «Kahlua» are excellent — whiskey will be ready in 2018.

I went to the Ann Arbor Distilling Company on their opening day. It has a great look, feel and overall ambiance. The tasting room is general, has a long bar and had three to four bartenders assisting customers. The lighting was dimly lit which was great for sitting but all of the drinks were on a chalkboard menu on the wall, which was not lit up and made it hard to read.
It is opening night so everyone was getting used to the system and how to best take orders. Because there is seating at the bar, it seemed like a free for all trying to order drinks, set up a tab and then wait for the drink.
All of the spirits are made on site. I tasted the gin and it was definitely stronger than store-​brand gins. I got the Moscow Mule which was good but too limey (for my taste) and the Dark and Stormy which didn’t have the dark because they use a lighter colored rum. The rum had a more almond taste than vanilla taste but overall shined in the drink.
The bartenders seemed a little confused while making the drinks, constantly referring to their recipe sheets. Additionally, they took three separate orders at a time, which made me feel that they might miss my drink, especially when a person who ordered last got their drink first.
The only other point that was a little surprising was the cost of the drinks, opening day drinks were $ 9 each. I am not sure if I would pay more for that but the prices were not posted either. I do not think the quality of the drink matches the price yet.
I think if they can figure out the ordering procedure, it could streamline the process a little bit better. I will definitely come back here as the overall atmosphere was nice, staff was great and supporting a local business in this unique market is pretty awesome. Check this place out.