Ethanology's Fresh Frost

Bottoms Up

By Alex Tank | Feb. 8, 2020

Just off Elk Lake, Ethanology is embracing the art of shaking off winter’s chill with warming spirits.  

All products of the three-year-old business are distilled on site, using hyper-local ingredients sourced within a 33-mile radius. Co-owners and spouses Geri and Nick Lefebre produce vodka, gin, white whiskey and Mel, a unique spirit derived from local honey. “If it’s not good enough to drink neat, it’s not good enough,” promises Nick during an informative guided tasting.  The distillery proudly supports its farm partners, each of whom is listed on every bottle produced.  Ethanology’s craft cocktail of the moment is Fresh Frost, a fragrant concoction of the distillery’s Eros Gin, King Orchards blueberry preserves and a splash of bubbles.

Grapefruit and mint garnishes complement the gin’s herbaceous subtleties. All botanicals used for the Eros Gin are wild-foraged within 30 miles of the distillery to ensure a true expression of northern Michigan’s terroir, the very same essence of soil and climate championed by vintners. Geri is the technical magician behind every drop. She is a primarily self-taught, artisanal distiller who numbers among a small cohort of female head distillers operating in the country today. The nuanced spirits she creates and Ethanology’s inviting, modern space reflect each of northern Michigan’s seasons in every glass. Discover the art and science of distillation at Ethanology’s distillery, open Thurs.-Sun. at127 Ames St. in Elk Rapids. (231)498-2800, www.ethanologydistillation.com.