Oma’s Cherry-Infused Vodka

Bottoms Up

By Lynda Wheatley | Nov. 3, 2018

Distiller Kyle Miller’s “Oma” — that’s German for grandmother — has been infusing her vodka with Traverse City cherries since she emigrated to the Mitten State from Germany in 1952. Borrowing a little bit of Oma’s pluck and a lot of her recipe, Miller has bottled Oma’s cherry vodka and skyrocketed it to the shelves of 96 Meijer locations in Michigan and 81 stores in Texas, plus scored limited distribution in Wisconsin and Illinois. Miller stays true to his Oma’s recipe, using more than 150 cherries — from Traverse City’s Shoreline Fruit — in every bottle, and letting the cherries steep 21 days in premium vodka sourced from a distillery in Gurnee, Illinois. Much like the Lansing-based legacy lady herself, Oma’s Spirits’ Cherry-Infused Vodka is sweet, strong (80 proof) and, sans chemicals or other false flavorings, totally authentic. We found ours at Geyer’s in Traverse City; we’re betting 93-year-old Oma, pictured above at her local Meijer, got a senior discount. Find other locations and more information at www.omasspirits.com.