[Metromode] The Rise of Metro Detroit's Mixologists

Shane McGrath at The Oakland. Photo by David Lewinski Photography for Metromode. 

Maybe it's because of metro Detroit's automotive history, but whenever a new trend hits we have a tendency to take it from zero to 60 with ear-splitting speed. We did it with food trucks. We did it with pop-ups. We did it with coffee and craft beer and artisan spirits. And we did it with craft cocktails.

Read more.

[EID Preview] Two James Distillery

All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

The newly-opened Two James Spirits in Corktown is the first licensed distillery in the city of Detroit since before Prohibition (it won't be alone in that sandbox for long though; Detroit City Distillery will open in Eastern Market sometime in 2014).

The distillery was founded by Peter Bailey and David Landrum; third partner Andy Mohr came on board later. They purchased a large industrial building on Michigan Avenue on the other side of Roosevelt Park from Slows et.al. last July. Renovations on the 7,000-square-foot building, which was previously a taxi cab storage and dispatch center and originally a doughnut manufacturing plant when it was built at the turn of the century, took a full year to complete.

But the work is done, and Two James is already welcoming their first customers in a super soft opening, allowing them to get their feet wet as you wet your whistle, as it were.

Bailey and Mohr. 

The space is a production facility for their Two James label spirits, which includes 28 Island Vodka, named for the 28 islands (some now underwater) in the Detroit River which were used as hideouts during Prohibition; Old Cockney Gin, a London-style dry gin created to honor Bailey's father, a Brit; and Grass Widow Bourbon, named after an old whiskey brand once manufactured in Detroit, which was once a leader in premium whiskey manufacturing. There is also a 100% rye whiskey, another bourbon, and a reserve single malt whiskey (these all need to age in barrels and won't be released for at least a year). Future plans also include Two James Calvados and Two James Absinthe. They try to use as many local products as possible; the rye for the 100% rye whiskey all came from a farm in Jasper, Michigan, and they also plan on making some eaux di vies with local fruits in the future (like an apple brandy).

Bailey and Landrum took a distilling class together in Chicago. After long considering opening his own restaurant, it became more and more clear to Landrum - who was already really into craft cocktails and was already making his own bitters and cocktail recipes at Cafe Felix in Ann Arbor - that it was possible to make a really high-quality product locally and have a sustainable business. The two forged a business partnership and after considering different parts of the country for the distillery, eventually decided that Detroit city is the place to be. Mohr says local businesses like Slows and Sugar House have been exceedingly supportive.

Two James is named after the founding partners' fathers, both deceased (and both named James). The name is their tribute to the values of hard work and the importance of family instilled in them by their fathers.

Two James products are available for purchase in their tasting room and are also now hitting the shelves of stores and local bars through their distributor Great Lakes Wine and Spirits. Distribution will start in Michigan and eventually expand out to the Midwest and East Coast with hopes of breaking into international markets. Their 500-gallon copper still can produce a lot of booze; for their first year of production they are looking at 2,500-5,000 cases and can grow from there.

The quality of their products doesn't just stop at what's inside the bottle: the bottles themselves are works of art. The packaging for their vodka and gin was designed by New York-based Stranger + Stranger, which specializes in packaging design for wine, spirits, and beer. The bottles feature the words "Corktown" molded into the base of the bottle and "Two James Spirits" on top, a coin with the Two James branding fused into the bottle, and exquisitely detailed labels modeled after pre-Prohibition marketing pieces. This packaging without a doubt has a few design awards in its future.

That attention to detail and quality of design work has also been carried into the tasting room. Architect Piotr Kolacz designed the space. Bricks are either original to the building or reclaimed from other historic buildings. The original steel beam overhead was simply repainted, and the garage door in front was replaced with a glass one. Wood for the floors and benches came from Reclaim Detroit. A massive circular concrete bar designed by Kolacz was framed and poured on-site: this thing, all one piece, will NEVER leave this building. It will be one of the only things left standing after humanity blows itself up and all that's left is rubble, cockroaches, and this bar.

Overhead is a circular steel ring with metal globes hanging from it. The globes came from a bazaar in Egypt that Kolacz came across while traveling; the welding of the steel ring and the decidedly steampunk Two James sign out front was done by metalworker Taru Lahti. Inside they will also hang works from local artists for sale (100% of sales go to the artist) and they also have a projection which can only mean one thing: movie nights!

Two James is now open for limited hours with a limited cocktail menu featuring their spirits. Landrum is currently out of the business (his wife just had a baby), so look for the grand opening in the next month with regular hours and a more extensive cocktail menu with fresh ingredients from Eastern Market and and house-made items like vodka infusions with yellow raisins and Afghan figs. Hours will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings to start as they gauge demand.

An unofficial opening last month with the Oily Souls Motorcycle Club showed them that demand could in fact be quite high - about 1,000 people came out, many in no way affiliated with the bike club but came only because they saw something was happening over at the new distillery. Next spring the back lot, now covered in gravel, will be transformed into a patio and event space with the dramatic Michigan Central Station as its backdrop.

Want to see more? View the Flickr set here. 

[NEWS BITES] Travis Fourmont leaving Roast, joining Great Lakes Wine and Spirits

Mr. Manhattan himself, Travis Fourmont

Travis Fourmont, one of the friendly faces behind the bar at Roast and also one of the top bartenders in the country, is leaving his position at Roast to join Great Lakes Wine and Spirits, the Highland Park-based wine and liquor distribution company.

Great Lakes, the end result of the 2007 merger between General Wine and Liquor and J. Lewis Cooper, is the largest distribution company in Michigan and is getting bigger. They currently employ about 900 people all over the state and want to further expand their offerings and services (which includes not-yet-official plans to acquire a Michigan beer distributor and get back into beer distribution).

Travis is joining the team as the corporate mixologist, a brand-new position being created so that Great Lakes can keep its competitive edge on the market, following the lead of major national distributors like Southern Wine and Spirits, which also employs a corporate mixologist.

His position is more akin to being a consultant for Great Lakes accounts. His role will include anything from collaborating on craft cocktail programs at bars and restaurants to assisting bars in keeping down liquor costs and product consultation. For Great Lakes accounts, his services come free.

Great Lakes also carries many of the top shelf spirits he is accustomed to working with, like Woodford Reserve and Bombay Sapphire, both of which he has won competitions using -- Travis makes the best Manhattan in the country according to Woodford Reserve, and also placed in the top 10 as well as winning the audience choice award at a Bombay Sapphire competition in Las Vegas last year.

Also joining the Great Lakes team is Antoine Przekop, a big name in the local liquor industry who has worked as a general manager and sommelier at places like Tribute and SaltWater and is considered one of the local authorities on wine and spirits. Antoine, who just passed the Certified Wine Educators (CWE) exam and is in the process of completing this certification (which no one else in Michigan has), will come on board on the sales side, working with top-shelf and boutique spirits. This is his first job working in sales for a distributor and outside of the restaurant industry. After 15 years on the customer service end, he welcomes this professional change and the ability to focus more on sales and portfolio development, his particular strengths.

Snagging these two well-known and well-respected names in the local beverage industry is a major coup for Great Lakes and a boon for their long-term growth plans.

In the meantime, Roast's cocktail program will remain just as strong as ever. They are rolling out a new spring cocktail menu, which was mostly hands-off for Travis, and from the three (*gulp*) I've tried so far there is no reason to mourn Travis's departure other than for the fact that we'll miss his smiling face. Check out the full new cocktail menu below. Travis's last days at Roast are Wednesday and Thursday this week; stop by to wish him well and have one last award-winning Manhattan.

Roast's Spring Cocktail Menu (with thanks to Roast's Joe Rob for providing)

Awww Snap
Sugar Snap Pea Infused Gin, Cocchi Americano, Fresh Lemon, Simple Sugar, Mint, Celery Bitters, Crushed Ice, Pea Tendril

The Last Straw (like strawberry lemonade!)
Sugar Snap Pea Infused Gin, Strawberry Infused Chartreuse, St. Germaine, Fresh Lime, Strawberry Garnish

Green Machine
Muddled Avocado, Ilegal Joven Mezcal, Spiced Agave Syrup, Fresh Lime, Cracked Black Pepper

Turnin’ on the Screw
Citadelle Gin, Aperol, Fresh Lemon, Rhubarb Bitters

Phosphene Dream
Mindo Cocoa Tea Infused Bourbon, Averna Amaro, Orange Flower Water, Xocolatl Mole Bitters, Mezcal Rinse

Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror (hello super-awesome beer cocktail)
Bulleit Rye, Crème De Cassis, Fresh Lemon, Egg White, Petrus Aged Pale

Je Ne Sais Pas
Ron Zacapa 23, Fresh Lemon, Simple Syrup, Mint, Xocolatle Mole Bitters, Egg

The Mazatlan (HOLY SHIT - order this by the pitcher)
Cilantro Infused Gin, Jalapeno Syrup, Fresh Lime, Chili Oil, Sea Salt

Bar Fly
Fig Infused Gin, Campari, Cherry Heering, Cranberry, Angostura, Vanilla Fig

Cucumber Collins
Cucumber Infused Gin, Fresh Lime, Simple Sugar, Soda

PRCPU
Old Overholt Rye, Fernet Branca, Tawny Port, Aperol