Tasting Room

Synthesized Spirits

Local foragers and farmers provide the vital ingredients used in this Elk Rapids distillery’s signature cocktails

By Dianna Stampfler

T he owners of Ethanolo¿y launched their small distillery in Elk Rapids with a keen understanding of how to achieve success in Michigan’s competitive craft beverage industry.

Nick and Geri Lefebre, the distillery’s husband-and-wife entrepreneurs, say creativity and uniqueness are the building blocks of their business near Traverse City. From day one, they’ve focused on creating a company that’s deeply connected to the people and the land of northern Michigan, while producing stellar spirits and artistic cocktails that entice their tasting room guests to keep coming back for more.

The distillery’s distinctive Ethanolo¿y name comes from the words “ethanol” — the base molecule in beer, spirits, and wine (and also the intoxicating agent in all of those libations) — and “ology” — a study or branch of knowledge. “Simply put, we’re the science and art of distillation,” Nick says.

Nick manages the business side, from booking bands and marketing to serving on the board of the Michigan Craft Distillers Association, while Geri oversees production. At the onset, Geri dove head-first into learning the ancient alchemic art of distillation, craving a deep understanding of the process and seeking to blend that knowledge with her desire to create products with regional roots.

Drawing on the rich microclimate created by their proximity to Lake Michigan, Ethanolo¿y believes that each farm, field, season, and barrel has terroir (the characteristic taste imparted to a product by the environment in which it is produced), which gives the finished product (the spirit and the cocktail) its own distinct flavor profile.

Local foragers and farmers provide the vital ingredients used in the signature cocktails that make up Ethanolo¿y’s seasonal menu. The Lefebres say they’ve strived to develop and maintain relationships with their agricultural neighbors.

Ethanolo¿y’s small-batch spirits — vodka, gin, whiskey, and Mel® — are authentically crafted on a custom 500-liter distillation system. By focusing on just one product at a time, Geri is able to give her full attention to each batch.

Mel (Latin for honey) is Ethanolo¿y’s proprietary spirit, a single distillation made of 100 percent northern Michigan cherry blossom honey from Cherry Ke Farms in nearby Kewadin. Never filtered, this 80-proof spirit is lightly aged in new American white oak barrels, which results in its heavenly “Nectar of the Gods” taste.

“The idea for Mel sprung from our commitment to local agricultural products,” Nick says. “Naturally, we live in the largest production region of tart cherries in the world, and every single cherry is naturally pollinated by a honeybee. These factors led us down the path to producing a honey distillate, and it’s been an integral part of showcasing our creativity, our commitment to local agriculture, and producing exemplary spirits.

“The spirit is like nothing else in the world and has beautiful notes of banana, caramel, and cherry blossom, with a viscous mouthfeel and a long, caramel finish,” he adds. “The spirit’s floral notes are similar to a Japanese single malt, with the sweetness of a bourbon, yet without the grain bite.”

Private tastings of each of the com-

The distillery’s tasting room facilities include a comfortable seasonal outdoor seating area and a wellstocked gift shop.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ETHANOLOGY SPIRIT HOUSE & DISTILLERY pany’s spirits are available during guided and grain-to-glass distillery tours (limited to eight people), which are offered from 2-5 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.

For those who may be interested in learning more about the entire process of distilling spirits, Ethanolo¿y’s immersive “Barrel by Name” program provides that opportunity. Geri leads the immersive program, which allows customers to learn every aspect of the spirit-creation process, from the selection of grain to its milling, mashing, fermentation, distillation, barrelaging (complete with a brass plate adorned with the individual’s name placed on the cask, chosen by the guest), and bottling. In the end, each guest receives a case (12 bottles) of spirits from their own barrel.

Ethanolo¿y’s Spirit House tasting room is located just east of U.S.-31 in Elk Rapids. It’s open Thursday through Sunday, year-round, with live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Winter visitors will find a new front bar area inside, as well as an encapsulated and heated outdoor Cocktail Courtyard with a clear acrylic roof, which gives the space a greenhouse vibe. The Yurt Village, with wood-burning stoves, blankets, and fun games, is available by reservation only.

“We visit Ethanolo¿y often and have property in Elk Rapids, so it’s a place we stop by whenever we go north,” says Allison Wong of Grand Rapids, who started going to the distillery when it opened in the early summer of 2017.

“It’s a perfect Michigan setting with bonfires, wood pergolas, rustic décor, and even live music — exactly what we expect in northern Michigan,” Wong adds. “The staff is top-notch and it’s truly an experience watching these mixologists craft drinks from several unique ingredients that all come together for a delicious drink. We love taking friends and family there to experience it all.”

PLAN IT! Ethanology Spirit House & Distillery ethanologydistillation.com

Farmhouse Conversion

Sylvan Table earns high marks for its creative menu and homey atmosphere

By Dianna Stampfler | Photography by Alex Groffsky

S ince opening last summer (2021), the Sylvan Table restaurant has become so popular that diners usually are waiting in line for the doors to open each afternoon. Tucked into the tiny community of Sylvan Lake (about 20 miles northwest of Detroit and bordering Pontiac), the rustic eatery has quickly established roots as a culinary destination.

Tim and Nicole Ryan have been building restaurants throughout the Midwest since launching their company, Ryan Construction, in the mid-1990s. Their earlier projects inspired them to follow their dream of owning and operating their own restaurant, focused on the values that are important to them — sustainability, creativity, and wholesomeness, with a welcoming and homey atmosphere.

The epitome of a farm-to-plate experience, Sylvan Table’s 5-acre property is anchored by a 300-year-old, two-story reclaimed barn (complete with two fireplaces and a glass atrium). Three acres are dedicated to growing operations for 100 different crop varieties. Three high-tunnel hoop houses and beehives help provide a bounty of natural ingredients for the continually updated, seasonal menu.

Fruit trees — apple, pear, plum, and Michigan kiwi — will eventually add to the estate-grown produce.

Sylvan Table’s focus is purposefully localized, with an emphasis on neighborhood relationships when it comes not only to sourcing ingredients, but also to satisfying customers. That philosophy and environment were just what Executive Chef Chris Gadulka was looking for.

“I have heart and soul invested into this,” says Gadulka, who plans on hanging his apron in this kitchen for the rest of his career. “This is every chef’s dream. You usually don’t get a chance to get everything you ever possibly wanted and the ability to develop the culture of the restaurant.”

Before the barn was even reassembled, Gadulka was brought in to develop the culinary program and to hire a team eager to learn skills ranging from deboning meat to pickling produce. He strives to feature lesser-known ingredients, including different types of meat — like rabbit — to make Sylvan Table relevant and keep guests returning to see what’s new.

“We’re not going too crazy with the menu, but going just far enough — (it’s) slightly different and still amazing,” he says. “We look for ways to use products that you may not have thought of.”

The evolving menu showcases dishes suitable for sharing, embracing the culture of breaking bread, sipping wine, and enjoying conversations. Starters, shareables, entrées, and desserts are lush with colors, textures, and flavors.

The grilled oysters with apple kohlrabi slaw are a light and savory start, while the hearth-braised rabbit — slow-cooked in the wood-fired oven — offers a taste of something different (and delicious), pairing perfectly with roasted Brussels sprouts (with pancetta, pepitas, apple kimchi, and honey), herb tahini multicolor carrots, and root vegetable potato dauphinois rich with asiago, double cream, and chili peppers topped with caponata.

Fresh-baked artisan breads served with a trio of seasoned butters are great for nibbling between courses. The extensive beverage list includes local and global wines, several Michigan craft beers, and a creative cocktail list.

“What a great dining experience. The food, the ambience, the company — all 10 out of 10,” says Angie Shekell, who dined at the eatery in early fall. “The steak and root vegetable dauphinoise potatoes were a must-try. We’ll definitely be back.”

For winter, Chef Gadulka has turned to heartier items, drawing from his wellstocked pantry. Many of the ingredients are canned, pickled, frozen, fermented, dehydrated, and powdered for just such a season. In early fall, the staff (both the back and front of the house) even banded together to preserve more than 600 pounds of tomatoes, utilizing techniques familiar to their parents and grandparents, but not necessarily to them.

PLAN IT! Sylvan Table sylvantable.com

This page: The restaurant’s menu features locally-sourced and lesser-known ingredients. Opposite page: Framed by two large fireplaces and a glass atrium, Sylvan Table has 152 indoor seats plus a seasonal outdoor space.