BLACK STAR FARMS
Distillery & Craft Cocktails
OUR DISTILLERY & SPIRITS
To express the region’s agricultural heritage, you will taste northern Michigan in a bottle of our cherry brandy. Made of just cherries mashed into juice, we add a little yeast to begin fermentation and distill it into a pure, clear, 80-proof spirit. Black Star Farms produces brandies from the best local apples, cherries, pears, plums, raspberries, and grapes.
Our distillery operation began in 1998 on our farm in Suttons Bay. Our fruit-based brandies are generally known as eau de vie-style spirits, a staple in some European countries. Eau de vie is French for “water of life.” These spirits are clear and represent the pure essence of fermented fruit. The balance of fruit and alcohol reflects the distiller’s artisan skill and the fruit’s quality. We also make barrel-aged brandies from apples and cherries that spend years in French and American oak and exhibit more whiskey-like complexities.
Our local fruit is some of the best in the world, and our distillation method retains the beautiful characteristics found in these fruits. At the precise time when the distiller feels it is optimum to showcase the “spirit” of the fruit, the brandy is bottled, often a single run or barrel at a time.
The Collection
Pear and its Spirit Brandy
Black Star Farms is located on the same 45th Parallel that runs through some of the great wine regions of the world. Our unique “lake effect” climate allows us to produce classic varietal wines that truly express our dynamic wine region. Fruit is sourced from both the proprietor’s vineyards and from those of local grower partners on the Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas. This diversity allows us to obtain consistent quality across vintages.
Winemaker Comments
In Spring, a bottle is tied over a budding branch in the pear orchard with hopes that a Bartlett pear will grow to maturity inside the bottle. The pear is harvested, cleaned and washed, and the bottle is then filled with pear brandy from pears grown in the same orchard and hand labeled in this special limited presentation. This “pear in the bottle” is a true collector’s item and can be prominently displayed. The pear becomes calcified over time and is not consumed. As the bottle is emptied, but while the pear is still covered with brandy, simply purchase a bottle of Spirit of Pear and refill the “pear in the bottle” for many years of enjoyment.
Tasting Notes
This has a similar mouthfeel to vodka, but is packed with
luscious pear flavor.
luscious pear flavor.
Thoughts for Food
Mix into salsa, use for flambés or sip as a digestif/digestive
after a meal. Also delicious when added to Swiss fondue.
after a meal. Also delicious when added to Swiss fondue.
Featured Cocktail
Apple Ginger Fizz
Apple Brandy is shaken with apple butter and a blend of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg and topped with Vernors for a festive fall cocktail. This apple-inspired libation will be offered for a limited time, so be sure to plan your fall color tour today and don’t miss out on this special seasonal treat!
SIGNATURE CRAFT COCKTAILS
Great craft spirits and cocktails are about more than just the craft – it’s the experience and the people you share it with, too. We believe great wine and spirits are something for everyone to enjoy. Our approach is refreshingly real. Nothing fake. No pretenses here. Only the good stuff.