MICHIGIN Batch # 9: The Pickers

For three days every September, our dedicated team at Long Road Distillers sets aside our usual roles—bartender, distiller, dishwasher, director of sales, owner, chef, and more—to embrace a singular title: juniper picker. This unique experience takes place on Beaver Island, where we come together to harvest the very botanicals that contribute to our beloved spirit. It’s a time for camaraderie, exploration, and a deepened appreciation for the ingredients that define our craft.

Abandoning our individual job titles allows us to step into a shared purpose. As juniper pickers, we work side by side, each of us contributing to a collective goal. This shared experience fosters teamwork and strengthens our bonds, creating an environment where everyone’s efforts are valued equally. In a world where roles often dictate interactions, this time spent picking juniper emphasizes collaboration and unity, reinforcing the idea that each person’s contribution is essential to the success of the distillery.

Beaver Island, 30 miles into Lake Michigan, serves as the perfect backdrop for this annual event. We meet at the distillery at 7 AM and caravan the 175 miles to Charlevoix, where we board the Beaver Island Boat Company’s Emerald Isle for a 32.6-mile journey into Lake Michigan. It doesn’t matter if it’s someone’s first trip or their ninth; during this sail, you can’t help but feel giddy. After 2.5 hours, the boat enters Paradise Bay, our destination.

The island’s serene environment offers a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of daily operations. Surrounded by the Beaver Island community, our team finds joy in the simplicity of picking juniper, sharing stories, and building memories that extend beyond our individual roles at the distillery.

The 200 pounds of juniper harvested during this trip play a crucial role in our identity as a distillery. By participating in the harvest, we gain firsthand knowledge of the importance of authenticity in our products. This connection to the ingredients enhances our understanding of the distillation process, from the moment the berries are picked to the final product that fills our bottles.

Long Road Distillers’ juniper picking adventure is more than just a seasonal tradition; it’s a celebration of teamwork, fellowship, and exploration. By coming together as juniper pickers, we strengthen our connections to each other and to the ingredients that define our spirits. As we return to our individual roles, we carry with us the spirit of collaboration and a deeper appreciation for our commitment to taking the Long Road in crafting our spirits.