NEWS: Lake + Valley Lemonade | GVSU partners with local distiller to create canned cocktail

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Originally published on WZZM13 News, June 24, 2024

Grand Valley State University has partnered with a local distiller to make a GVSU branded canned cocktail.

ALLENDALE, Mich. — In 2023, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill into law legalizing the sale of alcohol at college athletic events in the state.

Since that bill was signed, colleges across Michigan have applied for liquor licenses and have even began sales. Grand Valley State University (GVSU) has even partnered with a local distiller to make a GVSU branded canned cocktail.

Lake + Valley Lemonade, distilled by Long Road Distillers, is the latest installment of the GVSU Lake + Valley lifestyle line. Long Road Distillers is owned by GVSU alumni and opened in May of 2015.

“As Laker Alumni, Kyle and I are thrilled beyond belief to have an opportunity to partner with GVSU in the creation of Lake + Valley Lemonade,” said Long Road Owner and Co-Founder Jon O’Conner. “The amazing educational opportunities and experiences GVSU provided to us both were instrumental in giving us the confidence to start our own distillery. To now be able to partner with the university in the creation of a world class Ready to Drink canned cocktail they can call their own is something we are so unbelievably proud of!”

Starting Monday, June 24 the canned cocktail will be available for purchase throughout the state of Michigan as they plan to sell it in stores, bars and restaurants.

In fall, when the football season kicks off, Laker fans will be able to purchase and enjoy Lake + Valley Lemonade at Lubbers Stadium and the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. The 12 oz cans will feature the “GV” athletics trademark and color. The cocktail itself will have flavors of lemon and blueberry with a hint of basil.

“It felt blue, Grand Valley Laker Blue. It felt right going with the blueberry lemonade. It would be a light, refreshing, crisp drink that would be great for the Michigan summers,” said Joshua Borger, Director of Marketing and Fan Development.

The cocktail features Long Road distillers original vodka and contains five percent alcohol with 110 calories. The director of marketing at GVSU said students and the community are excited about the new drink.

“Students seem pretty excited. I’ve seen a few comments that say they can’t wait to try this at football games. It’s really awesome that people can’t wait to get back to Grand Rapids so that they can try it,” said Borger.

“We are humbled to partner with a GVSU Alumni owned business that is anchored in our West Michigan community. Jon and Kyle’s commitment to quality, service, and excellence aligns with GVSU Athletics value of championship excellence. This new partnership with Lake + Valley Lemonade has truly combined two hard working championship brands to create a product that will be enjoyed by Long Road fans and Laker Nation alike,” said Deputy Director of GVSU Athletics, Doug Lipinski.

“With distribution across the state, we are excited to extend the GVSU brand to new areas. No matter if it is a hot Michigan summer day at the lake or a beautiful fall night tailgating at Lubbers Stadium, Lake + Valley Lemonade is perfect. We look forward to the growth of this partnership.” Lipinski added.

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Beyond the Barrel with Karl: Amaro Cask Bourbon – Not Just Another Coffee Spirit

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There are many ways of finishing bourbon after it has reached maturity. Some distilleries will take their bourbon and place it in a wine cask to impart some of the fruity sweet notes of the wine, like we did with our first installment, the Marquette Cask Bourbon. Finishing a bourbon has become a more common practice in the distilling world in recent years, and our Special Finish Amaro Cask Bourbon is just one example of how this technique can be used to enhance a bourbon.

 

To get started on the process, we will start with our high proof spirit and start soaking an array of botanicals in it (chicory bark, wormwood, and orris root to name a few). We will let these soak for a day before adding fresh orange peel to the mix. That will soak for couple of days before the botanicals are pulled out and the coffee from Madcap Coffee is added in. We will take this and place it in a used oak barrel. We allow this to age for 3-4 months to impart the flavors of the Amaro Pazzo to the barrel. We will remove this and then refill this barrel with another hand selected Straight Bourbon barrel. This refilled barrel is allowed to age another 8 months and 19 days before it was emptied, bottled, and passed to you as our Amaro Cask Bourbon.

 

The Amaro Cask Bourbon is a unique take on a barrel finish. At the end of the day though, we just really wanted to stick some coffee in a bourbon as an afternoon pick-me-up.

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Long Road Distillers Introduces Ready-to-Drink Espresso Martini with Madcap Coffee Co.

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Local partnership brings popular modern-classic cocktail to new, convenient heights.

Long Road Distillers and Madcap Coffee Company, both headquartered in Grand Rapids, have again collaborated to develop a product that marries what they do best – spirits and coffee. The Long Road Nitro Espresso Martini, a ready-to-drink canned cocktail, is now popping up on retail store shelves and in bar coolers around the state of Michigan. The new release features Long Road Vodka, Madcap Coffee, and Amaro Pazzo.

Long Road Distillers and Madcap Coffee previously partnered to create Amaro Pazzo, a traditional Italian-style bittersweet liqueur that features Madcap’s Eureka coffee blend as a primary ingredient. It is available in bottled form throughout Michigan, including at Long Road tasting rooms in Grand Rapids and Grand Haven.

The owners of Long Road consider the Nitro Espresso Martini to be another step in the evolution of a modern-classic cocktail that dates back to the 1980’s and is experiencing a renaissance in popularity. Famed British bartender Dick Bradsell is credited with creating the first iteration of the vodka-espresso combo when he was asked by a patron to make them a cocktail to “wake me up and [get me buzzed].” The combination of vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur and sugar has been riffed on behind bars ever since.

“Who doesn’t love a well-made espresso martini as a pick-me-up while out on the town?” asked Jon O’Connor, co-owner and co-founder of Long Road Distillers “But it takes a lot of effort to enjoy one when away from the bar, without an espresso machine and all the ingredients on hand,” he continued. “We’ve done all the legwork for you – creating a perfectly balanced drink, adding a dose of nitrogen for an iconic frothy head and creamy finish, all in the convenience of a can.”

The Long Road Nitro Espresso Martini is an extension of a cocktail named At Last the distillery has been running on their menus since opening Less Traveled, a cocktail bar in the East Hills Neighborhood of Grand Rapids. It was an immediate hit and continues to be one of the best-selling cocktails on the menu at all locations month after month.

To make the ready-to-drink version of the cocktail as authentic as possible, it is canned at 13% alcohol by volume, nearly the maximum for a canned cocktail in Michigan. With the introduction of caffeine and higher alcohol content, the distillery decided to package the drink in 6.8oz cans rather than the traditional 12oz format.

The Long Road Nitro Espresso Martini, as well as Long Road’s entire portfolio of ready-to-drink cocktails and bottled spirits, is being distributed throughout Michigan by Imperial Beverage. Bars, restaurants, and retailers interested in carrying Long Road products should contact their Imperial Beverage account manager for more information. Want to find a 4-pack near you? Visit longroaddistillers.com/spirit-finder for a regularly updated list of outlets for Long Road spirits.

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About Long Road Distillers:

Long Road Distillers was born from the belief that making world-class spirits means never taking shortcuts along the way. After becoming the first craft distillery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Long Road Distillers formed relationships with local farmers to bring that mission to Grand Rapids’ West Side neighborhood. Each spirit produced at Long Road Distillers is milled from locally sourced ingredients, fermented, and distilled on-site. The result is an uncompromised lineup of spirits including Vodka, Gin, Whisky and more. Their spirits, along with a handcrafted collection of cocktails and a wide variety of food can be enjoyed at their Grand Rapids and Grand Haven Tasting Rooms, and visitors can now enjoy signature craft cocktails at Less Traveled, a cocktail bar by Long Road in East Hills. For more information, visit www.LongRoadDistillers.com or find Long Road Distillers on Facebook or Instagram @longroadgr.

About Madcap Coffee:

Founded in 2008, Madcap Coffee Company is headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI. They operate their own roastery, as well as several cafes in Michigan. Their founder, Trevor Corlett, is an award-winning, nationally recognized barista and trainer. They have been spotlighted by national media and in competition for their coffees, roasting profiles, and innovative drink recipes. For more information, visit www.madcapcoffee.com or direct inquiries to info@madcapcoffee.com.

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Beyond the Barrel with Jenney: Big and Easy, Absinthe Cask Bourbon Whisky

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Month 2: Absinthe Cask Finished Bourbon Whisky

In the heart of New Orleans, where the vibrant rhythms of jazz fill the air and the aroma of Creole cuisine tantalizes the senses, there exists a spirit of celebration unlike any other. It’s a city where tradition and innovation intersect, where the past is honored and the future embraced. And at the center of it all lies Mardi Gras, a festival of revelry and indulgence that captures the essence of the Big Easy’s soul.

For Long Road Distillers, known for our commitment to tradition, curiosity and excellence, Mardi Gras serves as a fitting backdrop for our latest release: Absinthe Finished Bourbon. This bold and innovative spirit, infused with the seductiveness of absinthe and the richness of bourbon, embodies the spirit of celebration and tradition that defines Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

The journey of Long Road’s Absinthe Finished Bourbon begins in the distillery’s home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where local corn, wheat, rye and barley is distilled and aged for 2 years, 1 month and 5 days to become Long Road Bourbon, developing a depth and complexity of toffee, vanilla and sweet corn that serve as the perfect canvas for the finish of absinthe.

But what sets Long Road’s Absinthe Finished Bourbon apart is its finishing touch. This batch of bourbon is transferred to oak barrels that have been seasoned with absinthe, where it undergoes a 7 month transformation, absorbing the essence of Long Road’s Grand Absinthe and acquiring new layers of flavor and character. The result is a Bourbon that captivates the palate, with notes of anise, wormwood and caraway traveling alongside the rich, toffee and vanilla flavors of Long Road’s bourbon. Bottled at 46.5%ABV or 93 proof, this Bourbon offers the unapologetically bold flavors balanced with nuance and delicacy that defines Long Road spirits.

Whether sipped neat, mixed into classic cocktails like the Sazerac, or savored alongside traditional Mardi Gras fare, Long Road’s Absinthe Finished Bourbon adds a touch of magic to any celebration. It’s a spirit that embodies the spirit of Mardi Gras – vibrant, eclectic, and unapologetically bold.

As the sun sets over the French Quarter and the sounds of Mardi Gras fade into the night, one thing remains certain: the spirit of celebration lives on in every bottle of Long Road Absinthe Finished Bourbon. So here’s to Mardi Gras and to the timeless tradition of raising a glass in celebration of life’s rich tapestry.

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