Wow. Very impressive space.
We are in the area fairly often as we have family in nearby Lakeside. Knowing that I have a penchant for "The Brown" they suggested we make a trip over and have a tour. Great suggestion!
The tour was interesting and informative and includes a free tasting! We hung out for a couple of cocktails and small bites. The hummus was excellent and I would have liked to try more of the food. Very friendly service. We left with a bottle of Rye. Looking forward to our next visit.
We rented a house that was about 50 steps from this place. Â I did not have the food, but I really enjoyed my drinks and the whiskey flight. Â Very relaxed atmosphere, and the servers were happily answering all kinds of questions. Â I'm amazed that this can be found in such a small town. Â In a way, it feels like a throw back to a simpler time. Â No TVs, no games --- just nice background music, great drinks, and good conversation.
Review Source:Journeyman is great. Great creative cocktail menu and good appetizers.
This would be an easy 5 stars except that the cocktails are fairly inconsistent. I had a perfect lavender gimlet for my first drink last time we were there.. PERFECT... went up to order another one and it was gin heavy and lacked the balanced lavender flavor of the first one. The third one was mostly gin. Which I guess at that point I didn't really mind so much :)
I was also kind of expecting the bartender to be a little bit more into spirts. He knew about the distilleries booze but beyond that I don't really think he was into his craft that much. And the guy mixing that night was obviously not the same one who designed the cocktails on the menu. Whoever did definitely knows their stuff.
We had our kids with us too and they were very happy with the Barritt's Ginger Beer.
Anyways great atmosphere, great experience, great booze, great apps, great building, great town. Will definitely be going back.
Loved this place since my husband and I stumbled upon it during a B&B vacation we had a couple years ago in nearby Union Pier . Back then, there was no food and we had just done the tour and flights. Now it's expanded to include a small plates menu using local products, and there is a patio in the back to accommodate more guests.
Although it's off the beaten path in what feels like the middle of nowhere, it is honestly well worth a detour off the freeway.
Reasons to return (visited 2x now and planning to come back) -
1) Theme of travel: Giant map that shows where every guest's "journey starts" indicating city/country of origin with a pin. Incorporated it well without it being cheesy.
2) Cozy and historic, yet hip and funky atmosphere: Local art for sale adorns the exposed brick and beam walls; high ceilings make it feel bigger than reality; communal tables and couches encourage lounging and conversation; panoramic historic photo of what the town used to be gives the place character.
3) Personable staff: Tour is informal and interesting. Learned a lot but didn't feel like a class. Got to know guide and guests.
4) Expertly made, sassy cocktails: Strong but can't taste it. I am in love with the OCG - apple cider, cinnamon, bitters and the white whiskey rum. Sooooo incredibly smooth on the palate.
5) Tasty treats: Although there is only food five days of the week and the menu is minimal, the Journeyman makes up for the quantity with quality. For example, the charcuterie plate is all from the famous butcher down the street - Drier's. The thick cut turkey, ham and salami taste nothing like the grocery store brands, with much more meat and less processed chemicals. Not to mention, the cheeses are creamy, the mustard is zippy and the bread has the right ratio of crust to soft middle. Perfect complement to those cocktails.
Cool building with a lot of history, really good product, but just an ok tour experience. This place oozes with coolness, formerly a buggy whip and corset factory, the original hardwood floors from 1880 were restored in the tasting room. Our tour guide was the proprietor's mother and while she had a working knowledge of the distilling process, she wasn't able to answer a few more specific/in-depth questions our group had. The tour ended with a tasting. We knuckled up to the bar afterwards for a hand-crafted cocktail. I had the drink called I'll Have Another which was made with the Buggy Whip Wheat Whiskey and it had muddled mint in it. I thought it was great. My fiancée had the Old Fashion and while he thought it was good, it was also too sweet for his taste. It was a really cool place and overall fun experience, but our tour guide didn't do a great job of selling the brand and made a few comments that just make you roll your eyes.
Review Source:We came into the distillery and most of it was closed for a private event so just the front bar and store section were open. Our group ended up just hanging out at the bar and ordered from there. We had already eaten so it was just a bunch of booze. I tried their whiskey flights and thought that the rye and the bourbon were good but the other brown spirits were just okay. However, the cocktails were made well, the Manhattan in particular was a well-balanced and the Bee's Knees, masked the gin like it was supposed to.
Service wise, we had two bartenders and one of them was better than the other, especially at the end of the night where there were less people there but still just as difficult to get the attention for a refill. Their spirits are pretty good, but a bit on the pricier side, but it's a good place to come to every once in a while.
Stopped in on my way back from Detroit. Had it in my mind to visit this place and I was not disappointed.
When you pull up, Journeyman Distillery is one of several businesses in a very old 19th century manufacturing building. I got to the place about 15 minutes before they opened. However, much to my pleasant surprise, the kind hostess (Katie?) saw me milling about and asked me if I wanted to come in, which turned out to be great since other than the people who work there, I was the only customer. When you walk, you are immediately in the bar area. To your immediate left in the "store" and beyond that is a dining room with windows looking into where the stills, barrels, and supplies are located. The place is decked out in reclaimed wood and nails and other parts of the original structure. As you walk toward the back, there is a production and larger open supply area which Journeyman also uses for special events. The hostess introduced me to David, the bartender, who was busily finishing his lunch. As he did that, I walked around and really appreciated the work that everyone at Journeyman put into the place.
David finished his lunch, I signed the guestbook, and sauntered up to the bar and ordered a Ravenswood Rye Old Fashioned and Whitefish Spread. The Old Fashioned was very well made and was untraditionally garnished with a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry. The balance on the cocktail was perfect, with the spiciness of the rye, finished sweetly by the simple syrup, and all balanced by the bitters. The Whitefish Spread came on a thick wood serving tray with mustard, sliced baguettes and pickled vegetables. As a Michigander, Whitefish holds an almost mythical place in my heart and always reminds me of many summers Up North. The Whitefish Spread was truly excellent, and like my Old Fashioned, well balanced and delicate flavored, just as fresh whitefish should be.
I finished my adventure with a flight of Journeyman's whiskys. The flight measured no more than an ounce and a quarter (which is a good thing) and included their W.R. Whisky (white whisky), Michigan Spirit Whisky, Buggy Whip Wheat Whisky, Ravenswood Rye Whisky, and Featherstone Bourbon. While each was very good, it was the W.R. Whisky that is really a treat. Very complex and spicy with a nice lingering smooth finish. The Ravenswood Rye is also amazing, with that perfect spicy bite and clean finish. After deliberating, I bought a bottle of Ravenswood Rye. As a side note, Journeyman discounts a bottle purchase if you do a flight beforehand.
I left very happy and will definitely make it a point to get back soon. You should too.
I love this place!!!! I went here around my birthday when I stayed in nearby New Buffalo, MI. Since it was my 21st birthday, going here was even more exciting and I didn't even know what a distillery was prior to coming here.
When I walked in, I loved how rustic the place looked and it had a very homey atmosphere. Everyone there was very friendly and welcoming and knew a lot about their products. They also were playing Deadmau5 and Bassnectar as background music, which was awesome.
Me and my family decided to have some cocktails and their cocktails aren't your everyday cocktails. They were very unique and used high quality ingredients and had interesting flavors. The cocktails are handcrafted, old-fashioned cocktails and the bartender who served us was very friendly and knew a lot about the distillery and the history of different spirits. Here are all the cocktails we ordered:
E.K. Warren- Ravenswood Rye, simple syrup, lemon juice, angostura bitters
Moscow Mule- lime juice, Red Arrow Vodka, angostura bitters, ginger beer
Manhattan- W.R. White Whiskey, angostura bitters, sweet vermouth
Cider Car- Ravenswood Rye Whiskey, lemon juice, cider, simple syrup
Sunlights Mistress- grapefruit juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, W.R. White Whiskey
(all of the recipes for these cocktails are online by the way, so you can make them at home!!!)
Me and my family each had sips of all the cocktails. They were all fabulous and tasted so light and refreshing. I believe all of their spirits are organic as well and the bartender said they can sometimes be found at Whole Foods. But anyways the cocktails were super delicious and my favorite definitely was the Cider Car. I'm not a big fan of whiskey, but that cocktail tasted like liquid apple pie and was so good I could drink those all night. My second favorite was the Sunlights Mistress, which used the White Whiskey. I never knew that whiskey could be white and boy is it good!!!!
So I definitely would come back to journeyman and really regret not buying a bottle of their White Whiskey (i was low on cash from all the gambling I did at Four Winds Casino). This place is so wonderful, the staff is super friendly and intelligent, and the drinks are to die for!!! I wish I lived closer to here because I would come here all the time if I could. Hopefully next summer I can come back here and take the tour of the distillery, which I also didn't get to do :( If you're in Michigan, definitely visit this place!!!
One last thing and I'll stop blabbering. If you live in the Chicago area, In Fine Spirits in Andersonville sells Journeyman Distillery spirits, so go try them out!!!
This review is for the tour and the liquor itself, as we didn't sit at the bar.
I can't stop talking about Journeyman booze. Â Seriously, I can't shut up about it. Â Every since coming here, taking the tour, and sampling everything, every time I go to a bar or restaurant that carries Journeyman I make a "squeee!" noise and get really excited. Â
Our tour was guided by the owner's mother, a retired school teacher, who was very knowledgeable about both the distilling process and the building itself (which is gorgeous). Â She walked us through the production, and gave us samples of the gin in the production area itself. Â She explained that their gin is different than most gins on the market in that it is made with billberry along with the required juniper berry, which gives it a much different taste. Â I typically HATE gin. Â I liked this enough that I bought a bottle to take home.
After the tour of the facility, we were provided with samples of their rum, vodka, white whiskey, and I believe two of their regular whiskeys - maybe a rye? Â Regardless, it was awesome and I'll definitely be buying plenty more of these for my at home bar.
Glad I discovered this place on my last trip to Three Oaks. Â The staff is very welcoming and I thought the decor was relaxing and warm. Â We had some appetizers and tried the tastings. Â I had heard the pickled eggs were good and tried them...not bad. Â The mac n cheese was very tasty also. Â We came with kids en route to New Buffalo for lunch, which is why we really didn't get to hang out...but we will next time. Â I would also love to tour the distillery since all I got to see was the equipment from the other side of the glass.
Review Source:Craft brewing in the Midwest has definitely taken off and now it seems craft distilling is next. I've seen distilleries pop up in Indianapolis, Columbus, and other big cities. It's nice to see the reach extend into small communities like Three Oaks.
Let me talk first about what I like:
1) The building. This is a great example of taking and old building and repurposing it. It's rustic, but sexy. It's really cool to look at and can be a great place to throw back some booze.
2) The brand. These guys put together a nice brand, with good marketing, good graphics, and put it all in place in a building that matched. They know what they want to be.
3) The location. Only a stone's throw from other craft drinking establishments like the Round Barn, Greenbush, etc...
4) The booze. They seem to be known for their spirits, and they offer an affordable $4 whiskey flight to help you get acclimated, but I think they've really done well with their craft cocktails. Over the holiday, I had their holiday cocktail which was a pineapple, rum, and jalapeno drink. It was fabulous. Sweet, but with a spice that snuck up on you.
5) Food. Too many craft breweries forget that people like to snack while they drink. Journeyman didn't forget. They have a kitchen that serves up quality grubs including charcuterie and cheese.
Now, what I don't necessarily like:
1) The building. Yeah, I know, I just said I liked the building, and I do, but at times, because the inside space is so big, it can feel a little cavernous. In the evenings, especially in the winter, the space can get a little dark. I like dim. I don't like dark. In addition, when there isn't a crowd, it just feels a bit empty.
2) The booze. Yeah, I liked that too.. I liked the selection and the offerings... but I wouldn't yet put the quality of their booze above a more mass produced whiskey. Yes, their bourbon si better than Evan Williams, but not Woodford or Knob... and at the prices they are charging for their liquor, it needs to be better. Yes, that's just my palate talking. You might disagree, and they'll love you for it.
3) The kids. Can adults not have adult time anymore? For *F* sake, this is a g*$d@m#%d distillery for crying out loud. Both times I've been here, this place has been crawling with kids from anywhere between newborns and 14 year olds. Is nothing sacred? Your kids do not need to go everywhere with you, and certainly not to a distillery where I go to escape your aforementioned kids.
4) The bottled liquor prices. Yeah, the bottle is pretty, but holy smokes!
So, all in all, what do I think? This is probably a place I'd visit once or twice a year, but not somewhere I'd be considered a regular. I might take family here during the holidays to show them around and do something different (and by family, I mean my adult relatives). Our kids stay at home with their Xbox where they belong.
Food was pretty good, drinks were good. Service was awful. I'm totally fine with ordering my own drinks and food to get on my own and the space is beautiful. However it took forever for someone to tell us how it works and the owner/manager wouldn't stop talking loudly over all the guests present about things I didn't wanna hear about, crowd-surfing and boobs. The place was not that crowded. He was overwhelming & it didn't match the space. I would frequent this place regularly if I felt like that one staff member had a little more tact. The other staff were super nice, and I see people love this spot, so it could have been an off night for us. But that dude was a real turn-off.
Review Source:Wow! First time there and we so enjoyed it! We had moscow mules--fantastic! Lavendar and regular martini--both excellent. Â Food was weird in the sense that there is no table service, really no wait staff. Â We went for the drinks though and were very, very pleased. Will definitely go back!
Review Source:the VERY RARE 5 stars for a first visit. Far and away one of the most interesting distillery and historical setting tours I have had. NO charge for the small tour, about 45 minutes, and included 5 small tastings of their organic spirits made on premises.
Make your reservations well in advance, and don't be late. Surprisingly kid and family friendly; call it a history lesson while mommy and daddy take their medicine.
VERY interesting history of the owners search for a location to set up a distillery, culminating in an 1888 factory called FEATHER BONE that set the whale bone corset industry on it's tail, when Founder Warren tried substituting Turkey feathers for whalebone. Making it more interesting in a very respectful way was that Warren was a teetotaler and prohibitionist, and became one of the largest landowners in the US.
VERY high quality rehab. Local materials were sourced for floors and rehabbing the building whenever possible and it is available for private parties. I'm not a big follower of spirits, but personally enjoyed the Rum & Gin tastings, while the whiskies and vodka still take like medicine to me.
Nice small kitchen with interesting appetizers and sandwich and salad. YOU order at the bar or table and then YOU pick it up at the kitchen window when ready, perfect. We were a group of six and our companions ARE followers of spirits and raved about the bar drinks and bought several bottles for gifts. BE THERE.
Three Oaks also has several interesting antique/collectable shops in Ipso Facto and Trinity (the former Springdale, RIP:(, as well as small theater and the always tastey 6-generation sausage-maker Driers. You can definitely spend a 1/2 day here, or longer.
Went to a short class here and it was fun. Â It was free( we did tip) and everyone over 21 got a small taste of the drink. Â We purchased the vodka to bring home. Â We didn't go to the bar as we had teen with us. Â Fast forward...we made the yummy pineapple drink with the vodka. I would go back to purchase a gift for someone or to have a drink after going to the movies. Â Staff is nice and very informative. Â Great space to host a party.
Review Source:I don't rate many places very highly. Â This in some ways was a 4.5, in other ways a 3 to 3.5. Â It's definitely more than3 star, but put that rating. Â
I really liked this. Â I had the white flight. Superb! Â I can't stand wine/beer tasting because those alcohols I dislike and they taste similar. Â Spirit tastings, though. ahhh...that is worth tasting! Â Didn't care for there rum nor whiskey. Â Their vodka was absolutely super. Â The best vodka I have ever had. Â Clean and sparkly. Â The gin was decent. Â
I went on a wednesday and it's an enormous 8000 squre foot place but there were two customers outside so it seemed like the bartender (and the manager who shuffled back and forth a lot who I later met) and I were the only people in this huge place. Â That seemed odd but understandable given the day and there was a show at a nearby place that people went to.
The people were nice. Â It wasn't grody like some bars/clubs. Â Very clean. Â I met a woman named geri. Â David the bartender was very nice, irish. Â I guess I was a bit put off when I saw him doing what looked like the exact same routine to the geri woman (the only other customer other than the two bloked who sipped outside watching the sunset and then left early). Â I kind of felt like a victim of an advertisement, meh but hey that's his job. Â And doesn't necessarily reflect on the place. Â He was a good bartender. Â Jen the manager-owner was nice.
In ways because there was myself one other customer, manager, and bartender in the entire HUGE place....well, it seemed like having drinks at someone's (enormous house).
Very different.  I LOVED the flights.  The bartender wasn't disingenuous he was top-notch.  But I guess I felt like ahh...bollocks he may have been doing a bit of a routine when talking a bout the spirits, which was disheartening, and  he may not have listened to things I said that well at times, but he also may have.  I feared basically staff was just focused on selling there spirits through tastings, and in a way that's prob their job and would have given it 4-5 stars if it felt more like a party of friends, but hey that's what it kind of felt like and also that's not what I should be rating this place for.
Anyways, delightful bartender and manager, challenging to get the taste of a place with it empty, loved the flights, ambiance very clean and (obv.)spacious. Â Not necessarily eerily spacious, but, well, interesting. Â
I also was interested in the show next door. Â This is an odd review. Â But hey the flights and the service are great. Â superb.
It's difficult for me to extract 'people who work at a distillery and thus try to sell spirits' form how one would rate a distillery. Â I was looking for (as I often do) fun, good social, like a party amongst friends. Â I sorta found that a tiny bit but mainly that was slightly shattered when noticed (reality) that people were, well, trying to sell spirits.
So I guess i would never find what I sought at a distillery lol which is why this is difficult to rate so to be as objective as possible:
Service: a bit put off when saw similar routine on another customer but I guess that's standard (something I dislike but prob standard) and other than that, charming delightful and great.
The spirits: superb.
Ambiance: very weird having 4 people total in a multiple-thousand sq/ foot place but that said, very clean, feeling.
So yah something like 3 to 4.5 stars in different ways.
We walked in on a Thursday while vacationing in New Buffalo. There was only one person at the bar, disappointing you ask...NO. Â We were here to taste and we're more than excited to have one on one attention. The one disappointing thing was that they only serve food on the weekend. Â I must of missed that on the website. Â However, we didn't mind filling our belly with some delicious liquor! Â Try the homemade corn nuts though...a great complete to the flights!
So the vodka and gin were great, the whiskey even better. Â The best part of the whole experience was our bartender Caleb! Â He was knowledgeable, outgoing, and simply nice. Â His mixology skills were definitely competitive to the Chicago scene. Â We're big fans of the Whistler, Violet Hour, and Maude's Liquor...so we like to think we know our drinks. Also, the building is an old factory. Â Boy does it bring tons of character to the business!
This place is a DEFINITE must try. Â It's a gem in an all Americana town...think Mellencamp song! Â The best part...their liquor is distributed in Chicago!
Very cool place. Â We were in Three Oaks this past weekend and stopped by Journeyman. Â We tried the two flights and discovered that we are not for grain spirits. Â They do make excellent mixed drinks though. Â The moscow mule was the best I had. Â The staff was also very helpful and friendly. Â I will definitely stop by the next time I'm in Three Oaks.
Review Source:Very cool. Beautiful space. Friendly staff.
FREE tasting flight tours in you sign-up in advance online. Â We love the gin. Â Very tasty. Â
Lunch (barfood) is available. The bartender takes order but you go to a little serving window to pick it up. Â Hummus was good but beware it has unadvertised olives in it. Â Mac and cheese (gouda not cheddar) is decent. Â Charcuterie could have better meats (who does turkey on a charcuterie?) Â Pork sliders pretty sweet but good.
The drinks (about $8 each in general) are well-mixed and delightful. Perfect Storm was yummy. Â White Manhattan was excellent.
A lovely place indeed :) Â Drinks 5 stars; food 3 stars; decor 5 stars.
I really loved this place! The interior is BEAUTIFUL. Very minimalistic and beautiful. Feels very comfortable. Â I did the whiskey flight and it was fantastic. Great flavors, especially for whiskeys so young. The regular drinks are phenomenal. The perfect blending of flavors, the cocktails are hand crafted with care.
I was disappointed they were out of individual rye whiskey but I ended up buying a two pack of limited edition whiskey which included the rye and W.R. Welter and my name will be commissioned in an art piece to thank those who purchased the twin pack. Just another reason to come back to this fantastic place. Bill is extremely nice and inviting. I definitely recommend checking this place out. Their whiskey will undoubtedly get even better than it already is and you will not be sorry for the trip.
This place rocks! First, their space is  fabulous. Second, the people are just too friendly and warm. They make you want to stay there and hang-out. And third reason for my fabulous experience,  they have top notch fermented concoction of a whiskey! Now, I am not so much of a hard liquor drinker but I really enjoyed the whiskey flight I had, so much so that I bought a bottle.
'So exciting to have a local distillery that could rival those in Scotland. Yiipeee! I won't be surprised if the fast-emerging locally sourced food movement in Chicago will be all over this one soon!
Journeyman Distillery is a hip addition to the craft cocktail/microdistillery scene in an unexpected, wonderful location. Â Three Oaks seems like a sleepy little town with a quaint downtown area, and Journeyman Distillery is a welcome addition!
My husband (the whiskey connoisseur) and I went on a Saturday afternoon purely on a whim. Â We had gone to a brewery the evening before, and I saw an old-timey sign advertising Journeyman, so we went! Â We sat at the huge, luxurious concrete bar so he could do a tasting while I sipped on a Vodka Spritzer (which was excellent). Â I wished the bar tender would've talked my husband through his flight; he was busy with two other parties at the bar. Â That was a little disappointing, but if that was the worst part of our visit, then this place is still worth 5+ stars! Â
We paid our bill, then went to look at the bottles of spirits for sale. Â We were able to talk extensively with Ryan, Journeyman's owner, who is just the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Â We bought 4 bottles to take home and two tickets to Corsets, Whips, & Whiskey (see image below!). Â
As Reviewer Terrence B. said, do yourself a favor and plan a trip to Three Oaks, MI. Â Actually, go ahead and buy your tickets to Corsets, Whips, & Whiskey!
ummm, Â wow.... Â OK so I have been making monthly visits to the la porte area for more than a decade and am well accustomed to drinking in the dive and biker bars. Â How was I to know there was a classy drinking establishment in the area!
This place is hip even by ultra trendy chicago hot spot standards, and absolutely no expense was spared putting this place together. Â Oh and their drinks are hands down the best I have ever had. Â Do yourself a favor and plan a 2 hour trip east for these guys, I guarantee you will be planning your next trip within a half hour of arriving.
Stay classy Three Oaks.
Finally.
An establishment near the northwest indiana/michigan region that knows how to put an excellent spin on the craft cocktail.
As a seasoned vet of the chicago speakeasy/craft cocktail scene ( yeah i know that sounds pretentious, so bite me. ) , I have to say I wasn't expecting much when a friend mentioned this distillery to me. As a reviewer mentioned below, the violet hour, the whistler, barrelhouse flat, sable, double A, blah blah keep me busy during the week. As a local of the area, I usually come back to visit every other weekend or so..and i've got to say , these guys do an excellent job with both their whiskey and their cocktails.
There is something to be said about a distiller who takes the pain to make everything from scratch and monitor everything so closely  ( good job bill ), and about a bartender from the chicago scene who has such consistency with his craft. I've tried probably about 90% of the menu , and would disagree with a poster below who says the drinks are unbalanced - i think they are wonderful. I would not bestow the honor on many a bar, but I would say the drinks here are certainly on par with the best in the chicago region - if they were closer to the city they would give violet hour a run for their money.
the white whiskey is strong but very well made, the cocktails are excellent and I must say the OCG cider in specific is a delight..Otherwise their gin gimlet and old fashioned are both wonderful. Can't say I've had anything I didn't enjoy here.
great job Matt, Johanna, Bill - this place is wonderful. you will continue to see a lot of me through the summer.
P.S Â - the dimmer lighting is an awesome touch.
Came here about a month ago on a saturday night. Â Very cool loft-y space in a part of the state that's dominated by wineries and tourist kitsch. Â So, it's safe to say that I appreciated what they're doing here very much!
That said, on the night that we visited, it was completely dead until some people wandered over after a show got out at the theater down the block. Â The ambiance is a little harsh in the evening hours, and the combination of the complete desolation with the very bright lights made it slightly uncomfortable. Â We had a couple of whiskey cocktails and a pour of the white whiskey. Â The white whiskey was too strong for me to drink straight (everclear, anyone?), and the cocktails were very poorly made. Â I'd give them 2 stars or less for the drinks. Â I actually asked him to remake my gimlet two times but it still tasted weak and unbalanced. Â Similarly, my boyfriend's drink was extremely weak and flavorless.
Maybe it was an off-night for them or they had a new bartender, I don't know. Â But it ain't cheap and if they're going to try and lure in the Chicago crowd, they better shape up their game! Â WIth the likes of the whistler, violet hour, the hearty boys, in fine spirits, and countless other establishments that know how to pour a great cocktail, I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to come here again. Â That said, they've just opened and I really liked the space so if I'm in the area again I'll probably give them another shot!
I stopped by on Saturday night at 7 pm for the distillery tour. The space was really amazing. It is in a historic building, formally the Featherbone corset factory. In addition to some of the original wood features they have brought in some reclaimed wood throughout the space.
The alcohol is all organic, which is a major plus. It was great to be escorted through the distillery and learn about the benefits of a smaller operation vs. the larger faculties. Bill, the owner, showed us around. It was clear that he really cares about making the best product possible and has a lot of respect for the history of the area as well as the environment.
There is a really cool concrete bar where the serve up mixed drinks (everyone seemed to be raving about the white Manhattan). I believe they will be serving food pretty soon. I can't wait to see what kind of foods they will be serving up. Hopefully they will have some vegan items on the menu.
Everything we sampled (their rye whiskey, white whiskey, vodka, and gin) was great and pretty smooth, though the white whiskey was certainly a standout. Â
Can't wait to come back and have more time to explore Three Oaks. It seems like a lovely little town.
My boyfriend and I stopped in here while celebrating an anniversary. Â We were amongst some nice locals and out of towners. Â After being offered a couple samples of their spirits, we decided on drinks and wow, they were tasty! Â Some special added touches like marinated cherries and Mexican Coke for the whiskey & coke were appreciated and noted. Â All bars should go above and beyond like they do! Â The bartender was very knowledgeable and a pretty funny guy. Â Can't wait to go back again!
Review Source:Journeyman Distillery is brand-spanking new. Â And this is a place that will be around for YEARS to come. Â The proprietors here have certainly done it right, and from the ground up. Â
The vision for Journeyman sprang forth through three gentleman, while traveling Australia. Â The vision of a great organic whiskey distillery, liquors built for those with a traveling, vagabond spirit. Â
They scouted out the perfect location in the heart of Three Oaks Michigan  - an old factory called the Featherbone Factory.  In the late 1800's factory founder E.K. Warren created a flourishing business utilizing turkey quills as corset stays and buggy whips.  (The Buggy Whip Wheat liquor has found its name through this history)
Huge copper stills can be seen through long plates of glass that divide an airy, historical and rich atmospheric bar/hangout area. Â The main bar, to the right as you walk in is covered by a row of warm, old salvaged barn wood slats. Â Bartenders mix fresh unique cocktails that speak of home. Â
To the left is a merchandise area filled with assorted t-shirts, limited edition caddies fashioned from the barn wood, carrying the Welter Whiskey and Ravenswood Rye, engraved shot glasses, blankets, leather key rings and posters. Â
There is a private area, in an enclosed space to the left of the merch area, with views to the stilling area - I envision wedding rehearsal parties and private functions here. Â
There is a smaller bar area to the east.
It's hard to describe the Journeyman Distillery -- only that it can be likened to the roots of the great American spirits, as it already has an enduring quality about it.
Of course I'll be back here. Â
My sister and I designed the liquor labels. Â :)
This distillery is the hottest new attraction in Harbor Country. Â A beautiful space, great staff and fun drinks. Â I've never been a huge whiskey drinker, but their whiskey-based cocktails are so smooth that even my mom would love them. (They will also have gin, vodka, rum, etc. before long too.) Â This is a fun stop while touring the area, and a nice change from visiting wineries.
Review Source:
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