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                      Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour

                      Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Iron Fish Distillery
                      Farm - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Farm
                      Farm - Rye Field - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Farm - Rye Field
                      Entrance - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Entrance
                      Original Farm Distillery - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Original Farm Distillery
                      Old Still and Grain  Mill - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Old Still and Grain Mill
                      Barn Event Center - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Barn Event Center
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                      Inside Barn Event Center -Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Inside Barn Event Center
                      Outdoor Wedding Venue - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Outdoor Wedding Venue
                      The Distillery - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      The Distillery
                      Mash Tun (Cooker)  - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Mash Tun (Cooker)
                      Fermenters - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Fermenters
                      Clear Spirit Still - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Still
                      Whiskey Still - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Whiskey Still
                      Barrel House - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Barrel House
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                      Grain Silos - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Grain Silos
                      Tasting - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Tasting
                      Eating - Drinking Area - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Eating - Drinking Area
                      Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Iron Fish Distillery
                      Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Farm - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Farm - Rye Field - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Entrance - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Original Farm Distillery - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Old Still and Grain  Mill - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Barn Event Center - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      https://0201.nccdn.net/4_2/000/000/038/2d3/img_6916.jpeg
                      Inside Barn Event Center -Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Outdoor Wedding Venue - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      The Distillery - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Mash Tun (Cooker)  - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Fermenters - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Clear Spirit Still - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Whiskey Still - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Barrel House - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      https://0201.nccdn.net/1_2/000/000/11b/e4e/img_6942.jpeg
                      Grain Silos - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Tasting - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Eating - Drinking Area - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Iron Fish Distillery
                      Farm - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Farm
                      Farm - Rye Field - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Farm - Rye Field
                      Entrance - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Entrance
                      Original Farm Distillery - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Original Farm Distillery
                      Old Still and Grain  Mill - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Old Still and Grain Mill
                      Barn Event Center - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Barn Event Center
                      https://0201.nccdn.net/4_2/000/000/038/2d3/img_6916.jpeg
                      Inside Barn Event Center -Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Inside Barn Event Center
                      Outdoor Wedding Venue - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Outdoor Wedding Venue
                      The Distillery - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      The Distillery
                      Mash Tun (Cooker)  - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Mash Tun (Cooker)
                      Fermenters - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Fermenters
                      Clear Spirit Still - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Still
                      Whiskey Still - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Whiskey Still
                      Barrel House - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Barrel House
                      https://0201.nccdn.net/1_2/000/000/11b/e4e/img_6942.jpeg
                      Grain Silos - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Grain Silos
                      Tasting - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Tasting
                      Eating - Drinking Area - Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Eating - Drinking Area
                      Iron Fish Distillery Review Tour
                      Iron Fish Distillery

                      14234 Dzuibanek Rd.
                      Thompsonville, MI 49683
                      231.378.3474
                      info@ironfishdistillery.com

                      External link opens in new tab or windowCheck out our short video tour!

                      According to Michigan's tourism website, External link opens in new tab or windowmichigan.org, the Wolverine state is home to 53 distilleries. Amongst these 53, family-owned Iron Fish Distillery is proud to be the state's first farm distillery since prohibition.  Located in the northwestern part of the Michigan mitten in the small town of Thompsonville, the distillery is a quick 20 minute drive southeast of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and just under an hour's drive southwest from Traverse City. The 120 acre farm was originally part of a larger 640 acres farmed for over 100 years (1887-2000) by 2 generations of the Chamberlain family. The property remained dormant for a number of years until around 2010 when 120 acres of the farmland was purchased from nieces of the Chamberlain family by its current owners Heidi Bolger and David Wallace.

                      The land was not purchased with a distillery in mind. Bolger and Wallace had made the purchase because Heidi and her sister, Sarah Anderson, had ties to the area from childhood. However in 2014, a plan was about to come together. The sisters' husbands took a birthday trip to Scotland. Foremost on the itinerary were the country’s distilleries. After visiting a few farm distilleries, the brothers-in-law returned with the idea, the zeal, and a plan to open their own distillery. With their spouses on board, the farm seemed like the logical place. The distillery officially opened on September 1, 2016 and is owned by Heidi Bolger and husband, David Wallace along with Heidi's sister, Sarah Anderson, and her husband, Richard Anderson. The foursome is proud to be taking spirits production back to the farm and to continue to be great stewards to the land.

                      Iron Fish offers 2 types of tours. The Distillery and Farm Tour is their standard tour. This 80 minute tour is currently offered Thursday and Friday at 2pm and 4pm and Saturday and Sunday at noon, 2pm, and 4pm. This tour is limited to 10 persons, minor children however may join the tour for free with their adult. The tour covers the entire grounds and includes a tasting. Reservations can be made online and the cost is $20 plus tax. The second tour is the Private Estate Tour. This tour must be arranged by contacting the distillery directly. The cost is $60 per person with a minimum of 4 required, and a maximum set at 8. This tour is given by owner, David Wallace or owner, Richard Anderson. This tour while also covering the entire property does so with more in depth discussion of the distillery's processes. The tour lasts 1.5-2 hours. The Private Estate Tour also comes with added tasting opportunities, such as sampling straight from the barrel, as well as some unique swag.



                      We opted for the Distillery and Farm Tour. Having made our reservation online, we checked in inside the visitor/retail center/cocktail bar and restaurant. Our tour began promptly, and this being a farm distillery, it also began outside. Sam, our guide, began with a bit of the history of the property as alluded to above. We then headed down the main road toward the original farmhouse and learned that Iron Fish is a farm distillery because it grows a portion of its own grain, and that which it can't, it sources locally around northern Michigan. Rye and wheat are both grown on-site. Unfortunately the fields had been recently harvested so we did not get to see any "amber waves of grain”. Interestingly though, it turns out that corn, the main grain used in bourbon, does not grow well in this particular part of Michigan because the soil is too sandy.

                      Our next several farm points of interest included the original farmhouse, mill house, and barn. The farmhouse was a walk by. It's been beautifully restored and now is offered as an Airbnb. The mill house sets just behind the barn looking much the same as it has for many years. It still houses the hammer mill used by the Chamberlain's. They were truly among the first farm distillers, distilling their surplus grains for added income. Sam relayed that Prohibition stopped even the farmers from distilling as the local sheriff confiscated most of the farm stills. An old photo in the visitor center provides the proof. The last farm stop was the barn. Fully renovated, this structure is original to the property. Even the old cement milk cooler remains, tucked back in the corner still looking ready to chill. The barn now serves as an event space which can seat up to 150 people. As we made our way toward the distillery portion of the tour, we briefly stopped at the outdoor ceremony site. Decorated by nature, the site has lovely lodge-pole trees as a backdrop while the canopy of maple trees makes for the perfect sunshade.

                      Leaving the great outdoors behind, our first stop on the distillery side was the barrel storage warehouse and bottling. This was one of 3 warehouses onsite. While Iron Fish has been waiting for their own whiskey to come of age, in addition to making vodka, gin and rum, they have been finishing MGP sourced whiskey in a wide variety of different barrels sourced from around the world. To date, Iron Fish has approximately 1400 barrels aging. As we breathed in the faint whiff of the angels' share, Sam explained the rules of bourbon and a few of their barreling techniques. For example, their Iron Fish Maple Bourbon starts by filling a used bourbon barrel anywhere from 10-20% with local maple syrup. The syrup rests in the barrel for around 4 months. After the allotted time, the syrup is removed and bottled for sale while the empty maple barrel is filled with bourbon for finishing. Once finished, the maple bourbon is bottled for sale.
                       
                      The bottling area is tucked in the corner of the warehouse where the entire process is done manually.  Empty bottles start at the hand bottle filler, then move to a small stainless steel table to be hand labeled, hand sealed, and of course boxed by hand for distribution or sale on-site.
                       
                      Having covered bottling, warehousing, and barreling, it was now time to see where the magic begins. Sam led the way to the distillery, which is housed inside the original 4900sf building that started it all. On one side is the distillery, the other does duty as the retail shop, cocktail bar, and restaurant. As we stepped into the distillery, we immediately headed upstairs to the gallery. The gallery wears many hats. From monthly art shows, to private events, to distillery tastings, this spacious room overlooks the entire distillery floor courtesy of its spectacular oversized window. Unfortunately, we were not allowed in the actual distillery area so as not to interfere with production.  

                      As we viewed the distilling equipment from above, Sam gave a quick rundown on the process. Each mash or cook uses 1100 pounds of grain along with 500 gallons of water. The distillery's water source is an underground aquifer that feeds into Lake Michigan. Each mash takes about 6 hours and when completed the mash is sent to either one of the six 1100 liter or one oversized fermenters where the yeast is added and a long slow fermentation begins, about 10 days. Once the yeast is pooped out and fermentation has ended, it is time for distillation in one of the two stills. The larger one is a Kothe DUO. It’s a dual column hybrid still which is used primarily for the vodka, gin and rum. There is also a smaller single column hybrid still which is used primarily for stripping and whiskey. The crystal clear new make is now ready to be barreled and warehoused.

                      Our distillation lesson completed, all that was left to do was sample some of the distillery's hard work. Since tastings are held in the gallery, we were set to go. The tour came with 5 tastes, ours being: the Iron Fish Woodland Gin, the Iron Fish Bourbon Whiskey finished in Caribbean Rum Casks, the Mad Angler Whiskey (a wheat whiskey, part of their recently release estate series), the Iron Fish Maple Bourbon Finish, and the Iron Fish Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple syrup. Sam gave a brief description of each sample as we tasted them one by one; and before we knew it, samples were done, and so was our tour.  We headed back down to the gift shop, bar, and restaurant area and found the spaces bustling. The patio was filling up with hungry diners, while the bar was busy with cocktail craving patrons.  We made a beeline for the retail counter/tasting bar, where more samples from the large line up were to be had. Finally, with a few more samples tasted for good measure, we were ready to make our bourbon purchase, and of course, the buttery deliciousness of the bourbon barrel aged maple syrup was not to be missed.

                      With our bottles purchased and packed, our time at Iron Fish Distillery had ended. We certainly enjoyed our visit to Michigan's first farm distillery. While Iron Fish may be a little bit off the beaten path, don't underestimate what they have to offer. The list is surprisingly long. Want a little education? Come for a tour. Hungry? Tasty morsels are available Friday-Sunday. Thirsty? The bar is ready to serve. Enjoy live music? Yes, even that is available most weekends. Want to stay on the farm for a few days? Reserve the farmhouse through AirBnB. Have your own house on wheels and want to stay a few days? Reserve your RV spot through Harvest Hosts. Bottom line, no matter your reason, come and see what this farm distillery has to offer. You'll be glad you did.

                      External link opens in new tab or windowCheck out our short video tour!

                       

                       Please note that due to COVID Distillery Hours and Tour/Tasting Availability may vary. Please contact the distillery or check their web page or social media for details before you go.



                      Days of operation

                      Depends on Season currently
                      Thurs and Fri 3-8pm
                      Saturday 12-8pm
                      Sunday 12-6pm

                      Paved Drive / Lot

                      No, packed dirt and gravel

                      Motorcycle Parking

                      No

                      -Motorcycle unfriendly features

                      Gravel parking lot

                      Number of tours per day

                      Thur & Fri  2 daily

                      Saturday & Sunday 3 daily

                      Length of Tour(s)

                      1h 20m

                      Advanced topic tours?

                      Yes, by email reservation

                      Advanced topic tour names

                      Private Estate Tour

                      Tours by owners /distillers available?

                      Yes.  The Private Estate Tour is given by an owner

                      Number of different types of tours

                      2

                      On-Line Tour Reservations Available

                      For the standard Distillery & Farm Tour

                      Advanced Reservations Recommended/Required

                      Advanced online recommended

                      Space available can be made on-site

                      Cost for tour(s) in $

                      $20 plus tax

                      Tasting Included?

                      Yes

                      Number of samples included in tasting

                      4 + the bourbon barreled maple syrup

                      Tasting Only Option?

                      Limited complimentary samples at the bottle counter

                      Tasting Only Option Cost

                      N/A

                      High-end tasting option?

                      No

                      High-end tasting option cost?

                      N/A

                      Designated Driver Option

                      No

                      Handicapped Accessible?

                      Yes

                      Souvenirs included with tour?

                      Yes, with the Private Estate Tour

                      Gift shop

                      Yes

                      On-Site bottle sales?

                      Yes

                      On-site food: Restaurant/Cafe/Snacks

                      Yes, but limited hours

                      On-site Cocktail bar

                      Yes

                      On-site event space

                      Yes

                      Should I visit? (Yes, Perhaps, No)

                      Definitely

                      Unique Features

                      Farm Distillery
                      The farmhouse AirBnB and the Harvest Host RV accommodations

                      Website

                      External link opens in new tab or windowironfishdistillery.com

                      Date Visited

                      August 2021

                       

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