Our/Detroit Tasting Room to Open Next Weekend

Detroiters into the whole "Made in Detroit" concept will get to see for themselves if the upcoming Our/Detroit vodka distillery is legitimately "Made in Detroit" next weekend when the distillery opens its tasting room to the public. The southwest Detroit distillery touts itself as committed to "community engagement, outreach and celebration," that "strives to tell the varied and intriguing narratives of Detroit- from the farmers whose produce will be a staple in cocktails in the tasting room to the artists that participate in mural contests and helped design the bar furniture."

Thing is, Our/Detroit is the local brand for the Our/Vodka global marketing project, backed by distiller Pernod Ricard - the makers of Absolut Vodka, not exactly a Motor City label. The Detroit location (one Our/Vodka distillery recently launched in Berlin) has been making headlines for months. Pernod Ricard helps get local entrepreneurs get started in careers in craft distillery. The Our/Vodka marketing team says all vodkas produced under the program will have the same recipe, but each distillery will use locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible.

For the Our/Detroit project, Pernod Ricard sought the talent of Sara Aldridge, who's worked at Mercury Burger Bar and Russell Street Deli, and Kate Bordine, the former executive director of Ponyride. The duo have a long history in Detroit, which could help lend to authenticity. WXYZ ran a story on the two women this week.

Detroiters are particularly finicky about what makes for real Detroit, so it will likely come down to the locals to decide what to make of the new venture when they pick up a bottle of Our/Detroit for $16.99. The distillery will also start distributing to local stores, bars and restaurants at the end of August through Great Lakes Distribution.
-By Serena Maria Daniels
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