Amazing cocktails and an amazing team. They've never steered me wrong when it comes to their cocktails and they're always letting you try their spirits to make sure they get the right profile for your pallet. They have such a unique concoction of drinks and you can tell the effort and research that goes into each recipe. They're creative and innovative and it's such a great gem of the UP. They have had a food truck there each time I've visited (Alley Cat's) so you can hang out for dinner and drinks! I love their outdoor area, it's lively but has a great amount of vegetation and seating so you can still feel like you're in an intimate setting. read more

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Unique outdoor setting and a very personable bartender. My White Russian was amazing! read more

Ethanology Distillation - Mel Fashioned and White Russian - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

What a unique spot for very unique cocktails! Staff really knows their beverages and they have a season menu that rotates and fall came out this week and while it was warm out drinks especially the Sweater Weather (Carmel apple drink) gave all the fall vibes! The outside area is so nice to sip a drink and chat! read more

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if you visit Traverse City go to Ethanology! I recommend booking a tour and tasting. They are generous with their time and spirits! By far the best tour I've experienced and we were so impressed by their operating principles. The products were great - the gin will open your mind. read more

Extensive drink list. Cool atmosphere and nice staff. It's definitely a fun place! read more

Ethanology Distillation - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

Where have you been all my life and why can't I live next door! This place is so cool! The spirits are fantastic and just love the atmosphere. Servers and bar tenders are knowledge filled and seem to love the craft of cocktail. Was in town when a company rented it out for a private party and I would love to find a reason to come back! Stop, learn and drink! Find a reason to stop into this super cool place! read more

This is a remarkable place! The staff is incredible and always willing to share how the drinks are made. The atmosphere is great and this is a business that supports local events! read more

These guys really know their spirits. I feel like we learned so much about the process & live that everything is on-house & local. The place was so friendly. Corwin & Shannon were great and Corwin answered all of our questions on the tour- even the ones that had absolutely nothing to do with distillery. read more

Ethanology Distillation - Our two favorites - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

This is a great place with knowledgeable people. The beverages are delicious and well crafted. You will want to taste things first... the tasting is basically free if you buy a couple of bottles (2 people). read more

Amazing cocktails. Each one is so thought out and artfully made. Huge menu! Our bartender was so helpful and easy to talk to read more

Ethanology Distillation - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

Knowledgeable mixologists, great atmosphere, fire pits and live music topped off a great experience here.

Great atmosphere and amazing drinks. Outdoor patio is dog friendly. Mixologists are very knowledgeable and their menu has so many unique drinks. The dairy free White Russian is a must for allergen friendly people. read more

Ethanology Distillation - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

Amazing drinks and great atmosphere. They are always changing up the menu and I always enjoy the new options

Great bartenders and very inventive drinks. Thursday smash burger night is unreal. The atmosphere is great and have variety of seating.

Just go visit this place. Drinks were good, staff friendly and knowledgeable. Vibe is good! read more

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We enjoyed the drinks and ambience. Fun to try the different liquors. Knowledgeable staff. Really a cool place and great experience. Taking off one star because I didn't appreciate staff swearing. You don't hear that too much in establishments openly in front of customers. I thought it took away from experience. F*** and SH** from more than one person and more than one time while we were there for only about an hour. Other than that - it would have been perfect. read more

The cocktails are delicious, inventive and beautifully assembled. The atmosphere is unique and great. I love the mission of using local ingredients. It is worth the wait and so fun to watch the cocktails being made; the bartenders are true artists! The reason I gave this review three stars instead of five is because of the sad experience my small group had while waiting in line. A man jumped a head of us after we had been waiting a while when he clearly saw us there when he arrived. When we questioned him, he said there were two lines outside and he was in the second one. Everyone, including the bartenders glared at us and said if we didn't want to wait, we could go inside where there were two lines. So sad. They all knew we were there first and did not stand up for what was right. It will be a long time before I return. Clearer structure would enhance the experience for everyone and make it more fair. read more

Fabulous space...indoor and out. The drinks are perfection! Worth watching them each get crafted. Creative and incredibly good. Love this little gem in ER! read more

Ethanology Distillation - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

A fun and relaxing indoor/outdoor space to enjoy craft cocktails. My only complaint is that they aren't open more days a week. As a Thursday-Sunday establishment I miss them on my days off from horse showing. Ethanology creates craft specialty cocktails using all of their own liquors. They have gin, vodka, whiskeys and "Mel" a liquor derived from honey. The drinks are all fabulous, I can't wait to try more. I enjoyed the grog style cocktail particularly. The drinks are pricey, at $11-15, but they are hand crafted with only the best ingredients. The menu is fun to read, in a cool, hipster aesthetic. The live music was funky and just the right volume. (We could still communicate) The bartenders were friendly, and the setting was rustic- perfect for Elk Rapids. The patio is dog friendly- I am bringing the pups next time! Ethanology is a fun and vibrant hodgepodge of Big City chic cocktails, woodsy, rustic decor, and a twist of hipster funk. read more

Ethanology Distillation - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

Would have given a 5 star, the drinks and atmosphere were beyond fantastic. However what we thought was a warm welcome as a new customer, was actually a ploy to charge us for a tasting that we were being offered that we would later then be charged for it when it was time to pay our bill. This should had been stated prior to the offer instead of us completely unaware thinking what a nice gesture. Beware. read more

My family has been coming here a few times a year since 2020 and always rent a yurt. At this visit there was no way to order a drink from your yurt- resulting in half our party spending almost an hour in line waiting for drinks. 2 hours after our rather disappointing visit, we twice fed a text that we were charged $50 for the "terrible condition" the yurt was left in. This came as an absolute shock to us as we even brought in all of our finished glassware. We returned to the establishment to follow up on this charge and were confronted with immediate hostility from the owner. Who claimed that we left "many cracker crumbs" and refused any more conversation dismissing anything further. I question how much they plan to even clean the yurts if a few cracker crumbs resulted in a $50 charge. Coming from an establishment that was overly Covid- conscious (to the point of almost being rude back in 2020) this blew me away. Unfortunately like many other reviews I have read we will no longer be returning to ethanology . The owner had never been overly friendly but his rudeness today was over the top, We spent almost $300 on cocktails - which allowed for only about 20 min in our yurt then to be charged an additional $50 seems absurd. Wondering if you leave cracker crumbs at a table from there charcuterie board do they also charge $50? However, coktails here are delicious, well-made and beautiful. Bar tenders were great!!! read more

I love it here - their outdoor patio is lovely and they have fancy, well-crafted cocktails... Lots of infusions and blowtorched things and such. And they were cool with our dog on the patio :) It's a nice stop on the Torch Lake wine trail! read more

Ethanology Distillation - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

Rainy day in T.C. stop #2. Will return once weather dries up for cocktails in the garden. At the bar a few tastes and wife got bottle of the Amara Pira Liqueur. Both staff members were extremely gracious and helpful. Enjoyed a Heathy Glow and Mel Fashioned. Delicious!!! Thanks guys. Found out Bourbon could be ready in July 2025, can only hope! read more

The best! Quality, service, and attention to detail. The cocktails at Ethanology are amazing. read more

Ethanology Distillation - Such a fun way to celebrate the 4th!! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

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It's a nice place with a good vibe. Not for someone who doesn't really enjoy liquor. They had a live band though which was cool read more

Ethanology Distillation - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

Our favorite cocktail place. Service is top notch and drinks are fantastic!!! Thank you for always making us feel welcomed

Interesting, fun place where they distill and explain some great tasting cocktails! Make sure to try the White Russians! read more

Ethanology is an overall cool place to hang out and have a cocktail! They are constantly working to make the Spirit House and Distillery more inviting! We were one of the only couples there on Friday at 2 pm so had lots of time to talk with our bartender. Saturday evening at 8 the place was busy, with at least a dozen tables inside and the three yurts outside reserved, line for drinks at the bar. Well worth the wait either way. These folks make all their own spirits from local ingredients and don't buy whiskey from a supplier to age. They're making it themselves, something that takes time. In summer the outdoor seating is excellent. In winter, go online early to reserve a yurt (heated tent) for up to 6 people! read more

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I came here with some friends who spent a lot of time in Traverse City and absolutely LOVED everything about it. Fantastic libations, amazing staff and super cool vibe. Left with a few bottles as well... read more

We LOVE Ethanology. Every time we come up to Elk Lake, we come here for at least one, if not 2 or 3, drinks. There is a variety of beverages that range from sweet to dry. My husbands favorites are the Mel Fashioned and the Seedy Bastard. I have a hard time picking a favorite but have enjoyed everything I've tried. They occasionally have limited time & quantity specials, so don't hesitate to ask the bartender! They're all friendly and have good recommendations. read more

Great drinks!! Highly recommend the White Russian. They definitely took longer than most cocktail bars but we were on vacation so we didn't get too stressed about it. The atmosphere is great and very hip! read more

Ethanology Distillation - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

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Drinks were delicious. Bartenders were very helpful and knowledgeable about the drinks. Sat outside and the patio was very comfortable. We will be back. read more

On vacation and randomly decided to come here after being at Short's. This place is BEYOND welcoming and educational in a way that doesn't come off in the wrong way. You can ask the employees simple and complex questions and get answers that show they care about what this place is about. All of the cocktails are fantastic, the sample platter of liquors they do, for only $12 is incredible. You can see the employees enjoy working here. This is such a mind relaxing place, with different options for sitting and views. read more

This is a must stop for me every time I'm in the area. Owners are very personable and Troy is top notch on his drinks. Highly recommend. read more

Ethanology Distillation - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Elk Rapids, Michigan

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Not a gin fan, but this place (which leans heavily into gin), made me a believer (of at least 1 gin). Great vibes, good music, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Very much connected to its surroundings for local ingredients. read more

Ethanology is a must while visiting Elk Rapids/Traverse City! I loved the atmosphere and the bartender and servers were all awesome! Their drinks are so good! I am a gin girl and this place had the smoothest gin with great flavor. I love that they get their ingredients and forage locally. Definitely recommend! read more

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Thoughtful craft cocktails, friendly & knowledgeable bartenders, beautiful indoor/outdoor place -- ask for Shannon!

Their handcrafted drinks are the best in Michigan. I love the building's old barn wood beams and rustic feel. Relaxing by the outdoor camp fire with an amazing cocktail is one of my favorite things about this place other than a couple of our favorite mixologists...Katie, Troy, & Shannon always treat us like family. My wife and I have been bring family & friends here since they opened up. If you haven't been here before, you are truly missing out on a great experience. -J&B read more

I LOVE this place! The mixed drinks here are incredible. The Mel is incredible. They have ample outdoor space, and are taking covid precautions seriously. We plan to return again and again! read more

Loved this place they have a great set up for Covid. All safe. The drinks are outstanding. So fresh. The MEL old fashion is a must. They had a blueberry special that was tasty. Very friendly staff and a must in the area. read more

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