While you may know where all the best breweries and taprooms are in Detroit you may not be as familiar with all the Detroit distilleries to taste and tour.

We are taking a look at how you can enjoy Detroit’s craft distillery experience while also getting to know this incredible city.

Getting To Know Detroit

Detroit is the largest city in the state of Michigan and home to more than 630,000 people.

The metropolitan area, otherwise known as Metro Detroit, has almost 4 ½ million inhabitants.

This city is famous for its automotive industry and the birthplace of Motown, being nicknamed the Motor City and Hitsville.

Here you will find many attractions, monuments and museums which allude to its illustrious history.

In 2022 Time magazine selected Detroit for its third annual list of the World’s Greatest Places which puts it among the top travel destinations worldwide.

Looking to the future, Detroit was chosen as the location for America’s first electric-vehicle charging road.

This sits nicely with its history as Motor City and shows that it’s ready to reclaim its prestige.

Summers in Detroit are warm with July being the hottest month averaging 83 °F.

Winters are cold with snow and wind. Temperatures at this time of year can be as low as 21 °F.

Detroit has a lot to offer visitors from its historic past to its food and drink offerings, outdoor activities to fantastic musical events.

Local Distilleries In Detroit

We have found some of the best local distilleries in Detroit for you to visit and sample their great spirits.

Detroit City Distillery

Detroit City Distillery creates small batch artisanal whiskey, vodka and gin.

They only use the best locally sourced ingredients from farms selling at the city’s Eastern Market. You can buy their products at their tasting room or online.

Try some of their bottled barrel aged cocktails including Perfect Manhattan, Rye Barrel Aged Negroni and Remy McSwain.

Or if you fancy making your own they also sell cocktail making kits.

Two James Spirits 

Two James Spirits is the first licensed distillery in Detroit since Prohibition and is located in Corktown, Detroit’s oldest neighborhood.

It is committed to creating only the highest quality handcrafted spirits which are environmentally conscious.

Here you will find gin, rum, bourbon, rye whiskey and absinthe. They also produce a Mezcal made from 100% agave.

Valentine Distilling Company

Valentine Distilling Company is a pioneer of small batch, handcrafted spirits which began operating in 2007.

When it opened there were only about 20 micro-distilleries in the country, today there are more than 2000.

They have won many awards including the ‘World’s Best’ for its Valentine Vodka by The World Vodka Awards in both 2016 and 2017.

Rusted Crow Distillery

The delightfully named Rusted Crow Distillery crafts its spirits to mirror the hardworking people of Detroit.

They are rigorous in their pursuit of excellence in their products and sourcing local ingredients as much as possible.

Everything Rusted Crow produces is distilled, bottled and aged at their premises in metro Detroit.

They offer moonshine, bourbon, whiskey, gin, vodka and rum.

Getting Into & Around Detroit

With so much to see and do in Detroit you’ll want to know the best way to get here and how to move around the city once you arrive.

Detroit Metro Airport

To give it its full name, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is where you will land if you fly into Detroit from overseas or internally within the US.

It handles 1,100 flights a day from four continents, so you can get here from practically anywhere.

If you are traveling to downtown Detroit you have lots of options including the People Mover, the QLine, ride car services or hire your own car.

People Mover

The People Mover is a light rail system that travels on an elevated track in downtown Detroit, primarily in the business district.

You can use one of the 13 stations on the line to get to Greektown, the Renaissance Center, Aloft Detroit and Courtyard by Marriott.

It costs just 75 cents to ride the People Mover.

QLine

The QLine is a streetcar which operates up and down Woodward Avenue.

It goes from downtown to places like the Museum of Contemporary Art, Little Caesars Arena and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

A day pass will cost you just $3, or you can buy a single ticket for $1.50 which lasts for three hours.

Bike Share

Detroit’s first bike share program is called MoGo, and it makes it very easy to get around the city while enjoying some fresh air.

There are 43 stations across the city and the system is based on 30 minute intervals.

For a daily pass you’ll pay $8 and that gives you an unlimited number of 30 minute intervals for the day.

For trips that go over 30 minutes it costs $4 for each additional half hour.

Try the riverfront, Dequindre Cut and Cass Avenue for bike friendly parts of Detroit.

Things To See In Motor City

There are so many things to see in Detroit that you may not be able to fit them all into one trip. Perhaps now is the perfect time to plan your next visit.

Motown Museum

If you’re expecting a stuffy museum when visiting Motown Museum you may be surprised to find a fairly ordinary looking house.

But inside the doors you will find the celebration of the humble beginnings of that incredible musical movement. Not to be missed!

Detroit Institute of Arts

The Detroit Institute of Arts is considered home to some of the best art collections in the country.

From modern art to Monets, mummies to African masks it has more than 65,000 works under its roof. Come and see for yourself.

The Guardian Building 

The Guardian Building in Detroit is one of the city’s premier historical landmarks.

It is located in the financial district and is considered one of the boldest examples of art-deco architecture.

The outside is faced with tangerine colored bricks while inside there are murals, stained glass and ornate tile work.

Belle Isle Park

Belle Isle Park is 985 acres of natural beauty rich in historical and cultural resources.

It provides stunning views of Detroit to the north and Canada to the south.

Here you will find the Belle Isle Aquarium, a golf course, a swim beach and hiking trails.

Detroit’s Monuments

There are many monuments around the city, some of which are of important figures in the city’s history such as Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac who in 1701 founded the site that would become the city of Detroit.

You’ll also find a monument to Father Gabriel Richard, a Catholic priest who was instrumental in the development of the city.

The Michigan Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument is a Civil War monument in downtown Detroit where five major thoroughfares meet.

Spirit of Detroit is a stunning, 26 foot, 9 ton statue which is the largest bronze cast statue since the Renaissance.

Its name comes from the scripture quote inscribed on the wall behind it.

Underground Railroad: Gateway To Freedom

Historians believe that more than 45,000 slaves passed through Detroit to freedom in Canada.

The monument, Gateway to Freedom, is dedicated to the famous underground railroad that made that possible.

Culture In Detroit

The city of Detroit is a very diverse place and so it has become an eclectic mix of cultures, beliefs and lifestyles.

Its history in the automotive and music industries are still part of its identity, but it is now taking on a new and forward looking attitude.

In everything from its fine dining to its nomination as the first city to have an electric car charging road Detroit is a city that is proud of its past while focusing on the future.

This is a vibrant and thriving city which is only going to improve in years to come.

Detroit’s Food & Beverage Scene

As part of Detroit’s culture the food and beverage scene has become one of the city’s highlights. It is now a foodie’s destination.

Check out some of the great restaurants and bars you can find in the Motor City.

Mabel Gray Kitchen is where you’ll find former Top Chef contestant, James Rigato cooking up a storm.

Roast is an upscale steakhouse under chef Michael Symon while Wright & Company under Marc Djozlija specializes in small creative plates.

The Sugar House in the Corktown neighborhood is well known for its cocktails, beer, wine and small sharing plates.

Candy Bar has a stunning interior which will take you to a different time and place while Lost River has some island inspired cocktails and a great rum list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Detroit Most Famous For?

Detroit is known for being the automobile capital of the world and for its distinctive Motown music from the 1960s.

Which Is The Oldest Distillery In Detroit?

Two James Distillery is the oldest in Detroit having opened in 2012. It is the first licensed distillery in the city since Prohibition.