We’ve spent a lot of time talking about, cooking with, and drinking all the fantastic beer and wine made right here in Michigan over the last year.  But that’s not all that Michigan makes – we are also home to fantastic distilleries.  To celebrate the spirits made right here at home, we’re kicking off the Drink Michigan Craft Cocktail Contest.  We want to see drink recipes from you made with Michigan spirits.

Here’s how it works:

  • Email entries to trisha@drinkmichigan.org by September 9, 2011. If you do not receive a reply stating that we received your entry within 24 hours, please leave a comment on this post.

 

  • Your cocktail recipe must include at least one Michigan spirit. Be creative – we love the standards, but are excited to see what kind of fun, funky, and downright weird cocktails you can come up with!  If there’s a special story to go along with your drink, please share it – we’d love to hear how you came up with your recipes!

 

  • All entries must include a picture – we want to see what your drink looks like!  Please also include  your first/last name, a short bio (1-2 sentences), links to your Facebook & Twitter profiles (optional), and the email associated with your Gravatar profile (so we can show off your smiling face! If you don’t have a gravatar account, you can set one up quickly at http://en.gravatar.com/site/signup/).

 

  • We will publish all entries on our site after the close of submission, and open voting up to the public from September 11 – 18.

 

  • The 3 recipes that receive the most votes will be moved to the finals, where a panel of judges will make and taste all 3, and determine the winner.  The judges will be awarding points in 4 categories: taste, appearance, uniqueness, and your use of Michigan spirits.  The judges votes will be totaled, and the winner will be announced on September 30.

 

Here’s the fun part:  The winner of the Drink Michigan Craft Cocktail Contest will have their cocktail featured at The Henry Ford Museum’s November Local Roots Dinner.  The theme of the evening will be craft cocktails, and the winner of our contest will have their drink prepared by mixologists and paired with a locally inspired culinary delight prepared by the amazing chefs at The Henry Ford.  You will also receive 2 tickets to join us at the dinner, and a $50 Visa gift card.

***New!*** The winning concotion will also be featured on the cocktail menu at Cliff Bells – one of Detroit’s premiere cocktail bars! A special card with your name and cocktail recipe will be placed at every table! 

So break out those cocktail shakers and show us your Michigan pride!

Cheers!