Opening a new business is never easy, but trying to do it during a pandemic shutdown? That is exactly what happened to Gull Lake Distilling Company, which not only had to delay its opening by months, but also transform its business plan.
The still is up and running now, and the handcrafted cocktails featuring locally-sourced spirits, are pouring and ready for you to try.
A traditional Cuban cocktail that is both sweet and tart, a Mojito is a classic drink that relies on rum for its base. Gull Lake Distilling Company’s Mojito cocktail is our pick for Sweet Treat of the Week, a series highlighting people and products from around Michigan who are using Pioneer Sugar in their creations.
“I’ve had a lot of rums, and I’d put ours right up there with any of them," said Caleb Rose, head mixologist and service manager at Gull Lake Distilling, a new spot located in Galesburg that just opened a few months ago.
Gull Lake Distilling offers a little bit of everything, from cocktails mixed with their own signature spirits, house-made wine, and four rotating beers every day.
Check out our interview with Rose below, where we talk about distilling, why sugar plays a big role in the process, and why Gull Lake rum is the only white rum that Rose has liked.
Timing can be everything, and for Gull Lake Distilling, it’s been a bit of a bear this year. They were set to open on March 21, which was just days after the state’s shutdown order came through. They pushed forward, and ended up opening on June 8. Owner Ted Koch said that with the shutdown, “Our entire model changed. I had built a business where people gather” and everything that Gull Lake had planned had to pivot. They’ve been working hard ever since to create what is essentially a whole new plan.
“We took the opportunity to make the best of a rough situation,” Rose said.
Koch and crew expanded the beer garden to a spacious 190 by 60 feet. Because outdoor service really wasn’t what they had planned, they’ve had to come up with new systems and hire more staff. While they don’t offer food of their own, they do allow you to bring meals in, and they share a building with Pizza King, for an easy option.
The focus has “always been on the spirits” Rose said. “The process of distilling is basically turning sugar into alcohol. It’s at the root of distilling. With rum, it is just sugar. There’s not a lot else going on, there’s no grains, so the sugar plays a huge part.”
“It’s the smoothness more than anything for me,” Rose said about the reason why Gull Lake’s rum stands apart. “A lot of times when you have a clear rum, it has that bite, that alcohol bite. Historically, I’ve been more into spiced rums, and the aged stuff, and this is the first clear rum that I’ve been able to drink straight, and feel like the flavor is good on its own.”
As good as it may be straight up, the rum from Gull Lake also is a lovely addition to cocktails, including the classic Mojito they offer, a citrusy little bomb that gets freshened up with mint. Rose recommends the pro tip of ‘slapping’ your mint a bit to get it to release its natural oils, and be as potent as possible. Fresh lime then gets added, along with a douse of sweet simple syrup. This concoction is muddled together, and then Gull Lake white rum is added. A vigorous shake over ice, and then the drink is strained, and poured over fresh ice. Simple, yet full of flavor, and very easy to make at home.
“It’s a pretty standard mojito, to be honest, as far as ingredients go, but nobody else is using our rum, and that plays a big part," Rose said.
Morton Mojito from Gull Lake Distilling Company
2 mint leaves, 1 lime wheel muddled with .75oz lime juice & .75oz Pioneer sugar simple syrup
Add 1.5oz GLDC Rum and ice
Shake and strain into a Collins glass with ice.
Top with soda water & garnish with mint sprig and lime wheel.
To make a simple syrup, place equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan, and heat until the sugar dissolves. Cool, then place in a sealed container in the fridge. It will keep for about a month.
The patio at Gull Lake Distilling Company has been expanded this summer, for even more comfortable outdoor dining.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.
Gull Lake Distilling Company
92 East Michigan Ave.
Galesburg, MI 49053
(269) 200-5329
https://www.gldistilling.com/home
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