Bier Distillery

What Bier Distillery does

Bier Distillery is a privately held, family-owned craft micro-distillery, brewery, and restaurant founded in 2013 by Joel Bierling and operating from a single location at 5295 West River Dr. NE, Comstock Park, Michigan. The company produces grain-to-glass spirits on-site, including whiskeys, gins, vodka, rum, brandy, absinthe, moonshine, and amaro, alongside on-site brewed beer and wine, using a traditional pot still process and a differentiated 15-gallon small-barrel aging approach that compresses standard aging time. Its product portfolio includes a signature seven-SKU line of Dutch-heritage-themed liqueurs (Stroopwafel, Hopjes, Banket, Pepermunt, Speculaas, Oranje, Appeltaart) and a Niet Point non-alcoholic whiskey and gin line targeting the sober-curious market.

The business operates a dual-venue model combining craft production with a full-service kitchen specializing in authentic Dutch cuisine, making it the only establishment of its kind in the Grand Rapids area. Revenue is generated entirely through direct-to-consumer channels: on-premise tasting room and restaurant sales (Wed-Sun, limited hours), off-premise bottle sales of spirits, beer, and wine in various sizes, online takeout ordering via the SkyTab platform, and regional retail distribution through a 'Find the Spirit' locator. Marketing is driven by local West Michigan earned media (Wood TV, Fox17, WZZM13, WGVU), social media, and recurring community events including an annual 5K run/walk (in its 8th year as of 2025) and the Barley, BBQ & Beats festival benefiting local charities such as Hand2Hand, FOOD HUGS, and Hospice of Michigan. The company is self-funded, with no institutional investment, no subsidiaries, and no M&A activity disclosed.

Name

Bier Distillery

Legal name

Bier Distillery

Website

https://bierdistillery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bier Distillery is a family-owned craft micro-distillery, brewery, and restaurant in Comstock Park, Michigan, producing on-site spirits, beer, wine, Dutch-heritage liqueurs, and non-alcoholic alternatives, while serving authentic Dutch cuisine to local West Michigan consumers through its single tasting room and direct-to-consumer channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Distilled Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (31214), Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits Retail & Whiskey Shops (Off-Premise) (CRANAAAD), Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ)

Keywords

• Craft distilled spirits
• Craft brewery production
• Dutch themed liqueurs
• Small batch whiskey
• Non-alcoholic spirits

Headquarters

HQ city

Comstock Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Bottle Sales: Off-premise sales of distilled spirits, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic alternatives in various bottle sizes (375ml, pint, etc.) sold directly from the distillery.
2. On-Premise Consumption: Serving drinks and food for consumption on-site at the tasting room and restaurant, including craft cocktails, pours, and full meals.
3. Food Service: Full kitchen specializing in Dutch cuisine, offering regular and seasonal menus of traditional Dutch favorites and American twists. Kitchen closes one hour before posted times.
4. Online Ordering: Online ordering system for takeout orders of food and beverages through their SkyTab platform.
5. Retail Merchandise: Sale of retail merchandise including hay straws (100 packs), gift cards, and other spirit-inspired wares.
6. Hand Sanitizer Sales: During COVID-19 pandemic, produced and sold hand sanitizer in various sizes from pocket sprays to 275 gallon totes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bier Distillery produces craft spirits, beer, and wine on-site at its Comstock Park, Michigan micro-distillery using traditional pot still methods and small-barrel aging, and sells those products to consumers through an attached tasting room, restaurant, off-premise bottle sales, and regional retail partners. The portfolio spans whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, rum, moonshine, absinthe, apple brandy, Dutch-themed liqueurs, craft beer, wine, and non-alcoholic spirit alternatives, complemented by a full-service kitchen serving authentic Dutch cuisine.

Product overview

Bier Distillery is a micro-distillery, brewery, and restaurant in Comstock Park, Michigan producing an expanding line of grain and fruit-to-glass spirits, beer, wine, and food. The company operates a dual production model combining craft distilling (whiskeys, gins, vodkas, rums, brandies, absinthe, and moonshine) with a full-service Dutch cuisine kitchen. Their portfolio includes flagship spirits brands (Sole Cry Rye Whiskey, Crescent Creek Bourbon, Mum's Ruin Gin, Heart Cut Vodka, Brillari Amaro Americano, Henry's Absent Absinthe Verte, Devil's Message Rum, JusttheShine Moonshine), a distinctive Dutch-themed liqueur line (Stroopwafel, Hopjes, Banket, Pepermunt, Speculaas, Oranje, Appeltaart), seasonal craft spirits (Hard Frost Gin), and non-alcoholic alternatives (Niet Point). The business also features a kitchen serving authentic Dutch cuisine, making it unique as both a craft distillery and Dutch food establishment in the Grand Rapids area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Niet Point: Non-alcoholic spirit alternatives including Non-alcoholic Whiskey and Non-alcoholic Gin, crafted from natural flavors and botanicals.
• Sole Cry Rye Whiskey
• Crescent Creek Bourbon
• Mum's Ruin Gin
• Heart Cut Vodka
• Brillari Amaro Americano
• Henry's Absent Absinthe Verte
• Devil's Message Rum
• JusttheShine Moonshine

Products and services

• Sole Cry Rye Whiskey House rye whiskey distilled in-house and sold for on-premise consumption and off-premise bottle purchase at the distillery.
• Crescent Creek Bourbon Small-batch bourbon distilled from 80% corn, 15% barley, and 5% wheat, aged in 15-gallon charred American white oak barrels that accelerate aging versus the standard 53-gallon barrel format.
• Mum's Ruin Gin House craft gin produced at the distillery and featured in signature cocktails such as Strawberry Gin Lemonade, Matcha Gin Sour, and Cherry Blossom.
• Heart Cut Vodka Premium house vodka available in 375ml bottles, sold individually or in gift box sets, and used in cocktails such as Strawberry Pistachio Cream and Pistachio Martini.
• Brillari Amaro Americano House amaro-style liqueur produced at the distillery and sold as part of the flagship spirits lineup.
• Henry's Absent Absinthe Verte House absinthe verte produced at the distillery, noted as the first absinthe release by a West Michigan distillery.
• Devil's Message Rum House craft rum produced at the distillery and featured in cocktails including Honey Bee and Lavender Paloma.
• JusttheShine Moonshine Clear house moonshine produced at the distillery and sold as part of the flagship spirits lineup.
• Stroopwafel Liqueur Dutch-themed liqueur capturing the layered cookie, caramel, honey, butter, and vanilla flavors of the traditional Dutch stroopwafel caramel waffle cookie.
• Hopjes Liqueur Dutch-themed coffee candy liqueur bottling the sweet, creamy coffee flavors of traditional Dutch hopjes candy.
• Banket Liqueur Dutch-themed liqueur blending almond and pastry flavors inspired by traditional Dutch banket pastry.
• Pepermunt Liqueur Fresh minty liqueur inspired by traditional Dutch pepermunt after-dinner mints, suitable for sipping or holiday beverages.
• Speculaas Liqueur Liqueur evoking the cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, coriander, white pepper, and anise seed warmth of traditional Dutch speculaas spice blend.
• Oranje Liqueur Sweet citrus liqueur honoring Dutch royal heritage, used in cocktails such as Poppy Seed Lemon Drop and Orange Creamsicle.
• Appeltaart – Apple Pie Liqueur Heartwarming apple and spice liqueur at 25% ABV, inspired by the Dutch tradition of 'koffie met appeltaart' (coffee with apple pie).
• Hard Frost Gin Winter seasonal gin at 45% ABV, crafted with juniper, cinnamon, clove, star anise, ginger, orange peel, and peppermint for frosty-season flavor.
• Niet Point Non-alcoholic Whiskey Non-alcoholic whiskey alternative under the Niet Point brand, crafted in-house from natural flavors for use in cocktails by sober and sober-curious consumers.
• Niet Point Non-alcoholic Gin Non-alcoholic gin alternative under the Niet Point brand, crafted in-house from natural flavors and botanicals for use in cocktails by sober and sober-curious consumers.
• Forbidden Apple Brandy Apple brandy produced from a proprietary blend of Michigan apples sourced from Eden orchard, aged in used 30-gallon Forbidden cider and 15-gallon whiskey barrels.
• Dámos Beer Collaboration craft beer brewed with Beer City Guild for the Beer City ProAm competition, featuring sugar cane juice, four malts, Styrian and Zeus hops, and wood-aged Devil's Message Rum at 8.1% ABV.
• Craft Beer and Wine Beer and wine produced on-site at the distillery, available for on-premise consumption and as growler, howler, and can fills for off-premise purchase.
• Craft Cocktails (Seasonal Menu) Rotating seasonal craft cocktail menu served in the tasting room, built around in-house spirits and liqueurs including Strawberry Mint Bourbon Smash, Pistachio Martini, Orange Creamsicle, and sangrias.
• Dutch Cuisine Kitchen Full-service on-site kitchen offering authentic Dutch cuisine with regular and seasonal menus of traditional Dutch favorites and American twists, the first of its kind in the Grand Rapids area.
• Hand Sanitizer Hand sanitizer produced and sold during the COVID-19 pandemic in sizes ranging from pocket sprays to 275-gallon totes for both community and business use.

Quantifiable outcome

• Only establishment focusing on authentic Dutch food in the Grand Rapids area as of 2020
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FOOD HUGScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2025FOOD HUGS is a local grass-roots charity that is the beneficiary of the annual 5K run/walk event. Donations can be made through the race registration page.
• Hand2HandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2019Hand2Hand is the charity beneficiary of the annual Bier Distillery 5K run/walk. The event asks participants to bring 2 items of non-perishable food donations per person. Hand2Hand feeds over 6,000 kids in 166 schools primarily in West Michigan by delivering nutritious food over the weekends.
• Hospice of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2018Hospice of Michigan is the beneficiary of the annual Barley, BBQ & Beats festival hosted by Bier Distillery. This event has been an annual fundraiser for multiple years, with the 3rd annual event in 2018 and continuing through at least 2024.
• Dalty Raes Your Great Lakes Ohana Food TruckminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 August 2017Food truck partner for the 1-year anniversary celebration on Saturday, providing food specials during the event along with The Underground Cookie Club.
• B.D.'S BBQ Food TruckminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 August 2017Food truck partner for the 1-year anniversary celebration in August 2017, providing food specials during the event.
• Beer City GuildminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 July 2017Partnership for the Beer City ProAm competition resulting in a collaborative beer called 'Demos' made with sugar cane juice, four different malts, Styrian and Zeus hops, and wood-aged Devil's Message Rum at 8.1% ABV.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Journeyman Distillery: Michigan craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, and rum with an on-site restaurant and tasting room. Closely mirrors Bier Distillery's combined distillery-plus-food destination model.
• Coppercraft Distillery: West Michigan craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, and brandy with a tasting room. Directly comparable in scale, geography, and product mix to Bier Distillery.
• Valentine Distilling: Michigan craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, and vodka with off-premise distribution. Comparable in product portfolio focus on premium craft spirits in the Michigan market.
• Short's Brewing Company: Northern Michigan craft brewery with a pub, experimental beer program, and spirits. Comparable Michigan craft operator combining brewing with on-premise food and beverage service.
• New Holland Brewing: Michigan craft brewer and distiller operating a brewpub and spirits line. Comparable dual beer-and-spirits production with on-premise hospitality that closely resembles Bier Distillery's integrated model.
• St. Julian Winery: Michigan's oldest and largest winery producing wine, spirits, and cider with retail and tasting rooms. Comparable Michigan-based craft beverage producer with multi-product portfolio and DTC retail.
• Grand Armory Brewing: Grand Haven, Michigan craft brewery with on-premise taproom. Comparable small-scale Michigan craft beverage operator in the same West Michigan geography as Bier Distillery.

Broad incumbents

• Founders Brewing Co. Major Michigan craft brewery with national distribution and large on-premise taprooms. A broader craft incumbent in the same regional market, but operates at significantly greater scale and distribution breadth.
• Bell's Brewery: One of the largest Michigan craft breweries with multi-state distribution and an Eccentric Café hospitality venue. A broader incumbent with comparable craft-plus-hospitality positioning but much larger scale.
• DeKuyper Royal Distillers: Dutch-origin producer of liqueurs and cordials with a broad flavor portfolio. Thematically connected to Bier Distillery's Dutch liqueur positioning, but operates as a global incumbent rather than a craft producer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bierdistillery
• Facebookfacebook.com/BierDistillery
• Instagraminstagram.com/bierdistillery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bier-distillery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bier Distillery