Wherever I may “Loam”, where I lay my head is home.

What does LOAM mean? Well, it’s typically an equal mix of several different types of soil; silt, clay, sand and organic matter. So basically, a mixture of everything we’ve been teaching up to this point.

Loamy soils are typically TOO fertile for wine grapes. This means that the vines grow to well, and produce lower quality, less intense wine grapes.

However, that doesn’t mean without a rigorous viticulture program, and intense vine training and cultivation, that great wines cant be produced. Napa and Sonoma Valley California are famous loamy soil regions.

Confused yet? Great, stop by and let’s clear it up for you!

This free event is part of our continued series we’re calling “Meet the Makers”, as we highlight some of our favorite Michigan based breweries.

This Thursday sees us continue through the Upper Lower Mitten with two breweries that we feel have been overlooked.

What is this Silt?

Silt, everyone’s favorite nutrient-rich, moisture-retaining soil is in the spotlight!

I can hear you already: “But wait, I thought that we wanted bad soils for growing wine grapes?!”
Yes…but also no.

You can find silt (aka ALLUVIAL) soils all over the place; From the Loire and Rhone Valleys in France, to the plains of Marlborough NZ, and back through the rolling hills of Tuscany.
Alluvial soiled wines are typically soft and delicate, yet fragrant.

Come see what we mean, as we open up 6 bottles that prove “Silt is Built…for growing wines”

Ft: Cheboygan Brewing and Silver Spruce Brewing

This free event is part of our continued series we’re calling “Meet the Makers”, as we highlight some of our favorite Michigan based breweries.

This Thursday sees us continue through the Upper Lower Mitten with two breweries that we feel have been overlooked.

Cheboygan Brewing, known for their delightfully refreshing Blood Orange Blonde, has been serving the Northlands since 2011.
Silver Spruce, a younger brewery that brings LOTS of experience for a team that’s only been around since 2018

The calendar turns over into another month, and we inch closer to warmer weather.

Warmer weather reminds us of beaches…what covers beaches?
Well, yeah, tourists, but also SAND!

Sand is important to the drainage of groundwater, important to the development of grapevines.
Join us starting at noon as we dive deeper (pun intended) into the gritty world of sandy soil wines.

I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating…and it gets everywhere.

Beers TBD

This free event is part of our continued series we’re calling “Meet the Makers”, as we highlight some of our favorite Michigan based breweries.

The end of February continues our Soil Series into Clay Soils

Clay soils make wines plush and ripe with a full midpalate. Because clay holds water and heats slowly, grapes keep concentrated flavors and softer tannins, producing easy-drinking reds and round, weighty whites. Expect dark/red berries, stone fruit, and earthy notes. In cool climates clay adds richness; in warm ones it helps keep acidity. Clay gives depth, a lasting mouthfeel, and a coating finish.

A lineup that’s not to be missed!

Winter Beer Fest is one of our favorite events of the year!

If you’re going on Saturday, be sure to stop by Thursday night for a preview with Kevin from Marquette based Barrel & Beam. This free event is part of our continued series we’re calling “Meet the Makers”, as we highlight some of our favorite Michigan based breweries.

We’re just getting started with our study of soil types, and their impact on the world of wine!

The 31st marks the start of a new series of wines, VOLCANIC SOILS!
What is a volcanic soil, what does that mean, what are some of the major volcanic regions?

All your questions will be deliciously answered with a selection of 6 wines from major volcanic soil regions.

Join us as we wrap up our Four Week course on limestone soils, and how they impact wine as a finished product.

This week features reds and whites from around the world, including; Paso Robles, Slovenia, Sicily, and more!

good
Better
BEST!

One of our favorite wine philosophies is that there’s a bottle, and a price point, for every occasion.
There are good bottles, Tuesday night around the fireplace.
There are Better bottles, friends are coming over for a nice time, maybe a meal.
There are the BEST bottles; that once in a while, special bottle that’s been sitting in the back of your closet for some time.

Come find out what we’re talking about.

Small change!

We’re now doing fall IPAs…

But costumes are still encouraged, in fact, contest this weekend!

boo

Sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc, chardonnay, you know the names. Now tastes the regions!

Let’s enjoy some moderately priced white wines from the old-world, where the bottles may not list the grapes used, but you’re just supposed to know…you know?

Easily some of the most iconic beers in the world, Official Trappist Ales are crafted by an order of Roman Catholic Monks known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. There, they dedicate their lives to prayer, community, contemplation, and manual labor.

It’s this labor that brings us some of the finest beers the world has ever seen.


Not sure what we’re talking about, I pray that you don’t miss this week.

The Balkan nations have been making wine for thousands, and thousands, of years. Some of the oldest recorded alcoholic beverages originate from these old-world nations.

Let’s explore some of these killer, and overlooked wine regions.

We’ve got a lot of opinions on beer, some of which we’re willing to say out loud.

It’s been a minute since we’ve done an employee picks day, so why not some random Thursday in October?!?

Matt, Brian, and the rest of the team has provided some picks, and after much discuss, and only a few physical altercations, we’ve narrowed it down to 4 beers.

What are they? You’ll have to stop by and find out.

The Crushed Grape is happy to bring back the annual celebration of all things fall, HARVEST FEST ‘25! A family-friendly afternoon of fun & games, food & drink, and more!

Follow along on our social media channels for updates and news regarding vendors, activities, and other important information.

Instagram
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If you’re interested in attending as a volunteer or as a vendor, please reach out to the store or email @ Info@CrushedgrapeGR.com

Events, tastings, activities are subject to change

It’s harvest time!

Fresh hopped beers celebrate the harvest by using hops within 24 hours of picking, capturing their vibrant aroma and flavor. Unlike dried hops, fresh hops retain delicate citrus, floral, and herbal notes, resulting in a beer that’s both intensely aromatic and flavorful. Fresh hopped beers offer a seasonal experience that highlights the raw essence of the hop plant. When tasting, note the lively hop character balanced by malt, with a crisp, sometimes slightly grassy finish.

Come out and try some of our favorites.

Here we are, the end of business quarter 3, one more to go…

But before we head off into the waning sunlight of 2025, let’s end the quarter on a high note. Always a favorite, BEST IN SHOW!
Through a series of complex mathematical formulas and algorithms, the team has determine what has been your favorite bottles of wine of the last 13 weeks.

Will they be red? White? Sparkling? Other?
Will you remember them?
Do you agree? Disagree?

Not only that, we have a special guest in house!

Tony Jacobson of LOOSE CANNON wines started his wine journey in a college apartment in Minnesota. Using borrowed gear, and brimming with a punk-rock, DIY attitude, he forged ahead, eventually landing in Traverse City.
Launching in 2023, LOOSE CANNON continues that punk rock ethos with their first bottle; PHOENIX. A 100% Michigan grown sparkling wine. Drawing influence from some of the heavy-hitters in the industry, Tony and Loose Cannon look to put their stamp on wine, and show the world that Michigan has the opportunity to shine just as brightly as some of the other rock star wine making regions of the world.

Mama Mia! We’ve got wines for your spicy meatballs!

Stereotypes aside, the diversity of Italian wines make them the perfect foil for most styles of wine. From red and white, to rose and bubbles, this weekend will cover it all.

Whether you’re cooking pizza, pasta, Steak Florentine, Cioppino, Risotto, or any other number of Italy’s iconic dishes, we’ll have the wine, or at least the recommendations, for your perfect, 4-course Italian meal.

Tastings and events are subject to change

Located in the historic Corktown District of Detroit, Michigan, Brew Detroit operates in a 68,000-square-foot facility. Brew Detroit was incorporated in September 2012 and installed its BrewHouse and its canning and bottling lines in 2013, with the initial brewing and packaging beginning in early 2014.

From Cerveza Delray to Yumtown, Brew Detroit artistically crafts the region's most delicious and sought after beers. With many styles to choose from, our brewers are ready to serve up the very best to Detroit and beyond.

Weekend White Wine Tasting: Featuring French Wines

Bon Jour! No weekend is complete without a bottle of white wine. Join us, and elevate your palate with a curated selection of French white wines known for their elegance and complexity. From the crisp, mineral-driven Sauvignon Blancs of the Loire Valley to the mineral driven Chardonnays of Burgundy, French white wines offer a diverse tasting experience.

Enjoy this weekend tasting as an opportunity to explore the nuances and regional diversity of France’s finest white wines.

Tastings and events are subject to change

Attention all Wine Club Members!

The Crushed Grape is happy to announce the September release for all, qualifying WC members. This month’s theme is: “High Acids Makes For GREAT Food Wine”

All qualifying Club Members are welcome to pick up their monthly wine allotment starting at 5pm Friday, September 12th. If you are unable to pick up your wines on release date, you may pick them up at your earliest convenience.

Please call the store, or reach out to Ben, if you have any additional questions or concerns.

All terms and conditions can be found in your member sign up form, or online. T’s & C’s are subject to change without prior notice.

It’s that time of year!

Time to put on the lederhosen, practice your Hammerschlagen, and tip back a few liters of everyone’s favorite fall brew: Oktoberfests

Did You Know: There are two types of Oktoberfest styles - Festbiers & Marzens?
Join us for part one of our Oktoberfest series as we dive into Marzens from all around the world.

Tastings and events are subject to change

This is an event you’ll not want to miss. Producers of some of the most sought-after wines in the Valley, Raj Patel, of Patel Winery of Napa Valley, will be in the house, pouring some of their delectable delights.

Patel believes that great wine is made in the vineyard. Sourced from some of the finest vineyards in Coombsville, Rutherford, Crystal Springs, and Napa Valley, each PATEL wine is passionately crafted to express the uniqueness of its terroir and exhibit a distinct individual personality.


Since our inception in 2007, our growth has always been determined by our ability to source fruit from sites whose singular mix of location, soils, microclimate, farming practices, clone, and rootstock offer a true expression of the vineyard and varietal in the finished wine. As such, we typically produce no more than a few dozen to a few hundred cases of any one wine.

In 2013, two Grand Rapids entrepreneurs set out to create bourbon that could rival Kentucky's finest. What began as a whiskey-focused distillery evolved into an award-winning destination celebrating craft spirits, seasonal cocktails, and Michigan's natural beauty.

Michigan’s finest Craft Distillery will be in house tasting their award winning whiskeys, and more importantly, their newest creation, Michigan Cucumber Vodka. This crisp, fresh vodka will keep the Summer rolling for the foreseeable future.

It’s that time of year!

Time to put on the lederhosen, practice your Hammerschlagen, and tip back a few liters of everyone’s favorite fall brew: Oktoberfests

Did You Know: There are two types of Oktoberfest styles - Festbiers & Marzens?
Join us for part one of our Oktoberfest series as we dive into Festbiers from all around the world.

Tastings and events are subject to change

There are “Weekday” Wines: bottles you dont feel bad opening on a Tuesday Night, after work

Then, there are “Weekend” Wines: Bottles that you take a bit more time to indulge. Wines with a bit more complexity…more class.

We invite you to join us and try some higher quality Red wines from across our country. From Sea to shining Sea…

We’re ending the month on a high note!

The end of August brings the close of our Beer “Icons” Series, as we journeyed to the four-corners of the Earth, in search of the beers that make the world spin ‘round.
The last Thursday of the month brings the big guns; Iconic Imperial Ales!

DIPAS, Imperial Stouts, the higher the gravity, the better!

Don’t miss out…but make sure you have a ride home ;)