fbpx
What’s The Buzz?! – May 5th Weekend

What’s The Buzz?! – May 5th Weekend

News

It’s the first week of May, and the busy spring/summer season is just getting rolling here at St. Ambrose. The bees at Sleeping Bear Farms next door have been returning for the past few weeks, and there’s a buzz in the air as the weather (kinda) starts to warm up and we get to see the sun again.

We’ve got a lot going on this weekend, and here’s the rundown:

Odyssey of the Mind Fundraiser

On Saturday, we’re hosting a Silent Auction/Pop-Can Drive/Fundraiser for the Crystal Lake Elementary Odyssey of the Mind team. These talented kids are headed to the world finals for Odyssey of the Mind, and this is a great opportunity to enjoy a Saturday at the Cellars while supporting their hard work.

This event is going to feature two musical performances – Cheryl Wolfram in the early afternoon, and the supremely talented Brett Mitchell in the early evening. Both those performances are free for anyone here.

In addition, there will be a silent auction. Local music sensations The Accidentals have generously provided some items for auction, like a signed ukulele!

Along with that, community sponsors and businesses will be providing other items up for auction, with all proceeds going to the Odyssey of the Mind team.

You’ll also have the opportunity to see two super performances from the OM team during the event.

The fun starts at 2PM and runs til 6PM. Suggested donation is $5, and we’ll also be accepting pop cans for the fundraising drive.

Weekend Music Acts

Along with the two musical performances during the fundraiser, we’ll have our usual Friday and Saturday night music in the tasting room.

Friday, May 5th – Alex Mendenall

Alex Mendenall is a nationally touring songwriter based in Lansing, MI. Drawing from soul, folk, funk, and jazz, Alex’s music features carefully crafted wordplay, rich chord progressions, and dynamic arrangements of foot percussion. His expressive melodies and heartfelt storytelling focus on universal ideas of life, death, love, and what it means to be human.

Performing in venues and festivals across the Midwestern and Eastern United States, Mendenall has worked with acts like Tyler Hilton, Ryan Cabrera, Hayley Kiyoko, Royal Teeth, and Young Rising Sons. He has toured extensively across the the U.S. in addition to dates in Canada.

In his home state, Mendenall has had the opportunity to take his music to events like the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Beaver Island Music Festival, Traverse City Film Festival, Dunesville Music Festival, the East Lansing Summer Concert Series, Roots on the River Concert Series, and many others. He has worked with talented local groups like The Ragbirds, The Accidentals, and The Appleseed Collective along the way.

You can listen to his music here.

Saturday, May 6th – Barefoot

Barefoot returns to the tasting room on Saturday night. Barefoot, features Jenni Rae, Bee Jay Reffitt, Phil Coryell and Nathon Lane. Playing rich, soulful tones and acoustic vibes, raised on Michigan’s shores, this is always a fun night at St. Ambrose.

You can listen to a bit of their music on their Facebook page.

Thirsty Thursday

We hope for a full day of roaring electrical power this week, after last week’s abbreviated Thursday due to the whims of nature. Assuming the lights stay on – and the forecast says that shouldn’t be an issue – we’re back to our normal Thirsty Thursday schedule with 35% off your growler and howler needs.

Might I suggest that you dedicate one of those delicious fills to the new member of our lineup, Cool Breeze? This lavender mint seasonal mead has that light, crisp, and refreshing taste that you crave. Did I mention this was a gold medal winner at the 2017 Mazer Cup? Because I should have mentioned that. Try out Cool Breeze and all your other favorites on Thirsty Thursday.

New Wines

You may have heard, but in case you didn’t, we’ve got three new wines bottled and for sale in the tasting room right now.

Secret Beach

You know Secret Beach. You love Secret Beach. And it’s back!

2016 Pinot Grigio

The sequel to our last run of Pinot Grigio, this wine features a cool new foil label with a green tint, and the great taste you expect from our white wine lineup. This is a light, citrus-y, food-friendly wine with a subtle flavor that fits right in on the dinner table.

2016 Pinot Noir Riesling

A new variety for us, this Pinot Noir ( (66%) and Riesling (34%) blend has a seductive blush color and a bouquet of flavors including watermelon, strawberry, and cherry. This unique wine just might end up on your list of favorites!

St. Ambrose Cellars Near You

Can’t make it to the tasting room? Our store locator helps you find our meads and wines in a place near you. No store near you? Tell your favorite shop to give Imperial Beverage a call and stock up!

One of our newest additions to the list this week is the hottest spot in Grayling – Paddle Hard Brewing. Featuring several of our meads and wines – along with an awesome lineup of Sleeping Bear Farms honey products – Paddle Hard is the place to be if you’re looking for St. Ambrose mead and wine in Grayling or the surrounding area. They’ve got a great setup and have truly set a new standard for craft beverages in their neck of the woods. We can’t recommend them enough!

Visit their website here.

Buy Online

And if you can’t find it near you – or just want the convenience of St. Ambrose beverages coming direct to your door – remember that we ship to 37 states through our partnership with VinoShipper. You can view all of our products available for purchase in our store here or in one big list at VinoShipper.

December at St. Ambrose Cellars

December at St. Ambrose Cellars

This Month at St. Ambrose

It’s December! With the snow slowly coming around and the holidays fast approaching, we know that you’re in need of some fun, some relaxation, and some warmth. This month at St. Ambrose Cellars, we’ve got a jam packed schedule of events in the tasting room. Here’s your handy one-stop look at everything that we’ve got coming up in the next few weeks. Stop out after your shopping, or spend a snowy evening with some wine and mead, and come say hi!

Women’s Wellness

Our popular women’s wellness events continue this month, with two special Wednesday night events.

Crafts/Show – Dec. 7th

The Queen Bee herself Sharon Jones brings her beeswax candle-making supplies to the tasting room on Wednesday for a workshop. Reserve your spot before Wednesday! It’s just $25 and all you need to bring is your good attitude and good spirits.

That same night, for free, we’ll be holding an artisan trunk show and LuLa Roe clothing popup shop. The trunk show features three of our very favorite people – the Soul Sisters Intuitive HeART collective of Jenn Ryan, Randi Stoltz, and Christina Ryan-Stoltz. It’s going to be a great time!

Wine Cork Crafts – Dec. 14th

Crystal hosts a workshop where you’ll learn how to make some awesome wine cork crafts. You can see more in the link. For $25, you’ll get materials, instruction, and take home your crafts. Make some ornaments or stocking stuffers for the big day!

Music

We have another awesome lineup of bands this month. Barefoot, featuring some of our Sleeping Bear Farms friends, will rock the house on December 9th. The Feral Cats bring their foot stomping tunes in on Saturday, December 10th. Alfredo – always a great time – returns for Friday the 16th.

That Saturday, the 17th, Jen Sygit will regale you with a magical holiday soiree sure to get you in the holiday spirit. Then, on the 23rd and 24th, DeDe Alder will bring her holiday tunes to the tasting room for some sing-a-longs and general good vibes. Her Friday show will be at the normal 6PM time, but the Christmas Eve show will be a special afternoon start time, with DeDe taking the stage at 2PM.

Barefoot – December 9th

Feral Cats – December 10th

Alfredo – December 16th

Jen Sygit – December 17th

DeDe –  December 23 and December 24th

Gaje Turja – December 30th

Thirsty Thursday/Open Mic

Open Mic is back for the winter! Come join us, sing some tunes, and share some laughs on Thursday nights this winter. This month, we’ll have open mic on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th. The open mic starts around 6PM, but Thirsty Thursday runs all day!

New Tasting Room Discounts

Just in time for the holidays, we’ve got new discounts on your wine purchases in the tasting room. As always, you’ll get 20% off when you purchase a case (12) of our products. But now, you’ll also get 10% off when you purchase a half case (6).

Barefoot & Potent – Music at St. Ambrose Cellars

Barefoot & Potent – Music at St. Ambrose Cellars

Barefoot & Potent

With temperatures expected to rise to downright balmy this coming weekend, our Friday night musicians are right on time for a little cabin fever reliever. Barefoot, a new quartet comprised of some of our favorite homegrown talent, will debut right here at St Ambrose, starting at 6pm. With soulful renditions of songs that connect us to memory and each other, Barefoot artfully blends familiar emotional ballads and funky tunes with an upbeat, crowd pleasing, original sound that delivers musically as well as lyrically.

The Band

Chanteuse Jenni Rae captures your heart with her stunning presence and impeccable vocals. Jenni is a classically trained pianist who discovered her voice and knack for music the tender age of 4 & has cultivated a depth to her work that evokes continual goosebumps and demands your attention, anticipating her next verse and begging for an encore.

Supporting Jenni are a cast of characters that all discovered a love for music as young men. On harmonica, Phil Coryell plays intuitively from the deep roots of his musical upbringing, where his father noted a penchant for keeping rhythm watching him toe tap to The Mitch Miller Show as a child. Phil brings a wealth of knowledge and a teacher’s heart to this collaboration; his humor and nurturing ways have infused his harmonizing. Bee Jay Reffitt is a true free spirit, an apiarist at our headquarters, Sleeping Bear Farms, and is all about the upright bass. He says he comes from a long line of barefoot hillbillies and is a lover of organic musical relationships. Native son,

Nathon Lane, rounds out this awesome foursome. Mr Lane, who oversees production of our beautiful honey at Sleeping Bear Farms, is also the brains and brawn behind Barefoot, a football coach and a daddy to two lovely girls. The sensitivity and intention required of him in his daily life plays out in his masterly riffs on guitar and a zen like performance charisma.

This Friday

St Ambrose is thrilled to host the launch of our dear friends who also happen to really bring it. Join us in the tasting room from 6­9pm on Friday, February 19!

Oh, and Barefoot pairs nicely with a glass of our Dancing Bare Ambrosia or Secret Beach and a charcuterie platter, just sayin.

 

barefoot-poster