One Of A Kind Boutique Distillery In Chicago
Inside a 3,600 square foot loft in Ravenswood, the sounds, smells, and tastes of something unique to Chicago.
"Oh yeah, we're the only distillery in Chicago," said Kovel Distillery owner Sonat Birnecker-Hart.
Newsradio 780's Lisa Fielding takes a look at Koval Distillery, located at 5121 N. Ravenswood,for this weeks edition of Made In Chicago. Koval Distillery opened its doors two years ago, but in that time, the small company has grown by leaps and bounds. "Whether we're making Whiskey or whether we are making Brandy, or a Liqueur, we try to make a product that is top quality."
LISTEN: Made In Chicago 'Kovel Distillery'
Podcast
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Birnecker-Hart says she and her husband had a little help when they decided to open Chicago's only distillery, "Robert actually comes from a distilling family. His grandmother makes Liqueurs, his grandfather makes Brandys."
A Giant copper pot still and wooden barrels from floor to ceiling make up their office. "Most of our stuff we do is grain. I'll put some yeast in there." said distiller Mark DiSimone. He oversees every step of the process, from the mashing to the bottling, to the labeling he says distilling is really an art form. "It'll come out as pure alcohol."
For the first time since before Prohibition, a whiskey legally distilled and bottled in Chicago. Koval's newest product is Lion's Pride. "We thought it was time that Chicago had it's own Whiskey, so we made up for lost time," Birnecker-Hart laughed.
Koval now bottles more than a dozen spirits. From brandy, to Vodka to Whiskey to Liqueurs, Birnecker- Hart says they've found their niche.
"We distill differently than most people." A taste of Europe in Ravenswood. "We're the only distillery in the U.S. that makes this wide array of products.
Koval products can be found in a variety of restaurants, bars and retail outlets in six states. Lion's Pride Organic Whiskey hit local stores on Nov. 6.
