Koval Distillery

In a converted factory building on North Ravenswood Avenue in Chicago, Koval Distillery has spent nearly two decades proving that a from-scratch, organic approach to American whiskey can compete with distillers who have generations of head start. Founded in 2008 by Dr. Robert Birnecker and Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart, two academics who traded university careers for copper stills, Koval was Chicago's first distillery to open after Prohibition, and it built its identity around a grain-to-bottle philosophy that few American whiskey producers attempt at scale.

History & Heritage

Robert Birnecker grew up around his family's fruit brandy distillery in Austria, and that European distilling tradition shaped the technical backbone of Koval from day one. When he and Sonat Birnecker Hart founded the distillery in 2008, they installed custom-built copper pot stills from Kothe Distilling Technologies in Germany rather than the column stills common to large American whiskey producers. The choice reflected a broader commitment: control every step of production, from milling grain to bottling the finished spirit, in house. That grain-to-bottle model, paired with the distillery's status as the first to open in Chicago since Prohibition, quickly established Koval as a reference point for the American craft distilling movement. The distillery has since been recognized as a leader of that movement and has collected recognition well beyond spirits competitions, including Illinois Small Business Persons of the Year in 2017 and Illinois Exporter of the Year in 2016.

The Whiskey

Koval's whiskeys start with organic grain sourced from Midwestern farms, and the distillery holds USDA Organic and Kosher (OU) certification across its entire lineup. Production runs on a signature "heart cut" technique: rather than blending the full output of a distillation run, Koval collects only the purest middle portion and discards the heads and tails, a labor-intensive method aimed at a cleaner, brighter spirit. Water used throughout production is drawn from Lake Michigan and purified using a natural charcoal method.

The whiskeys themselves lean into unusual mash bills. Koval Bourbon Whiskey uses 51% organic corn and 49% organic millet, a grain pairing rarely seen in American bourbon. Koval Rye Whiskey is 100% organic rye, and Koval Four Grain Single Barrel Whiskey combines oat, malted barley, rye, and wheat. Everything ages in new charred American oak, often in 30-gallon barrels that impose more wood contact per gallon of spirit than the standard 53-gallon barrel, accelerating maturation. Limited-edition finishes push further: Koval Maple Syrup Cask-Finished Single-Barrel Rye rests in former maple syrup barrels, and Koval Rye Whiskey Amburana Single Barrel finishes in Brazilian Amburana hardwood, a wood species prized for cinnamon and spice notes.

Why It Matters

Koval has earned more than 100 international awards for its spirits. Its Bourbon Whiskey received a Liquid Gold Award from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible in 2024 and a Gold Medal at the Women's Wine & Spirits Awards in 2020. Koval Four Grain Whiskey was named Best World Whisky at the Roma Whisky Festival in 2019, and the Bourbon repeated that honor in 2022. Koval Rye Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels scored 95 points and an Exceptional rating from the Beverage Testing Institute, while the Thresh & Winnow 10 Year Rye scored 92. For The Sentinel Room's Reserve Whiskey Library, Koval represents a distinctly Midwestern counterpoint to Kentucky and Tennessee whiskey traditions: organic grain, unconventional mash bills, and a production method built around discipline rather than volume.

Visiting the Distillery

Koval offers public tours, typically on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays with seasonal schedule adjustments, and advance reservations are required. The roughly hour-long tour covers the distillery's history and distilling methods, walks through the production area, and concludes with a tasting. A tasting room on site sells cocktails and appetizers for visitors who want to linger. The facility is wheelchair accessible, and free street parking is available nearby.