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Distilleries offer outings for adults
Sonja Kassebaum, of Gurnee and co-founder of the North Shore Distillery in Lake Bluff, pours a shot of vodka into a Strawberry Basil Smash mixed drink at the distillery's bar. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: September 26, 2012 3:16PM
Local craft distillery tours and tastings provide an indulgent alternative to brewery and winery tours as more spirits distilleries open in the Chicago area.
Adults with discerning palates will be able to distinguish between the all-natural hard liquors being made here in small batches vs. mass-produced spirits that occupy the bottom shelves of neighborhood liquor stores. Considered premium products, these spirits are usually distilled many times to achieve more smoothness and flavor and to get rid of any impurities or bitterness.
Area distillers also pride themselves on using ingredients grown in the Midwest whenever possible, and some even grow the botanicals (herbs and spices) they use in their own gardens. They also try to find suppliers that grow everything organically.
Paul Hletko, owner and distiller of FEW Spirits, (918 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 847-920-8628, www.fewspirits.com), makes white whiskey, gin, rye and bourbon.
White whiskey retains its clarity due to not being aged in oak barrels. Bottle prices for FEW’s premium spirits range from $46 to $65.
“We focus on the quality of ingredients in our ‘grain to glass’ facility. We have total control,” he explained. “We’re not certified organic, but we use organic ingredients as often as we can and as local as we can.” The juniper in the gin, for instance, comes from Hletko’s own garden.
FEW Spirits is open for tours on Saturdays at 2 and 3 p.m. The $10 charge includes a tasting of three one-quarter ounce pours. The distillery can accommodate large private groups for special tastings by reservation.
On an interesting side note, allowing a distillery within its borders marks a milestone for Evanston, the suburb that was the headquarters of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. After Prohibition, Evanston remained dry until 1972.
Because FEW does not have a tavern license, it must serve its tastes straight. Some distilleries do have licenses that allow them to make mixed drinks.
North Shore Distillery, (28913 Herky Dr., Lake Bluff, 847-574-2499, www.northshoredistillery.com), does have a tavern license and charges $8 (with tax and tip) for cocktails during its tours/tastings, which cost $10. North Shore also is licensed to serve visitors three one-third-ounce pours of spirits.
North Shore distills vodka, gin, absinthe and aquavit and plans to add whiskey in the future, said Sonja Kassebaum, partner.
“We have a specially designed still to accentuate the flavors and products. We peel fresh fruit and pick wild botanicals,” Kassebaum said. “We do these things that are not possible in mass production.”
Gin and vodka are North Shore’s best sellers, but Kassebaum and her distiller husband, Derek, also enjoy making French-style absinthe, flavored with anise seed and fennel and infused with many herbs. With its high alcohol level of 120 proof, absinthe should be diluted with two parts water before drinking, Kassebaum advised.
All of its liquors are available for tasting Fridays between 4 and 8 p.m. and Saturdays between 2 and 8 p.m. Tours are offered on Saturdays at 2 and 4 p.m. Reservations are encouraged because tours are limited to 15 people at a time.
Koval Distillery, (5124 N. Ravenswood, Chicago, 773-295-4454, www.koval-distillery.com), makes the most varieties of all of the area craft distillers and is certified organic. Its products include three styles of whiskey, vodka, brandies and liqueurs.
“We make 32 different products,” said Jason Liechty, manager for owners Robert and Sonat Birnecker. White 100 percent rye whiskey is a top seller. Koval also makes single-grain whiskies from millet, spelt and oats. Retail bottle prices range from $24 to $52.
Those taking the comprehensive 1-1/2-to-2-hour tours get tiny tastes of three white whiskies, three aged whiskies and three liqueurs. Tour hours are 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1, 3 and 5 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday.
Real Russian Vodka, (847) 662-4444, distilled in Gurnee, does not have a tasting room but has limited area distribution in liquor stores and is carried so far by one restaurant, The Forge in Vernon Hills. It can be tasted at some of those liquor stores and at sponsored events, such as the upcoming Green Tie Ball, said Inna Feldman-Gerber, president of Premiere Distillery.
Her father, Gregory Feldman, is a third-general master distiller, using a family recipe dating back to 1905. He distills the vodka six times, she said.
“The more you distill it, the better the flavor. It’s smoother and gets rid of inpurities or bitterness. Our vodka doesn’t have the things that produce the hangover,” she claimed.
Real Russian Vodka retails for $18. “You don’t have to pay a fortune for a premium product,” Feldman-Gerber said.
A few additional distilleries are in various planning stages for the metro area but are not yet ready to announce expected opening dates.
