KOVAL Distillery
5121 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60640
Distilleries
Tour and taste your way through Chicago's first craft distillery since the mid-1800s.
Learn about our unique company and approach to distilling handcrafted, organic spirits, while sampling nine of our award-winning whiskeys and liqueurs. Pre-register for tours online at koval-distillery.com. Established in 2008, KOVAL produces organic whiskey, liqueurs and speciality spirits in Chicago's first distillery since the mid-1800s. Founders Robert and Sonat Birnecker, chose to leave their academic careers to bring the distilling traditions of Robert's Austrian family to America.
In making this decision, they vowed to make organic spirits from scratch (avoiding the common industry practice of purchasing and bottling pre-made spirits) and to change the way people understand whiskey by creating a new, signature style - using only the 'heart' cut of the distillate - affording a brighter, cleaner take on whiskey. Embracing the grain-to-bottle mentality, each step of the spirit-making process is thoughtfully monitored: from contracting local farmers to grow the grain to on-site milling and mashing, to finally distilling, bottling, and packaging.
After numerous international awards and Robert at the helm of consulting for the burgeoning craft industry, KOVAL has grown to be one of America's leading small batch, independent spirit manufacturers.
What's happening nearby...
Chicago Theatre Week
Feb 05 – Feb 15
Calling all audiences — Chicago Theatre Week is back! Enjoy value-priced tickets to an array of productions from Feb. 5 – 15, 2026.
Read more about Chicago Theatre Week
Chicago Auto Show
McCormick Place West • Feb 07 – Feb 16
Features a range of domestic and imported cars and trucks, experimental and concept cars and a number of auto-related exhibits.
Read more about Chicago Auto Show
Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile: The Musical at The Studebaker Theater
The Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building • Jan 29 – Feb 21
The Roald Dahl Story Company presents its first production in Chicago, the wickedly funny, family musical based on Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile.
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To make their craft spirits, Chicago Distilling Co. start with organic grains sourced right here in Illinois.
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