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Read the press release here.

Koval 'Excited' To Make Ravenswood Its Permanent Home

By Patty Wetli | January 23, 2017 12:45pm
 The distillery plans to quadruple in size in the coming years, after buying its Ravenswood building.
The distillery plans to quadruple in size in the coming years, after buying its Ravenswood building.
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Facebook/Koval Distillery

RAVENSWOOD — The owners of Koval Distillery cemented their future in Ravenswood by purchasing the building where they've been leasing space.

As reported in the Chicago Tribune, Koval will consolidate its operations at 4241 N. Ravenswood Ave. — the company also leases a facility at 5121 N. Ravenswood Ave. — with plans to take over the entire building and quadruple from 11,000 square feet to 45,000.

"We are both excited and honored to call Ravenswood our permanent home!" Koval posted to its Facebook page when news broke.

Founded in 2008 by the husband-and-wife team of Robert Birnecker and Sonat Birnecker Hart, Koval was Chicago's first post-Prohibition distillery.

Koval was modeled along the European tradition of distilling — Robert was born in Austria — which is notable for producing a wider array of spirits using grains and fruits not typically found in American-made alcohols. The distillery's output includes a millet whiskey, along with jasmine, walnut and orange blossom liqueurs

With its planned expansion, Koval will increase its annual production from 70,000 gallons to 100,000 gallons — a sharp rise from the 15,000 gallons distilled back in 2011.

The new building will also likely include a tasting room, Birnecker Hart told the Tribune.

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