The name Koval means “blacksmith,” in numerous Eastern European languages, but the word in Yiddish also refers to a “black sheep” or someone who forges ahead or does something new or out of the ordinary. Sonat’s great-grandfather earned Koval as his nickname when, at the ripe old age of 17, he surprised his family and emigrated from Vienna to Chicago in the early 1900s to start a business. Coincidentally, the surname of Robert’s grandfather (at whose side Robert learned the art of distilling) is Schmid – German for “smith.” Sonat and Robert chose the name Koval to honor both men – and to reflect their own extraordinary decision to leave their careers to make some of the most unique whiskey in America.
All of KOVAL’s whiskies are “single barrel” expressions and aged in 30 gallon charred barrels (113,55 Liters). This insures that the distillate, made up solely of the heart cut, is able to develop its flavor with the purest grain notes and luscious flavor. The term “single barrel” refers to the fact that the bottles come from specific barrels and are numbered accordingly. All KOVAL spirits can be traced back to their barrel, and even the specific shipments of raw materials that come from our organic farmers. We spoke to the co-founder Sonat Birnecker of the Distillery.
(Left: Sonat Birnecker – Right: Robert Birnecker)
Sonat, tell us a little about yourself. What is your background? Did you have any experience with distilling alcohol before this project?
SB: After receiving an MSt from Oxford and a PhD from the University of London, I spent over a decade teaching and lecturing in the United States and Germany. In 2008, I gave up tenure to find a different quality of life — one that would afford me an opportunity to work with my husband and Chicago, the city I loved. I had not been a distiller before, but my husband grew up distilling in Austria on his grandfather’s distillery and winery. Robert comes from three generations of distillers, it was something he did his whole life.
That’s quite a change of scenery. What were some of the challenges you faced when you were opening Koval Distillery? What are some of your most rewarding accomplishments?
SB: There were plenty of challenges from the start, most of which were exciting. Aside from the challenges of growing our business independently, we were also confronted with the need to change the laws in Illinois. We lobbied and worked to change the Illinois liquor laws and ultimately changed said laws to establish a Craft Distiller’s License. This license would make it possible for distilleries to have a small retail component, reduced licensing fees, tasting room, and tours.
Our choice to remain independent from the beginning also forced us to use our intellectual capital, distilling knowledge, and experience in creative ways. To this end, we managed to build our business by educating others in the art of distilling through another company we set up: Kothe Distilling Technologies.
We found that sharing our knowledge not only helped others find the information and assistance they needed to reach their dreams, it also helped us grow our business, while remaining completely independent. Since we started, we have educated over 3000 people in the art of distilling and set up over 150 distilleries for others, in addition to white label projects for well known and small craft distilleries.
Tell us about your whiskey. Your distillery has quite a lineup. Please give us some info on each and how they all differ from each other? How does your whiskey stand out from the rest in the market?
SB: We have our 100% single grain whiskeys: Millet, Rye, and Oat, as well as two over proof (47% alc.) mixed mash bill whiskeys: Four Grain (Oat, malted barley, rye and wheat) and Bourbon (corn and millet). All whiskeys are single barrel and aged in new American Oak 30 gallon barrels that have been seasoned for 24 months.
The entire process for our whiskey (and every product we create) is monitored from start to finish. Unlike some distillers who purchase or bottle premade spirits, KOVAL makes its organic spirits from scratch. We also pioneered the new American craft style of using only the “heart” cut of the distillate for a cleaner, brighter, more grain forward whiskey taste. This is something we have taught in our Kothe Workshops and after teaching over 3000 people the art of distilling and having set up about 150 distilleries for others, it is a style that has grown more and more popular among craft distilleries that follow Robert’s technique.
It originated in our desire to apply a brandy approach to distilling fruit, to grain. Traditional American whiskey tends to use the heart cut as well as some of the tails, whereas Austrian brandy producers would never use any tails. We saw this as a good way to differentiate ourselves from the mainstream. We are also transparent about what is in our bottle. If it is Rye, it is 100% Rye, which is not always the case as the government allows one to call a product a rye as long as it is 51% rye. We never use colorings either, and all of our products are organic and kosher.
Can you tell us a bit about the process for tasting the whiskey to determine is it ready for drinking/releasing?
SB: We taste the whiskey when it comes out of the barrel at barrel-strength and if it does not match the flavor profile we are going for, we do not pull it. We also check every barrel when it is cut to make sure that it is the quality we want to bottle.
Do you source all your ingredients locally ? How does the location and the temperature affect the maturation process or the aging of the whiskey?
SB: The grain is certified organic and sourced from the Midwest Organic Farmers Cooperative. The water is from Lake Michigan using a natural charcoal purification method. All of our products are certified Kosher by the oldest and most trusted certification body and Organic by the Midwest Organic Services Association. We can trace every bottle back to the gran and where the grain was harvested.
The extreme weather fluctuations in Chicago allow for the barrels to expand and contract which helps accelerate the aging process.
Can you tell us about the aging process of your whiskey? Do you finish it in any special casks, quarter casks?
SB: We use thirty gallon casks and white oak barrels with a greater surface area to volume ratio which speeds the aging process. Our barrels are also sealed with beeswax. Our warehouses are not dramatically temperature controlled, allowing us to use the natural warmth and cold of the seasons.
Tell us about your first dram? Do you drink whiskey neat or on the rocks?
SB: The taste of liquor was actually whiskey, when I was about eight. My mom gave me a sip after sledding outside for hours with my sister and brother. It tasted like warmth itself. I drink whiskey all ways.
Are you looking to add any cask strength whiskey to the line up? What’s in the pipeline for 2017?
SB: We have done a number of cask strength barrels over the years. They are usually special releases or part of our barrel program.
Where do you see your distillery 5 to 10 years from now?
SB: As for growth, we hope that in 5-10 years we will have been able to support a lot of the distribution we have garnered over the past few years. KOVAL is now available throughout in the US, most of Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, South Korea, and soon, China.
For more information on the distillery, please visit the links below:
website: http://www.koval-distillery.com
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kovaldistillery?ref=br_tf
