What Does KOVAL Distillery Do?

Total employees40
HeadquartersChicago
Founded2008

Koval Distillery, founded in 2008 by Robert Birnecker and Sonat Birnecker Hart, holds the distinction of being Chicago's first distillery since the mid-1800s. They are committed to producing high-quality, organic spirits from grain to bottle. Koval sources grains from local Midwestern farmers and mills and mashes them on-site. Their product line includes a diverse range of whiskeys (such as bourbon, rye, and millet), gins, liqueurs, and specialty spirits, often emphasizing unique grain bills and meticulous distillation processes. The distillery is known for its innovation, transparency in production, and educational tours and tasting experiences.

Where Is KOVAL Distillery's Headquarters?

HQ Function

The headquarters serves as the primary site for all distillation, aging, bottling, research and development, administrative functions, and visitor experiences, including tours and a retail shop.

Notable Features:

The facility features custom-built hybrid copper pot stills, an extensive barrel-aging warehouse, a tasting room, and a gift shop. Its modern industrial design is welcoming to visitors interested in the distillation process.

Work Culture:

As a family-owned business with a focus on craft and quality, the work culture likely emphasizes collaboration, passion for artisanal spirits, attention to detail, and a commitment to organic and sustainable practices. There's a strong educational component due to public tours and tastings.

HQ Significance:

Koval's headquarters is significant as it marked the return of distilling to Chicago after a long hiatus. It's a hub for craft spirit innovation in the Midwest and a key player in promoting organic and locally sourced ingredients.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters reflects Koval's values of transparency (visible production areas, tours), quality (state-of-the-art equipment, organic processes), community (local sourcing, Chicago-based), and innovation (space for experimentation with grains and aging).

Location:

Koval Distillery's products are distributed across the United States and exported to numerous international markets, including countries in Europe (e.g., UK, Germany, France), Asia (e.g., Japan, Singapore), Australia, and Canada. This global reach is achieved through a network of distributors and importers rather than physical international offices. Their presence supports brand recognition and sales in key spirits markets worldwide.

Street Address:

4241 N Ravenswood Ave

City:

Chicago

State/Province:

Illinois

Country:

USA

Where Else Does KOVAL Distillery Operate Around the World?

N/A

Address: N/A

N/A

Buying Intent Signals for KOVAL Distillery

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading KOVAL Distillery? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, KOVAL Distillery' leadership includes:

Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart - Co-Founder & President
Robert Birnecker - Co-Founder & Master Distiller

Who's Investing in KOVAL Distillery?

KOVAL Distillery has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Privately held and family-owned. Primarily self-funded by the founders.

What Leadership Changes Has KOVAL Distillery Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

Koval Distillery is a founder-led, privately held company. Significant executive turnover is not commonly reported, and the core leadership team has remained stable. No major executive hires or exits have been publicly announced in the last 12 months.

Departures

N/A, No publicly announced executive departures in the last 12 months.

New Appointments:

N/A, No publicly announced new executive appointments in the last 12 months.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byKOVAL Distillery?

Discover the tools KOVAL Distillery uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

KOVAL Distillery Email Formats and Examples

While Koval Distillery does not publicly disclose its exact email format, common structures for companies of its size often involve combinations of first name, last name, or first initial and last name.

[first]@koval-distillery.com or [first].[last]@koval-distillery.com

Format

sonat@koval-distillery.com

Example

70%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About KOVAL Distillery?

BevNET.comMay 9, 2023

Koval Distillery Unveils New Bottle Design For Full Lineup Of Whiskeys And Gins

KOVAL Distillery, one of the largest independent and female-owned craft distilleries in the U.S., announced a full packaging refresh for its distinctive line of organic whiskeys and gins. The new bottles are set to hit shelves in the U.S. and internationally in the summer of 2023....more

Spirits BusinessOctober 18, 2023

Koval debuts rye finished in brandy casks

Chicago-based Koval Distillery has created a limited edition rye whiskey finished in Dareringer SXO Brandy casks from Copper & Kings. The whiskey is made from a 100% rye grain mash bill....more

ForbesFebruary 21, 2024

The Best Women-Led Distilleries To Support Beyond Women’s History Month

Forbes highlights Koval Distillery, co-founded and led by President Sonat Birnecker Hart, as one of the best women-led distilleries. It mentions Koval's status as Chicago's first distillery since Prohibition and its commitment to organic, grain-to-bottle spirits....more

Highperformr's free tools for company research

Explore Employees by Region or Country

See where a company’s workforce is located, by country or region.

View Funding Details

View past and recent funding rounds with amounts and investors.

Understand Revenue Insights

Understand company revenue estimates and financial scale.

Track Active Job Openings

Track active roles and hiring trends to spot growth signals.

Review Product and Offerings

Discover what a company offers—products, platforms, and solutions.

Get SIC or NAICS Codes

Get the company’s official SIC and NAICS classifications.

Analyze Website Traffic Trends

Analyze visitor volume, engagement, and top traffic sources.

Discover Social Profiles and Engagement

Explore LinkedIn, Twitter, and other active social profiles.

Identify Top Competitors

Identify top competitors based on similar business traits.

Research and Discover Companies with Highperformr — Smarter, Faster

Explore companies in depth — from the tech they use to recent funding, hiring trends, and buyer signals — all in one powerful view.

Highperformr AI helps you surface the right accounts and enrich your CRM with verified company and contact insights, so your teams can prioritize and engage faster.

  • Track intent signals to find buyers who are actively in-market
  • Enrich contacts and companies instantly, no need to switch tools
  • Automate workflows to stay ahead of every change
  • Connect your CRM & tools for seamless data sync and activation

Thousands of companies, including KOVAL Distillery, are just a search away.