Mar 1, 2023
In this episode of the Distillery Nation Podcast, I had the
absolute pleasure of talking with Sonat Birnecker Hart.
Sonat is the President of Koval Distillery. A craft distillery
located in Chicago and best known for the line of Rye whiskeys.
We chatted about her journey into the spirits industry, from
changing the laws in Chicago to allow for craft distilling to
lessons in branding. Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart spent over a
decade as a full professor in both the United States and Germany.
In 2008, she gave up tenure in hopes of a different quality of
life; one that would afford an opportunity for her to work with her
husband, give up commuting, and return to the city she
loved: Chicago.