I am always amazed at what small, local businesses can do. When I heard about FEW Spirits in Evanston, I was intrigued by the story behind the brand and how history was changed by one person. I decided to plan a Date Night which included a tour, sampling and history lesson at this epic locale.
The city of Evanston was a try town for almost a century due to the Temperance Movement. Paul Hletko, Master Distiller at FEW, lobbied to change an age-old ban on grain distillation in Evanston in order to found his business. In 2011, history was made and FEW Spirits opened their doors as one of the premier micro-distillers located in the birthplace of Prohibition.
There is even more history entrenched in all that FEW produces. Their labels include sketches of iconic features from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
And what does FEW stand for? Some assume it claimed the initials of Frances E. Willard, who was an instrumental figure in the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment which created Prohibition. Not so. FEW stands for the fact that this small yet mighty company only employs a few, only makes a few, and well…it can’t hurt if you just drink a few!
Their current offerings include:
Bourbon Whiskey
Barrel Gin
Rye Whiskey
American Gin
Breakfast Gin
Malort- Anguish & Regret
Want to partake in a FEW tour? For just $10, you can get a history lesson, an education on spirits and distillation, and a generous sample of the entire FEW line of spirits.
Tours take place on Thursdays (6pm) and Saturdays (2pm, 3:30pm, 5pm), and you can also book a private tour if you want the joint to yourself. Katherine was a fabulous guide, toning down the technical aspect of distillation and making the information accessible to those of us who aren’t educated in all things whiskey, rye, bourbon or gin-related.
As a pleasant surprise, Paul Hletko was there and took time to pose for a selfie with us (because I couldn’t resist asking).
And of course, I had to include a little fashion in this post, right? Although my husband asked me if I was channeling Usher, I decided to wear my new sneakers. Since this was a decidedly low-key date night, I paired these gold beauties with leather pants and a suede mini dress with brass button details.
Always on the lookout for something new to do, the distillery tour was a unique twist on date night for my husband and I. We decided to make it a double date with two of our best friends and head around the corner to La Principal for some Mexican street food post spirit sampling. It was divine, you must try the Green Pozole!
Thank you to FEW Spirits for having us, such a welcome and wonderful addition to the booming Evanston scene!
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