Judson & Moore Distillery operates out of a converted warehouse space on North Rockwell Street in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood, where founders Chris Moore and Jeremy Judson have been crafting small-batch bourbon and rye since opening in 2018. The pair met while working in Chicago’s restaurant industry—Moore as a chef and Judson in beverage management—before deciding to pivot into distilling after years of home experimentation with fermentation and spirits. Their 2,500-square-foot facility houses a custom 500-gallon copper still alongside oak fermentation tanks, creating an industrial-meets-craft atmosphere that reflects Chicago’s manufacturing heritage. The journey from restaurant pros to distillers wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. Moore and Judson spent nearly three years navigating Chicago’s complex licensing requirements and zoning regulations before they could legally open their doors, learning the technical side of distilling through trial, error, and mentorship from other Midwest craft distillers. Their approach focuses on grain-forward profiles using corn sourced from Illinois farms, with Moore’s culinary background influencing their flavor development process. Master distiller Moore treats each batch like developing a recipe, adjusting fermentation times and cuts based on seasonal variations in their grain. Visitors step into what feels more like a working production facility than a polished tasting room, which is exactly the point. You’ll see the actual mash tanks bubbling away and smell the sweet corn fermentation that defines their bourbon production. The tasting experience happens right on the production floor, where Moore or Judson often pour samples themselves while explaining how Chicago’s temperature swings affect their aging process. It’s not fancy, but it’s authentic—you’re tasting spirits from the people who actually made them, often from barrels you can see aging just a few feet away.