North Shore Distillery sits in Libertyville, Illinois, about an hour north of Chicago, where Sonat Birnecker Hart and Robert Birnecker launched what became Illinois’ first legal distillery since Prohibition in 2004. The husband-and-wife team didn’t stumble into distilling—Sonat studied at the Institute of Brewing and Distilling in Scotland while Robert handled business operations, and they spent years convincing local officials to change zoning laws that hadn’t contemplated craft distilling in decades. Their 6,000-square-foot facility houses German-made copper pot stills and produces gin, vodka, aquavit, bourbon, and wheat whiskey.
The Birneckers started this journey after Robert’s corporate consulting career left him wanting something more tangible, and Sonat’s chemistry background made her fascinated by fermentation science. They chose Libertyville partly because Robert grew up nearby, but mainly because they could afford the space and found local officials willing to work with them on creating new regulations for craft distilling. Sonat serves as head distiller and handles all production decisions, while Robert manages the business side and visitor programs. Their approach focuses on using local grains when possible and traditional European distilling methods Sonat learned in Scotland.
The tasting room feels more like someone’s well-appointed living room than a typical distillery bar, with exposed brick walls and industrial touches balanced by comfortable seating areas. You can watch production through large windows, and the space often hosts private events and whiskey education classes. What makes visiting worthwhile isn’t just the spirits—though their gin and aquavit have won national awards—but hearing directly from the founders who genuinely pioneered craft distilling in Illinois and can tell you exactly how they convinced skeptical city councils to let them make whiskey legally.
