WineCompass: Chicago

Monday, February 17, 2025

Visiting Wolf Point Distilling During the BevFluence Chicago Speakeasy

During our Speakeasy events we try to visit local producers at discovered that Wolf Point Distilling was very close to our content house. Fortunately co-owner Victoria Polvino was working the taproom when we arrived, and thus, we received an excellent overview of the distillery and their expressions. Regarding this portfolio, we immediately noticed the intricate hand drawn artistry of each label which illustrate the famed stories from Chicago history that inspired each bottle.

It's name derives from the area formed by the confluence of the North, South, & Main branches of the Chicago River which was "central to the early development of Chicago, from its humble beginnings as a settlement in the late 18th century to its incorporation as a city in 1837. It was home to the city’s first tavern, theater, trans-river bridge, and much more".

Wolf Point Distilling specializing in small-batch spirits such as small-batch bourbon, rye whiskey, gin, vodka, and specialty infusions. We tasted through their entire portfolio forming an appreciation for many of the very unique offerings, like the Everleigh Botanical-Infused Vodka. The spirit is named for the Everleigh Club, a renowned high-class brothel in Chicago from 1900 to 1911, and run by the Everleigh sisters. It uses a vapor infusion distillation method followed by macerating select botanicals. These botanicals are Elderberry, Orange & Lemon Peel, Chamomile Flower, Angelica Root, Mint, Grains of Paradise, Hibiscus, and Caraway. The recommended cocktail fits perfectly within the BevFluence Effervescence Unleashed program.

Everleigh Cocktail: A cocktail made with Everleigh Vodka includes 2 oz of vodka, 1.5 teaspoons of simple syrup, and 4 oz of Prosecco. Shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, then strain into a glass and top with Prosecco. Garnish with lemon peel.

On a similar plane, the Florence Field Gin was inspired by the woman (Florence Lathrop Field) responsible for donating the iconic Chicago Bronze Lions and various significant artworks to the Art Institute of Chicago. This botanical forward gin is made using a plethora of ingredients -- Juniper Berries, Lemongrass, Coriander, Grains of Paradise, Cardamom, Lemon Peel, Angelica Root, Chamomile Flower, Orris Root, Hibiscus. This is a very pleasant sipping gin that would work with any gin based cocktail.

The Captain Santa Vapor Infused Moonshine falls within the unique category as the moonshine is infused with vapors of the Christmas season (Cinnamon, Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, Hibiscus Flower, and Pink Peppercorn). The spirit was inspired by the story of Captain Santa, a generous and compassionate ship captain who gave away Christmas trees to those in need in the early 1900s before the vessel was destroyed during a storm in 1912.

The distillery offers two other vodka products, the Jackscrew Vodka and O'Leary’s 1871 Cinnamon-Infused Vodka. The former is named after the effort to actually physically lift Chicago's infrastructure 4 to 14 feet higher in order to create new foundations for a city-wide sewer and storm system. And I'm sure our readers are familiar with the myth(?) of Catherine O’Leary’s cow, Daisy. The Jackscrew is clean with zero burn while the Cinnamon-Infused Vodka provides a little kick from the spice.

For whiskey fans, we finally move into the barrel program where the Wolf Point Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a four year singe barrel made from a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. At 92 proof, the experience was improved with a drop or two of water which elevates the vanilla nose as well as the nutmeg and other baking spices on the palate. The Wolf Point Straight Rye Whiskey is a little higher proof and includes 4% malted barley. This expression offers a warm chewy core with slight black pepper on the tail surrounded by a little earthiness, mint, and clove.

With the 2015 Major League Baseball wildcard games over, baseball fans will be traveling to their favorite team's stadium or, if ambitious, to an away outing for the remainder of the playoffs. Most fans will be content to chug mass produced lagers, but there must be a few among you who desire a richer beer experience. That's where theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App comes into play. This application will help you find breweries, distilleries, and perhaps a winery near your destination. And for cities such as Kansas City and St. Louis, where the baseball stadiums are situated near two states, theCompass location and zip code search will find establishments across state boundaries. Below are screenshots for each city, but I've also included a few suggestions near each stadium or in specific districts. Cheers and safe travels.