147: A Decade of Craft Whiskey at FEW Spirits

A grain-to-glass distillery since 2011, FEW Spirits produces craft whiskey in a tucked away alley located in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, IL.  A historical town where Prohibition lasted until 1972, Founder & Master Distiller Paul Hletko changed the future of Evanston when he opened FEW Spirits Distillery, the first (legal) alcohol-production facility of any kind to ever open there.  

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About the Brand:
Paul Hletko always knew he wanted to make craft spirits —produced in the local Chicago area -that offered something different, delicious and fun. Living in Evanston, a town that was prime for change after being dry for four decades post the repeal of prohibition, Paul felt it was the perfect home and backdrop for FEW and the brand. Deeply integrated into the brand story, both Evanston and Chicago are crucial elements of the FEW DNA and its inspiration. From its liquid, created from locally grown or sourced ingredients, to the look & feel of the design, which pays homage to the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago— FEW is the true definition of a local Illinois craft spirit.

FEW Spirits features a refreshing and innovative portfolio including a stable of core spirits and several small batch limited edition specialty expressions. Each flagship spirit is a new take on the timeless liquors of the past; distilled from the very best grains, aged to perfection, and bottled under the FEW roof. The small batch limited editions hold true to the premium quality FEW drinkers have to come to love and expect from the brand, but offer something novel to the oft-ordinary taste and style we’ve all grown accustomed to.

In a world over saturated with mass-produced spirits, only few remain truly handcrafted, locally sourced and small-batched. FEW has never strayed from this —even as it grows, Paul and his team continue to provide consistently impeccable spirits that are true to their craft roots and reminiscent of their home base.

About Paul Hletko - Founder & Master Distiller

A maverick for the ages, Paul Hletko wore many hats before launching FEW Spirits, but one thing has always remained consistent throughout —he loves to make new things. Whether that was making blueprints as an engineer, deals as a lawyer or music for his rock-n-roll band, at his core Paul is a creative and always wants to bring something to the table that hasn’t been done before. 

“All my life, I’ve tried to be a creative person and beat to the sound of my own drum,” says Paul. “At the end of the day, I like to have created something that didn’t exist that morning and offers something completely different.” FEW Spirits was and is exactly that. And while that notion, and Evanston’s history itself led to the creation of FEW, the biggest inspiration for Paul was his own family history. Prior to World War II, Paul’s grandfather owned a large brewery in what is now the Czech Republic and after losing the brewery to the Nazi invasion he fought the remainder of his life to get the brewery back. When his grandfather passed away and Paul was at the end of his time with the music industry, he decided to start a distillery of his own. He says, “I wanted to create something that would honor my family history but didn’t want to try and replicate it. With FEW, I am able to celebrate my roots while being able to create something new.”

In 2011 Paul opened the FEW Distillery and since then has produced award wining spirits that are original, distinctive and playful. His love for the nuances & flavor of whiskey and his flexibility to innovate with gin have made them FEW’s backbone products, but he continues to play around and innovate daily with limited expressions and new collaborations. In the future, Paul aspires to take FEW to an even bigger production facility where he and his team can continue to produce their liquid for enthusiasts around the world, while still remaining true to their craft roots. Recently, Paul was named the 2018 World Distiller of the Year in Gin Magazine’s annual ”Icons of Gin” feature. 

About the Production

Small but mighty, FEW Distillery makes its spirits using three stills, which according to Founder Paul Hletko is a rarity among production facilities of its size. Both the whiskey and gin originate in a Vendome still used for initial distillation, then a 1,500-liter hybrid still is used to finish the whiskies, while a smaller 150-liter pot still is used exclusively to distill the gins with their botanicals. The distillery team consists of Paul as Master Distiller and a small group of loyal and passionate craft spirit professionals.

 

A Letter from the Founder:

Dear friends of FEW,

FEW Spirits is proud to share our passion and single minded obsession with whiskey with whiskey fans all over the world. Our accomplishments are not ours alone, but indeed are shared with you our loyal consumers, trade partners and distributors. We are humbled by your deep interest and are thrilled about the continuing this journey with you by our side.

A Decade of Defiance

We built FEW on defiance and a refusal to accept the status quo. We defied the odds by choosing Evanston as our home - we changed the laws of our beloved Prohibitionist hometown. Inspired by the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, itself a celebration of innovation and new ways of thinking and doing things, we deliberately chose to craft a product that would require years of aging before it could be sold. We chose to create grain-to-glass spirits, using local grains and materials, although cheaper and easier alternatives are everywhere. And we defiantly made a world class Bourbon from Chicago, when most people thought that wasn’t even possible. We defiantly and intentionally broke from bourbon tradition and expectation. We defiantly distill a Rye Whiskey deemed ‘the rye against which all others must be judged’. We released innovative products like Cold Cut Bourbon and Immortal Rye. We entered spirits competitions and won... a lot, winning best in the world more than once. We collaborated with musicians before it was the “in thing” to do. We have supported our community. We have endured challenges and enjoyed celebrations. On This Great Milestone,we are excited to release limited edition, 10th Anniversary four-grain Bourbon. It is bold, yet smooth - undeniably FEW. Here we stand, tall and proud, and eager for what lies on the horizon.

Leveling Up and Looking Ahead

Never content to sit still, we anticipate remarkable things ahead for FEW. We are expanding our facilities and investing in our future, laying down thousands of whiskey barrels and aging whiskey stocks for decades to come. We are reaching dozens of new markets, hitting new store shelves, proudly adorning new bar shelves and menus nationwide, and expanding our footprint internationally. Our FEW & a Brew program, pairing our bold and complex whiskeys with specific styles of beer, continues to connect with craft beer drinkers’ love of explosive flavor. We continue to push the limits of innovation, crafting creative and bold new whiskeys. We continue to forge collaborations with interesting people, brands and musicians. We are looking ahead and will be releasing FEW Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon, which conforms to the strict code of the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897. This coincides with our effort to establish a minimum age of four years for all our whiskeys and will continue to make high caliber and world class credentialed whiskeys.

In short, here’s my promise to you: we will keep doing what we have been doing the last 10 years: making interesting, creative, and bold whiskeys. These whiskeys will push boundaries, defy the ordinary, and live up to the high standards we have always held ourselves to at FEW Spirits. We believe that fortune fancies the bold, and you better believe - excitement lies ahead. For this, and all the support you have shown us these first 10 years, we humbly thank YOU.

Sincerely,

Paul Hletko
Founder & Master Distiller

 

Show links:

• FEW Spirits – Fortune Fancies The Bold
• FEW Spirits on Instagram 
• BuyFewSpirits.com