Few Spirits

The FEW distillery itself is fairly small and a bit hard to find (down an alleyway between two commercial buildings). We arrived to meet our host/tour guide, Lil, who welcomed our group of 4 (in the alley, where some bar tables and chairs had been set up), and gave us some water to drink as we waited for the other groups to arrive. What we experienced next was nothing short of amazing. The basics: We heard about the history of temperance and prohibition in Evanston, the origins of the FEW distillery project, including the name itself, and then we moved inside the facility to learn about how grain is processed, fermented and distilled into grain alcohol and prepared to be aged and/or bottled. The amazing part: our host was incredibly natural, engaging and incredibly funny in a self-deprecating way that made us all feel at home. Her experience in the industry, personal anecdotes and lively personality was reflected throughout the tour, including the 5-sample tasting flight, which featured some remarkably good and creative gins and whiskeys. This is a small and intimate tour, and well worth it just for the experience of their absolute gem of a host. Thanks again for the fun time!

Hands down, FEW is one of the best things to happen to Evanston in my memory. Their spirits are genuinely unique and top-shelf. It's my go-to for gifts to family and friends -- most bottles can be held in the $40-50 range, and they're well worth it. I can't think of a single thing about it that I don't love, from its location to its name to its logo to its quality. For those who may not know, FEW takes its name from Frances E. Willard, one of the leaders of Evanston's early 20th century temperance (anti-alcohol) movement. It's a snarky little tweak on the nose. To me, these are sippin' spirits - no need to muddle up their flavor by making cocktails. Just pour a finger or two into a tumbler, add an ice cube or two, and enjoy!

Such an amazing distillery, great variety of gins and whiskeys. There is a tasting room you can try all their amazing selections. Their swag shelves are full of interesting glasses, maple syrups and hats. There is also a game night a d drinks on Thursdays. Note: you can purchase any of their products at most major liquor stores. Binnys has a great selection of their product.

This is a hole in the wall and you have to look down an alley to find the entrance but it was fun being in an Uber and the driver kept doing U turns. We finally got out and found it down the alley. The cost is $10 for the “tour” and fun tasting. The tour was interesting as the place is very small you basically see the whole distillery upon arrival. Zach was our guide and host and he did a good job explaining the history of FEW along with the sparse sample of each type of gin, bourbon and whiskey. It was a fun hour!

For the price, this tour is a bargain. As well as learning all about the history of FEW, and how the spirits are made, you get to taste all of their standard range of spirits (six when writing this). They also encourage questions, so get asking!! Practical stuff... It's really easy to get to on the 'L' from downtown. Takes about 40 minutes on the red and purple lines, and then a few minutes walk up the road. It's down an alleyway, off the main street, but there is no street side sign (probably due to licensing laws). But if you look down the alley you can see it - it's a pretty distinctive building and can't be missed. The tasting room has a shop where you can buy branded swag. There are a few tables with high stalls for sitting at on the tasting part of the tour. They also have a restroom. They don't serve food, but there are plenty of restaurants a 5-10 minute walk up the street where you can eat before the tour or after. There are no stairs to navigate, but there is a step from the tasting room into the distillery area. And as it's a working distillery you may find you need to navigate around equipment, and step over a pipe. It can also be a bit noisy. Definitely worth the trip out of town!