5 Reasons Why You Should Head To CH Distillery After Work Today

By Erika Kubick in Food on May 14, 2015 3:45PM

Since opening two years ago, CH Distillery has made an impression with their artisanal neutral spirits and incredible design, yet little did we know that this West Loop getaway is also serving delicious food out of its minuscule kitchen. We were recently invited to experience their new menu and weren’t surprised when each dish left us happier than the previous.

If you’ve never experienced all that CH Distillery has to offer, it’s time to change that. Here are listed five reasons why we think you should unwind at CH Distillery today.

1. The space is downright beautiful.
Their scientific approach to distilling is reflected in the interior design: the space is dim and industrial, moderately resembling the renovated lab of a mad scientist. The bar is situated before a window that reveals the gorgeous copper and stainless steel distillation equipment from CARL Artisan Distilleries and Brewing Systems in Germany. We recommend attending one of their tours, Tuesdays and Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. For $15 you get to ogle the equipment, learn how it works and take a shot!

2. Their cocktails are simply amazing.
CH Distillery is one of the few bars that always has a flawless cocktail list. Just choose the spirit you’re in the mood for and you can’t go wrong. They use fresh, seasonal ingredients and make their syrups, tonics and juices in-house. Each cocktail is lovingly crafted and well researched. We particularly dug their most popular mainstay, the Cease and Desist, which consists of Lapsang-Suchong-infused CH London Dry Gin, ginger, honey and lemon.

3. Because they have great food.
Even though the service kitchen at CH Distillery is only seven square feet large, the food is really good. Jesse Katzmann of West Loop Salumi designed the original menu and half of his original creations are still served today. The current menu features delicious seasonal plates by current Executive Chef, Bobby Mayo. Every dish we tried was wonderful, but our favorite was the ridiculously fluffy gnocchi with pork belly, roasted mushrooms, shaved pecorino and herbs. The quality of their food will leave you stunned to learn that the tiny kitchen has no direct heat source.

4. Their passion is real.
You can’t turn a blind eye to how much everybody at CH Distillery cares about their craft. You can taste it in their spirits, cocktails and food. Their vodka, which is the base spirit for many of their other liquors, is made from soft red winter wheat and rye from Kaneville Seed and Feed in Kane County, Illinois. They also offer interesting and obscure spirits like Aquavit, a traditional Scandinavian spirit distilled with caraway, dill and cardamom. We’re really in love with their cherry eau-de-vie, a surprisingly refreshing spirit made with local cherries.

5. It will change your opinion on vodka.
CH Distillery is like a temple to vodka. It’s even in the name: “CH” actually stands for Carbon and Hydrogen, the main compounds in vodka. Before dining at CH Distillery, we had only experienced vodka during college drinking binges. Sipping the clean, pure CH vodka has blessed us with a new appreciation for the neutral spirit. Their distillation process has produced a vodka leagues better than top-shelf varieties, which are often over-processed and flavored with citric acid and sugar. Enjoy their vodka neat, on the rocks or order The Tradition: the classic Russian method where you smell rye bread, take the shot and eat a pickle.

CH Distillery is located at 564 W. Randolph St. They are open Tuesday through Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to midnight.