Lorri P.
11/20/2025
Robin was ABSOLUTELY THE BEST!!!! Service was great!!! She was awesome! So knowledgeable about the brewery and gave us so much insight on the history. We so appreciated it because we love good...
Thornton Distilling
$$
Closed
(92)
Advertisement
Photos
400 E Margaret St
Thornton, IL 60476
OUR STORY The history of Thornton Distilling Co., located in the oldest standing brewery in Illinois, can be traced back to the early 1850s, when German brewer John Bielfeldt erected a brewery atop a limestone-filtered artesian spring in the small limestone mining village of Thornton, Illinois. At the onset of Prohibition, the brewery was sold to Head Brewer Carl Ebner, who bottled “soda-pop” but continued to produce beer secretly. Not long after, the brewery fell under the control of The Chicago Outfit and Al Capone and became Chicagoland's largest bootlegging facility, supplying speakeasies far and wide. This shared sense of history and tradition informs our distilling process and our direction. We practice traditional distilling methods, utilizing the best ingredients possible, and never take shortcuts or compromise on quality.
Also at this address
Reviews
4.592 reviews
Katie N.
3/31/2025
Just ok for me. The vibe and history is what makes this place unique. As others have stated, the parking is kinda a drag. (Only a few spots out front and have to walk around the back to a...
Brian J.
1/3/2026
Fantastic tour! Kevin has a great grasp on not only the local history but the distilling process here at Thornton.
Gina S.
12/28/2025
The night I went, seems they had personal friends sitting at the bar. I was hungry, but we both ordered a drink and left. It really didntvseem like they wanted to be bothered.
Ann-Marie H.
2/11/2025
Such a great experience! We had Kevin as our spirit guide, and he was absolutely amazing. Fun fact--he's also a SPED teacher and a bit of a historian, which made the tour even better. He gave us a...
See a problem?
You might also like
Partial Data by Foursquare.
Advertisement