Midwest States (A-J) Whiskey Founders
(The Midwest States Region includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio & Wisconsin)
Below are links to Whiskey Founders Life Stories that have made huge contributions to the growth of the Illinois & Indiana Whiskey Industry and Midwest Whiskeys in general. These may have been historical figures that lived long ago before prohibition or may be living leaders that have advanced the cause of the industry as a whole.
Illinois & Indiana Whiskey Founders
1
Travis Barnes
Hotel Tango
He first attended Purdue University’s campus in Fort Wayne, but the September 11, 2001, attacks redirected his life. Barnes soon left college and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at age nineteen. In the Marines he entered the elite reconnaissance community known as Force Recon and deployed to Iraq three times.
2
Robert & Sonat Birnecker
KOVAL
When the Birneckers built KOVAL Distillery in 2008, they weren’t just creating a brand; they were igniting a movement. Their timing was impeccable, as Chicago had not seen a legal craft distillery since before the 19th century, because city and state laws regarding distilling were so grossly outdated.
3
Matt Blaum
Blaum Brothers
When brothers Matt and Mike Blaum met up—often over a Glencairn of the“good stuff”—their conversations increasingly revolved around different distilling techniques and whiskey types. They read books, visited distilleries, and researched how different choices ultimately influenced flavor profiles.
4
Jason Fruits
Old 55
Jason Fruits’ story is closely tied to the agricultural and family businesses that shaped both his career and the distillery he helps run. He grew up in western Indiana in a family whose livelihood revolved around grain and farming communities. The Fruits family operated one of the larger grain-handling businesses in the region,
5
Paul Hletko
F.E.W. Spirits
Paul Hletko is known for his creative mind and strong opinions about the liquor industry. He often speaks at events and writes about the future of craft spirits. His journey from a family tragedy to a thriving distillery shows how history, passion, and innovation can come together in a powerful way.
6
Andrew Howell
Thornton Distilling
Andrew Howell and his partner had founded Thornton Distilling Company and began the long restoration of the 1857 brewery building. The restoration was central to the business, not a decorative afterthought, and the duo was keen on making the structure modern and welcoming, while retaining its history and bootleggingscars.
7
Ted Huber & Sons
Starlight
Ted Huber’s approach to distilling reflects his roots as a farmer and winemaker. He prefers sweet-mash fermentation and experiments with heirloom grains, even malting rye with chocolate malt. He oversees barrel-making, sometimes using oak from their own farm, and fine-tunes char and toast levels artisanally.
8
Jeff McCarthy
Rush Creek
Jeff McCarthy also fit the distillery’s outward-facing personality. Rush Creek markets itself around adventure and local pride, and later storytelling about the founders leaned into who they were outside the distillery: riding and snowmobiling, traveling, hunting, skiing. Those details were used to explain the tone of the brand
9
David McIntyre
West Fork
David McIntyre did not begin with a legacy distilling background, and his earliest phase was built around hustle and personal financial exposure:he kept his day job, worked nights and weekends, and leaned on the kinds of funding that did not require investor decks—cashing out 401(k)s and using personal credit.
10
Ed Ryan
Hard Truth
Ed Ryan’s leadership helped Hard Truth grow into Indiana’s largest craft distillery. This rural retreat offers tours, award-winning spirits, and outdoor activities like ATV‑guided “Get Lost” rides—where Ed himself joins in, and swinging on tree‑hung wooden swings with a drink in hand! In 2021, Hard Truth drew more than 400,000 visitors.
11
Susan Spagnuolo
Bear Wallow
Susan Spagnuolo began contacting Indiana officials. She soon joined a small group of other entrepreneurs that included the founders of other Indiana distilleries, all of whom worked together to change the state’s alcohol laws. In July 2013, Indiana passed legislation creating the Artisan Distiller’s Permit.
12
Jamie Walter
Whiskey Acres
Jamie Walter founded Whiskey AcresDistilling Co. in 2013, and the venture moved from concept to steel and steam soon after. He leaned on elite expertise early, hiring the late Dave Pickerell—widely known for his work at Maker’s Mark and later WhistlePig—as a consultant to help them build the distilling program.
13
Bob Windy
Star Union
Bob Windy and his team built Star Union distillery around the philosophy that whiskey requires time, patience, and careful management of both fermentation and barrel aging. The result is a portfolio that includes multiple award-winning whiskey expressions