Sonat Birnecker Hart on Giving Up Tenure For a New Life As a Distiller

In this episode of the Distillery Nation Podcast, I had the absolute pleasure of talking with Sonat Birnecker Hart. Sonat is the President of Koval Distillery. A craft distillery located in Chicago and best known for the line of Rye whiskeys. We chatted about her journey into the spirits industry, from changing the laws in Chicago to allow for craft distilling to lessons in branding. Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart spent over a decade as a full professor in both the United States and Germany. In 2008, she gave up tenure in hopes of a different quality of life; one that would afford an opportunity for her to work with her husband, give up commuting, and return to the city she loved: Chicago.