At BLACK BAND Distillery, we are crafting award-winning spirits in the heart of the pre-prohibition era Whiskey Capital of the World, Peoria, Illinois.
The thriving distilling industry put Peoria on the map in the late 1800s by producing more spirits here than anyplace else in the world. Unfortunately, prohibition brought it all to a screeching halt, for 13 long years. Peoria's loss was massive. Our mission is to commemorate the loss and honor that tradition.
To pay tribute to our heritage, we are dedicated to producing only the highest quality spirits, from grain to glass, using many of the same local resources they were using 150 years ago. We source high-quality grain from organic farmers right here in the mid-west. Our water source, the Sankoty Aquifer, produces clean, mineral‑balanced water that has been naturally filtered through sand and gravel. Using this aquifer ties our whiskey directly to the land, ensuring a clean, consistent base for fermentation and proofing, just like they did in the late 19th century.
More than 90 years after prohibition was repealed, we are thrilled to be the first craft distillery in Peoria, IL. But our whiskey isn’t just another craft bourbon - it’s a spirit that embodies place, purity, and process. So grab a bottle today, stop in for a tour of the distillery, or enjoy a craft cocktail at The Bar at BLACK BAND. But most importantly, we hope that you will help us in our mission of honoring our incredible history.
Join us as we raise a glass to Peoria’s rich distilling history, while creating new traditions of our own.
Cheers to Whiskey City!
A Brief History of BLACK BAND Distillery
FOUNDATIONAL TIMELINE
2006
Founder & Distiller Chris Ober began by reading all mater of publications on the history of distillation in Peoria as well as various distillation & fermentation processes.
2011
Chris attends courses on distillation from Kothe Distillationstechnik.
2014
Chris furthers his education with one-on-one apprenticeship with Master Distiller, Robert Birnecker in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago.
2017
Historic distillery buildings are acquired & design begins.
2018
Construction begins on our historic warehouse distillery.
2019
Chris attends SIEBEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY for Craft Distilling Operations & Technology.
2020
COVID delays opening.
2020
Whiskey production starts onsite in Peoria for the first time in decades.
2021
BLACK BAND opens in Peoria in Spring 2021.
A Brief History of Alcohol in Peoria
LIBATIONS IN THE WHISKEY CITY
1837: First brewery established in the village of Peoria by Andrew Eitle, a native of Germany.
1843: Almiran Cole became first distiller of corn for profit, two years before Peoria was incorporated as a city.
1860: There were nine distilleries and six breweries in Peoria.
1862: President Lincoln places a 20-cent tax on a gallon of whiskey to help pay for Civil War costs. The tax would grow to up to $2 per gallon after the war.
1865: Peoria boasted 14 distilleries and seven breweries.
1867: John Gipps builds a small brewery in Peoria.
1875: The Woolner brothers establish the first of many large distilleries in Peoria.
1887: JB Greenhut forms the Whiskey Trust in Peoria. “The Octopus” lasts until 1895.
1899: Greenhut commissions the “Fritz” Treibel statue, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, in the Peoria Courthouse square.
1902: Carrie Nation brings her temperance message to Peoria.
1919: Prohibition arrives with the passage of the 18th Amendment.
1933: Hiram Walker builds a new plant in Peoria following the end of Prohibition.
1938: The Pabst plant in Peoria Heights is second only to Milwaukee in beer production for the company.
1953: Gipps Brewing is sold, ending decades of beer production in Peoria.
1982: Both Hiram Walker and Pabst close plants in the Peoria area.