Maror Series:
A bittersweet (just like us) liqueur, inspired by amari and similar spirits worldwide.

• Maror No. 1

  • A locally-produced substitute for liqueurs like Campari or Suze.

    Notes: wormwood, olive oil, cranberry, conifers

• Maror No. 2

  • Mint-forward, but more delicate than Fernet.

    Notes: menthol, wintergreen, caramelized honey

• Maror No. 3

  • A unique liqueur. Redolent of a stroll through a prairie.

  • Great on its own, but try some of our go-to recipes here.

    Notes: wildflowers, mulberry, grass, honey, earth, wood smoke

Ephemera Series:

Eating and drinking seasonally makes us anticipate and appreciate what’s fresh and forces us to preserve what we need. It helps segment the year and lets us get excited for the future.

• Magnolia Cordial

  • Once a year, like a wave, magnolias across the US bloom into one of my favorite flowers. Many are native to North America. One is native to the Midwest. The flowers are delicious when fresh and have been used medicinally, as well as at one point to flavor whiskey. Unfortunately, they quickly fall to the ground and turn brown. This oxidation occurs even more quickly during the infusion process. A good reminder that change continues to happen and our desire to hold tight can accelerate what we don’t want.
    Notes: Terry’s chocolate orange, ginger, clove, cardamom, rose, and a hint of vanilla.

• Elderflower Liqueur [WIP]

  • Two native elderflowers, picked at their peak, create a clone of the famous French liqueur.

• Midwestern Nocino [WIP]

• Midwestern Frangelico [WIP]

Mash(ke)-ups:

Taking two good things and making something new.

• Gifts of God - a Cherry “Retsina” [WIP]

  • The first mention of resinated wines was by first-century Roman writer Columella in De Re Rustica. Pliny the Elder, Columella’s more well-known contemporary, also documented it in his Naturalis Historia. It was observed in what is now the Rhône wine region and others around the Mediterranean Sea, where the Aleppo Pine is native. However, these days, we mostly associate resinated wines with Retsina, a product of Greece. Historically pine resin was both mixed into the must and/or was used to seal the wine amphorae to prevent oxidation.

  • A collaborative idea with my late friend Nathaniel Tingley. Stay tuned for this in the near future.

Hortus in Vino:

Aromatized/Fortified Wines

• Vermouth [WIP]

  • While true wormwood isn’t native, there are several species of Artemisia that are. They’ve been used for medicine as well as to flavor beer.
    *If you are a winemaker in the Chicagoland area, let’s collaborate!

Reserve Series [WIP]:

• Aged Maror No. 3

• Aged Magnolia Cordial

• Vermouth Riserva