About Maplewood Brewery and Distillery

When Maplewood Brewery & Distillery opened its doors, they were the first combination brewery/distillery Illinois had ever seen. Named for one historic Chicago neighborhood, and located in another, Maplewood has been making distinct craft spirits in Logan Square since it was founded in 2014 by Adam Cieslak, Paul Megalis, Ari Megalis, and Kevin Holl.

LIfelong friends Adam, Ari and Paul started Maplewood the time-tested way. They spent years experimenting and testing as home brewers and distillers. Throughout their years distilling and brewing as a hobby, they talked about doing it professionally. After eight years working in the comfort of their home, they were ready to hang their shingle.

Maplewood’s unique position as a joint brewery-distillery means there’s overlap with their equipment, allowing them to merge their crafts and blend styles. They distill in the Scottish and Japanese styles, yet they age their spirits using classic American methods. They blend ingredients too, using an ale yeast to ferment a portion of their Spruce Gin’s malted barley base.