Production places
Connections to water sources, peat places, maltings, cooperages, warehouses and maturation sites. Uncertain connections are labelled.
No documented production places are linked to this distillery yet.
Kennay Farms Distilling
About the Distillery
Kennay Farms Distilling is a family-owned distillery in Rochelle, Illinois, that turns corn from the family's fields into vodka, gin, rye, and bourbon. The distillery sits in a historically renovated building with a tasting room that overlooks the production floor, blending farm-made craft with modern distilling and bottling equipment.
History
The Kennay family's history as farmers spans generations. In 2016 Kaleb, Aubrey, and a nephew, Adam, decided to diversify the farm's production by founding Kennay Farms Distilling. After two and a half years of historic renovation of the former Hub Theatre, the distillery officially opened in downtown Rochelle in 2019. Since then, the family has produced vodka, gin, rye, and bourbon using corn grown and milled on the farm. The renovation of Hub Theatre was recognized in 2020 with an architectural award, and the distillery has subsequently received local and national recognition for both its spirits and corporate participation in sustainability initiatives.
Raw Materials and Production
The production facilities include seven locally produced fermentation tanks, twin-stills, and Vendome-type column distillation equipment. There is also a small two-barrel brewing system that produces beer for the tasting room. Kennay Farms practices farm-to-bottle by using corn from the family’s fields, milled on-site before it is fermented and distilled. Bottling takes place on a modern eight-head automated line capable of high-throughput when needed. The production layout is designed so guests in the tasting room can observe parts of the process, with a focus on small-batch production combined with the capacity for larger bottling runs and bulk deliveries.
Maturation and Cask Types
Aging takes place in a newly constructed brick rickhouse of about 22,000 sq ft, built to hold thousands of barrels; the company estimates a capacity of around 5,000 barrels over 3–4 years. The distillery uses bourbon barrels for aging whiskey and bourbon, and product names indicate that they also employ double-barrel approaches (Double Oaked). The rickhouse is planned to function both as storage and as a large event space.
Whiskeys
Kennay Farms' lineup includes several types of barrel-aged spirits with a particular emphasis on rye and bourbon. In the listings, Rye Whiskey, Double Oaked Rye, a Rye Cask release, and several bourbons are noted, including a 100% corn bourbon, Small Batch Bourbon, and a bourbon listed as 'aged over 5 years'. The products are sold in the tasting room, through retailers in Illinois, and through selected partners, and the distillery also offers bulk and special projects for retailers.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Age | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rye Whiskey | Rye | Bourbon barrels | Current; Core lineup; Local to Illinois; available from retailers and in the tasting room | ||
| Double Oaked Rye Whiskey | Rye | Double-oak finish; finish: Double Oaked (as indicated in product name) | Current; Core lineup; Local to Illinois; available from retailers and in the tasting room | ||
| Rye Whiskey Cask | Rye | Bourbon barrels / Cask release (product name indicates cask) | Current; Local to Illinois; available from retailers and in the tasting room | ||
| Bourbon (aged over 5 years) | Bourbon | Over 5 years | Bourbon barrels | Bourbon noted as 'aged over 5 years' on the distillery's pages. | Current; Core lineup; Local to Illinois; available from retailers and in the tasting room |
| Small Batch Bourbon | Bourbon | Bourbon barrels | Mentioned as part of the range in the company's listings. | Current; Core lineup; Local to Illinois; available from retailers and in the tasting room | |
| 100% Corn Bourbon | Bourbon | Bourbon barrels | 100% corn-based bourbon, highlighted in the product listings. | Current; Core lineup; Local to Illinois; available from retailers and in the tasting room |
Visit the Distillery
The distillery has a tasting room in the historically renovated building at 416 Lincoln Highway in downtown Rochelle, facing the production floor. The tasting room has set weekend hours and offers tastings, sales of spirits and merchandise, as well as tours and events. The Rickhouse address (417 N. 6th Street) is used for deliveries and storage. There are opportunities for private events in the Hub Theatre spaces and for collaboration with retailers through the distillery's ordering channels.
The stated hours are Tasting Room: Thursdays & Fridays 16:00–21:00, Saturdays 14:00–21:00, Sundays–Wednesdays Closed.
Philosophy and Craft
Kennay Farms operates on a family-crafted principle: grain is grown, milled, and distilled by family members, and the production is anchored in the farm's traditions. The brand also honors women's roles in farming and spirits through the 'Kennay Lady' logo, and the company highlights sustainability through official farm certification and participation in Climate Smart initiatives.
Sustainability
Official certification as a sustainable farm (2021).
2024 partnership in the Grown Climate Smart Initiative to use more sustainable products in the spirits production.
Transition to making hand sanitizer during COVID-19 as part of community outreach.
Awards and Recognitions
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Silver Medal (2019, Silver, Gin)
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Near Gold mention (2019, One point shy of Gold (vodka), Vodka)
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Best of Ogle County Distillery & Brewery (2021, Winner)
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Best Family Owned Business (2021, Winner)
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American Institute of Architects Prairie Award (for Hub Theatre renovation) (2020, Award)
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Illinois Tourism Dinner Honour (2022, Honored as Illinois Made participant)