In my four years as a Chicagoan, nothing has been more interesting to me than Malört. Back when I wrote my very first Thirty-One Whiskey review about that bitter bask spirit, it was hard to find great sources about its history, why it became such a Chicago staple, and who would want to drink such a bitter spirit. Four years later, I better understand that last part: it’s a point of pride for Chicagoans and it’s a source of joy to watch someone take their first shot. I’ve become that person who will ask for Malört (to the chagrin of my friends) when someone offers to buy a round of shots, and have brought many bottles back to Ohio – I mean I need my family to experience this, too, right?
But the history of the brand and why it lingered in the city of Chicago still eluded me – until Josh Noel published the book Malört: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit.
Noel is a former reporter at the Chicago Tribune, and wrote many articles dedicated to what Chicagoans ate and drank. His first book focused on the phenomenon behind bourbon barrel aged beer in Barrel Aged Stout and Selling Out. For his second book, Noel decided to do some proper investigation into the story behind Malört.
The story of the Malört starts with Carl Jeppson, a Swedish immigrant who made and sold the bitter liquor in early 1900’s Chicago. However, to get the full story, we have to go back to even before Jeppson and learn more about George Brode, a lawyer and budding entrepreneur who would eventually obtain the rights to Jeppson’s Malört and run it for decades as a pet project.
There is plenty of talk in the book about the infamous flavor of Malört, which is courtesy of the fresh wormwood. However, Noel spends a majority of the book focused on the human aspect of this bitter spirit. From the passion and marketing creativity that Brode implored in the early years of Malört to how the brand passed to Brode’s secretary, Pat Gabelick, who ran the the company out of her Lakeview condo for 20 years.
Noel paints the picture of this brand in a way that feels a little like a mystery or thriller novel. Along the way, the cultural zeitgeist begins to change and a younger generation of Chicago drinker begins to embrace Malört. Fans turned interns Peter Strom (Malört’s unofficial historian), Chris Depa (who helped establish a digital presence), and Sam Mechling (the creative director behind much of Malört’s current image) all play prominent roles in the redemption of the spirit.
Of course, the path to success is not easy – it’s much like taking your first shot of Malört. There are slumping sales to overcome, supply chain and distribution challenges, and an edge of your seat trademark battle with one of the biggest distillers in the world. Okay… as I type that, I know it may not seem like the making of a great thriller, but the tempo and writing of Noel does it much more justice than I do.
By the end of the book, we come to present times with CH Distilling purchasing the rights to Malört and bringing production back to Chicago.
Most of the story is patched together from materials, financial statements, and stories from Gabelick. I, for one, am grateful that Gabelick decided to answer Noel’s call and help this story to be told.
A few weeks ago, I attended a book reading and discussion by Noel, hosted at Revolution Brew Pub, a Chicago staple in the craft beer industry and COVID-19 collaboration partner in the creation of a Malört variation made from Anit-Hero IPA. The night was an epic celebration of this unique Chicago spirit — complete with Malört cocktails, stout aged in Malört barrels, and the tried and true Chicago Fistbump (Revolution Cold Time Lager and a shot of Malört). Of course I had to get the Fistbump.
The evening made me excited to read the book – the enthusiasm of the crowd, the energy of Noel, and the mysterious ethos of Malört were all captured on the page by Noel. The only thing that didn’t have the same energy on the page was a fan written poem, “Cruel Worm” (and you’re all fortunate, because I captured the reading live – check it out on our Instagram page).
Going back and reading my original review of the spirit, I am impressed at how much information I’ve picked up from my time here in Chicago and dumbfounded about how much interesting history was missed. This was a fantastic book about an infamous spirit that does not have a lot of history available. It’s relatively short read (I was able to finish it on a 2-night business trip) that left me with a new appreciation of Malört, and, strangely, a craving for a shot. Sadly, that craving had to wait for me to get home, because the Minneapolis bartenders I asked had no clue what I was talking about — I might have to start taking airplane bottles with me to spread the gospel of Malört.
Malört: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit, by Josh Noel.
Paperback – 264 pages – Chicago Review Press
List Price: $19.99
Amazon Link: Amazon.com
Overall Rating: 5/5