Brothers Mike and Matt Blaum opened Blaum Bros. Distilling Co. on Dec. 20, 2013, on U.S. Highway 20 just west of downtown Galena, Illinois. Mike had worked for the federal government and Matt in health care; they left those careers to work together on a shared interest in whiskey, with Mike becoming chief distiller and Matt running sales and marketing. Vodka came first so the company had product on shelves while whiskey aged, followed by gin distilled one botanical at a time and later straight bourbon and straight rye. The distillery mills, mashes, ferments and distills on site using Illinois grain, with corn and rye coming from a farm near Byron. Its early Oldfangled Knotter bourbon was built from aged barrels bought from another distiller, while the Blaum Bros. straight whiskeys are its own distillate. The brothers still co-own the business, and in 2024 they added the Blaum Bros. Public House on Galena's Main Street.