Recently students from the ESTEEM Program had the opportunity to tour a local startup whiskey distillery, Indiana Whiskey Company. The visit included a tour of the facility, the whiskey distilling process, and a few samples. The company prides itself on being an Indiana institution, and is one of the up and coming distilleries in the area; their Silver Sweet Corn Whiskey won second place at the 2014 World Spirits competition. As it says on their website:
"The Indiana Whiskey Company is a distillery that produces truly excellent, small-batch whiskeys. Everything that touches your whiskey is made in Indiana: our stills, our grains, everything. That way, every dollar Hoosiers pay stays in our state."
The tour provided some unique insights on how to incorporate positive social change into a business strategy. The veteran-owned and run company saw a need for locally produced spirits and as such source all their material and infrastructure exclusively from Indiana. Not only has their business been a success - they are selling their product as fast as they are making it - but it has helped local farmers and artisans.
"Indiana residents spend over $100 million a year on whiskeys that come from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Canada. But we have our own rich tradition of manufacturing and agriculture, our corn is second to none, and our sheet metal workers have been making the worlds best cars, RVs, and equipment for generations. It's about time for a whiskey that's made in our own backyard and that Hoosiers can be proud of."
The trip to Indiana Whiskey Company is one of the first business outings for ESTEEM students this year. Tomorrow the class will be visiting Better World Books in Mishawaka, IN, and South Bend Brew Werks in downtown South Bend this November.