Southern Indiana Business Report
Indiana was once a premier state for distilling spirits. But a state-ordered prohibition in the 1850s and national prohibition in the 1920s led to its demise.
A movement to explore those roots has led to a rebirth of distilling in Indiana. A new documentary looks at what is now a thriving business and the history of distilling in Indiana.
“Hoosier Spirits: Distilling in Indiana” from WTIU Public Television of Bloomington premieres Sept. 5, at 8 p.m. on WTIU.
The film features interviews with historians, legislators and distillers across the state, including Alan Bishop, head alchemist of Old Homestead Distilling in Birdseye, a new distillery in southern Indiana.
Bishop has extensive knowledge of the state’s distilling history.
“By 1812, Washington County, Indiana, had 64 mills and every one of those mills would have had a distillery,” he says in the documentary.
“Hoosier Spirits” explores an industry that was burgeoning two centuries ago but has only recently started to make a comeback.
Craft distilling took off in 2013 when the Indiana Legislature passed the Indiana Artisan Distiller’s Permit – allowing Indiana distillers to sell their products directly to customers.
The film also interviews Jeff Wuslich of Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington, Drew Fox of 18th Street Distillery in Hammond, Susan Spagnuolo of Bear Wallow Distillery in Nashville, Jason Fruits of Old 55 Distillery in Newtown, Ted Huber of Huber’s Orchard and Winery and Starlight Distillery in Borden.
You can learn more about “Hoosier Spirits: Distilling in Indiana” at wtiu.org/hoosierspirits.“Hoosier Spirits: Distilling in Indiana” is made possible with support from Hotel Tango Distillery.