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922 South Morton Street
Bloomington, IN, 47403
United States
812-202-6789
Cardinal Spirits is a craft distillery in Bloomington, Indiana that specializes in producing extraordinary spirits from local ingredients.
The Drop is your source for all things craft.
Links that make you go Hmmm.
National Cocktail Day is March 24 — this is the best way to celebrate this completely made-up holiday
6 ways to rim a cocktail glass (#3!!!)
A taste-test of Trader Joe's Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Because it's spring break season: check out these cool distillery hotels across the world
Class of 2016 Vodka. Because the college graduate in your life does not want "Oh, the Places You'll Go," a set of Cross pens or a tie.
You don't need to reinvent the wheel every time you make a cocktail. Case in point: This gin cocktail has been around for nearly 100 years, and it's every bit as good today. This was the house drink at the Pegu Club in Burma — a watering hole for British top brass. It's crisp and refreshing and just a touch tart ... maybe your new house drink?
Cardinal's Logan Hunter show us how to shake it up right:
1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Standard Dry Gin
3/4 ounce orange curaçao
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
2 dashes aromatic bitters
1 dash orange bitters
Lime wheel, for garnish
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Video by Anna Powell Teeter
One of our favorite made-up holidays is upon us: National Cocktail Day is March 24!
Unlike National Cosmopolitan Day (May 7), National Whiskey Sour Day (Aug. 25) and International Gin and Tonic Day (Oct. 19), National Cocktail Day casts a wide net and celebrates cocktails of all sorts. Which makes it pretty easy to observe.
But, guys, don't celebrate alone. We have plans for you.
Come to a $10 cocktail class on March 24 at the distillery and cheers with fellow revelers. This is a huge, one-time deal, just for National Cocktail Day. Normally our classes are $50. In this festive hands-on class, our bartenders will teach you how to use our spirits to make terrific cocktails, and how to be the very best home bartender that you can be.
We'll spend a full 6 to 7 seconds explaining the history of National Cocktail Day (origin unknown), and then we'll get down to business.
With the class, you'll get 25% off a bottle of your favorite spirit so that you can practice back at home. Spots are limited, so don't wait too long to sign up.
Bartenders hear our stories all the time. So let's hear theirs for a change. This is Behind the Bar: interviews with bartenders over a drink (or two).
— Story and photos by Kajal Singh
This week we're chatting with Kendall Lockwood, the bar manager of Ball & Biscuit in on Mass Ave. in downtown Indianapolis. This terrific craft cocktail bar has a speakeasy vibe, and it is one of the wonderful establishments in Indy that serves Cardinal Spirits.
CARDINAL: At Ball & Biscuit, you make a tiki-coffee cocktail called the The Eugoogoolizer, with Cardinal Spirits Songbird Craft Coffee Liqueur, Plantation 5 Year Rum, Zaya Rum and brown sugar-maple simple syrup. What's behind the name?
KENDALL: The Eugoogoolizer is a pun off of the movie Zoolander. Everyone quotes either Will Ferrell or Ben Stiller movies from back in the day; the Eugoogoolizer is a funny one we usually quote. So we decided to just call it the Eugoogoolizer and see how many people actually get it.
Important editor's note:
Derek Zoolander: Or are you here to tell me what a bad eugoogoolizer I am?
Matilda: A what?
Derek Zoolander: A eugoogoolizer... one who speaks at funerals.
[Matilda looks at Derek confused]
Derek Zoolander: Or did you think I was too stupid to know what a eugoogooly was?
What’s your best advice for people who want the drinks they make at home to taste as good as the ones they order at a bar?
Technique. Technique. Technique. Make sure you get a recipe and measure everything. I think a good measurement is always key.
If you could have a drink with anyone, who would it be? And what would you drink?
I am a huge fan of Meryl Streep; she’s a do-gooder. Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton – I know they are both actresses and that’s kind of cliché. I should probably pick somebody from history, but I think those two are pretty awesome.
Also, Ellen DeGeneres. I love the good Ellen does for people and I feel like she’d be really fun to have cocktails with. I’d definitely be having mezcal or tequila.
How long have you been in Indy?
I have lived in Indianapolis since I was 7 years old. I’m from Arizona originally. I actually moved back to Arizona for a year and moved back to Indianapolis a couple of years ago. I went to high school and junior high in Indianapolis, so I basically grew up here but my heart is in the mountains and out west. I’ve been bartending since I’ve been able to bartend but I’ve always loved the hospitality business; I’ve been in the service industry for my entire life. My dad was a baker so I would always hang out in the bakery even if I wasn’t getting paid.
Tell me about the time you had your first cocktail.
The first time I had a real cocktail, I was at Purdue University. There is a little bar called The Sparrow. The guys that own it are really cool. I don’t remember what the cocktail was but I remember the vibe of the place. It was really cool and I just enjoyed the feel of it. I probably had a vodka or tequila cocktail because I still hadn’t tried that many spirits at the time. I wasn’t really that into it. I was newly and barely 21.
What’s the best way to cure a hangover?
I always drink a lot of coconut water. If you don’t like the taste of coconut water, anything spicy is always good for you to have because it’s going to help sweat out the alcohol in your pores. If you don’t like coconut water, the best concoction is: half an ounce of lemon juice, coconut water, soda water poured over ice in a pint glass. The lemon juice and soda water totally mask the taste of the coconut water. Just drink two of those you’ll be fine. If you drink cocktails with coconut water – especially if you do this at the beach – you won’t be hungover the next day.
What’s the most interesting story you’ve heard while bartending?
I wouldn’t say there’s a specific story, but Ball & Biscuit is kind of the online dating hub. We get first dates in here all the time. You can always tell if someone needs to be saved or if someone needs to go talk to him or her to decompress the situation. You’ll also have people who come in early and get a drink to calm their nerves. They’ll be like, “If this person shows up, I just got here. Don’t let them know that I’ve ordered a drink already.”
Do you have a favorite toast?
"Stigibeu" (pronounced stee-gee-BAY-oo). It means roughly “to the lifeforce that is around us” and is typically said before sharing a copita of mezcal.
Can you share some good advice that you’ve been given?
Always be humble. Even if you are an amazing bartender, you are still not better than somebody else who wants to drink a Jack and Coke. There is nothing wrong with someone who wants to drink a Jack & Coke. There is nothing wrong with someone drinking what they like. For life in general, be the example you wish to see in the world. Just be good to each other.
If you walked into Cardinal Spirits right now, what would you order?
Knowing your spirits, I would order a tiki drink with the Tiki Rum. Tiki is my jam; it’s totally what I am into right now. I just think rum is so interesting; it’s just beautiful.
What makes Cardinal Spirits different than other craft distilleries?
The people that work for the brand, at least that I’ve met, are really passionate about what they do. I hate to say it, but a lot of people who work at spirit companies aren’t really passionate about what they are doing because it’s just a job to them.
Would you use this secret (kind of icky-sounding) ingredient instead of egg whites to make your cocktails vegan?
The Gimlet Gets Its Groove Back (was it ever sans groove, really?)
Don't let winter slip by without making this lovely whiskey cocktail
It would be fun to play around with some of these lesser-known Caribbean fruits as drink ingredients
Hey, you LaCroix-and-vodka drinkers. You can do better. Our cocktail classes will help. The next one is all about infusing spirits with fruit and botanicals, and how to make drinks with this DIY elixirs.
A million pretty photos of Dinner at the Distillery, a cocktail-pairing dinner that we hosted recently
This cocktail is a twist on an Old Fashioned — some people will tell you not to twist the Old Fashioned under any circumstances, and if you're mixing a drink for those kind of people, just don't bother mentioning the Old Fashioned part. This superb cocktail stands on its own: it warms from the inside with spice-infused whiskey, and the mulled orange syrup plus a mist of orange oil makes it wonderfully fragrant.
By Jake Cifuentes of Cardinal Spirits
2.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Single Malt Whiskey, infused with clove and anise (recipe follows)
1/2 teaspoon mulled orange syrup (recipe follows)
2 dashes aromatic bitters
Orange peel, for garnish
Add the infused whiskey, mulled orange syrup and bitters to a mixing glass, then add ice. Stir 15 times, then strain into a rocks glass with a jumbo ice cube. Squeeze a piece of orange peel over the cocktail to express the oils and wipe the rim of the glass with the peel, then use it as garnish.
To make the infused whiskey: Add a few cloves and an ounce of anise seed to 12 ounces of Cardinal Spirits Single Malt Whiskey and let steep at least overnight.
To make mulled orange syrup: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup water, 3 large strips of orange peel, 2 thin orange slices and one mulling spice tea bag, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add 1 cup sugar and stir to dissolve. Remove from heat and let cool, then strain ingredients.
Have you heard of zakuski? They're basically Russian tapas. A parade of snacks, hot and cold, to enjoy while you drink. A couple bites of herring, then icy cold vodka. A little pickled something, and a little more vodka. And so on, until you're full and have made a meal of it. Sounds amazing, right?
We thought so. We're serving zakuski and a variety of house-infused Cardinal Spirits Vodka this Friday night at the distillery, if you want to give it a try.
All the vodkas will be served ice cold ( -18°F ) in small tasting glasses. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased here.
Five courses:
Danish trout roe and wild salmon roe + Cardinal Spirits Vodka
Herring in white wine and dill on new potato + grapefruit/honey-infused Cardinal Spirits Vodka
Smoked pheasant and chutney on baguette + spiced pear-infused Cardinal Spirits Vodka
Wild boar, apple, currant sausage + apple/currant-infused Cardinal Spirits Vodka
BluBoy chocolates + chocolate/orange-infused Cardinal Spirits Vodka
Each table will also have two shared dishes:
Pickled veggies
Rye bread and grass-fed butter
(Side note: We were thinking about having this dinner outside on our patio. We're not going to - it'll be inside. But what if we had done it in the cold? Possibly in the snow, if it had stuck around? You bring the parkas, we supply the hand-warmers. Would it have worked?)
If you want to learn more about zakuski, here is an excellent introduction.
Iiiiiinteresting! Cocktails Sip Away at Beer's Market Share
And - oh, the irony - these bartenders like using beer in cocktails and their recipes sound delicious.
"To really be able to taste the season in your ingredient is pretty cool." - what a great line from this interview about foraging ingredients for cocktails.
We are infusing our Vodka four ways in preparation for an incredible Russian-style vodka pairing dinner at the distillery this Friday.
Bartenders hear our stories all the time. So let's hear theirs for a change. This is Behind the Bar: interviews with bartenders over a drink (or two).
Today we're having Negronis with Cardinal's own general manager and Bloomington native Logan Hunter.
— by Kajal Singh
Why are you a bartender?
I was working in the entertainment industry (in New York City), so I needed a part-time job to make more money. That’s why I started bartending. Getting bartending jobs in New York is a very serious and competitive business. I went to the Columbia University Bartending School. They took a lot of my money and taught me nothing. I worked up and down the Upper West Side.
Finally, I ended up taking a job for about two years at New Leaf. I had an apprenticeship at New Leaf Cafe with Neal Coleman. Neal is an Irish guy whose father tended bar during the Prohibition era. We used to take trips down to Death & Co., which is probably my favorite bar. We would go down there and he would quiz me on the different cocktails the bartenders were making. He really made me start focusing and paying attention. He moved back to Ireland; we don’t really talk anymore but we had a really great connection. In a place like New York City, it’s hard to make friends and trust people. I’m not that well traveled but there’s nothing really like New York City.
You’re a familiar face to a lot of people in Bloomington. Where else have you tended bar in town?
My first job back in Bloomington (after New York City) was at the Irish Lion. I actually received some really amazing training from the late Dennis Cheng at the Irish Lion. He was my mentor as far as Scotch and whiskey go. He was really a Scotch genius. He taught me most of what he knew. After that, I went to Uptown Cafe. Uptown was a really interesting and a phenomenal place to work. Michael Cassidy, who owns the place, is just a rock star in all of the ways. I left Uptown and came here to work at Cardinal Spirits.
Tell us about the first time you had your very first cocktail.
The first cocktail I ever made was a margarita. I remember sipping it and it tasting like really nasty lemonade.
If you could have a drink with anyone, who would it be and what would you drink?
Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was a big influence on how my brother and I grew up. I would be drinking Scotch on the rocks.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Do everything with integrity.
Do you have a magical hangover cure?
It’s called water. Just stay really hydrated. Liverite and Pedialyte also work really well.
What’s your favorite toast?
I like the very classy, “Cheers.” “Skål,” which is cheers in Swedish, is also really great.
What makes Cardinal Spirits different than the other craft distilleries in Indiana?
We have a very unique still that makes very unique products. There’s not a craft distillery that has better bartenders than us. The ways the owners have set up Cardinal, everyone loves being here and there is so much creativity going on here.
What’s your favorite spirit that Cardinal makes?
My favorite spirit is the aged Single Malt Whiskey. I am really excited for our brandy that’s in the barrel right now. Oh, also, the Songbird Craft Coffee Liqueur.
And favorite drink?
My favorite drink is a Negroni. You can’t go wrong.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you while bartending?
When I lit myself on fire. I caught on fire while trying to take a flaming shot of Chartreuse. Both a customer and bartender threw beer on me to extinguish the flames on my body.
What’s next for you?
I’m opening up my own bar called Alchemy. It’s supposed to open up in April or May on the Square. I want to make a super classic and classy cocktail bar for adults.
Photos by Anna Powell Teeter
Links that make you go Hmmm....
Want to sound like you know a ton about craft distilling? This is your 5-minute primer.
This is going to be fun: Russian-style vodka pairing dinner at our distillery
But seriously, does Pedialyte cure hangovers?
You can't screw up a vodka soda, right? Just in case, here's how to make sure it's perfect.
Chips/dips/sips for $5 (what!) is one of our specials for Devour Bloomington's 12 days of dining deals.
