Meet our crew: Kenzie Vaughan

Meet our crew: get to know the awesome humans that make Cardinal Spirits possible!

Jason Mattox. Photos by Anna Powell Denton

McKenzie (Kenzie) Vaughan

— — —

distillery production assistant at Cardinal Spirits

@kenzievaughan96 on Instagram

pronouns: she/her

— — —

Hi, Kenzie! Tell us about your role at Cardinal Spirits.

I am a production assistant. I started on the bottling line, but have been a production assistant for a year now. I do a bit of everything throughout the process of producing spirits; I help with fermentations, distillations, blending, bottling production, and of course cleaning every tri-clamp and gasket we own multiple times a day.

Where are you from? Where have you lived?

I am from a tiny town in Texas, but moved to Terre Haute, IN, when I was 13. I moved to Bloomington for my undergrad and have stayed in the area since.

Any pets or family you’d like to introduce?

I have a cute chubby cat named Oliver. He is the sweetest boy and loves a good belly rub. I also live with my partner, Graham, who is finishing up his masters at IU.

My cat Oliver enjoying the sun, he’s always laying belly up. —Kenzie

Tell us about a skill that you have outside of work.

I love to knit and I’m getting into photography.

I’ve gotten into photography recently and this is probably one of the best photos I’ve ever taken. This was at Glacier National Park. —Kenzie

Do you have a side hustle? What is it?

I don’t have a side hustle, but here are my hobbies/things I do outside of work for enjoyment: I love doing anything outside. Camping, hiking, running, and gardening are some of my favorite things. I hope to one day own my own farm!

Hiking in Grand Teton National Park. Fun fact, scrambled a mile up to this point and was scared to death, but the view was worth it! —Kenzie

What's your favorite Cardinal Spirits cocktail/spirit/dish?

Our Creekbend Brandy is my favorite spirit!

It’s happy hour. What are you drinking and/or eating?

Beer and some type of dip…probably spinach and artichoke.

Do you have any advice for people who want to make better drinks at home?

I found a website called cocktailbuilder.com that lets you input ingredients you have and it’ll give you recipes for drinks you can make. I have found it very useful when I don’t know what I am in the mood for.

What’s Cardinal’s best-kept secret?

Prince William (a purple, wacky inflatable arm man that belongs to our distiller Justin Hughey) — he can put a smile on anyone’s face.

What would surprise people about the work you do at Cardinal?

I think some people are surprised when I talk about dumping barrels and how much hard work goes into it. It is an exhausting process.

Kenzie dumping barrels

What’s your coffee order? 

At home I drink it black, but if I am out I order a dirty chai.

Do you have any morning or end-of-day rituals you'd like to share?

I usually do yoga when I wake up or before bed, I journal in the mornings while I watch the news, and I have perfected my skin care routine so it’s now my favorite part of the day.

Favorite place on the Internet?

I have gotten really into Tik Tok; once your feed is curated to your interest and hobbies, it is an awesome platform that isn’t just for Gen Z.

Can you recommend a podcast, movie, book, TV show, album, subscription, etc. that you consumed recently and liked? We’re all looking for good recs right now!

Some of my favorite shows are: Adventure Time, His Dark Materials, Great British Baking Show, and Parks and Rec. My favorite podcast right now is Science Vs.

Go-to midnight snack?

A peanut butter fold over (one piece of bread, PB, fold it over – quick, easy, tasty)

I also love alpacas. —Kenzie

Favorite condiment? 

Classic ketchup, always has been and always will be.


Want to give a shout-out to anyone? 

My mom, she’s my biggest fan and is always proud of the work I am doing.

Thanks, Kenzie! We are so lucky to have you on our team!

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Meet our crew: Jason Mattox

Meet our crew: get to know the awesome humans that make Cardinal Spirits possible!

Jason Mattox. Photos by Anna Powell Denton

Jason Mattox

— — —

merchandiser at Cardinal Spirits

@tbk1977 on Instagram

pronouns: he/him

— — —

Hi, Jason! Tell us about your role as merchandiser at Cardinal Spirits.

I see every Big Red Liquors store in the state and make sure our displays are well stocked and looking snazzy.

Where are you from? Where have you lived?

From Palmyra, Indiana, then moved to New Albany. After that I met a rad person and we moved to Bloomington so she could go to grad school and we just stayed in the area.

Any pets or family you’d like to introduce?

I have 4 cats: Taco, Cinder, Smokey and Bandit

Tell us about a skill that you have outside of work.

I can make some mean chicken tacos.

Do you have a side hustle? What is it?

I don’t know if you call it a side hustle, more of a 2nd full-time job. I have been an artist/motorcycle painter for 16 years.

What's your favorite Cardinal Spirits cocktail/spirit/dish?

I love the Cardinal Rye!

It’s happy hour. What are you drinking and/or eating?

Usually a mule made with Cardinal Rye or Bramble.

What’s Cardinal’s best-kept secret?

When the Birdhouse was open for dine-in, I really enjoyed the Bramble Screwdriver.

(Editor's note: Birdhouse = our nickname for our bar/restaurant/tasting room, which is currently carry-out only due to covid. Bramble Screwdriver = a simple yet delicious cocktail made with our Bramble black raspberry vodka and fresh OJ!)

What would surprise people about the work you do at Cardinal?

I’m very feral, haha. Also, I talk to a lot of people during the day finding out how our products are doing, what’s selling, and if they have any concerns.

What’s your coffee order? 

Black … always.

Can you recommend a podcast, movie, book, TV show, album, subscription, etc. that you consumed recently and liked? We’re all looking for good recs right now!

One podcast that I really enjoyed was called “Relative Unknown” — it’s all told by a lady who’s father was in the Outlaws MC. 

Favorite condiment? 

Mustard-based BBQ sauce

Want to give a shout-out to anyone? 

The entire bottling line and distillery/birdhouse crew!

Thanks, Jason! We are so lucky to have you on our team!

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Meet our crew: Bearmy

Meet our crew: get to know the awesome bears that make Cardinal Spirits possible!

Bearmy. Photos by Anna Powell Denton

Bearmy

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Chief Morale Officer at Cardinal Spirits

— — —

Hi, Bearmy! Tell us about your role at Cardinal Spirits.

Sometimes you need to hear “You’re doing great, kid,” or “Keep your chin up” from a bear. Or, you need a bear hug. I’m your bear. I spend a lot of time looking out the window at Cardinal Spirits, quietly reminding folks to shop small and mask up.

Where are you from? Where have you lived?

Tennessee, near the Georgia state line.

Any family members you’d like to introduce?

Mama Bear and Baby Bear.

Bearmy with co-workers (L to R): Ben Samuelson, Kenzie Vaughan, and Rick Mellinger.

Tell us about a skill that you have outside of work.

Sleeping for months at a time and stealing picnic baskets.

What's your favorite Cardinal Spirits product?

Honey Schnapps! Too on the nose? I can’t help it. It’s delicious.

Can you recommend a podcast, movie, book, TV show, album, subscription, etc. that you consumed recently and liked? We’re all looking for good recs right now!

Grizzly Man. Charmin commercials are my guilty pleasure. I’m also a vintage Care Bears fan.

Coffee shop order? 

Honey with a splash of tea

What’s your favorite midnight snack? 

Fresh salmon. Black raspberries.

Most used-emoji? 

🙌

Favorite Condiment? 

I know what you’re thinking. But: it’s hot sauce.

Want to give a shout-out to anyone? 

Shout out to Dolly the Mash Tun, she's always got my back.

Thanks, Bearmy! We are so lucky to have you on our team!

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Meet our crew: Renne Payne

Meet our crew: get to know the awesome humans that make Cardinal Spirits possible!

Renne Payne. Photos by Anna Powell Denton

Renne Payne

— — —

front-of-house manager at Cardinal Spirits

@fazedcookies on Instagram

pronouns: she/her

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Hi, Renne! Tell us about your role at Cardinal Spirits.

I am a front-of-house manager at Cardinal’s bar, restaurant, and tasting room. I'll have been at Cardinal for 2 years at the end of this month! Prior to the pandemic, I floor managed and also planned any in-house events we had. I worked almost every Tiki Tuesday and brunch service for about a year and hosted special nights like Halloween and NYE. My daily tasks are significantly different now because we’ve been carry-out only since March 16, 2020, and have started doing virtual events. I have more of a project coordinator role now and help our kitchen, bar, and production teams get their creations to our customers. I’m in front of a computer a lot more than I used to be because so much of what we do right now is in a digital rather than physical marketplace.

Where are you from? Where have you lived?

I was born in Hagerstown, MD, but grew up in Greencastle, IN. I moved to Bloomington in 2009 to go to IU and stayed for my graduate program as well. I lived and worked in Taiwan (in Taipei) in 2019 and then started working at Cardinal when I moved back to Bloomington.

Renne and her friend Chaz at the National Palace Museum in Taipei.

Tell us about a skill that you have outside of work.

I can speak and read Chinese. I’m in the process of completing an MA in East Asian Studies at IU, if I can ever bring myself to finish writing my thesis.

Do you have a side hustle? What is it?

I design and screen-print T-shirts to generate donations to charity – which I sell off of my website www.fazed-cookies.com. I used to print them myself but have recently started printing with my friend Kaira (who runs Black Ink Press in Denver). Since 2017 we have raised over $4,000 in donations – some of which have gone to Monroe County Volunteers in Medicine, the Community Kitchen and the local chapter of BLM, among others. I also designed Cardinal’s B-line T-shirt!

Renne had the winning design for our T-shirt design contest among staff here at Cardinal. T-shirts are sold here.

What's your favorite Cardinal Spirits cocktail/spirit/dish?

Spirit: Creekbend Brandy is my favorite spirit we make – I like to drink it neat. 

Cocktail: Goody 2 Shoes – a kiwi-sesame-gin drink that our bar manager Maria Konermann had on our menu when I first started. 

Dish: When we were open for regular service I think I ate a Potato Poblano Hash every Sunday for about a year. Now I eat our Prime Rib Sandwich at least once a week and am always looking forward to when we photograph our Weekend Specials because I can usually sneak a taste.

Any favorite places on the Internet? 

Probably YouTube. I watch a lot of comedy specials, DIY tutorials and live music performances. Also the comments are always a goldmine on YouTube videos.

Can you recommend a podcast, movie, book, TV show, album, subscription, etc. that you consumed recently and liked? We’re all looking for good recs right now!

Movies: Mississippi Burning, Repo Man (1984 - with a very young Emilio Estevez)

Books: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin, Transmetropolitan (comic series) by Warren Ellis

TV Shows: Prime Suspect, Silent Witness (the original 8 seasons with Amanda Burton)

Albums: Patrick Cowley - Afternooners, X - Los Angeles 

What’s your favorite midnight snack? 

Pickles

Most used-emoji? 

😂

Favorite Condiment? 

BBQ Sauce

Want to give a shout-out to anyone? 

I’d like to give a shout-out to my partner Zack – because I can usually get him to laugh at some pretty stupid stuff and laughter has truly been keeping me sane over the past year. 

Renne and her partner, Zack, at Zion National Park in Utah.

Thanks, Renne! We are so lucky to have you on our team!

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Meet our crew: Abel Garcia

Meet our crew: get to know the awesome humans that make Cardinal Spirits possible!

Abel Garcia. Photos by Anna Powell Denton

Abel Garcia

— — —

executive chef at Cardinal Spirits

@eclectically_awesome on Instagram; Abel Garcia on Facebook

pronouns: he/him

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Tell us about your role at Cardinal Spirits.

I'm the Executive Chef! I create all the menu concepts, items, and weekend specials (fun stuff!) as well as handle all the administrative items for our kitchen team (not so fun stuff!).

Where are you from? Where have you lived?

Originally from Chicago but I spent most of my time growing up here in southern Indiana, specifically Columbus, IN. I went to Columbus North High School, go Bulldogs!

Any pets or family members you’d like to introduce?

Olivia a.k.a. Olive. Fun Fact: She was given to me as a tip when I was helping run a pizza shop!

Olive!

Tell us about a skill that you have outside of work.

Doing home-brew beers! Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to brew one in about 3 years due to space and temperature issues at my current house, but it always crosses my mind when I'm not busy with work.

Do you have a side hustle? What is it?

Yes, I do pop-up events whenever I can. They allow me to try out menu items that either wouldn't necessarily work in a regular service setting or within the current menu I'm running.

I also do local interviews with service industry folks for a local podcast named No Dishes! Our goal is to help people get to know our local service industry with in-depth conversations that include local business owners, managers, servers, cooks, etc. I specifically run the "Shift Change" portion of No Dishes, check it out, like and subscribe!

What's your favorite Cardinal Spirits cocktail/spirit/dish?

I would have to go with our Terra Gin. This spirit and its botanical blend helped bring me back from a mental state of mind that always said, "I hate gin."

It’s happy hour — what are you drinking and eating?

That's tough...I'd say my usual "hydration station" looks like, water, beer, bubbles, and mezcal. (Go big or go home). And for food, if I'm not trying other local chef's food, comfort food all the way!

Cardinal Spirits carry-out dishes created by Abel Garcia + team.

Do you have any advice for people who want to make better food at home?

Of course! When deciding on a recipe, ask yourself, what can I do with the leftovers? Save it for tomorrow? Create a new dish? That path of thinking will get you the most bang for your buck when cooking not only at home but in any kitchen.

What cooking advice should people ignore?

Ignore reality kitchen shows, haha.

What is Cardinal’s best-kept secret?

Our Social Media! If you're missing out on specials — angry lobster roll fans, I'm looking at you — start following us! (Editor’s note: It’s true, we spill all of our secrets on social media first, including pre-order info for our amazing weekend food specials. Cardinal Spirits on Instagram and Facebook)

What would surprise people about the work you do at Cardinal?

I think they would be surprised by how many "cool" items never make the menu(s), due to space constraints, local farmers running out of items, etc. Sometimes I make a menu and by the time I'm happy with it, it looks like nothing I started with in my head.

What's your coffee order?

At work: Black, straight up

Home: None

Out: Vanilla Latte x2 espresso

Favorite places on the Internet?

www.nodishesmedia.com

www.archive.org

Tell us about a podcast, movie, book, TV show, album, subscription, etc. that you consumed and liked. We’re all looking for recs!

No Dishes Podcast on Spotify, Apple, etc

Original Twilight Zone

Joe Rogan Experience podcast: Specifically Paul Stamets, Graham Hancock, Neil deGrasse Tyson interviews

Favorite midnight snack?

Chinese food or tacos

Favorite condiment?

Hot sauce

Want to give a shout-out to anyone?

Shout-out to my kitchen team — we're doing something special here, and they help make my ideas become reality, so don't miss out!

Thanks, Abel! We are so lucky to have you on our team!

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Meet our crew: Kate Emery

Meet our crew: get to know the awesome humans that make Cardinal Spirits possible!

Kate Emery. Photos by Anna Powell Denton

Kate Emery

— — —

bottling shift lead at Cardinal Spirits

@ kate.e.emery on Instagram

pronouns: she/her

— — —

Tell us about your role at Cardinal Spirits.

I am the AM bottling shift lead. I oversee daily bottling operations and help ensure products have the proper fill lines, packaging, quality control and things of that nature. I also help with record keeping of each product we fill, as well as communicate things the bottling line may need to perform more effectively. We have a great team of people in bottling/production and some really knowledgeable production leads. Everyone works really hard (special shout out to Zack and Emily) which allows us to have fun with the work that we do. Currently accepting contract bottling work 🙋‍♀️

Kate working on the bottling line at Cardinal Spirits.

Where are you from? Where have you lived?

I'm a Bloomington townie, born and raised.

What's your favorite Cardinal Spirits cocktail/spirit/dish?

My favorite spirit is the Creekbend Brandy

It’s happy hour — what are you drinking?

Fries of any kind with a Sidecar, please

Creekbend Brandy, and a Sidecar cocktail — two of Kate’s favorites!

What is Cardinal’s best-kept secret?

I don't know how much of a secret it is but our bar manager Maria is an extremely talented mixologist.

What's your coffee order?

I like an iced quad Oahu with almond milk from Soma

Tell us about a podcast, movie, book, TV show, album, subscription, etc. that you consumed and liked. We’re all looking for recs!

I've recently started reading segments of The Daily Stoic each morning before work. Great way to set the tone for the day.

Favorite midnight snack?

Bagel Bites all the way!

Most used emoji?

🥴

Favorite condiment?

Cholula hot sauce

Want to give a shout-out to anyone?

Shout out to Cardinal production manager Jason Hackett because he's standing right next to me. I like when you rap One Week by Barenaked Ladies.

Thanks, Kate! We are so lucky to have you on our team!

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Maker Spotlight: Sweet Tooth Handmade

Editors note: Cardinal Spirits asked local artisans to create holiday ornaments for our online gift shop, with 100% of sales going to the artists themselves. Get the know the people behind the ornaments!

Today: meet Alaina Nace-Meyer of Sweet Tooth Handmade, a Bloomington-based felt artist who created wonderful ornaments for our online holiday shop! They are sold out for the season, but you can purchase Alaina’s other pieces via her Instagram.

— — —

Alaina Nace-Meyer

she/her

On Instagram: @sweettoothhandmade

— — —

Hi Alaina! Introduce yourself and Sweet Tooth Handmade.

Early childhood educator by day, Sweet Tooth Handmade is my crafting alter-ego. Using primarily felt, but sometimes other fibers and materials, I enjoy creating fun and charming designs influenced by nature, food, and pop culture.

Beyond the ornaments you created for Cardinal, where can people purchase your items?

Currently, you can purchase my creations through Instagram (@sweettoothhandmade) via direct message and when they are in stock at Gather Shoppe in downtown Bloomington.

Where are you from? Where have you lived?

From South Bend Indiana. I moved to Bloomington for undergrad at IU and never left!

Any pets or family members that you'd like to introduce?

I have a wonderful spouse, Neal, and delightful 7 year old daughter, Opal, our dog and three cats!

What inspires your art?

I'm inspired by nature, especially the changing of seasons, food (pizza, donut or avocado ornament, anyone?), and basically anything I think is cute. I get ideas from friends and family as well; a lot of my designs have come from either custom orders or a text from someone asking, "Hey do you think you could make this?" After I figure out how to make it work, and if it's possible for me to make on a larger scale, it becomes a regular creation.

What would surprise people about the art you create, or your process?

Everything is made by hand, by me. I don't know if it's actually surprising, but when I say everything by hand I mean everything! I draw my designs with paper and pencil, hand cut all of my patterns, hand paint each design and hand sew each item.

Looking back at all that you've created, do you have a favorite piece?

In the beginning of 2020, I started learning how to felt wool and I felted some violets that I was very proud of. I'm hoping to keep exploring that medium and florals in the new year.

It's happy hour. What are you drinking?

Hard cider, a dark and stormy or, if I'm feeling fancy, a carry-out cocktail from Cardinal Spirits!

What's your coffee order?

Cold brew, every day!

Tell us about a podcast, movie, book, TV show, album, subscription, etc. that you consumed and liked! We're all looking for good recs right now!

Whoa, I've been watching so much TV during the pandemic! The show Dark on Netflix is especially good and weird. The Great British Baking Show or the Repair Shop for when you need some comfort TV. Lovecraft Country and Castle Rock for your spooky times. Michelle Buteau's comedy special Buteaupia for laughs!

What's your favorite midnight snack?

It depends, but usually something chocolatey.

Favorite condiment?

Fancy sauce, i.e. mayo mixed with mustard. And ranch, obviously, I'm from the Midwest.

Want to give a shout-out to anyone?

Obviously my family for their support and love and to one of my best friends, Kati, who inspired me to start Sweet Tooth Handmade with her request for a donut shaped magnet!

Thanks, Alaina! You made such special ornaments for us this year!

Maker Spotlight: IndyCraftivist

Editors note: Cardinal Spirits asked local artisans to create holiday ornaments for our online gift shop, with 100% of sales going to the artists themselves. Get the know the people behind the ornaments!

Today, meet Indy fiber artist Jocelyn Sparkles of IndyCraftivist, who created these sweet cardinal ornaments.

Jocelyn Sparkles

she/her

 @IndyCraftvist on Instagram and Studio Z Custom Creations on Facebook

Hi Jocelyn! Introduce yourself.

I am a classically trained costume maker, and with the pandemic closing the entertainment industry, I have taken my love of upcycling and learning new skills to a whole new level and created IndyCraftivist.

Where are you from? Where have you lived?

I’m from Indiana. I graduated from both Westfield High School and Indiana University.  After college, I moved to New Jersey and worked in New York City.  When the economy crashed in 2008, I moved to New Orleans. I was in New Orleans for 9 years before I moved back to Indiana. My work has also taken me to Scotland, Poland, Japan, Serbia and Saudi Arabia.

Tell us about a skill that you have, other than being an awesome artisan! 

Tenacity!  Given an end date, I can get through anything.

What inspires your art?

Making others happy.

What would surprise people about the art you create, or your process?

That aside from skill, you need an incredible amount of tenacity, to make it through most projects.

Looking back at all that you've created, do you have a favorite piece?

December of 2018, I finally learned how to crochet while I was working the Yuletide Celebration at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.  It was the first time I had learned a new skill in a long time.  I was pretty terrible at first, but I kept at it.  The following winter I bought some really nice yarn and made myself this adorable blue neck scarf.  It was one of my proudest projects.

It's happy hour. What are you drinking?

A White Russian, I love coffee.

What's your coffee order? 

There’s a brand of coffee that used to be in Castleton Square Mall, when I was in high school, called Barnes Coffee and Tea.  They have this amazing flavored coffee called Santa’s White Christmas.  It has a coconut, sweet caramel, vanilla and nutty flavor and reminds me of a childhood hug.

Any favorite places on the Internet?  

TikTok has been my quar-entainment.  I’ve learned so much ridiculous information from it.

Tell us about a podcast, movie, book, TV show, album, subscription, etc. that you consumed and liked! We're all looking for good recs right now!

During quarantine I've done my fair share of reading.  I firmly believe we should learn something new every day.  So, I’ve been reading up on things unfamiliar to myself, but necessary to understanding today’s world.  If I could recommend any of the books from my journey, to the masses, I would pick either the New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander or So You Wanna Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo. Both give a better understanding of where we are today and how we got there.

Most used emoji? 

🥰

Favorite condiment? 

Mustard.  I can never have enough.  At any given point, there are 5-9 different flavors in my fridge.  

Want to give a shout-out to anyone?

Cardinal Spirits, Arts Council of Indianapolis & #IndyKeepsCreating Fund, Actor’s Fund and @artists_surthriving.  Thank you for supporting the arts.

Thanks so much, Jocelyn! Beyond the ornaments you created for Cardinal (shop here), where can we browse and buy your art?

 www.IndyCraftivist.etsy.com