Cardinal Spirits Gift Guide 2016

What if a place existed where you could find a holiday gift for both your hard-to-please aunt and crafty brother-in-law? A true one-stop shop full of unique, local and crowd-pleasing items to make your holiday shopping a breeze? Well, we may be biased, but we think Cardinal Spirits is that place. 

We're here to help you be the MVP of the gift-giving season. From yummy spirits to cool drinking vessels to gift cards, Cardinal Spirits can help you find the perfect gift for even the trickiest members of your crew. Like, perhaps:

Your trendy cousin whose tastes tastes are always changing...

The Holiday Gift Box

What never goes out of style? Spirits. And great news: our 3-pack gift box is customizable! Choose from our Vodka, Tiki Rum, Standard Dry Gin, Bramble, Songbird Coffee Liqueur and Songbird Flora, all in 375ml bottles — that's half the size of our regular bottles. Need some inspiration? Check out the My Perfect 3-Pack series on the blog. 

$40 at the distillery  |  order online for local pick-up

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Your aunt who is always trying out new Pinterest recipes...

Indiana Cocktail Recipes Book

We've put together a beautiful collection of 40+ cocktail recipes from Indiana bartenders using Cardinal Spirits. It's organized by season, with easy, medium and challenging recipes. 85 pages of pretty pictures and delicious cocktails: perfect. 

$12.95 at the distillery and online, or $10 with any bottle purchase

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Your extra-picky sister who you know will just return whatever you get her anyway...

Gift Cards (With a Holiday Bonus!)

Gift cards: the true hero of the holiday season. Ours are available starting at $10, and they are easier than wrapping a cocktail. Gift cards can be used toward cocktails, bottles, food, tours and merchandise at the distillery.

Holiday bonus: For every $100 purchased in gift cards, you'll receive a bonus gift card worth $20.

Starting at $10 at the distillery and online

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Your brother-in-law who swears he needs nothing...

A Cardinal Spirits Flask

It's like we always say: You can never have too many flasks. That's why they make such great gifts. We have 3 types with our logo: a little metal guy with a clip for backpacks, a leather-wrapped one and a cool porthole style. A great gift especially when paired with a bottle of our spirits. 

Starting at $15 at the distillery and online

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The resident whiskey-drinker of your family/friend group...

The Perfect Whiskey Glass

These eccentric whiskey glasses were discovered by our friend David Hill of the Malt Guild. After years of research in Scotland with the best Scotch distillers in the world, he found this glass (a Turkish design) to best express the nose and taste of a fine whiskey.

$25 for a set of two at the distillery and online

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Your mom, who graciously hosts Christmas dinner every year...

NOCINO

This liqueur is the gift that keeps on giving. Warm, spicy and nutty, Nocino tastes like the holidays. This liqueur is a traditional Italian liqueur made with green, unripe walnuts. For our version, we harvested walnuts right here in Indiana, then combined them with our vodka and spices, and let that steep for months. The result: A luscious, mellow, earthy elixir. Local, unique and delicious. Do we hear "favorite child?" We thought so. 

$28 for a 375ml bottle at the distillery

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So there you have it! A selection of personal, unique gifts to make your holiday shopping a little easier. Come by the distillery or check out the online marketplace to browse our whole selection. And of course,

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM CARDINAL SPIRITS!

Bugs & Lola cocktail recipe

A wintery gin cocktail that cleverly, deliciously, unexpectedly sneaks carrots into your diet? Plus maple syrup and molasses bitters? Sign us up.

BUGS & LOLA

By Alex Utter of Cardinal Spirits

Makes 1 cocktail

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Standard Dry Gin
3⁄4 ounce lemon juice
3⁄4 ounce carrot juice
1⁄2 ounce real maple syrup
2 dashes molasses bitters (recommended: Fee Bros.)
Orange peel

Add all ingredients except orange peel to a shaker tin and shake with ice for 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Express the oils from an orange peel by gently squeezing the peel over the cocktail, letting the oil mist over the drink. Discard the peel.

MY PERFECT 3-PACK: EMILY

We're back with more mixing and matching of our customizable 3-packs. These combos have been as unique as our staff, and so have the answers to our questions. Today we talk to server/bartender Emily Darnell about her dream 3-pack combo. 

Server/Bartender Emily Darnell's Perfect 3-Pack: 

Who — any person, living, dead, fictional or famous — would you gift this 3-pack to?
Good friend Ranger Bud Stevens, Mt. Rainier park ranger and Crystal Mountain ski patroller

What cocktail would you make using at least one of these spirits?
Milk Punch, made with Tiki Rum and Nocino. Holiday spice and everything nice.

What holiday movie would you watch while sipping said cocktail?
Elf

MY PERFECT 3-PACK: JEFF

Our "My Perfect 3-Pack" series continues as we celebrate the return of our *customizable* holiday packs. This week we talk to one of our co-founders to see what spirits he would choose, who he would give them to, and how he would cocktail with them. Stay tuned for more of our staff's picks and suggestions throughout this holiday season. 

Co-Founder Jeff Wuslich's Perfect 3-pack:

Who — any person, living, dead, fictional or famous — would you gift this 3-pack to?
John le Carré, author (Most famous work: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy).

What cocktail would you make using at least one of these spirits?
A classic gin gimlet, made with:

2 ounces Standard Dry Gin
.75 ounce fresh lime juice
.75 ounce simple syrup 

Simply add all of the ingredients to a shaker with ice, shake, and strain into a coupe glass.

(Are you a gimlet fan? If so, we think you'll love this one made with sage and our one-of-a-kind Terra botanical gin. 

What holiday movie would you watch while sipping said cocktail?
Diehard.*

*(Editor's note: We have officially determined that "holiday movie" is a subjective term.)

MY PERFECT 3-PACK: MICHELLE

Our holiday gift packs were a hit last year, so we've brought them back and made them completely customizable. You can mix and match 375ml-bottles of our spirits to create the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Need some suggestions? We got you. This holiday season, we'll be bringing you this series of Cardinal Spirits staff members' "perfect 3-packs."

Today, server Michelle Gottschlich shares her perfect 3-pack: 

Who — any person, living, dead, fictional or famous — would you gift this 3-pack to?
My great grandmother, Vanetta

What cocktail would you make using at least one of these spirits?
A milk punch using the Tiki Rum and Songbird Coffee Liqueur. (Use our Milk Punch recipe, but substitute Coffee Liqueur for Nocino). 

What holiday movie would you watch while sipping said cocktail?
Gremlins (IMDB page linked. Christmas movie? Judge for yourself.)

(Editor's note: Michelle's Christmas movie selection caused quite the debate at the distillery over what constitutes a "Christmas" film. Thoughts?)

MY PERFECT 3-PACK: ALYVIA

Our holiday gift packs were a hit last year, so we've brought them back and make them completely customizable. You can mix and match 375ml-bottles of our spirits and make the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Need some suggestions? We got you. This holiday season, we'll be bringing you this series of Cardinal Spirits staff members' "perfect 3-packs." Follow along for some unique mix-ups and learn a little more about our spirited staff.

First off... Alyvia CAIN

Meet Alyvia Cain, Cardinal Spirits bartender-extraordinaire. Here's how she would use her perfect 3-pack:

Who — any person, living, dead, fictional or famous — would you gift this 3-pack to?
First Hollywood crush, either John Cusack or Keanu Reeves.

What cocktail would you make using at least one of these spirits?
A Bramble Russian, using 1.5 ounces of Songbird Coffee Liqueur, 1.5 ounces of Bramble, and 1 ounce of half and half. (Modify our classic White Russian recipe.)

What holiday movie would you watch while sipping said cocktail?
Love Actually, or the The Grinch with Jim Carrey.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM CARDINAL SPIRITS! 

Behind the Scenes at Big Red Liquors: 9 Insider Tips

Big Red Liquors is an institution in Bloomington — and the rest of central Indiana, for that matter. Founded in 1972 by Mark McAlister in a small storefront off North College Avenue, it’s grown to include a enterprise of almost 60 stores, from its Bloomington epicenter to Indianapolis and Terre Haute, and smaller towns like Bedford and French Lick.

Big Red was the first retailer to order our spirits when we opened in February 2015, so you could say we're huge fans. In addition to selling our spirits, they've helped make them — we distilled a custom whiskey and gin with Big Red that is sold exclusively at their stores along with our other spirits. 

Their flagship store in downtown Bloomington, a veritable warehouse of beer, wine, and spirits, sits just south of the original location on one of city's main drags, College Avenue. The store is home to James Connor, one of the main wine managers who holds a C.S.W. and C.S.S. (certifications in both wine and spirits).

We caught up with James recently to get a behind-the-scenes look at Big Red, and he shared 9 tips about the flagship location, as well as the whole brand.

So where did the name Big Red come from, anyway?

James says there’s lots of theories, but the one that has the most legs is pretty simple: Mark has a flash of red hair on his head, and that was that. Big Red stuck.

The most expensive spirit in the store? It’s tres chic.

James immediately knows this when I ask. “Samalens 1900 Armagnac,” he rattles off like it’s business as usual. (It’s not—it’s $3,300 per bottle!) “It’s been here longer than I have,” he says, laughing. “We’ve got all sorts of ridiculous things in this store.” Since the flagship is the biggest (and best, according to him), he feels like they have to have special offerings like the Samalens.

The most overlooked and underrated spirit in the bunch? It’s not what you think.

Surprise: It’s brandy! Everyone’s on the bourbon craze, James explains, but brandy is a really flavorful, affordable alternative.

They’ve got a VIP club, and you’re invited. (There’s Pappy involved.)

Big Red’s VIP program is still a pretty good secret among locals. It’s a reward program the company started close to 4 years ago, where customers earn points on dollars spent on anything in the store. The points get you everything from a free bag of ice to beer glasses and, as they add up, the rewards get more enticing: invites to special events and trips and even your own beverage concierge. But it’s not just points—there are a few weekly emails that go around about releases of small batch or rare beer, wine and spirits. Any given week you’re getting about 3 of these, including opportunities to buy, say, coveted Pappy Van Winkle or very rare sour beers from Goose Island that won't ever hit the sales floor. 

Weekends aren’t always the busiest days.

While you might think that Saturday mornings before a football game are crazy (and they are! They are.), there are other weekdays that garner a lot of activity as well. Thursdays are also extra bustling, according to James—but there are less costumes, then.

(It might not come as a surprise that James estimates that over half of Bloomington’s clientele comes from the city’s renowned university, Indiana University.)

The Bloomington store on East 3rd Street has a secret wine cellar.

Ok, it’s not so secret, it’s there in plain sight, but most people breeze right past the staircase to it—which means you usually have the wine room all to yourself to browse.

There are free public tastings 3 days a week.

You can drop by the Bloomington flagship for tastings 3 times a week. Thursdays are beer nights, and on Fridays and Saturdays there are wine flights to try. (On Saturday, that’s usually going all day.) James emphasized Big Red’s dedication to education among not only consumers, but staff too. It’s really important to them that they have an informed staff who can knowledgeably recommend the right selection for their customers.

Cardinal Spirits pours samples often at Big Red stores — this one is coming up at the downtown Bloomington location, with bottle discounts that day, too.

They really, really support local beer, wine, and spirits.

Not only does Big Red stock Cardinal Spirits (more on that later), it carries a lot of locally made booze. From swaths of the regional beer that Indiana and its surrounding states produce, to local wine from Oliver Winery down the road, to other nearby spirit makers like Starlight, they’re committed to bringing in high-quality, locally-made products — and the biggest selection of them.

They were one of the first to carry Cardinal Spirits! (And they’ve even made 2 exclusive batches with us.)

Cardinal Spirits is the first distillery in Bloomington, so, according to James, it was a natural fit to stock at the store. We opened our doors in February 2015, and James called it a “huge eye opener.” Big Red definitely had their sights on us while we were ramping up to opening, he explained, so they were thrilled when they finally got to taste the products, which met their high quality standards. Customers in the store love that it’s local, craft, and that the products really live up to the hype. It’s also a boon that some of the spirits are made in interesting styles, like the vodka, which is grape-based. It’s a great opportunity to educate customers, he said, about different approaches to spirits.

Big Red’s support of Cardinal has also been reciprocated—we’ve opened our doors to their spirit-loving VIPs to make a custom whiskey. And, Big Red has made a custom American Gin with us. (Both are available at Big Red locations.)

His advice for aspiring craft spirit makers trying to get a foot in the door? James says to not give up, and shared that “we’re looking for quality above all, not a fancy package.”

Don't miss our take-over of the Big Red store in downtown Bloomington on Saturday, Dec. 10. Raffles, spirit samples, cocktail demonstrations on the hour, giveaways, high fives, and more! And... a killer discount on bottles for one day only...

Meet: Black Bear Bierschnaps

Black Bear Bierschnaps — our collaboration with Upland Brewing — is here,
in all its smooth, malty, chocolatey glory.

If you've never heard of bierschnaps, you're not alone. This stuff is deliciously rare in the US. If you're curious about it, you've come to the right place. Right this way to the dark side...

First things first: Black Bear Bierschnaps (750ml, $28) is available starting today, Friday, Oct. 28, at Cardinal Spirits — and, in mid-November, it will available to buy alongside Teddy Bear Kisses stout at Big Red Liquor stores.

Here's everything else you need to know about Black Bear Bierschnaps:

WHAT IS IT?

Black Bear Bierschnaps is a distilled stout — a collaboration with Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington. It's is made with Upland’s Teddy Bear Kisses stout, which we brewed together with Upland brewers, then fermented and distilled on site at Cardinal Spirits.

WHAT IS BIERSCHNAPS, ANYWAY?

Bierschnaps is a German spirit that is made from beer which is brewed and fermented, then distilled to a stronger strength and more intense flavor. We used Teddy Bear Kisses, Upland’s award-winning Russian imperial stout aged on cacao nibs. It is a big, bold beer that is velvety, complex and roasty, and that profile is gloriously intensified in Black Bear Bierschnaps.  

HOW DID WE MAKE IT, EXACTLY?

Upland and Cardinal brewed a special batch of Teddy Bear Kisses seasonal stout, which was then fermented and distilled on-site at Cardinal Spirits.

Before fermentation, a bit of the wort was set aside and boiled down to a rich, dark-roasted malt syrup. Finally, the wort syrup, distilled stout, and original stout were blended together to bring you... drumroll please... BIERSCHNAPS.

The base of Black Bear Bierschnaps is Teddy Bear Kisses, Upland’s award-winning Russian imperial stout aged on cacao nibs. It is a big, bold beer that is velvety, complex and roasty, and that profile is gloriously intensified in Black Bear Bierschnaps.  

HOW TO DRINK IT?

Bierschnaps is traditionally enjoyed on its own and ice cold, either as a shot or sipped as a digestif. Black Bear Bierschnaps is a “bartenders’ handshake” type of spirit like Fernet or Malört — a shot that bartenders pour for each other. It’s also great alongside a beer, in a spiked root beer float or mixed into cocktails.

At the distillery, we'll serve it as a shot and you get to keep the glass. We'll also have two specialty cocktails: Paddington Flip, with Tiki Rum, Bierschnaps, raspberry and egg white; and Blood, Sweat & Biers, with Bierschnaps, grapefruit, lemon, cassis and orgeat.

Bierschnaps is delicious as it is intriguing, but don't just take our word for it. Come in and see for yourself.

Fall cocktail recipes

MILK PUNCH

Nocino / Tiki Rum / cream / apple preserves

SAGE GIMLET

Terra Gin / sage / lime

YELLOW JACKET

Standard Dry Gin / lemon / cinnamon / honey

SPICE ISLAND

Tiki Rum / apple / raisin / brown sugar / cinnamon / nutmeg

AUTUMN SMOKE

Tiki Rum / pear / lemon / lapsang souchong tea / cinnamon bitters

WALNUT MANHATTAN

Nocino / White Oak Whiskey / sweet vermouth / bitters

SLOW HAND

Songbird Coffee Liqueur / Vodka / cocoa / cayenne

BERRY BRAMBLER

Songbird Coffee Liqueur / Bramble / orange bitters

HOT TODDY

Whiskey / honey / lemon / orange-spiced black tea

Four fun things happening at the distillery

ONE: How does our Black Raspberry Bramble get its incredible, vibrant flavor? We toss satchels of whole black raspberries and hibiscus flowers into our vodka and let them steep. We started on the latest batch last week.

TWO: We juice a TON of citrus around here for cocktails. Emily crushes it on Mondays. Fresh juices make the best cocktails, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

THREE: Our head distiller Justin Hughey filtered a fresh batch of our Songbird Coffee Liqueur. We use freshly-roasted coffee from our friends and neighbors at Hopscotch Coffee to make this liqueur, never any flavoring extracts or coloring. (Speaking of our coffee liqueur, did you catch it on Uncrate?) 

FOUR: We released our first Single Barrel Bourbon on Friday, and bottles sold out in three hours! Wow, that was fast. These early birds lined up before we opened to make absolutely sure they got a bottle. Want to know what spirit we'll release next, and when? Sign up for our mailing list - we reveal it all in our weekly newsletter.