Whiskey vendor comes to Lafayette farmers market

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - It's farmers market season again in Greater Lafayette, and for the first time ever the Saturday market in Lafayette has alcohol available for sale.

While the West Lafayette market has included wine vendors, Lafayette's farmers market has never before hosted a wine, beer or liquor business.

There is only one vendor at the market selling booze, The Indiana Whiskey Co. out of South Bend.

"I was very excited about the prospect of adding this to the market because of the buzz and excitement I was sure it would bring," Emily Colombo, office manager for Greater Lafayette Commerce, said.

The company is veteran-owned and operated, and the owner and founder, Charlie Florence, is a graduate of Purdue University.

The company prides itself on utilizing materials that come only from Indiana, whether as whiskey ingredients or in the packaging and distilling process.

"Everything comes from the state," Shamus Hanlon, vice president of sales and marketing for the company, said. "We keep the money as close to home as possible."

Using raw materials from Indiana allows the company to highlight two of the state's strengths, agriculture and manufacturing, he added.

"Our still was made in South Bend. It's a copper pot still, which was made by hand," Hanlon said. "And the corn in Indiana is second to none. It gives a really delicious taste to both of the products."

Barley and wheat grown in Indiana can also be found in both the whiskeys offered by the distillery.

Right now the company offers a bourbon, aged nearly two years, and an un-aged silver sweet corn whiskey. Both products are available for sampling at Lafayette's farmers market.

Soon, Hanlon said, the company will be rolling out more product, including a cinnamon and a maple flavored whiskey.

Hanlon said the product is available throughout the state in liquor stores, super markets, bars and restaurants, but the company likes to focus on direct sales, reaching out to consumers at farmers markets across the state.

A piece of legislation passed in 2016, HB1386, permits artisan distillers to participate in expositions and trade shows for a total of 45 days a year, according to Colombo, which includes market venues. There were no other local legal restrictions on allowing vendors to sell alcohol, she added, but the vendor had to secure approval from the excise police.

Hanlon said the passage of this legislation has been great for business because when people are able to taste the product their interest is piqued.

Abby McClure, a Lafayette resident who was enjoying the market this past Saturday, said she'd love to see more vendors selling alcohol and a diversity of goods at the farmers market. She added she thinks more vendors, regardless of whether they sell liquor or other items, might draw even more members of the community to the market.

"I would enjoy seeing more vendors come. The opportunity to interact with a greater variety of vendors would be neat," she said.

Colombo said the Indiana Whiskey Co. was the first alcohol vendor to reach out to her, but, state and local statutes permitting, she would be interested in adding more.

"The more people we can bring to the market, the better everyone does," she said.

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Source: (Lafayette) Journal & Courier, http://on.jconline.com/2py4cbf

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Information from: Journal and Courier, http://www.jconline.com