Last time I convened at Hotel Tango Distillery, I was saying goodbye to a colleague who was leaving office life to give 100% to her young family. It felt like we were losing a family member. Thankfully, the warmth of the Hotel Tango tasting room was perfectly suited for the occasion. A fire was roaring as it typically does in this space that combines wood, rock, and brick to make visitors feel like they are taking a break from the slopes to warm up in a cozy chalet. It is a place where friends gather to toast the best of times. It is only fitting that it has risen to the challenge in the worst of times.
Scary situations are nothing new to Hotel Tango CEO and Founder Travis Barnes, who served three tours of duty during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He and his wife, Hillary, have now stepped up to supplement the diminished supply of accessible hand sanitizer by producing their own. "Since we already have facilities and equipment geared toward producing high-proof alcohol, which is a common cleaning and anti-bacterial agent, it feels like we have a duty to help wherever we can," says Barnes.
So far, they've produced 4,000 bottles to donate to Indianapolis homeless shelters, schools, nursing homes, local delivery stations, fire stations, the USS Indiana, and an Indiana National Guard unit stationed overseas. This is another example of leadership in action from Travis and Hillary Barnes in the face of the most elusive enemy this country has ever faced.
With public spaces closed, Hotel Tango is offering Take-And-Shake Cocktail Kits available for pick up during limited hours from their Virginia Avenue location. From Bloody Marys to a delicious Old Fashioned, the kits come with up to 12 servings for you to enjoy. Follow them @HotelTangoIndy to keep up with specials.
I urge you to keep the Indy Craft Pass spirit alive by supporting our local breweries and distilleries during this crisis. If we can collectively help them, as they are helping others, life will taste all the sweeter when this passes.