IndyBar: Bourbon with the Bar Successes Support Indianapolis Bar Foundation

By John Allman, Hester Baker Krebs LLC

On Sept. 28, the inaugural Bourbon with the Bar networking event was held at IndyBar HQ. It was hosted by the Commercial & Bankruptcy Section, Criminal Justice Section and Solo and Small Firm Division. This event provided an opportunity for section and division members to meet attorneys who practice in other areas of law as well as mingle with some of Marion County’s judges.

The event started with attendees getting to mingle in HQ’s lobby while enjoying some delicious finger foods from Quality Ingredients, as well as beverages. The event then moved to the education room, where the tasting was held. Including sponsors, there were a total of 55 attendees who participated in the blind whiskey tasting led by Ray Vandivier of Rural Inn. Ray did an excellent job of educating the attendees on how to properly do a tasting, starting with “nosing” the bourbon before taking a sip and then letting the whiskey work its way down. After Ray gave instructions on how to go through the tasting, the attendees then went through all five whiskeys (labeled one through five) with their own tables while Ray worked the room and discussed the tasting with individual tables. The event was set up with assigned seats in an effort to put attorneys who did not know one another together.

Ray provided several of his favorite store picks in the tasting, including a delicious 2017 Buffalo Trace pick and a 2020 Blanton’s pick. Drew Black of locally-owned Circle City Whiskey Company brought a magnificent seven-year-old Midwest Grain Products bourbon to the tasting. Drew also set up a table prior to the tasting and allowed attendees to sample some of Circle City’s other products. Stagg Jr. was also included in the tasting and was the highlight for some. At the tasting’s conclusion, Ray revealed what each tasting was and asked attendees which ones were their favorite. While there was some consensus among the group as to which was favored, all five bourbons received praise.

The event concluded with a live auction of the bottles that were included in the tasting, which were auctioned by auctioneers Marc Huber, Huber Auction and Real Estate Group, and Nic Smock, Don Smock Auction Co. There were more than a few bidding wars throughout the auction and a lot of good laughs. All auction proceeds went to the Indianapolis Bar Foundation, as well as proceeds from “charity” pours that came after the tasting. The event allowed the sections and division to raise money for their annual budgets and generated $5,685 for the Indianapolis Bar Foundation.

The participating sections and division created this event as an alternative way to provide value (networking) to their members, raise money for their groups and the foundation, and to generally bring people together. Aside from being in court, we used to see our colleagues at the continuing legal education courses held regularly through out the year. However, that is no longer the case, as remote CLEs have been permanently approved. This event allowed for some great bourbons to be shared and for new relationships to be created. Hopefully you can join us next year as we look to grow this event! Don’t miss out on the Indianapolis Bar Foundation’s next fundraising event, IndyBar’s Giving. This annual online auction runs from 10 a.m. on Nov. 22, through 4 p.m. on Nov. 27, and is the perfect way to start your holiday shopping while supporting a great cause.

Thank you to our sponsors who made Bourbon with the Bar possible. The sponsors were: Forvis LLP, Hester Baker Krebs LLC, Landproz, Hurst Limontes LLC, Voyles Vaiana Lukemeyer Baldwin & Webb, Northwest Bank, Indy Facets Private Jeweler, Circle City Whiskey Company, Rural Inn and Don Smock Auction Co.•

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