Photo provided Brown County’s Hard Truth Distilling Co., in partnership with the recently founded Mellencamp Whiskey Co., is releasing a new whiskey collection specifically celebrating and supporting Hoosier farmers.
INDIANAPOLIS — The final contenders for the Indiana Chamber’s fourth annual Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana tournament were determined as semifinal round voting concluded Monday night.
The two finalists hail from southern Indiana: Hard Truth Whiskey Co. of Nashville (Brown County) with its sweet mash whiskey and Harpsicle Harps of Rising Sun (Ohio County) with its handcrafted instruments.
This year’s tournament started with a record-high field of 90 competitors, as organizations from across the state fought it out to determine who has the “Coolest” Hoosier-made product. The final round features tournament veteran and last year’s runner-up, Hard Truth, and newcomer Harpsicle Harps, which has taken the tournament by storm this year with several convincing victories.
Championship round voting began this morning to determine which of the two finalists reigns supreme. Voting closes at 9 p.m. on Thursday. The winner will be announced Dec. 11 at the 2024 Best IN Manufacturing Awards Luncheon at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis.
The finalists’ product descriptions can be seen on the event’s website. Fans and followers of the finalists can be part of the competition by voting online at www.indianachamber.com/coolestthing.
“It’s been truly amazing to watch – round by round – the cream rise to the top in this year’s competition, which has been tremendously fierce,” says Vanessa Green Sinders, Indiana Chamber president and CEO. “We celebrate right alongside Hard Truth and Harpsicle Harps, applauding their amazing accomplishment.
“Beyond that, we salute all 90 great Hoosier makers that have made this tournament special and are thrilled this event has put the spotlight on them and the statewide business ecosystem that in part makes their success possible.”
This year, the Indiana Chamber is joined by the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) in putting on the program, and tournament entries and interest have skyrocketed.
The IDDC’s “IN Indiana” marketing campaign is incorporated into this year’s Coolest Thing Made contest, which is run like a single-elimination, Hoosier Hysteria-style tournament.
Entry in the contest is free. To participate, a company did not need to be headquartered in Indiana, but the product entered must be manufactured in the state. Companies are limited to having one product nominated for entry.
Last year, Hoosier Racing Tire was crowned as the producer of the Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana for its racing tire. Janus Motorcycles of Goshen took top honors in the inaugural competition, and in 2022 the Chamber honored Maple Leaf Farms of Leesburg for its roast half duck.
The Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana and Best IN Manufacturing endeavors are supported by spirit sponsor Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Purdue MEP), with gold sponsor Kalenborn Abresist Corporation and silver sponsors Evonik Tippecanoe Laboratories and Kimball Electronics Jasper.
