‘As slow as molasses’: Inside the Cardinal Spirits distillation facility

Rick Mellinger (left) and Justin Hughey (right), distillers at Cardinal Spirits, prepare a bucket of evaporated cane syrup to make rum March 17, 2026, inside the distillery at 922 S. Morton St. in Bloomington. It was the first day of the distillation process, which takes about two weeks until the spirits are ready to bottle.

Cardinal Sprits is a Bloomington staple known for its locally produced spirits found across town. Distilling the products is a complicated process. Here's a look at what goes on behind the scenes.

Bottles of Cardinal Spirits liquor are displayed on a shelf.
Spirits, including Tiki Rum and Four Grain Bourbon, are displayed March 17, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. The spirits formed the basis of the distillery's cocktails, like the Cignetti Sour, which features bourbon and bitters.
Tables and the bar area inside Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington.
The inside of Cardinal Spirits is pictured March 17, 2026, at 922 S. Morton St. in Bloomington. The distillery opened in 2015 and in 2024 was rated as one of the top 10 distilleries with restaurants in the United States by Tasting Table. According to its website, the distillery began because the owners “wanted to increase connections among people and our community.”

Cardinal Spirits welcomes customers for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.

Here’s a look at what goes into making Cardinal Spirits’ signature products:

The Cardinal Spirits distillation facility connected to the restaurant.
The Cardinal Spirits distillation facility, connected to the restaurant, is pictured March 17, 2026, in Bloomington. The production team began the process of making rum at around 9 a.m.
Evaporated cane syrup drips from a container into a vat.
Evaporated cane syrup drips into a vat March 17, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. The first step in the rum distillation process was to mix the cane syrup with the distiller’s light molasses.

Hughey described molasses as “the second squeezing of the sugar cane.”

He said the first squeeze of sugar cane produces cane syrup.

Water drains from a vat during the rum-making process.
Early in the process of distilling rum, water drains from a vat as a byproduct of steam March 17, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. The vat contained water, the distiller’s light molasses and evaporated cane syrup.
Rick Mellinger drains the last of the molasses into a bucket.
Distiller Rick Mellinger drains the final drops of molasses into a bucket while producing rum March 17, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. Mellinger used to frequently work at the distillery in the back of Cardinal Spirits’ main location at 922 S. Morton St. but now primarily works at the bottling facility on the west side of Bloomington.

March 17 was Mellinger’s first shift back at the distillery. “It’s like riding a bike though,” he said.

The final drops of molasses drip from a spout into a bucket.
The final drops of distiller’s light molasses drip into a bucket March 17, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. The team waited about five minutes for the remainder to drain. “It’s literally as slow as molasses,” Mellinger said.
Justin Hughey lifts a can of cane syrup into position over a vat.
Distiller Justin Hughey uses a machine to lift and position a can of evaporated cane syrup above the vat March 17, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. Hughey developed most of the distilling processes through small-batch test fermentations to determine the right blends of ingredients.

Hughey, who has worked at Cardinal Spirits for 12 years, is “the brains” behind the process, Mellinger said.

Vats line one side of the distillery floor.
Vats are lined up in the distillery March 17, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. Rum fermented with yeast in the vats for about seven days.
Justin Hughey prepares to adjust the sugar mixture in a vat.
Distiller Justin Hughey prepares to adjust the mixture of distiller’s molasses and evaporated cane syrup March 17, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. “Because sugar is basic in pH,” Hughey said, “we have to acidify to get it down.”
Justin Hughey works with labeled pH solutions at the distillery.
Distiller Justin Hughey uses solutions with basic, acidic and neutral pH values to adjust the rum to the correct pH, about 4.9, on March 17, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. Hughey said he learned how to make the adjustments in college.

He became interested in chemical processes while he attended the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Bartender Parker Burton makes a rum cocktail behind the bar.
Parker Burton, a bartender at Cardinal Spirits, makes a cocktail with rum March 18, 2026, at the Bloomington Tasting Room. Burton has worked at the distillery for over two years, creating cocktails with spirits made by Hughey and Mellinger.
Parker Burton pours ingredients into a Smokin' in the Girls Room cocktail.
Burton makes a Smokin’ in the Girls Room cocktail March 18, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. Burton made the $12 winter cocktail using lapsang souchong-infused Lake House spiced rum, blood orange, ginger and lemon.
Bottles of Cardinal Spirits products sit on display for purchase.
Bottles are displayed for purchase March 18, 2026, at Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington. The distillery won multiple awards including fifth Best Canned Cocktail Company from USA Today in 2025.

Canned cocktail four-packs are sold for about $15, while bottles of spirits start at about $30.

Products are available for purchase on site at 922 S. Morton St., at distribution locations and online.