Jeff McCabe on Building Hard Truth Distillery, Big Woods Pizza & Quaff ON! in Indiana

Jeff McCabe shares the story behind Hard Truth Distillery, Quaff ON! Brewing, and Big Woods Pizza in Brown County, Indiana. In this episode of Indiana Success Happy Hour, Brian Quinlan and Brad Niccum sit down with Jeff to talk about entrepreneurship, building destination brands, military lessons, hospitality, whiskey, and what it really takes to create something people want to come back to again and again. Jeff walks through his journey from the Naval Academy and flying helicopters to American Express and eventually moving to Indiana to help build some of the state’s most recognizable food and beverage brands. The conversation covers the origin of Quaff ON!, the growth of Big Woods, the evolution of Hard Truth Distillery, and how Brown County became home to one of the most unique tourism experiences in the country. They also talk about building with patience, taking smart risks, learning from failure, creating memorable customer experiences, and why Indiana pride matters when you’re building a brand. There’s plenty of whiskey talk too, including sweet mash rye, barrel selection, blind tasting psychology, and what makes Hard Truth stand out in a crowded spirits market. This is a fun, honest, and inspiring conversation with one of Indiana’s most accomplished founders.