Bear Wallow Distillery sits on Old State Road 46 in Nashville, Indiana, tucked into Brown County’s rolling hills about an hour south of Indianapolis. Founded by Tony and Tammie Smiley in 2010, this craft distillery emerged from Tony’s background in engineering and a shared passion for creating quality spirits in one of Indiana’s most scenic areas. The operation runs out of a converted facility where the couple built their dream from the ground up, focusing on small-batch production using locally sourced ingredients when possible. The Smileys started Bear Wallow after years of home brewing and distilling as a hobby, eventually deciding to turn their passion into a full-time venture. Tony’s engineering background proved invaluable in designing their production setup, while Tammie handles much of the business operations and visitor experience. They named the distillery after the area’s history – bear wallows were natural depressions where black bears would roll around, and Brown County was once prime bear habitat in Indiana. Visitors find themselves in a working distillery where you can see the entire process, from fermentation through bottling. The tasting room has a rustic, welcoming atmosphere that reflects the rural Brown County setting, and the Smileys often personally greet guests and share stories about their journey into distilling. The scale is intimate – this isn’t a massive production facility, but rather a place where every batch gets personal attention and visitors can actually talk to the people who made what they’re tasting.