MARCH IS SOMETHING of a gateway month, creating a bridge from the damp, bone-chilling cold of winter to (hopefully) warmer spring weather in April and May. While we may still be dodging potholes—we’ll talk more about that next month—we also see nature starting to come back to life, with grass turning from brown to green, trees sprouting buds, and perennials poking through mulch and soil. Within a 10-day span, we’ll observe the start of daylight saving time, St. Patrick’s Day, and the official beginning of spring, all good reasons to propose a toast to sunnier days ahead.
For baseball fans, March signals a return to the diamond and the start of the 2024 professional season. Sports writer Bob Kravitz takes a nostalgic look back at his love of the game and looks forward to keeping his eye on the ball again.
This month might also be the perfect time to spirit away to a local or regional distillery or try a new concoction. Our cover package profiles 10 Indy-area distillers of whiskey, bourbon, gin, rum, and rye, among other varieties of liquor, and maps the way to more than a dozen statewide spots to sample Hoosier-made spirits. If you prefer to unpack the patio furniture early and imbibe at home, we provide some tasting tips, as well as a recipe for a signature cocktail that pairs well with brunch.
While we’re raising our glasses, I’d like to salute our longtime contributor Philip Gulley, whose “Back Home Again” column is closing out in this issue. I’ve had very mixed feelings about changing the format of our back page, but the timing feels right with a new season upon us. We have enjoyed Gulley’s musings and observations for the better part of two decades, and we wish him all the best in his next chapter.
