Sun King Brewing Company Acquires Hotel Tango Brand Assets, Expanding Indiana Craft Beverage Platform
Sun King Brewing Company has acquired select Hotel Tango brand assets, expanding its Indiana craft beverage platform and positioning the company for long-term growth. The acquisition includes intellectual property rights to Hotel Tango’s spirits portfolio and creates new opportunities for product innovation, distribution, and retail partnerships.
INDIANAPOLIS [April 28, 2026] — Sun King Brewing Company today announces the acquisition of select Hotel Tango Whiskey brand assets, further expanding its Indiana craft beverage reach. The acquisition, which gives Sun King intellectual property rights to Hotel Tango’s entire spirits portfolio, strategically builds Sun King’s beverage platform and lays the groundwork for future growth.
“We are excited to welcome Hotel Tango to the Sun King family,” said Clay Robinson Co-CEO of Sun King. “Hotel Tango is a great Indiana brand with a strong customer following and distribution network. We see value not only in their spirits portfolio but also in the opportunities that come from combining strong brands with shared operational capabilities. We have seen the craft beverage market increasingly reward strategic partnerships, and we believe this acquisition will benefit our customers while helping us scale our beverage platform for long-term growth and stability.”
Sun King and Hotel Tango leaders say they expect the transition to support continuity for both brands while creating opportunities for renewed investment, product development and retail relationships.
“This is not just about one transaction,” said Eddie DeSalle, Interim CEO of Hotel Tango Whiskey, Inc. “Across craft beverage, organic growth is increasingly difficult to rely on. Brands that want to endure must think carefully about sources of competitive advantage, operating leverage and distribution capabilities, and we believe Sun King is the right home for the next chapter of the Hotel Tango brand.”
Sun King began distilling in 2018 with the opening of their Carmel Tap Room and Distillery and recently relocated distilling operations to their downtown Indianapolis campus. The Hotel Tango brand offers an opportunity to build on that foundation and expand Sun King’s beverage offerings.
“Hotel Tango has created many memorable spirits over the years, but we are particularly excited to explore creative runway with the ‘Shmallow brand of toasted marshmallow whiskey, which has distinctive consumer appeal and lends itself well to innovation, including products in the ready to drink category,” said Sun King Co-CEO Dave Colt.
The Hotel Tango tasting room at 702 Virginia Avenue will become a second Black Dog Brewing Company location that will continue to offer Hotel Tango spirits and craft cocktails.
About Hotel Tango Distillery:
Founded in 2014 by U.S. Marine veteran Travis Barnes and his wife, Hilary, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The distillery offers high-quality spirits, including bourbon and ‘Shmallow crafted with a commitment to excellence and known for its distinctive military-themed branding. Hotel Tango aims to create exceptional spirits and support veteran-owned businesses. To learn more about Hotel Tango Distillery, visit https://hoteltangodistillery.com/.