My name is Will Foster and I’m the manager at 1350 Distilling.
I moved to Colorado Springs in October 2018, after deciding it was time to move out of my home state of California. I saw ‘The Springs’ as a place where I could have a better quality of life, and I’ve not been disappointed. Since I’ve moved to this great state and city, I’ve bought a little house in Old Colorado City, made some wonderful friends, gotten to know the different neighborhoods and communities within The Springs by eating and drinking at the many delicious restaurants and bars on offer here. Being a person who has grown up camping, fishing, hiking and surfing all over California, I’ve been taking the time to explore the Pikes Peak Mountain Range and the many other nearby hills and forests trails, and have come to enjoy all the beauty I’ve seen all around me, and am thankful that it’s right here in my new backyard.
When I told one of my best friends I was moving to Colorado Springs, she became very excited and said that her cousin Abbie and her wonderful family lived there, and she thought we would all get all along great. Well, I have to say she was right. Abbie, her husband Jake and their two wonderful daughters have all become very good friends, and have introduced me to their amazing, fun friends along the way. Two of their friends happened to be Phill and Kandis, who I met at the All Colorado Beer Festival, and maybe after having a little too much fun, the three of us became good friends also.
Little did I know the four of them were building a distillery together, and they were all very excited about their new business venture. Before I knew it, I was helping the four of them as often as I could with building, and having a good time doing it. They also had lunch and a cold beer to offer. Two things I don’t pass up. We all put in a lot of hours, a few bruised legs and arms and calloused hands, but we all did it together and it was wonderful to help them and watch their dream come to reality.
Along the way we were always talking about how they were going to be running their business, how their marketing was being done, and what their plans were for their distillery. It was fun to listen to their ideas, and I threw in a few from time to time, because I believed in what they were doing, and I wanted to help my new friends with their future business.
I felt very proud to help the four of them with their dream business, and as we all become better friends, I began being invited to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, Super Bowl and New Years parties, birthdays, concerts and the occasional Sunday bloody mary brunch. My personal favorite.
One day Phill and Jake took me out to lunch, and casually over beers they asked if I wanted to manage the tasting room for them! Are you kidding me?! Here I was scrambling to find a job, in a new town, with no business contacts, and these two dudes saw something in me, to ask if I wanted to be a part of the 1350 Distilling team. I promptly accepted.
--- Phill, Kandis, Abbie and Jake are very happy that he did accept. His contribution has been vital to our opening. He is preventing us from divorce and losing our minds. Thank you, Will for your help.
Here's to Will!