Meet Matt Hondorf | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Hondorf and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started the Colorado Spirits Collective with the idea of showcasing Colorado distilleries via social media and creating a YouTube channel to do interviews with owners/distillers because at the time there was nothing like that currently going on. I felt on the national scale, Colorado wasn’t being represented and promoted like it should be. The week after I started, the COVID shut downs came to Colorado and I wasn’t able to do anything in person which put a damper on the YouTube portion of the idea. I focused on the social media side of things and built up the awareness and started getting recognized by distilleries and other people on social media. When it came time for things to start opening up, I was able to set up a bunch of interviews etc. and start doing what I wanted to when I started.

I’ve made relationships in other states and educated lots of people that the Colorado Whiskey and Spirits scene is a huge contender on the national scale.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started this project during a shutdown. Made it work and built the connections I could virtually, just like everyone else had too. My project has evolved into a side business, and has kept me very busy with event planning, interviews and gathering content. I am most proud of the relationships I have built within the spirits community across the U.S.

I feel what sets the Colorado Spirits Collective apart from other pages etc. is instead of just doing one thing, I am going the extra steps to put together events, travel across the state to smaller distilleries to get their voice heard, sending out samples to people so they can try them. Doing giveaways so people find out more about the brands and go out and support them at their local stores.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely start here in Colorado Springs, and hit The Alexander which is Blackhat Distillery’s/The Public Houses new location. I am excited for both as they expand and out grow their current set ups. The food is amazing and the spirits are top notch. Then take them up the street to hit Distillery 291 and show them around, check out one of the most unique spots around. 291 also has one of the coolest stories out there!

Next few days hit up the Denver Metro area, and make it to Bear Creek, Mythology and Talnua up in Arvada. Talnua is one of the newer distilleries, Patrick and Meagan the owners are absolutely killing it, making some of the best whiskey I’ve ever head!!

Id take my friend out west and head to 10th Mountain Whiskey in Vail. They have amazing spirits and do a ton of giving back to the community, especially the military community!

My last stop would be Deerhammer Distilling in Buena Vista, Colorado! Lenny, one of the coolest guys I’ve met so far is absolutely killing it, making innovative and delicious tasting whiskeys.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a huge shout out to Blackhat Distillery for approaching me to be one of the first interviews that I did and promoting my page ever since, Jess has helped me with any business questions for obstacles I’ve had. And I’m super excited to be working on a collaboration that we will announce soon!

Emily from Distillery 291, letting me come in to the distillery and get content whenever I needed some. Setting up events for me, and giving me advice on ideas that I have at all hours of the day!

And my wife for always supporting me.

Instagram: @cospiritscollective

Facebook: Colorado Spirits Collective

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8gP5rhi-0f0C1l8NplJ2-A

Image Credits
Colorado Spirits Collective Coltt LaVelle