Colby Theisen
Colby Theisen built his reputation simply by applying the disciplined mindset of an engineer to one of mankind's oldest crafts. His journey into whiskey began, strangely, in the world of computers and information technology, where analytical thinking, precision, and systematic problem solving were daily requirements. Those same characteristics later became the foundation of Loggerhead Distillery, a Florida craft distillery that has sought to define its own identity by producing spirits that are unmistakably tied to the Sunshine State.
Theisen was born on September 10, 1968 and grew up in the historic Orlando suburb of Sanford, Florida. There, his family has long maintained deep ties to the community. His father owned a business in downtown Sanford, giving Colby firsthand familiarity with the city's commercial district from an early age. He attended All Souls School and spent much of his youth exploring the historic downtown area during years when Sanford had not yet experienced the revitalization for which it later became known. Those experiences fostered an attachment to the city that would eventually influence one of the most important business decisions of his career.
Like many future craft distillers, Theisen's first career lay far from whiskey production. After graduating from the University of Florida with a BS in Computer Engineering, he became a computer engineer and subsequently built a career in information technology. Engineering appealed to his natural curiosity because it combined scientific principles with practical application, but over time another interest began competing for his attention. Distillation offered something unusual: an opportunity to blend chemistry, engineering, agriculture, craftsmanship, and creativity into a single profession.
The turning point came when a friend presented him with a business concept centered on craft distilling. Rather than dismiss the idea or plunge into it impulsively, Theisen approached it as an engineer would. He traveled to Kentucky to complete courses in distilling and fermentation, seeking formal instruction before investing substantial time and money. The experience proved transformative. As he later explained, he "fell in love with it," discovering that distilling allowed him to continue working with science while simultaneously exercising creativity in ways that engineering alone rarely permitted.
Around the same period, Theisen found a kindred spirit in fellow engineer and co-worker Christopher Schmitt. Their conversations quickly progressed from discussing whiskey and fermentation to researching the practical realities of opening a distillery. They immersed themselves in business planning, licensing requirements, equipment selection, production methods, and financing. According to those who chronicled the company's beginnings, less than a year passed between those early conversations and the decision to transform the idea into a functioning business.
Selecting Sanford as the distillery's home was a deliberatedecision rather than a matter of convenience. Theisen introduced Schmitt to the downtown district that had shaped his childhood, convinced that its historic architecture and growing entrepreneurial spirit offered the ideal setting for a destination craft distillery. After locating a former automotive repair shop and dry-cleaning building on West Second Street, the partners spent more than a year renovating the structure. Much of the work was completed by their own hands, including removing layers of flooring to expose and restore the original hexagonal tile beneath. The building itself became part of the story they hoped visitors would experience.
Loggerhead Distillery officially opened in 2019, reflecting not only Theisen's technical interests but also his lifelong connection to Florida. The partners deliberately avoided creating a brand that could have existed anywhere in America. Instead, they built the company around Florida itself. They chose the name "Loggerhead" in honor of the loggerhead sea turtle, an animal closely associated with Florida's coastline and one that Theisen remembered from childhood visits to the beach. As a boy he once found the skull of a loggerhead turtle, an image that remained with him for years and ultimately became one of the inspirations behind the company's logo. And that commitment to Florida extended well beyond the company's name. Theisen sought to incorporate Florida-grown sugar cane, citrus, grains, botanicals, and other agricultural products whenever practical, allowing the state's landscape to influence the character of the spirits themselves. At the same time, Loggerhead established an environmental mission by donating a portion of bottle sales to organizations devoted to sea turtle rehabilitation, marine research, and coastal conservation. Thus, the company's identity became inseparable from its effort to celebrate—and protect—the natural environment that had inspired its creation.
Although Loggerhead produces moonshine and other spirits, aged whiskey has become an increasingly important part of Theisen's long-term vision. The distillery has developed bourbons produced from corn, barley, and rye before aging them in new charred oak barrels. It has also introduced an American single malt whiskey matured in new American oak before receiving a finishing period in apple brandy casks. Rather than attempting to imitate Kentucky bourbon traditions, Loggerhead has emphasized the production of whiskey that reflects Florida's own climate, ingredients, and identity while remaining faithful to established American whiskey standards
Theisen has continued applying the engineer's instinct for refinement to nearly every aspect of the business. Product design, label artwork, visitor experience, and branding have all received careful attention. The distillery's labels, featuring watercolor scenes of Florida wildlife and landscapes, have received national recognition for their design while reinforcing the company's central message that every bottle should communicate a sense of place. Theisen has often remarked that visitors leave with an appreciation for a Florida that extends far beyond its theme parks, discovering instead the state’s bountiful orange groves, wildlife, coastal ecosystems, as well as its locally crafted spirits.
Colby Theisen's contribution to Florida whiskey is readily apparent. He belongs to a generation of craft distillers who entered the industry not through inheritance but through professional reinvention. Drawing upon engineering discipline, scientific curiosity, and a deep affection for his home state, he helped establish Loggerhead Distillery as one of Central Florida's leading craft whiskey producers. His career demonstrates that innovation in American whiskey often begins with individuals willing to combine technical expertise, entrepreneurial determination, and regional pride into something entirely their own.
Sources
Sanford 365, "Loggerhead Distillery Opening on 2nd Street”, Jessica McCarty-Carvajal, April 18, 2019, sanford365.com
Loggerhead Distillery official website, loggerheaddistillery.com
ClickOrlando, "Florida Foodie – Loggerhead Distillery”, Thomas Mates, July 9, 2019, clickorlando.com
Central Florida Lifestyle, "Loggerhead Distillery: Putting Sanford Spirits on the Map”, Catie Moore, 2023, centralfloridalifestyle.com
Contributed by Tracy McLemore, Fairview, Tennessee
