Story

Ralph Faulkner was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1980. He had the honor of growing up in a city that has blue collar running through its veins. He was raised by his mother and father in the inner city and had very humble beginnings. Both parents were dedicated blue collared workers themselves, and they instilled those very same characteristics in Ralph at an early age. His parents worked two jobs each, pursued their college education, while raising two children. They would come home to a glass of bourbon after a hard day of work. His parents played an intricate role growing up, and Ralph had an introduction to sports as a youth. This taught him to stay encouraged, disciplined, humble, and to follow your dreams no matter what the circumstances are.

Ralph attended college in Georgia and after one year, the school went bankrupt losing its accreditation. Hundreds of students were left helpless, while losing their tuitions, and scholarships. Shortly after relocating back to Cleveland in the early 2000’s, Ralph was introduced to real estate by a friend, and he developed a passion for the business. He eventually started his own mortgage company, but always had dreams of one day opening his very own neighborhood bar. After the “Great Recession” of 2007, Ralph lost his business, leaving him to start over again, and the hopes of opening a bar slowly faded. Because of the mortgage industry knowledge that he possessed, Ralph was presented with an opportunity to work in Washington DC, and New York City as a real estate agent.

After a brief stay on the east coast, Ralph found out that his entire family was involved in a head-on car collision in 2010. His mother, father, sister, and nephew suffered significant injuries. His father has had multiple surgeries, and still has not fully recovered. After the car accident, Ralph relocated back to Cleveland to help his family recover from there traumatic experience. While living back home for just six months, he was offered a job to work at one of the world’s largest steel mills. Ralph accepted, and he worked twelve- to- fifteen-hour days to make ends meet and help support his family.

One day a childhood friend reached out to Ralph and suggested that he start his own vodka company because of his entrepreneurial spirit. Even though he once had dreams of owning his own bar, he knew that he was limited, and could only give so many people the “blue collar” experience. For months he thought of how to make a product that was smooth, tastes good, that was appealing, and affordable. He wanted to give hard working individuals something to look forward to after a hard day’s work just as his parents had. This has been the catalyst behind the Col Bleu vision. After substantial research and many failed attempts, Ralph eventually connected with a distillery in West Palm Beach, Florida. He invested his entire savings and founded Col Bleu Vodka after countless meetings with the Florida based distillery. In 2017, the perfect recipe was crafted.

Col Bleu Vodka is gluten free, one hundred percent distilled from corn, and it is eighty proof! It is affordable, and it tastes amazing! Col Bleu Vodka is so smooth, one could drink it straight! It is so tremendous in taste no mixers are needed to enhance it! It represents the heart and soul of true authenticity and the everyday “blue collared” worker who wants something to look forward to after a hard day of work!

Col Bleu Vodka stands tall and hold its heads high. It was created for the people by the people, and for that reason we can compete with the best!

-Ralph Faulkner