Ben Capdevielle
Distiller and Co-Founder, BIG GIN
Ben Capdevielle grew up in Fargo, North Dakota and left for Bozeman / Big Sky Montana at age 18. He worked in food service while living in Montana and began bartending at age 19. Throughout his 20’s, he learned the basics of fermentation and distillation from his second-generation moonshiner father, Big Jim.
In Seattle, Ben attended SCCC and worked in bars and restaurants all over town. Dive bars, fine dining and ethnic food restaurants helped shape Bens knowledge of the food service industry and helped lead to his next career, distilling. His hobby blossomed into an obsession: after many late nights moonshining with his friend and soon-to-be business partner, Todd Leabman, BIG GIN was born.
Ben still lives in Seattle with his wife and business partner, Holly Robinson, and their six-year-old daughter, Stella. The distillery is in its new home on the Ballard ship canal.