As published in Toledo Business Journal - April 1, 2021

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Quenched & Tempered secures financing for taproom completion

Craft brewery to open 3,000 sf facility in downtown Toledo; received funding from Port Authority

Quenched & Tempered Brewing Co., a craft brewery committed to brewing beer with quality ingredients, has secured financing to complete its taproom in downtown Toledo at 1210 Jackson Street. According to the brewery, the 3,000 square foot taproom will be a clean and welcoming hangout where people can sample and experience its variety of beers and seasonal offerings.

With its brewing production on the outskirts of Grand Rapids, Ohio, Quenched & Tempered applied for and received funding from the Microenterprise Development Initiative through the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority (TLCPA) along with the City of Toledo’s Enterprise Development Loan Program. The funding will allow for Quenched & Tempered to complete a brick-and-mortar presence in a growing, exciting, and popular area of downtown Toledo.

“We are beyond excited to finish construction on our taproom,” stated Alex Drozdowicz, Quenched & Tempered co-founder and brewmaster. “We are grateful for the opportunities both of these funding initiatives have provided our small business.”

According to Drozdowicz, the loan was a combined effort by the City of Toledo economic development department through one of its professionals, Steven Powell, and TLCPA. Craig Teamer, manager of finance and special projects, TLCPA, also partnered with the Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI) and its relationships manager, Jetari Veal.

Drozdowicz noted that the TLCPA financing was used for the taproom renovations and the financing was essential, as the company has experienced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are nearing completion on a full renovation of the taproom building – owned and overseen by Craig Mossing with Mossing Studios – putting in a bar, cold room, walls, bathrooms, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and we have renovated a private rental space on the second floor,” explained Drozdowicz. “The City of Toledo was very helpful, and we are so thankful for their support, especially during a time when financial relief programs are quickly being thrown together, and everyone is doing their best to expedite new processes.”

According to the brewery, the taproom will offer a full line up of Quenched & Tempered craft beers, and the private, rentable room on the second floor of the historical building will be ideal for parties and events. At first, there will be no kitchen, but food trucks will be onsite until a kitchen opens at a later date. The taproom is slated to open in the second quarter of 2021, as long as the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t delay the project further.

According to Drozdowicz, who is also a welder / welding inspector / welding instructor / blacksmith, he had been brewing as a hobby for a few years, and then decided to start a nanobrewery out of his barn in 2016. There are four other co-owners who have brought different skills together in this venture – two are friends Drozdowicz worked with at past jobs, one is his brother, and another a lifelong friend. The co-owners built a separate brewing room in the barn with a fermentation closet where they brewed on a small Blichmann one-barrel system. They sold the kegs to local bars and restaurants around Toledo. Once they had some experience, confidence, and the beer had started to make a name for itself, they decided to expand their brewing facility and open a taproom.

“The name Quenched & Tempered is a play on words referencing quenched and tempered steel where strength comes from being both hardened and ductile. It felt like a suitable name, because while the words apply to beer drinking, the group of people involved in the inception of this brewery are tradesmen. We united not just under our shared love of craft beer, but a vision of being freed to run our own kind of business on a platform where we can take our craft to the highest quality,” said Drozdowicz.

“Being tradesmen, we value how small changes in fundamental scientific processes affect the completed product. We set out to make quality beer using real ingredients and careful attention to detailed processes, but we also stepped out on an audacious belief that a local business rooted in connection with its community and forging authentic relationships is just what is needed in this age, and therefore will thrive,” he explained.

Drozdowicz explained that the company has tried to manage its growth in a way that has kept its overhead costs down.

“It is an understatement to say that now is a tough time to be opening a bar / restaurant. One thing that sets us apart is that our brewing facility and taproom are separate. The brewing facility has room for growth, which allows us to brew at a higher capacity than many other small breweries. The hope is that as we grow, we may be able to open satellite taproom locations and spread out our reach a little while remaining part of the small business community that we love and believe in. We are really passionate about small business, and are committed to the local communities we serve,” he explained.

So far, Quenched & Tempered has been entirely owner-operated, but it recently posted a position to hire a taproom manager.

“Once we have that position covered, we will be working with our new manager to hire a team of servers. We also self-distribute our cans and kegs, and will eventually need to hire some people to help with sales and deliveries. I hope to have five full-time employees by the end of 2021, and at least as many part-time employees,” said Drozdowicz.

Drozdowicz also noted that each of the five co-owners have invested at different levels – financial and otherwise – in getting the project off the ground.

“We really began on just that internal investment. Once we were producing on a small scale, a handful of private investors came in who believed in what we were doing and took the risk on us before we had much to show for ourselves. This is a group we can’t speak highly enough about. They’ve become part of the family surrounding this business, and they’ve gone above and beyond to support and promote us. We still have some final expenses to complete our expansion, and we are talking with a handful of potential new investors,” said Drozdowicz.

When speaking of advice for businesses that are considering financing, Drozdowicz noted to start early, be organized with paperwork so that it is always accessible at a moment’s notice, expect delays, and then at least double expectations for delays.

“Over the last year, one thing that has stood out to us is how impacted local small businesses have been by all the shutdowns, regulations, and employees struggling with illness. Everyone has their own unique story, and the generalizations we come up with don’t tell the truth of it. At Quenched & Tempered, we have had a mixed bag of struggles and blessings. And we are so thankful to still be here – moving forward,” Drozdowicz concluded.