By: Emily Dammeyer, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce
Founded by Tom Schaeffer in 2015, Black Cloister Brewing Company (BCBC) is conveniently located on the northwest corner of the Warehouse District in downtown Toledo. Located in the historic Hannons Block building, the brick archways and unique features are original to the 142 year old building.
There is rich history throughout the brewery, packed right into their name “Black Cloister.” As a Lutheran Pastor, Schaeffer wanted to pay tribute to his roots and Martin Luther, father of the modern day Protestant Church, originally studied at Black Cloister in Germany in the 16th century.
There is rich history throughout the brewery, packed right into their name “Black Cloister.” As a Lutheran Pastor, Schaeffer wanted to pay tribute to his roots and Martin Luther, father of the modern day Protestant Church, originally studied at Black Cloister in Germany in the 16th century.
Beyond a rich taste of history, what can visitors expect? Delicious, award-winning beer and delightful service from one of their 12 employees. In the past 18 months, each batch of beer has tapped into unique tastes and several have attracted international attention with no less than five awards at the San Diego International Beer Competition and the Best of Craft Beer Awards (BCBA) in Bend, Oregon. The BCBA is one of the fastest-growing beer competitions in America. With 78 judges, only 145 breweries took home medals in 2017 – Black Cloister took two. Plus, they are the fastest growing brewery in their distributor's portfolio. Bars & restaurants across the state are getting BCBC beers on tap – but why travel when you can get a pint of this in-demand beer in your own backyard? Head downtown and park in one of four convenient lots, stop in and grab a pint. BCBC is also happy to now offer a food menu to pair with your drink. On your way to the Huntington Center or a walking tour of the area? Don’t forget to ask for a Downtown Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) cup so that you can take a taste to go.
No stranger to award-winning breweries, the Toledo community has rapidly embraced BCBC. They were the first US Craft Beer back in the German American Festival in a number of years and will celebrate their third year of being offered this year. In addition to appearances at local festivals and international competitions, BCBC has quite the reputation for supporting community fundraisers and organizations. Recently they hosted “Pints for Prairies” on behalf of the Toledo Zoo. Schaeffer’s team and the Zoo have partnered on a conservation effort to develop an urban prairie on Erie Street to beatify the area.
No stranger to award-winning breweries, the Toledo community has rapidly embraced BCBC. They were the first US Craft Beer back in the German American Festival in a number of years and will celebrate their third year of being offered this year. In addition to appearances at local festivals and international competitions, BCBC has quite the reputation for supporting community fundraisers and organizations. Recently they hosted “Pints for Prairies” on behalf of the Toledo Zoo. Schaeffer’s team and the Zoo have partnered on a conservation effort to develop an urban prairie on Erie Street to beatify the area.
Coming Soon: Schaeffer and the team recently acquired a brandy barrel and have been aging a Belgian Golden Strong brew for eight months. They will be bottling the brew soon with an exclusive release – stay tuned to FB for more details.
Looking for the perfect time to visit? Check out their hours on their website and be sure to take note of a few special events. Every Tuesday and Thursday stop-in for trivia night, and the 4th Wednesday of the month take your dancing shoes because you will definitely learn how to tango. Harry Potter enthusiasts will want to save the date for HP Trivia on August 10th and those that like a more serious note can join Michigan NPR a the brewery on August 20th for a roundtable to discuss the health of the great lakes as part of their “Issues and Ales” series.
 | Emily Dammeyer Communications Manager, TRCC As Communications Manager, Emily manages the digital presence for the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce (TRCC) & EPIC Toledo. If you have a success story to share about your business, be sure to let her know! |
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