Hidden Gems: Meet Ann Thomas of Western Reserve Distillers, LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann Thomas.

Hi Ann, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Kevin and I (Ann) started Western Reserve Distillers in 2014 not knowing anything about craft distilling. We began by taking classes, both in person and online, reading and participating in an internship. Our son, Jake, works with us and our granddaughter, Isabelle (IzzyB) is the bee in our logo.

We knew from the beginning we would be an organic distillery because by using organically and sustainably grown ingredients we’re preventing the release of synthetic fertilizers and dangerous chemicals into the environment. We also believe that when you start with clean ingredients you get a clean product at the end.. We are Ohio’s first organic craft distillery, certified by the USDA and use as much organic ingredients in our restaurant as possible.

When we opened our doors on May 25th, 2018 we had only one product: Handcrafted Organic Vodka. Today, 7 years later, we have 22 products and are available in nearly all OH state liquor stores and some independent ones as well. Our products include vodkas, gin, rum, agave spirits, bourbons and whiskeys. You can find us in your area by going to www.ohlq.com and searching Western Reserve Distillers.

Our Premium Organic Vodka is made from Spelt and our Premium Organic Gin is made using that vodka base. Currently these are the only vodka/gin products distilled from spelt in the US today. Our rum is made using Organic Dark Molasses from the Louisiana Deltas and our Agave Spirits are made using 100% organic blue weber agave from Jalisco, Mexico. We distill it in the same way they do in Mexico but we do it in Lakewood so we have to call it Agave Spirit and not Tequila.

We also have a restaurant, The Distillery @ Western Reserve Distillers, on the same property. It’s an “upscale comfortable” dining experience with hand crafted cocktails created by very talented bar tenders and food from our kitchen to match. We believe in using the freshest ingredients as possible for everything. All of our juices are freshly squeezed and we even make our own simple syrup and agave simple syrup.

In 2022, we started offering classes. You can take a cocktail class and learn to make a favorite cocktail or simply take a class to learn more about tequila and bourbon. These are ticketed classes through Eventbrite. Tons of fun is what we typically hear!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think anyone starting and running a small business would ever be able to say it’s been a smooth road. I know we can’t. In the state of Ohio, distilled spirits is dealt with differently than beer and wine. Since it is high proof there are a lot of regulations that we must follow that the low proof spirits don’t and that can be frustrating.

Due to the nature of high proof spirits and the possibility of fire and explosion we were required, by law, to install a massive fire suppression system including metal shutters. Obviously we were happy to as no one wants anyone to get injured but let’s just say that someone will drown in our building before a fire gets out of control.

Finding the right partners was a struggle. We had a supplier of grains but just before we opened, they said they would not be able to help us anymore. Yikes! However, they introduced us to our partnership with Twin Parks Organic Farm and it was a match made in heaven. Farmer Dean supplies all of our fermentable grains and even helps out with deliveries.

When it came to our agave spirits, talk about a struggle. At first we tried the way most people go: purchase tequila and just bottle it. Turns out, not a lot of organic tequila coming out of Mexico and the few they had, not good. So we went into our own R&D. It took four trials (keep in mind each trial means bringing in agave concentrate, mashing, fermenting and distilling) and a lot of extra time and money before it was ready to bottle for our consumers. But we have a great product that we stand behind with every pour.

Probably one of the biggest challenges was when COVID-19 came about. WRD had only been open 18 months when we had to shut down. Not great timing. Not great for any small business, especially restaurants. We took a couple of days to figure out what to do and discovered that we could make hand sanitizer. So we did! A lot of hand sanitizer. We made the WHO formula, had our production facility approved by the FDA and in four months we sold over 50,000 gallons of hand sanitizer. We thank everyone who purchased it everyday. Without that spin and their purchases, we would not have survived.

As you know, we’re big fans of Western Reserve Distillers, LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Western Reserve Distillers is Ohio’s first Organic Craft Distillery. It’s a family business that started in 2014 by husband and wife, Kevin and Ann Thomas, with their son, Jake, joining in 2015. In the business logo there is a bee and this represents Kevin and Ann’s granddaughter, Isabelle (nicknamed IzzyB). The BEE sits at the tip of the arrow as she is always their true north.

Our name came from a combination of places that we’ve lived. At one point in Kevin’s professional career we lived in the Western Reserve Region of Connecticut and moving to Ohio for Kevin’s professional career, we learned that this was once known as the western most region of the Western Reserve Region of Connecticut. We thought the name followed us bringing two points in our lives together.

We distill a full line of spirits: vodkas, gin, rum, agave spirits, bourbons and whiskeys. The products are known for being exceptionally smooth and they pair well with fresh ingredients in cocktails.

We’re family owned. We’re organic. We make agave spirits. We make two products from spelt grain.

We are most proud of our agave spirits. We’re one of the fastest growing agave in the tequila aisle in Ohio and we are the largest organic agave spirit producer in the United States.

We are widely available in liquor stores. We are Ohio’s largest cocktail educator as we teach over 4000 people each year on how to craft a cocktail. We have a full service restaurant and bar, The Distillery @ Western Reserve Distillers, that features the freshest ingredients available.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
We were fortunate, Kevin and I, that he worked for such a large corporation and was able to work within different divisions. He learned from several managers along the way what to do, what not to do, in engineering, manufacturing, business development and innovation. He has essentially been my mentor as I come from the people side of business. My background is marketing but it’s hospitals, nursing homes and the American Cancer Society. We balance each other out.

To give someone advice on finding a mentor would be this: starting your own business is stressful. It’s difficult and time consuming. You want a mentor you can trust. You may want a couple with diverse backgrounds so it isn’t just a one sided approach. Always remember that not all advice is the right advice for your specific situation. Have a mentor that will have a back and forth conversation with you to explain their advice. Remember, you’re starting your business, not theirs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.westernreservedistillers.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/westernreservedistillers
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Westernreservedistillers/