Five questions with ... John McGroarty

John McGroarty is the head brewer at the Canton Brewing Co. The 15-barrel production brewery and tasting room opened late last year in downtown Canton.

Question: Why did you become a brewer?

Answer: Previously, I was a staff accountant at a large furniture manufacturer and was becoming increasingly frustrated sitting behind a desk every day. I had always enjoyed craft beer and homebrewing, so when I began thinking of a career change, I started looking at working in A/P for a distributor but came to the realization that I'd still be stuck behind a desk the majority of the time so I started volunteering at a startup brewery in Houston, Texas, (Karbach Brewing Co.) and the rest is history -- I was shuffled through packaging, the cellar, then the brewhouse where I worked my way up to be their head brewer.

Q: There’s a concern that the craft beer industry – thanks to the phenomenal growth over the last few years – is reaching a saturation point, particularly in some areas of Ohio. Are there too many breweries here? If yes, why? If no, why not?

A: In my opinion, no. I feel that we will see an eventual settling of the total number of breweries in Ohio, but as long as people continue to put out great beers, we'll see more and more craft tap handles around the state.

Q: What advice can you give future brewers to be successful? ​It's all about the beer.

A: When I was training in Houston, I'd ask my brewmaster thousands of questions and he'd always tell me the same thing, "Well, is that what would be best for the beer?" It's funny because from five gallons to 100 barrels, the principals of brewing remain the same. It's just the equipment that changes.

Q: What’s your best-selling beer and why do you think it’s so popular?

A: ​Currently, our Black Jack Dünkel has been flying off the shelves. It's a very sessionable Dunkel with nice toast and chocolate notes and a crisp lager finish. The time of the year will heavily influence what beer is being sold, and this was the perfect segway from winter into spring.

Q: Which beer – any beer in the world – do you wish that you created/invented/brewed and why?

A: That's a very hard question. I'm a huge lover of Bavarian lagers, but hold a similar enjoyment for saisons. It would have to be between Weihenstephaner Helles and Saison Dupont. The methodical brewing tradition in Germany intriques me, while the farmhouse brewing of Wallonia has such a freedom to it, so I really couldn't choose just one!