Five questions with ... Tanya Brock

Tanya Brock is the brewmaster at Carillon Brewing Co. in Dayton. It's one of the most unusual breweries in the country, as it replicates the brewing process from the 1850s and focuses on education. A visit involves stepping back in brewing history.

Question: Why did you become a brewer?

Answer: I had the unique opportunity of taking this position to be part of the nation’s first production brewery in a museum. (We are part of Carillon Historical Park/Dayton History). My background is a mix of history education, museum administration, and food preservation. Being the manager and brewster at Carillon pulls from all this experience to recreate the brewing techniques and recipes of the 1850s. It has been a lot of hard work researching and replicating brewing this way but I am honored to be part of this journey bridging brewing’s past with its present growth.

Q: Carillon is not your typical brewery, as you replicate brewing from the 1850s. Explain the differences and similarities between brewing back then and brewing today.

A: Beer, old and new, has always utilized the same basic ingredients and processes. One step into our brewery, it is apparent that the main difference between historical brewing and today is the equipment. Today’s breweries are filled with towering stainless steel tanks. Ours, and those in the past, employs copper kettles over open charcoal fires. Oak barrels are used as fermenters. Muscle power and gravity supply the brewery’s energy. Everything is, and historically was, done by hand.

Q: With so many breweries opening in Ohio, what advice can you give future brewers to be successful?

A: I’d sum my advice by saying one word: more. You will always need more time, more money, more beer, more advertising, more people, more research, more energy. With all this need for more, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Breathe. Take time to celebrate that you are part of this exciting industry that is a connector and reflection of the community you serve.

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

A: Coriander Ale is one of our two flagship beers. It is a pale ale with coriander seeds and hot peppers. This recipe is an original from 1831 when it was brewed as a sinus cure-all. It is super smooth with a great sweet, fruity taste that makes it approachable to the newbie craft drinker as well as the seasoned drinker.

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

A: Well as a historical brewster I’d have to say I wish I was there to brew the first beer. It is amazing that what probably was an accidental meeting of grain and water was intentionally replicated. That moment of pure creation would’ve been mixed with excitement, curiosity, and fear. I can only imagine what that brewer must have been thinking.

Editor's note: The Five questions with ... feature appears every Friday on the Ohio Beer Blog. If you are an Ohio brewer and want to participate -- or you want to recommend someone to participate -- email me at rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com.