Why barbecue?
Kress had visited Dayton Barbecue Company at Hidden Valley Orchards in Lebanon over the summer and really enjoyed owner Eric Evans' southern style barbecue. When Kress found out Dayton Barbecue Company was leaving the orchard in December 2024, he decided to reach out.
“We’ve had pretty much the same staples on our menu from the beginning and even through Covid,” Kress said. “There was this larger vision for the whole thing. Once we realized that there was the talent and the equipment looking for a home, we thought, ”Wow, let’s make a call and see if we can collaborate here.”"
The previous food program at Carillon Brewing Co. featured a menu inspired by the mid-19th century dining traditions brought by early German, English and Irish immigrants.
“If we were sitting here in 1850 what you would look out on to the north is this 2,000-acre farm called Rubicon Farm that Robert Patterson, who founded Lexington, Ky. and Cincinnati, came up here and purchased that property bringing with him the food traditions he learned in Kentucky,” Kress said. “If we looked out to the south, you’d see the Miami & Erie Canal.”
The Miami & Erie Canal was a water highway stretching from the Ohio River to Lake Erie that brought grains, lumber, barrels, pork, produce and finished goods from around the world.
This is where tradition and commerce collide. From Piqua to Dayton, there were smokehouses celebrating the traditions of smoking meats and pork trade.
“We were consuming a lot of pork,” Kress said. “It didn’t matter where you came from, you loved pork and that was a staple of the diet.”
Carillon Brewing Co. will not only celebrate the flavors of barbecue, but tell the story behind the food traditions.
“It’s not just a food stand,” Kress said. “This is a total experience.”
Creating the dream team
After being given this new opportunity, Evans reached out to Ashbrook, a friend of several years, because he needed someone to help him run the kitchen.
Ashbrook stepped up to the plate as executive chef and is looking forward to taking Evans' ideas to the next level.
“Being able to come into something like this with such rich history (and) being from Dayton, growing up in the Dayton food scene, growing up about a mile away or so, it’s very special,” Ashbrook said.
Ashbrook is the owner of Blind Dogs, a hot dog cart that sets up outside of Blind Bob’s in the Oregon District. He plans to have some of his signature “dogs” on the menu as he continues his business in a limited capacity.
Evans has also brought on his consultant, Ezekiel Cowell, as a partner in the business. Cowell is originally from Atlanta but moved to Dayton in March 2023 because his wife in the Air Force.
What to expect
Customers can expect some of their favorite dishes from Dayton Barbecue Company such as meat platters with pulled pork and brisket, smoked fried wings, salads and the “Smoked Stack,” a double patty burger with brisket, pulled pork, house made pickles and red onions.
“We’re taking what our community knows and loves about Dayton Barbecue and elevating that to a new standard,” Evans said.
They’re also planning to have sausages made locally that will be served on buns from Dorothy Lane Market. All sauces and dressings will be made from scratch.
For dessert, they will serve a smoked apple bread pudding with a butterscotch topping.
In addition to the food, the brewery is bringing back its larger seating capacity as well as bar seating.
Customers will continue to order via counter service with people bringing the food out when it’s ready.
An outdoor beer garden with activities
Carillon Brewing Co. is looking forward to the spring/summer when customers can experience its beer garden.
It will offer activities such as giant chess and checker boards, bowling and other fun games.
“For me, (Kress') full vision when he laid it out to me it embodies everything that I have always been trying to emulate from that family reunion style to barbecue bringing people to congregate,” Evans said.
Something new they plan to add near the beer garden is a 40-by- 80-foot timber framed barn that was saved near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The barn will be reconstructed and designed to be a stage for live music.
For those that haven’t been to the brewery recently, there is a great view of the park’s 1851 locomotive.
Taking a look back in time
Carillon Brewing Co. originally opened in August 2014 as one of Dayton’s first microbreweries post-prohibition.
“(Carillon Historical Park) became the first museum in the United States to own a fully licensed operating brewery; providing costumed brewing demonstrations to the public,” Kress said.
Guests can experience what it was like to brew back in the mid-19th century — from drawing water from a handmade copper kettle before beginning the process of mashing and lautering to milling malt by hand.
“We want people to start their visit here,” Kress said. “We want them to have a good understanding of the basics of beer and brewing then go out and explore all the other breweries in the region.”
Carillon Brewing Co. features a variety of house made beers on tap, in addition to local brews and a full bar. Non alcoholic drinks include house made soft drinks.
The idea behind Carillon Brewing Co. started with Kress' memory of making wine with his father and loving the smell of fermentation. Dayton Barbecue Company was built off of the skills and lessons Evans was taught by his father.
“We were all raised with this idea of what’s coming to be here with these exhibits,” Kress said.
To have Dayton Barbecue Company on the same property as the Wright Brothers National Museum and the Heritage Center of Dayton Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship, gives Evans goosebumps.
“To say that now, is a honor and is a high stake that I’m going to make sure that everyone is attached to it,” Evans said.
MORE DETAILS
Carillon Brewing Co. will reopen on Feb. 12 with a soft opening after being closed since early January. Evans is asking for patience and feedback as they learn the customer base and what works best in the space.
A grand opening is planned for March 17 where the brewery will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
.
About the Author
