1000 Carillon Blvd.
Dayton, Ohio 45409
937.910.0722
website
Now open in Dayton’s historic Carillon Park, the Carillon Brewing Co. has a whole different take on your traditional brewery concept. The folks here brew their beer in historic fashion — with recipes and brewing styles like they were in the 1850’s. Among the copper kettles, wooden barrels and a lot of interesting history to go along with it. The spot brews it’s own beers using recipes that hearken to the 1850s. But what really drives me here is the food. It’s an excellent assortment of German and European delicacies to match the beers on tap. While the spot is definitely worth going to for a drink, you’re really going to want to eat something when you’re there.
Among the delicious dishes that really impressed me:
- Reuben: The Reuben sandwich is already making a big splash in town, and I’d have to agree it’s one of the best in Dayton. That thousand Island dressing is what really ties everything together but the thinly sliced meat and that striking rye bread are really hard to forget. Toss some sauerkraut on it and you’ve got a delicacy.
- Mettwurst: The Mettwurst is smoky and juicy, it’s really hard to top the sausage when it’s got that smoked flavor. Just a little bit short on the outside, once again a -little bit of sauerkraut on top really drives that sweet sausage to another level.
- Wiener schnitzel: this schnitzel is a pork tenderloin pounded thin and fried, then served, as is tradition, with a slice of lemon. The dish is pretty simple, seasonings on the meat are good, and ultimately a few side dishes really make this one shine.
- German Chocolate Cake: The cake itself is a deep dark chocolate, and that topping is sweet and wonderful.
At this point the brewery also has a couple of brews on tap of its own. Among them is a coriander ale with some forward hints of citrus and actually a little bit of a peppery finish. The beer is kind of warm to the palate, and altogether not bad. There’s also a porter which is a little bit smoky with the flavor that is some parts chocolate, some parts coffee, and just a little bit bitter at the end.
Carillon’s highly anticipated opening definitely generated a lot of interest in town. And at the end of the day, the spot just offer something you can’t find anywhere else in Dayton. A place to go and enjoy some beers, bask in some history, and generally try some great food. I highly recommend it.
Recommendations
- The bar does flights with its own beers and some other select ones on tap, so there are some good combinations.
- The Ruben seems to be one of the strongest items on the menu so if you like that I’d suggest it.
- The spot is really busy on some days when it’s brewing beer, but on those days you get a good show.
Another Food Critic 