Lock 27 and the Miami canal


Photo of beer glass on bar at Lock 27 Brewing in downtown Dayton, Ohio.


© 2019 Timothy R. Gaffney

One of the brewpubs that piqued my interest in the Dayton region's brewing history was Lock 27 Brewing.

The name is an obscure reference to an important part of the Miami Valley's history—one that influenced the development of the region's brewing industry in the 19th century.

Lock 27 has two locations: its original one at 1035 South Main Street in Centerville, and one at Dayton Dragons Plaza downtown, where I'll be Wednesday evening, Sept. 18.

It was one of several local brewpubs I noticed that drew on local history to brand themselves or their products, and consequently led to my writing Dayton Beer: A History of Brewing in the Miami Valley. "Lock 27" is a nod to the Miami and Erie Canal, which was once the transportation artery that connected the Miami Valley to Cincinnati and Toledo.

Photo of Lock 27 South of the Miami & Erie Canal
Lock 27 South of the Miami & Erie Canal

When I interviewed him for my book, founder and owner Steve Barnhart said he wanted a name that would tie his brewery to the local region. "It's all about local in a lot of ways," he said.

He felt Dayton's aviation heritage was overused, so he began looking for other significant parts of the region's history and soon came upon the canal.

"I knew [the canal] existed, but I really didn't pay a whole lot of attention to it. Once I started reading about it, it was fascinating," he said.

Looking for local canal sites, he found Lock 27 South, also known as the Sunfish Lock, which still exists along the canal's path just south of Miamisburg. He decided to name his brewpub after that lock.

 His second location reflects another trend among craft microbreweries, that of repurposing old urban buildings. Lock 27's downtown brewpub faces the Dayton Dragons plaza from within the historic General Motors Delco building at 329 E. First Street, a space it shares with Delco Lofts apartments.
Steve Barnhart

 Barnhart kept elements of the building's industrial past in the design for Lock 27's interior space. One example is the battery of beer taps built into an old welding tank.

 Barnhart said drawing on local history is a way brewpubs can connect with their local customers. "Each of us has our following and each of us draws from our local community," he told me.

 Which makes Lock 27 a great place to talk about local brewing history, and that's what I'll be doing there between 6 and 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18. Grab a pint and join me. I'll sign your book, and copies will be available for sale.


Location: Dayton, OH, USA

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