[Trademasters]
Profiling leaders of the pack
By Sam Ujvary
Rockmill Brewery
Nestled in central Ohio near the Hocking River,
Lancaster's Rockmill Brewery
rests on 11 acres of land that was once a farm. The grandson
of an Ohio winemaker, Matthew Barbee founded the brewery four years
ago. Rockmill is lucky enough to have a natural spring on its
property, so they take the water used in their beers straight from
the ground. I caught up with Phil Blundred, brewer at Rockmill, to
find out a little more about the company.
Tell me a little about the brewery. The
Brewery was founded in September, 2010. We hold Brewery tours on the
weekends during our tasting room hours. Our tours are a bit
impromptu. We ask our tasting room patrons if they would like to see
our operation, and if enough people say yes, grab a beer and lets
take a tour! Not having a food license, we encourage people to bring
their own picnic, relax, and enjoy the property. We have an excellent
relationship with well respected delis and specialty grocery stores
in Columbus that will help guide our patrons in choosing the proper
food pairing to accompany our beers. We host music events for both
local and traveling artists from all over the world. Beer release
gatherings, weddings and smaller events to groups that rent the space
for private parties.
How long have you been brewing beer
and how did you get into it? I've been brewing and
distilling professionally for almost 5 years, and started with
Rockmill in August of 2013. I was part of an apprenticeship with
Middle West Spirits for 6 months when I first started in the alcohol
production trade in late 2009, early 2010. For a couple years
following, I operated as head of production and 2nd Distiller until
late 2012. I later continued my career as a distiller in Kansas City,
Missouri for one year until I was offered a position as a brewer with
Rockmill.
How many brews do you have? Where
do you distribute? We currently have Five beers that are offered year
round. All the beers are Belgian style, and we do offer seasonal
beers as well as limited release and collaboration beers with other
local breweries. The mineral content of the well in which we use to
brew is ideal for Belgian style ales, so we won't stray from this
particular style of beer. Our distribution spans the state of Ohio,
Northern Kentucky, and New York City, with more to come.
To find out more about the beer, the history,
and the breathtaking scenery, visit the Rockmill
Brewery website. You can also follow them on Instagram.
