Garden Grove Brewing Company has provided Richmond’s Carytown District with award-winning craft beers since its opening in February 2015, and this fall, co-owners Michael Brandt and Ryan Mitchell will introduce Richmond to its newly expanded tasting venue, Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery. Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery will be the city’s first production facility to serve both beer and wine to patrons and is set to open on Saturday, Oct. 21.
Brandt and Mitchell are excited to introduce the urban winery to Richmond’s craft beverage scene and describe the brewery’s expansion into a winery as a natural transition. Although wine has never been served at the current Garden Grove Brewing location, Brandt often experimented with wine and beer hybrids, creating eclectic fusions such as their Belgian quadruple “Death” made with aged Petit Verdot grapes.
“[Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery] is an extension of my personality and tastes,” says Brandt. “I am creating the environment I would want when I go out to enjoy craft beverages.”
Garden Grove’s drink menu will include classic grape wines such as Chardonnay and Bordeaux varieties, pyments (wine grape and honey hybrids), still and sparkling meads, ciders and melomels (mead with honey and fruit). Six of these wines will be available by the glass during Garden Grove’s grand opening: a 2017 Stella rosé, 2015 Akari, 2016 Chardonnay, 2015 Petit Verdot and two sparkling honey wines.
Brandt partnered with Jason Murray, viticulturist and winemaker for Arterra Wines, to create a wine selection utilizing only 100 percent native fermentation. “Around 2003, Jason and I were both winemakers in Northern Virginia,” says Brandt. “When we decided to include grape-based wines in our portfolio, I contacted Jason because I knew he would be managing quality vineyards.”
Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery will also be introducing three new beers—a single hop variety IPA with Idaho 7 hops and hop hash, a Belgian dubbel brewed with Aronia berries and Petit Verdot grapes and an oatmeal coffee milk stout infused with Rostov’s Coffee from Richmond’s Rostov’s Coffee & Tea.
Garden Grove’s Urban Winery Launch Party will be held on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 1–10 p.m. with charcuterie boards from Belmont Butchery and a live performance by Funky Tonk. Garden Grove will also continue its weekly traditions of trivia, game night, bluegrass jam and live music at the brewery & urban winery, located at 3445 W. Cary St. in Richmond. Visit GardenGroveBrewing.com for further details.

Author: Grace Silipigni