Originally Posted by
accfanfrom1970
Advertising itself as a brewery and urban winery, they are not located in Scott's Addition in Richmond, but in Carytown. Carytown is sort of a local art, shopping and eating spot, been a go to spot for decades, near the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (but not close enough to walk). Garden Grove is the only brewery in the area. They grow their own ingredients or get local. Everything is small batch with little bottling or distribution. Motto - "we strive to blur, erase and rewrite the lines that define style, beer, wine, cider, and our own expectations." Because they do beer and wine, they wine barrel age a number of their beers - no bba aging. They had at least 10 beers I wanted to try, only got to three, daughter had two more, wife had a wine.
1st up - The Knight
A Belgian tripel. Saaz and Mandarinia Bavaria hops. Coriander, grains of paradise, and a touch of hibiscus added. Part of their Trappist trio series. 9.5% abv, 37 ibu, 1.079 OG. You get the coriander and a bit of pepper (not hot) up front, some citrus in the middle, a bit of white bread and malt on the finish. Fantastic tripel, unique and tasty.
2nd up - Death
Belgian Quadruple. Another part of their Trappist series. Aged 14 months in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. Really brings out dark fruit flavors. 10% abv, 41 ibu, 1.086 OG. Aromas of dark fruit, fig, red wine, vanilla. Toasty malt flavor, taste the fig, red wine and oak. Listed as a two time award winner and I can see why. Just another exceptional and unique brew. But not as unique as my last sample.
3rd up - Synthesis
A hybrid between a barleywine, a port and a mead. Instead of a barleywine traditionally made with 100% barley, this has equal parts barley, Virginia grown grapes and orange blossom and wildflower honey. Then its aged 14 months in Syrah and Cab Sauvignon barrels, followed by another 8 months in steel. Advertised as a true fusion of beer and wine. Ready? 16% abv, 11 ibus and 1,14 OG. This is one to sip, only served in 6 oz. pours. Not sure how to describe it. No beer carbonation, pours like a port. You get the honey up front, some oak and vanilla, raisin and fig. But it still has characteristics of a barleywine. I enjoyed it a lot, but its an after dinner drink.
Lucky for me the only two beers they bottle are the Synthesis and the Death, I got both. And I can't wait to go back and try them again, along with their belgian dubbel, an imperial amber rye ale, a chocolate imperial stout and a fig brown ale, among others.
Daughter had Superstitous Sour - belgian sour with the herbs lemon verbena and lemongrass. Citrus, lemon, grassy. 5.8% and only 8 ius.
Also had Gold and Greed DIPA. Brewed with eldorado, citra, and mandarina bavaria hops. 8.2% abv, 33 ibus. fruit aromas like tangerine and pineapple, tastes of orange and apricot. Both also excellent.