USA, MI & VI: Final Gravity Brewing to become Richmond’s newest addition

Original Gravity Homebrew Supplies is opening a nanobrewery inside of its Lakeside Avenue store in Richmond, Henrico County, Richmond.com reported on June 2.

Final Gravity Brewing will have a different operating model from the Richmond region’s other craft breweries. A nanobrewery generally is a scaled-down microbrewery that produces beer in small batches.

“We’ll start out with two-barrel batches (62 gallons),” said Tony Ammendolia, owner of Original Gravity Homebrew.

“We won’t start selling beer until we have at least six beers ready, so it will most likely be at least six weeks from the time we get our ABC license” until opening day.

Ammendolia has been home brewing for more than 20 years, learning the craft firsthand. He’s been a business owner since 2011, growing his Lakeside Avenue home-brewing supplies store from a 1,000-square-foot shop to about 5,000 square feet.

On June 1, he received his approval from the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

His next step is getting approval from the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which he said should take two to four weeks. After the approval, he will begin a brewing marathon to fill his eight fermenters in his existing business at 6118 Lakeside Ave, Richmond.

Ammendolia said he hopes his expanded business will attract a new set of customers.

03 June, 2015