Grove Roots Brewing Company, led by Winter Haven native Joseph Dunham, announced today its plans to open Winter Haven’s first craft beer brewery. Expanding on the success of the Tampa-St. Pete craft brew community, Grove Roots will celebrate the city’s strong connection to the citrus industry and contribute to the cultural revitalization of Winter Haven’s downtown. With plans to restore one of the city’s historic industrial buildings, at a location to be announced, the 15-barrel brewhouse and tasting room is set to open in mid-2016.

Inspired by his Winter Haven heritage and a passion for homebrewing, Dunham traded his job at an industrial engineering and construction firm to start Grove Roots. Witnessing the slew of upcoming development projects in his hometown, Dunham knew that downtown Winter Haven was the right place to realize Grove Roots’ mission to revive the region’s historic citrus culture through inventive, hand-crafted beer. “After a decade of traveling in other cities and visiting breweries, we decided to come back to our roots in Winter Haven and build a business structured around our great city and its rich history in the citrus industry,” said Dunham. Grove Roots plans to provide cooperation opportunities with local providers to showcase their products in specialty brews.

The 5,200 square-foot space will feature an 80-seat tasting room, 15-barrel production area, indoor stage and outdoor covered seating. Patrons will be able to enjoy local music and a first-hand look at the brewing process as they sample artisanal ales and lagers. Initially, Grove Roots will offer four flagship beers, four seasonal beers and a variety of special-release beers throughout the year. Grove Roots will make its first community appearance on March 5th as the sponsor of downtown’s Craft Beer Crawl hosted by Main Street Winter Haven.

About Grove Roots Brewing Company: Grove Roots Brewing Company is a craft brewery located in Winter Haven, Florida. Dedicated to producing artisanal ales inspired by Florida’s citrus heritage and the surrounding community, Grove Roots aims to be recognized as the area’s signature brewery by locals and visitors alike. Opening in 2016, Grove Roots will be Winter Haven’s first craft brewery.