Grape and Granary

Who We Are

The Grape and Granary is a family-operated business which is dedicated to serving your home beer brewing and winemaking needs. We are wine and beer enthusiasts and consumers of our own products. Our customer service staff is composed of Jim Sr., John, Jimmy, Dave and Mary.

Jim Sr. has been making wine since 1980. His first experience was making California Red Zinfandel in the basement of his father-in-laws basement (his back still hurts from hauling cases of grapes).

John brewed his first batch of beer in 1987 while a college student. Since that time he has become a beer and wine devotee. He regularly brews 5-10 gallon extract and all-grain batches of beer. He is a certified beer judge in the Beer Judge Certification Program (www.bjcp.org) and conducts beer and wine making classes. 

He is an avid winemaker and loves big California reds. He regularly makes wine from kits, fresh California juice and frozen California grapes. He won a bronze medal in the Winemaker Magazine 2003 winemaking competition with his Meritage style wine.  In spring of 2004, he won a gold medal for his Central Valley, California Cabernet Sauvignon at the HWBTA wine competition held in Woodland Hills California. In the spring of 2005, he won a gold medal for a Napa County Cabernet Sauvignon in the Winemaker Magazine winemaking competition.. In 2007 he won two silver medals in the HWBTA winemaking competition for a Meritage style wine and a California red Zinfandel.   He is currently working on a Central Valley rosso blend and a Grenache aged in small French oak barrels. 

In 2007 he won a gold medal in the AHA National Homebrew Competition first round (held in Cleveland)  for his all-grain Kolsch recipe. 

Dave is an avid all-grain brewer who loves to tinker with gadgets. He has perfected a recirculating all-grain mash system. He also dabbles in winemaking. He is currently working on a Super Tuscan style wine using Central Valley, California Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Mary and Jimmy run our winery and wine-on-premise operation. Mary is a ice wine enthusiast and is available to assist in wine-on-premise wine making and tasting. She loves to assist in making wine for weddings and other events. Jimmy has been making wine and beer since 1992. In 2007 he won a bronze medal at the HWBTA home winemaking competition for a fresh strawberry wine. He is a big fan of porters and stouts and likes to experiment with many different wine styles including flower wines.

It is our goal to serve you in a most efficient and courteous manner. We are full-time staff and thus can stay quite knowledgeable about our products. We should be able to answer most any question. Should you have a problem or question please do not hesitate to call us at 800-695-9870 and speak to one of our knowledgeable staff (10 am to 7:00 pm EST). If you have any comments or information that you believe might help us serve you better or information about what works or fails to work, please contact us or send us E-mail. In this hobby we are always learning!

Where Are We

From the South (Canton)- Take 77 north to route 8 north. Get off at E. Tallmadge Ave exit and take a right (east). Continue until you find Home Ave. Make a right on Home Ave and go south 1/2 mile. We will be on your left hand side across from Fred's Diner.

From the North (Cleveland)- Take 271 South to route 8 south and get off at the E. Tallmadge Ave Exit. Make a left at the end of the exit (east) and continue until you find Home Ave. Make a right on Home Ave (south) and continue 1/2 mile. We will be on your left hand side across from Fred's Diner.

From the East (Youngstown)- Take I 76 west until you come to the central interchange in Akron (where 77, 76 and Rt 8 meet). Pick-up Route 8 North. Continue North on Rt. 8 for approximately 5 miles until you come the E. Tallmadge Ave exit. Exit at Tallmadge avenue. Turn right on Tallmadge and head East for 1/2 mile until you come to Home Ave.. Turn right (south) on Home Avenue. Continue South on Home avenue for 1/2 mile. We will be on the left hand side.