Mandeville Beer Garden takes root in Rosemary District

Sipping a beer with her brother in Lowry Beer Garden during a trip to their native Denver, Rebekah Mandeville-Gelvin had a thought.

"I wish we had something like this in Sarasota," she thought aloud as she surveyed the outdoor beer garden, lush with greenery and brimming with energy.

"Why not?" her brother replied.

That was 2013. Today, she's less than two months away from realizing that dream in the form of Mandeville Beer Garden — Sarasota's first true beer garden, located at 428 N. Lemon Ave. in the Rosemary District.

With its grand opening tentatively scheduled for March 19, Mandeville will offer a true beer garden experience, including a 3,000-square-foot interior, complete with a bar and seating, three TVs and a book nook, a 2,800-square-foot outdoor garden area, games and activities, a family friendly environment, including a tree swing and, of course, a focus on beer.

Mandeville will boast 30 taps, offering local and regional craft brews as well as popular big-name domestics.

Another important aspect of the beer-garden experience, says Mandeville-Gelvin, is the ability to get a good meal with your beer.

So she's employed the help of chef Christian Hershman, who will serve as a consultant to help create the beer garden's menu alongside head chef Rusty Carr, formerly of Ale House.

Hershman describes the menu as "playful and comforting," referring to it as "elevated American saloon food."

"I love the collaborative nature of this industry," says Mandeville-Gelvin. "I feel strongly about celebrating our community — I want this to feel like our beer garden. I really love Rosemary; everyone here has been so supportive, and I'm looking forward to helping strengthen this neighborhood even more."

Having grown up in Denver, Mandeville-Gelvin says craft beer culture practically runs in her blood.

"I always had an affinity for the taste," she says. "And beer just permeated our culture there. When I decided to open Mandeville Beer Garden, I really threw myself into it. I studied the history of it, and my passion for it really came out. I'm confident in my ability to pick a good selection of beers for the garden."

As the grand opening approaches, Mandeville-Gelvin says she's excited to open an establishment where people from all walks of life can come and enjoy themselves.

"Sarasota doesn't have a place where people can go to enjoy the fruits of all of our brewers' labors," she says. "There are people doing incredible work here, and to be able to showcase that in the form of a beer garden, it's really an intangible thing. It's about the experience."