Carrollton residents will soon have a new area to wine down and relax thanks to a new family-owned meadery opening up on Bradley street.
Following the closure of their Bremen wedding venue due to COVID, owners David and Lora Lepley sought a new way to serve individuals. As they were already familiar with winemaking, the two discovered mead. In due time, David Lepley learned the craft of meadery and now shares his work with the world.
The Crafty Rabbit Meadery isn’t your typical winery. This location distinguishes itself from others as it is the only farm winery in West Georgia that produces mead, and each flavor is made in-house. They currently have 17 recipes on file that they can make with various flavors.
Once open this meadery will soon implement a tap wall, filled with craft beer and 12 handcrafted mixed drinks making it a one-of-a-kind tasting room. This will shorten the wait time for those simply looking for a beverage other than wine.
Guests will also be able to enjoy a tasty side dish to go with their mead. The Lepleys hope to have a few food trucks and outdoor patio seating outside the building, serving dishes such as smoked meat.
“Mead was made popular in the Viking era and during the Renaissance, so we kind of focused on foods from those periods of time,” said Lepley.
This new establishment is intended to be a welcoming, family-friendly environment. A toy-filled area will be available for children to sit and play while their parents relax. Their goal is to make genuine connections with the community.
“We love people, and we are trying to make this facility a bit more so that we can be out from behind the bar all the time and be able to socialize,” said Lepley.
This meadery will not only be a place to unwind, but also a place for young entrepreneurs to learn. Eventually, for those interested, individuals will be able to learn culinary arts through a guest chef program.
“It’s somewhere where they can get their feet wet and see if it’s something they want to do before they try to open their own facility,” said Lepley.
Renovations are scheduled to be completed by August. Located at 502 Bradley Street near the amphitheater and the Carrollton Greenbelt, the meadery is a place where guests on a bike ride or simply enjoying Carrollton streets can swing by and enjoy a glass of mead or food.
“We tell everybody the first time you come in our door you’re a friend, the second time you come in you’re family,” said Lepley.
Hours of operation will be Wednesday and Thursday from 4:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M., Friday from 4:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M., Saturday from 11:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M., and Sunday from 2:00 P.M to 7:00 P.M. Monday and Tuesday, it will be closed.
Visit their website or Facebook to stay up to date on new meadery flavors and the official grand opening.
