Our Story

Beer is social.

We’ve met a lot of great people over a pint (or two.) Groundswell is a place where everyone is welcome and together we build a community.

Founding

Established in November 2013 in the Grantville-San Diego location, Groundswell Brewing Company started as a nano-brewery focusing on well-balanced beer with nuanced flavor designed to pair with food and play well with a San Diego lifestyle.

Groundswell was born in our living room in 2012. Kevin had been home-brewing for more than 20 years and taking up all the space in the garage with his growing array of brew equipment. Brewing was happening on a one-barrel system in our backyard and friends (and friends of friends) regularly showed up to brew and taste. It’s that same sense of community that inspired us to open Groundswell.

In early 2017, we purchased a 30-barrel brewhouse in Santee, CA. This location became headquarters and allowed us to expand Grantville to a larger tasting room. Later that year, we opened an auxiliary tasting room on Third Avenue in Chula Vista.

In March 2021, unable to reach a new lease agreement with our landlord during a global pandemic, we closed Santee and returned brewing operations to Grantville. We added a kitchen to the Chula Vista tasting room, serving pizza, snacks, and sandos. Using fresh and local ingredients, our pizza and sandos are artisan but familiar. With a focus on flavor, we present unique combinations.

Expanding to restaurants, in October 2022 we added Lime in the Coconut to our portfolio. Located three doors north of Groundswell-Chula Vista, Lime in the Coconut is a tropical themed restaurant serving a menu of island-inspired favorites and tiki cocktails.

With the changing demand for craft beer, in 2024 the Grantville location was de-commissioned as a brewery. The Groundswell brand transitioned to a brew pub model with Chula Vista serving beer and wine alongside artisan pizza.