Ardent currently sells its beers at its taproom and at some stores and restaurants in the Richmond region, with limited distribution in the Hampton Roads area. Last year, the brewery installed what Sullivan described as a “modest” bottling line.

Two of its beer brands — an IPA and a Saison — are now being sold in 12-ounce bottle six-packs, along with some seasonal and special brews sold in larger, single bottles.

The production expansion involves adding more fermentation equipment and infrastructure to support that, which means literally raising the roof at the brewery.

“The tanks will be larger than the ones we currently have,” Sullivan said. “What that means in the beer world is they will be taller.”

“It amounts to roughly doubling our production capacity,” he said.

Ardent Craft Ales started as a garage home-brewing co-op in Richmond’s Church Hill neighborhood in 2010, with the goal of creating innovative beers and introducing people to historic brewing methods and beer styles.

“It gained a grass-roots following and enabled us to start up a professional brewery,” said Sullivan, who is primary co-owner along with head brewer Kevin O’Leary. Sullivan said the brewery also has a group of investors.