River Remedy Brewing Co. in Rome Sees Support for Distillery License Plan. Here's What We Know

Rome’s Alcohol Control Commission indicated Monday they would likely approve a distillery license for River Remedy Brewing Co. owner Justin Shepard if he were to apply for one.

Shepard told the ACC he is considering applying for the license, but he wanted to first check with board members to see if there would be any issues.

“We’re not 100% committed to distilling at this point,” he said. “But we wanted to see what the ACC and the city (commission) were thinking before we go too far down this path.”

City Clerk Joe Smith said that if approved, the brew pub at 320 Glenn Milner Blvd. would be the only licensed distillery in Rome.

As they already brew their own beer, Shepard said they already have much of the equipment needed for distilling.

He would probably distill some sort of white liquor, such as a vodka, and use it in the form of ready-to-pour mixed drink, Shepard said.

“We already have the vats that are required to make the mash,” he said. “And we could purchase a still for a few hundred bucks and be in business.”

However, he said the main reason they are considering distilling spirits is simply a business decision.

“People’s tastes can change, so if we diversify our offerings, it gives us more options,” Shepard said. “But we’re not considering having a real bar with mixed drinks at this point; we really don’t have the room.”

River Remedy opened in 2020. It also hosts small pop-up charity events throughout the year, like Food Truck Fridays, and frequently open their parking lot for use by various nonprofits. Most recently, they supported ESP and Java Joy so that the group could hand out hot chocolate for donations during the Christmas Parade and line up.

The business has raised over $18,000 for local charities through these partnership activities and is scheduled to receive a Heart of the Community Award this weekend for their service to Rome.

Also on Monday, the ACC recommended a $2,000 fine and a two month suspension of liquor sales for Garden Lakes Food & Beverage on Redmond Circle. A code enforcement officer testified that he witnessed people smoking and drinking inside while playing the ding-ding machines. No one from the company attended the meeting.

The recommendation will go to the Rome City Commission at its Feb. 26 meeting.