Republic Restoratives Distillery started an Indiegogo campaign seven days ago to raise $75,000 to help fund their startup distillery. They have now blown by that goal only seven days into their 30 day campaign and established a new stretch of goal $100k. Why not, they have the mojo!
“Republic restoratives is a small batch, women-owned distillery and craft cocktail bar in Washington, DC launching this summer” founded by Pia Carusone and Rachel Cole Gardner. The two have known each other for 33 years. Somewhere along the way, they discovered a mutual love of bourbon and about five years ago started talking about opening their own distillery. Now, that talk of a dream is becoming a reality.
Location, location, location.
Carusone has a background is in politics, media and strategic consulting. Gardner has built a successful career in sustainable natural resource development. True to their sustainability roots, the new distillery will be located in the heart of Ivy City, an up and coming reclaimed neighborhood in D.C. just three miles from the nation’s capital. Normally, when you think ‘distillery’ you probably think of a farm in Kentucky or an estate in Scotland, right? If any of you have ever been to an urban distillery, it was probably a little off the beaten path. This building is on a corner of New York Avenue, NE where 80,000 commuters pass each day.
Let’s see, politics and bourbon, perhaps this will be the home of the “Urban Bourbon Summit!”
Republic restoratives stands for community, authenticity and most of all friendship. Republic restoratives believes that cocktails create community, and that their customers, are at the core of what they do and why they do it. Their goal is to create experiences where people feel as connected to Republic restoratives and to their products as they do to one another.
Their plan is to get a vodka to market by September 2015 while they let their bourbon mature until January 2017. Rather than try to figure out the distilling business on the fly, they’ve already hired an experienced distiller. According to Carusone and Gardner, “our master distiller, Berle “Rusty” Figgins Jr. is a jack-of-all-trades and a character in his own right. In addition to his skills as a winemaker nd distiller, he also designs distillation systems like the the Friggin’ Figgins Reciprocator. Our still will not only be the largest in DC, it will be a one-of-a-kind and the largest of its kind. We can’t wait to fire it up and show you how it works and the amazing spirits that it will produce.”
Competitive Advantage Over Most States – You can sample more than a thimble full of whisky!
The two say, “We aren’t just a distillery, we are a craft cocktail bar – Thanks to the terrific leadership of the city council and Mayor, the District of Columbia has one of the most accommodating distillery regulation laws in the country. Not only will you be able to tour our operating distillery, but you can also just come in for some delicious cocktails. Sit at the Republic restoratives bar and meet other neighbors and friends who have helped make this community distillery happen.”
The new money raised will be used to pay for the remainder of a $65,000 still and fermenting tanks, stools at the bar, the first shipment of 50 American white oak barrels ($500/each) to age bourbon, the first order of bottles and expensive but mandatory high hazard, explosion proof lights.
You can visit the Republic Restoratives Distillery Indiegogo page if you would like to be a part of this very exciting project.
