Christmas came a little late for the folks at River Rat. Last Friday, the upcoming Columbia brewery announced it had received its state brewing license, getting them closer to brewing their first batch on site.

River Rat had planned to be up and running by this point in the year, but with the government shutdown that occurred a few months ago, progress at breweries both new and old was halted. However, the brewery will have a presence at the upcoming World Beer Festival in Columbia and plans to open to the public in the next couple of months.