Objections are overruled when it comes to Legal Remedy Brewing. The Rock Hill, South Carolina, brewpub — remodeled from a former auto dealership — is well worth a commute for two good reasons: beer and food.
Though most breweries offer food trucks these days, this venture shows how promising a full onsite kitchen can be. The menu — a collaborative effort between LRB's Jim Ogburn, Wes Adams and Doug McKinney — offers what's dubbed as "pub grub," but that's an understatement. That's because the food, like the brews, takes flavors up a notch.
The menu is meat-centric with a smoker that houses bacon, pork, wings, brisket and turkey. If you can save room for dessert, try the Fried Moon Pie. McKinney, who has been in the food industry for 30 years, moved to Rock Hill from Park City, Utah after being swayed by Chad McGowan, a longtime brewer and lawyer by day; hence, the legal lingo.
Creative Loafing: What are some of the most popular items on the menu that you would recommend folks try if they're visiting for the first time?
Doug McKinney: The Pork Schnitzel Holstein is fantastic. We've had people from Germany actually come in and say it's the best schnitzel they've ever had. The Smokehouse Meatloaf is a combination of scraps from our smoked meats that are mixed with ground beef and ground potato chips. Then, we put a Worcester ketchup glaze on it and we top it with smoked tomato gravy. It's delicious, too.
What's the most rewarding thing about working at Legal Remedy?
We're the first brewpub and brewery combination in York County. The first and only one right now, if I'm not mistaken. People tell us everyday that this is what Rock Hill has been waiting for and I agree. I can tell based on the reception that we've gotten. Our customer base is fantastic. People like the beers, people like the food and people like the atmosphere. It's a good time and that's what I'm in the business for.
You've recently hosted some beer dinners in Florence and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Are you planning to have any here in the future? Also, are you working on any new recipes?
We just started doing that and at some point we're going to start doing beer dinners here, too. We just got zoned and we can seat 48 people in the brewery. So, we'll be able to do that and other things like wedding rehearsal dinners and what not.
I'm actually working on a recipe that I'm probably going to throw on the menu. It's a ricotta cheesecake and instead of using cream cheese I use ricotta, so it's lighter and custard like. Then, I glaze the top like crème brulee.
