IN THIS ISSUE · SPRING 2026 — Read the cover story
Written By Shannon Cantrell
After twenty-seven years in the Tennessee Army National Guard, Ryan Burchfield, when he retired, kept hearing the same question again and again. “What are you going to do now?” For months, his answer stayed simple: “I don’t know.”
He wasn’t in a hurry; he just wanted something meaningful. Service had taught him patience and the value of purpose. Then one day, Roaring River Distillery in Gainesboro came up for sale, and everything clicked.
Ryan saw the listing and immediately called Savannah Connor.
“What do you think about this?” he asked.
She didn’t hesitate. “Sure, let’s do it.”
Ryan decided he was going to go for it, until someone told him no. And no one did.
On October 1, Roaring River Distillery officially transitioned to new ownership under Ryan Burchfield and Savannah Connor, both Overton County natives with deep roots in Livingston. The business, originally established in 2021 in Gainesboro, never closed during the transition. It continued operating while new leadership stepped in.
Joining them in this next chapter are Eddie and Sarah Morrow. Eddie Morrow, a Livingston native and longtime construction business owner, stepped into the role of Master Distiller.
The transition itself was handled with intention and respect. For a month and a half prior to the official transition, Ryan and Eddie worked side by side with the previous owners to ensure the process, standards, and recipes were handed off properly. The original master distiller, worked directly with Morrow during that time. It was a thoughtful, professional transition rooted in a shared desire to see the distillery continue to grow.
From there, the new team stepped fully into ownership.
To some, it looked like a business move. To Ryan, it was a homecoming, a way to carry his grandfather’s spirit forward legally, openly, and with purpose.
“What my grandfather did in secret, I’m doing out in the open,” he says. “This isn’t about rebellion. It’s about heritage, faith, family, and freedom.”
Savannah has been there every step of the way, his sounding board, encourager, and steady balance. She helps steer operations, oversee production schedules, and manage distribution, all while raising their family together: Landon Burchfield (19), Paisley Burchfield (14), and Bellany Connor (12), who is never far from the process herself.
“Savannah believed in this before it was real,” Ryan says. “She’s been all in from day one.”
For Ryan, this venture is not disconnected from his past. It is an extension of it.
His grandfather, Clyde Deck, made and sold moonshine in these hills decades ago and was also a World War II veteran. His father, David, retired after 25 years in the Army Reserves. Three generations of service shaped Ryan’s perspective on responsibility, discipline, and doing things the right way. That mindset carries into the distillery.
This is not about romanticizing outlaw history. It is about honoring heritage while operating fully licensed, compliant, and professional. What once may have been hidden in back hills now stands openly permitted and regulated, built on craftsmanship and accountability. For Master Distiller Eddie Morrow, that professionalism matters.
Construction had been his trade for years, passed down through generations. His great-grandfather operated a sawmill. And like his Grandfather and Dad, Eddie worked in construction for a decade before opening his own business in 2021. But distilling was something he had studied for nearly fifteen years. He followed the craft, researched the process, and respected the science behind it long before stepping into the role.
Before the opportunity became official, there had been conversations.
Ryan and Eddie were digging a ditch to run a water line for a family member when the idea first surfaced. It was a long, hot day. At one point, Ryan leaned on his shovel and said, “There’s got to be something better than digging ditches.” Eddie laughed. “Yeah, that would be nice.”
Ryan, who had already begun exploring the distillery process more seriously, said, “Why don’t we start our own brewery?” Eddie shook his head. “Don’t be joking with me.” At the time, it sounded like talk between friends. But Ryan had planted the seed. When he and Savannah realized purchasing Roaring River Distillery was becoming a real possibility, he called Eddie.
“They were at the beach when I called,” Ryan remembers. “Eddie thought I was kidding.” “You ready to start that distillery?” “Don’t be messing with me,” Eddie replied again. But this time, Ryan wasn’t joking.
Before the official transition, Morrow trained directly under Chad Hunt to learn the specific processes and standards that defined Roaring River’s product. What had once been research became hands-on craft.
That is where he thrives.
What stands out most to him is the creativity, developing new flavors, refining the process, and continuing to improve the product while respecting its foundation. When asked what motivates him each day, he answers simply: he takes pride in doing it well and in supporting his family while maintaining flexibility to be present for them. Sarah echoes that gratitude. The distillery’s pace is demanding, but it is a better kind of busy, one that keeps their children, Ean (11) and Novalee (8), close to the heart of it all.
October was demanding. Events were already on the calendar. Festivals were happening throughout the county. A distributor was actively moving product. Inventory needed to be rebuilt quickly. There was no gradual ramp-up period. Everyone pitched in. Even the children were included where appropriate, helping with decorating and organizing.
There were long nights. There were weeks that required sustained focus. But compared to the pressures Ryan had experienced in nearly three decades of military service, it was work with purpose. “It’s nothing,” he told Eddie early on. “We just have to work.” And they did. Within weeks, the operation settled into rhythm.
Roaring River Distillery’s products are currently carried in more than 50 stores across Tennessee, in addition to the Gainesboro and Livingston retail location. Expansion beyond the state is a long-term goal, but growth remains measured and intentional.
Their best-selling product is The Real Dill, a smooth Dill Pickle flavor with pickle spears packed in each jar soaked in their famous shine. Other staples include their aged moonshine, which rests between 18 and 26 months, and the 110 — the clear base spirit that anchors every flavored product they produce.
The focus is on keeping the process clean and natural. No unnecessary additives. Careful ingredient selection. Respect for the timeline required in distilling.
“We wait on the moonshine,” Savannah explains. “It’s the moonshine’s process, not ours.”
Master Distiller Morrow is currently aging bourbon as well. At least one barrel of 110 is placed into a barrel each quarter, building inventory for future release. Bourbon requires time and patience, and they are committed to doing it properly. He is excited about the release of 5-6 new flavors by the end of 2026.
Roaring River Distillery is a member of the Tennessee Distillers Guild and will participate with the Tour the Upper Cumberland trail this year.
While production remains in Gainesboro, Ryan had hoped to establish a presence in Livingston as well.
After purchasing the business, a couple of spaces on Livingston’s Downtown Square became available and the numbers aligned. The new Livingston retail location is expected to open in March.
For Ryan and Savannah, the goal is to offer a welcoming, small-community experience that reflects the character of the Upper Cumberland. They have already met visitors from across the country at the Gainesboro location and hope the Livingston storefront will add to downtown momentum and tourism in the area.
Long term, Ryan envisions the possibility of a larger space where people could watch the distilling process, gather, and enjoy live music — not mass production, but a true craft experience close to home.
“A lot of people think they have to go to Gatlinburg to experience something like this,” Savannah says. “Why not have it here?”
At its core, this is a story about continuity. A distillery founded by one family, built with care, and passed forward with intention. A Master Distiller stepping into a role he prepared for long before the opportunity appeared. A retired serviceman choosing to build something that honors both heritage and accountability.
And now, a locally owned business preparing to open its doors on Livingston’s Square in March, investing in the community that shaped them.
Roaring River Distillery is not replacing a legacy.
It is carrying one forward.
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