Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy and Kristen Boucher. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Jeremy is a retired Army Warrant Officer and Kristen is a former Army Officer. They are from Massachusetts and New York, respectively. They met at their unit at Ft. Stewart and chose Midway, GA as their new home after their military careers.
When the couple first got together, Kristen had a wine-making kit that was several years old. She decided to buy Jeremy a beer brewing kit for Christmas so they could make wine and beer together. While the winemaking hobby fell to the wayside, home brewing took off and they rapidly explored new technologies and flavors to improve their beers. Jeremy was approaching retirement from the Army and started to contemplate what he would do afterward. They decided to open a brewery to bring small-batch craft brews to the local community.
Jeremy has a Masters in Entrepreneurship and Kristen has a master’s in Business Administration. Jeremy is the “face” of the brewery, taking on various roles such as brewmaster, server, janitor, graphic designer, and many others. In the background, Kristen handles all financial and tax matters, ordering, and paperwork.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Prior to opening Split Fin, there was no establishment of its kind in the whole county. There were no breweries, wineries, distillers, or meaderies within a 40-mile radius. Jeremy had to attend City Council meetings for several months to actively get the ordinances changed to allow for a brewery in the area. The city changed the ordinances so that a brewery could be built as well as to be able to sell beer on Sundays.
When Jeremy and Kristen were starting to open the brewery, COVID-19 hit. The “quarantine” led to an approximate two-month delay in opening. While this derailed the couple’s plans, it was actually a blessing in disguise. The extra months allowed Jeremy to brew more and they were able to pen with more beer offerings on tap than originally planned.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Split Fin Brewing?
We offer an eclectic mix of beers including 14 flagship brews. On any given day you will find a Stout, Porter, Hefeweizen, Berry Sour, Amber and Lite Lagers, IPAs, and other specialty beers. Even non-beer drinkers are sure to find something they love on tap here. Split Fin takes great care and effort when brewing any of the styles but Jeremy specializes in making sour beers using a specific strain of bacteria during a four-day process.
Split Fin Brewing also has axe-throwing lanes outside to give patrons a fun activity to do while they visit. In addition, another family-owned restaurant, HEW, subleases part of Split Fin’s space to offer amazing food. The brewery is SCUBA themed since both Jeremy and Kristen are certified Rescue divers and share a passion for the ocean, travel, and diving. You will hear Jamaican and other Caribbean music playing when you enter. Immediately you are treated like part of the family.
What do you think about happiness?
When it comes to the business, Jeremy and Kristen are most happy when there is a room full of Split Fin Family members drinking beer, singing, dancing, laughing, and having an amazing time at the brewery.
Traveling, SCUBA diving, boating, and spending time with family bring happiness outside of work. Most of all, our children make us the happiest.
Pricing:
- Beers are typically priced between $6 and $8.
Contact Info:
- Website: splitfinbrewingllc.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/splitfinbrewing/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChrFLkgUjAdQY0IBLRC24Nw/featured
