From the Archives… A spotlight on Split Rail Brewing Co. from the Spring 2021 Edition of Brewers Journal Canada.
When Andrea Smith & Eleanor Charlton created Manitoulin Island’s first craft brewery, they ensured residents and visitors to scenic Gore Bay had great beer to choose from. But Split Rail Brewing Company’s purpose has always been more than the production of liquid itself. And that means being part of the community, promoting inclusivity and giving something back.
When Susan Snelling contributed to a fledgling company’s kickstarter campaign back in 2015, she got a t-shirt in return. Some six years on, that donation has resulted in much, much more.
“I found it fascinating,” she recalls. “There were these people asking if we wanted a craft brewery on Manitoulin Island. And of course, I thought yes! And if we really wanted it, then they needed our help. I contributed to the campaign and got a nice t-shirt as thanks!”
The duo of Andrea Smith & Eleanor Charlton had found a love for brewing in a garage but it was time to make their passion professional.
Thankfully for Smith, Charlton and the residents of Manitoulin Island, their funding campaign proved to be a success.
Donors such as Snelling received their t-shirt while others had their names engraved on the brewery’s taproom bar, patrons that are still regular visitors to this day.
“It’s about the people. It always was and always will. They are the fabric of this business,” says Snelling who, along with Barb Erskine, would build on that early support for the brewery by going on to invest in Split Rail Brewing Company in 2018, becoming co-owners in the process
Smith and Charlton came into the world of beer, not from a professional brewing background or an outside industry such as IT, but professions as a social worker and special education, respectively.
“They wanted to start a brewery that would create local jobs, contribute to the local economy and produce some great beer,” says Snelling. “This part of the world is very seasonal, so year-round jobs are hard to come by. By opening a brewery, they could provide some stable employment.”
While Smith and Charlton entered the world of beer from social work and education, Snelling and Erskine are trained psychologists with Snelling running a consulting business, primarily in the field of public health.
“When I came on board with the brewery in 2018, it was more of a strategic level rather than the day-to-day operations, but since COVID hit I’ve been involved in a more hands-on way,” she says. “It has been a learning opportunity and one I’ve enjoyed playing a part in.”
As four co-owners, the quartet all bring something different to the business. But one common bond is the values they share. Something that appealed to Snelling when the chance to invest was initially discussed.
“We are part of a small community to everybody knows everybody,” she recalls. “So when Andy and Eleanor asked us if we would be interested in investing I told them: ‘Well, we don’t know anything about beer, other than drinking it.’
But what they did have was that value alignment, and a community orientation focused on social responsibility.
“They approached us because they thought that might see the world in same way as they did. And I think that has held true,” Snelling adds.
And when it come to beer, patrons of Split Rail they can expect six core beers that comprise Copper Lager, Amber Ale, Hawberry Ale, Gore Bay IPA, LoonSong Oats Stout and Manitoulin Gold Pilsner. They are complemented by seasonal one-offs such as a recent Mint IPA brewed to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
“We like to keep things approachable but also interesting, incorporating local ingredients and giving people something new to try,” says Snelling. “We place an emphasis on our taproom servers to ask people what they like and what kind of beer they normally drink.
“If they’re not used to the craft world, we will try to relate with something similar. We like to give them a little bit of coaching about the range of flavours and aromas that you can find in craft beer.”
And that will often result in visitors trying, and enjoying beers that they might not normally gravitate towards.
“Our oatmeal stout is a beer for people that really love that style. But some will look at it and think it’s too dark to enjoy,” Snelling explains. “But if you were blindfolded, you wouldn’t pick it out as a dark beer because it’s very balanced and it’s very smooth.
“And sometimes a visitor might be persuaded to try it in a flight and so often they’ll come back and say ‘You know what, I’ll have another one!”
And bringing people into their space is something of high importance to Snelling and the team.
“I feel as women in the brewing industry, we are somewhat the outsiders. I won’t say that we haven’t been welcomed,” she adds. “But we are certainly low in numbers in terms of representation. However that is changing and there are lots more women in the industry now than there was a few years ago.”
She explains: “ But I think the sense of how important it is to us that people feel welcome and feel part of what we’re doing stems from us not being able to assume that in our journeys.
“We’ve had to find our own way into the industry. So maybe it’s a heightened sensitivity to what it’s like to be an outsider. And the value that people bring kind of from those different perspectives.
“We feel that we bring something maybe a little bit different to the industry, and, you know, we think serving a diverse clientele is probably bringing something good to us as well.”
And that extends not just to the people they provide beer for, but also inspiration, too.
“We once had a woman from the US come to the brewery a couple of years ago and talked to Andy. She told us that she had been in before but finding out Split Rail was run by women gave her the confidence to open her own brewery, too,” she beams. “Seeing us literally gave her the belief to do it as well!”
Snelling is understandably proud of the impact the brewery had on that particular individual. She also gets great satisfaction from the team spirit that defines Split Rail, especially in a sector that can sometimes be accused of over-working its employees.
“Our approach has always been to ask: What do you like to do? What works for you?. Of course we need to think about the operational side but what’s important is looking at what gives people satisfaction in their jobs?” she says. “Research shows that it’s not always just about money. It’s being part of something, being respected and being given an opportunity to bring your unique skills into what you do. And we really try to do that as much as possible.”
And with team members that have been part of the brewery since day one, that approach is clearly effective.
“I think it shows in our beer, too,” Snelling believes. “If people want to do a good job then surely it can’t help but show up in the quality of the product.”
Like so many businesses, the ways in which patrons can enjoy the produce from Split Rail has been impacted during the last year. But the brewery has adapted in this time and the team can also look back at the fortunate timing of a recent investment in a canning line, too.
She says: “Well, we’re hurting, of course. When licensees like bars and restaurants are not purchasing your product, then that’s a hit for us. But it’s also a hit for them because there’s a reason why they’re not buying beer, it’s because they’re not able to serve the way they are used to.
“But we’re grateful that we’ve been able to keep our storefront open through the
the whole pandemic, literally selling beer out of the window. We decided early on that we still had good beer, we still had to keep people employed so we just had to look ahead and push on.”
Split Rail Brewing Company started out packaging its beers in bottles before making the foray into canning through a mobile canning service. An investment in their own in-house canning line was set for delivery in March 2020, and they had a decision to make.
“I remember the conversation asking if we should go ahead with it or cancel the purchase. There was so much uncertainty, we weren’t sure if a major expenditure was sensible,” she recalls. “But we believed in what we were doing, looked to a time after this pandemic ends and went ahead with it, which was the right decision to take.”
And as the world, hopefully, begins to emerge from lockdown restrictions, Snelling and the team at Split Rail are optimistic about the months that lie ahead.
“We’re hoping to open the patio very soon. We’re coming into summer, we have safe outdoor space and I think there will be a lot of pent-up demand from the community,” she says. “I’m looking forward to seeing people on the patio, enjoying a beer with people they haven’t seen in a long time.
“For us it’s about playing a role in the community we’re proud to be a part of and always making people feel welcome.”
SOURCE: Brewers Journal Canada | SPRING 2021 Edition
PHOTO CREDIT: Jakub Mulik for Brewers Journal Canada
