Brewing Creativity and Community with Kevin Ryan & Meredith Sutton

In this Creative Companies edition, host Grace Cho meets Kevin Ryan and Meredith Sutton, the duo behind Savannah’s Service Brewing. What began with a Valentine’s Day home-brew kit has grown into a 27,000-sq-ft brewery overlooking River Street, where military discipline meets bold design—right down to artist-commissioned labels on its sought-after Double IPAs.

Kevin traces the journey from West Point and two company commands in Iraq to a corporate detour at Booz Allen and CareCore, before that 2012 home-brew gift changed his trajectory. Meredith—a SCAD-trained metals artist whose pieces have appeared in Lark’s 1000 Rings, Martha Stewart Living, and on the 2016 New York Fashion Week runway—channeled her visual storytelling into the fledgling brand. Two years later, the couple opened Service Brewing, weaving Army rigor and art-school imagination into a business whose very name honors service to country and community.

Creativity fuels every release. So far, Service Brewing and Artrepreneur have partnered on four open calls, each inviting artists to re-imagine declassified military stories for the brewery’s Double IPA labels. The newest can—part of the Ghost Army series—drops on May 17 and features work by Artrepreneur artist Esteban Martínez. Service’s support doesn’t end when the contest does: one earlier winner was commissioned to turn her label art into short animations for the brewery’s social rollout, proof that the team keeps nurturing talent long after the initial collaboration.

Purpose fuels outreach, too. A 24-person team keeps the tanks humming while SkillBridge internships help soldiers transition to civilian life, and the taproom doubles as a no-cost venue for community makers. Since launch, Service Brewing has directed more than $350,000 to high-impact veteran and first-responder charities—proof that every pour can give back.

About Service Brewing:

Founder Kevin Ryan applies his engineering management and Army leadership experience to guide brewing operations and foster innovation, while co-founder Meredith Sutton shapes the brand’s look, products, and community programs. Dedicated to giving back, the Savannah-based brewery channels its success toward organizations that support veterans and first responders.