Scofflaw Brewing Atlanta: The Herman Family Story

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April 2026

by Shannon Doyle Bell

Photos by Joe Carlos

For Travis and Connie Herman, Scofflaw Brewing Co. is more than a successful craft brewery—it’s a family story rooted in the Upper Westside of Atlanta. Since opening the first location in September 2016 on MacArthur Boulevard, Scofflaw has grown into a recognizable name in Georgia’s craft beer scene. Travis co-founded the brewery with owner Matt Shirah. As brewmaster, Travis is a chemist and microbiologist with experience at California breweries like The Lost Abbey and Russian River, where he manages brewing operations behind the craft.

But behind the brand are two parents raising a family, juggling business and sports schedules, and building a life in the neighborhood they call home. Travis and Connie live in the growing Riverside neighborhood with their sons, Benjamin and Jackson, and their dog, Max.

FROM THE MIDWEST TO ATLANTA’S UPPER WESTSIDE

Travis grew up in Kansas before moving to Oklahoma in middle school, while Connie was raised in Oklahoma. The two met in high school and began dating. Though they didn’t stay together at first, they later found their way back to each other. In their twenties, they lived in Northern California for Connie’s work—and it was ultimately the brewery that would bring them to Atlanta.

The couple married in 2008. Travis later met his future business partner, Matt Shirah, at a festival in California. Shirah was planning to open a brewery and invited Travis to be part of the venture. The family relocated to Atlanta in 2014, and two years later moved to the Bolton/Riverside area of the Upper Westside—just months before opening Scofflaw’s first location on MacArthur Boulevard. 

Connie reflects on how those moves shaped their perspective. “Living in a variety of places, the culture, the people, and even the weather are all so vastly different,” she says. Connie is grateful to have lived in both California and Atlanta after what she describes as a sheltered childhood. Her parents immigrated from Vietnam in 1975 while escaping the war.

“My parents raised me in survival mode and were very protective,” she explains. “I lived in a bubble. They were very strict and made academics a priority for my sister, brother, and me, so I didn’t do much outside of school. I feel like I missed a lot.”

As a parent, she has taken a different approach. “As I raise my kids, I’ve been intentional about allowing them to explore and nurture their passions.” One of those passions would eventually become hockey.

DISCOVERING HOCKEY

For the Herman family, before beer there was—and still is—ice hockey. When their sons were six and eight years old, the family was exploring different sports. Soccer and martial arts were already  

part of the routine, but hockey entered the picture through a “Learn to Play” program offered by the Nashville Predators. The program included six weeks of instruction and all the equipment needed to get started.

At first, the boys weren’t particularly excited about trying something new. But after their first practice, everything changed. “They couldn’t wait to go back,” Connie says. Today, both boys are busy with competitive hockey schedules—Benjamin as a goalie and Jackson developing as a forward. They began playing at the Atlanta Ice House with the Madhatters program on house and all-star teams before advancing to travel teams.

Jackson is now in his seventh season with the Madhatters, while Benjamin spent five years with the program before joining the Nashville Jr. Predators AAA team, where he now competes at the 14U AAA travel level. The boys clearly inherited their hockey instincts from their dad. Travis grew up playing goalie for the Oklahoma City Blazers.

BALANCING BREWERY LIFE AND FAMILY

In the early days of Scofflaw, the boys were toddlers running around the MacArthur brewery space. Connie often traveled for work at the time while Travis worked long hours helping launch and establish the brand. Many late nights were spent at the brewery, with the boys sometimes sleeping on air mattresses while Travis worked into the evening. Today, those same boys are balancing middle and high school life along with competitive travel hockey schedules.

Travel sports require significant commitment and sacrifice. As Benjamin’s hockey career became more demanding, the family decided to move him to a nontraditional school in Duluth, allowing for greater flexibility in his schedule and more time on the ice.

Running a growing brewery while raising two student-athletes requires serious coordination. “We divide and conquer,” Connie says. “Managing work, life, and parenting is a constant juggling act. We often live by our calendars.” Support from friends has also played an important role. “We couldn’t do this without the help of our friends when the logistics get difficult and we can’t be in all the places at once,” Connie explains.

The hockey community has been particularly meaningful. At times, the boys stayed with teammates’ families during demanding schedules. Those relationships have grown into lifelong friendships—even as the boys have moved to different teams. Today, Connie’s flexible work schedule allows her to attend many of the boys’ games, while Travis balances brewery responsibilities. 

Travis still plays hockey in a local men’s league and helps coach Jackson’s team. Many evenings involve heading home from practice—only to return to the brewery afterward to finish the day’s work.

GROWING THE BREWERY

Scofflaw has come a long way since Travis first began experimenting with small batches and learning the science behind brewing. Today, the brewery produces beer on a significantly larger scale, growing from early small-batch production to operations capable of producing thousands of gallons. Travis takes pride in showing visitors the evolution of the brewery, walking them through the brewing process and explaining how the operation has expanded over the years. 

While craft beer and IPAs remain at the heart of the business, Scofflaw continues to evolve with new products and offerings. In the lab, Travis focuses on ensuring precision in every product while helping develop new beverages that can be produced four times faster. The company now sees strong sales across additional beverage categories, including bourbon, tequila, and THC beverages, with new concepts like hydrogen water also in development. Infused with gold, platinum, zinc, and copper, the hydrogen water is an innovation the team believes will become another success. 

Though his passion remains rooted in beer, Travis acknowledges the importance of diversification.

“Without expanding our product line, we would be in the same position as many of the breweries that have closed in the last twelve months,” he says. “Alcohol is hurting right now. It’s not just beer. Wineries are closing. Even major distilleries like Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam have had to make hard pivots.” In an industry shaped by constantly changing consumer trends, the team feels fortunate to continue growing.

A FOCUS ON LOCAL COLLABORATION 

Scofflaw places a strong emphasis on collaborating with neighboring businesses across the Upper Westside. That local-first philosophy has led to partnerships with several community businesses, including local residents, Delilah Winder, Jason and Delana Reeves of Delilah’s Everyday Soul. A conversation between neighboring businesses at Chattahoochee Food Works eventually sparked a collaboration that grew into a two-year partnership supporting Delilah’s Annual BBQ & Beer Fest held at the Scofflaw MacArthur location.

In addition, fellow neighbors and owners of Bar Crawl USA,™ Andy and Caroline Zirger have also been in longtime collaboration with the team, for their annual Bar Crawl USA™ Food, Booze, and Brews Fest held at The Works for the first time in February. Local restaurants across the area proudly serve Scofflaw’s beverages. Scofflaw VP of Sales and Marketing, Matt Moore, explains, “We want to collaborate with as many of our neighboring businesses as we can. The Southeast is about as far as we plan to go. We focus on our backyard first—Upper Westside, then Georgia, then the surrounding region.”

LOOKING AHEAD

As Scofflaw approaches an exciting milestone, the team is reflecting on just how far the brewery has come. The original MacArthur location will celebrate its 10-year anniversary in September, while the second location marks five years this October. Scofflaw’s third location in Columbus is now entering its third year of operation.

Even as the business grows, the heart of Scofflaw remains the same: family, community, and the neighborhood that helped launch it all. On the Upper Westside—where Travis and Connie’s sons once ran around the brewery as toddlers—Scofflaw Brewing has become something bigger than a brand. It’s a place where craft, family, and community meet.//