Liam, Kevin, Michael, Evan and Jon in the Doan's Brewing taproom
THE BROTHERS DOAN A MODERN FOLK TALE Words: David Smith
F
rom the time they were young, Mike and Evan Doan had a strong bond. "He's like my best friend in the world", Evan said right off the bat, almost causing those present to tear up before our interview could get started. "We've always been able to relate to each other well." Part of that has to be down to their complementary personalities. Younger Evan is the artistic, free-spirited type, balancing the intellectual demeanor of his brother, Michael "Spreadsheet" Doan. "We have two completely different skillsets, and they're almost opposite, so they work together", says Mike, who runs the numbers and handles the business end of things for the brewery. "Evan has 20 WHAT'S BREWING S P R I N G 2018
Images: Brian K. Smith
the artisanal, creative side. If things worked out differently and I was the [lead] brewer, I would be brewing very scientifically guaranteed, regimented..." Evan interrupts: "We would have failed. Day Two." But he points out that if he had to do Mike's job, he would have burnt out immediately. Which might not have been the only danger. The farcical idea of Evan handling the brewery's finances immediately gave Mike visions of his brother blowing their (imaginary) brewhouse expansion savings on a new Lamborghini. As youths, the brothers had no way of knowing they would open
