Evans—who started the business with co-owners Jeff Angell, Heath Cleaver and Jason Doornik—had dreamed of opening the brewery for years after dabbling in homebrewing for nearly a decade.
“When you make enough homebrew beer and it turns out pretty good, people start saying, ‘You need to sell it,’” Evans said. “Everybody dreams of opening their own brewery.”
Once that dream became a reality, however, Evans quickly realized how much goes into starting a business.
“It’s all encompassing,” Evans said. “It’s every day of the week, whether it’s six in the morning or midnight. ... You can’t do this by yourself, especially with a new small business.”
Although Evans was able to retire from Coca-Cola after 28 years to focus solely on the brewery, Angell, Cleaver and Doornik still have full-time jobs.
Despite only working part time, Evans said his partners’ contributions are invaluable. Doornik and Heath are both licensed accountants, which Evans said makes them well suited to handle the business’s finances, including taxes and permitting. Angell, a medical professional and former officer in the U.S. Army, is in charge of marketing.
“We all have our expertise,” Evans said, noting his time spent at Coca-Cola helped him ease into his position as chief operating officer.
According to Evans, all four of the owners also have their own taste when it comes to beer, which helped the brewery establish a wide variety of options for patrons.
DECA features 18 different brews—including 12 that are always kept on tap—ranging from ales, porters, lagers and bitters to stouts, Pilsners and IPAs.
Additionally, the brewery offers wine as well as seasonal selections, such as the chocolate milk stout or the Mexican lager.
Evans noted his next venture will be expanding the brewery’s distribution operations. DECA currently only sells kegs to restaurants and bars, but Evans said the business could potentially package and sell bottles and cans in the future.
For now, Evans said he is focusing on providing a great atmosphere for patrons visiting the taproom, which features indoor and outdoor seating and an array of big-screen televisions. Evans also noted the brewery typically has an on-site food truck available for customers looking to dine in between beers.
“The music’s not blaring. It’s family friendly,” Evans said, noting children and pets are welcome at the brewery. “We want people to come in and have a good time—be relaxed, have a conversation with someone, meet new friends.”
DECA Beer Co.
25428 Loop 494, Ste. G, Porter
281-747-7746
www.decabeer.com
Hours: Thu.-Fri. 4-9 p.m., Sat. noon-9 p.m., Sun. noon-8 p.m., closed Mon.-Wed.
