United States Marine Corps Veteran Now Brewmaster For Clare Brewery

You may not think to ask the guy brewing your beer for his backstory. We did and that story did not disappoint.

Doug Maxon served in the United States Marine Corps.

But after years of service, Doug’s life headed in a different direction.

"Active duty, criminal investigator, did law enforcement the whole time," Doug said.

Mount Pleasant native Doug Maxon’s life sped by, dedicated to the United States Marine Corps. But secretly…

"Something that was always a passion of mine, something I enjoyed doing, and I continued brewing until I retired from the military," Doug said.

After serving in the military for 17 years Doug retired, but he didn’t quite know what he wanted to do. It was there that he decided to follow his passion which would eventually lead him to the Fermentation Science program at CMU.

"With my background being law enforcement I always saw myself going that way, but the older I got and the more I progressed, the more I decided I wanted to do something I would enjoy," he said.

Doug graduated with the first class of the program. Now he’s a familiar face at Four Leaf Brewing in Clare.

"Anyone who walks in he’s interested in talking with and he has a nice rapport with people. He’s a team player and self motivated as well," said Amy Shindorf.

But for owner Amy Shindorf, he’s more than an employee she can count on.

"He’s making award winning beer and even though they haven’t been awarded anything yet they really are that good," she said.

Now life for this veteran isn’t moving quite as quickly.

"Instead of going 100 miles per hour, it’s nice to slow down and come to work in a local community," Doug said.

But it’s still filled with what he loves.