OUR STORY

TIMBER CITY GINGER BEER

Established 2014

Timber City Ginger Beer all started with a recipe. In 2014, Kyle McKnight was working as the chef and started making ginger beer. The spicy brew was a hit and Kyle was brewing ginger beer more than he was cooking. After years of working in restaurants in Colorado, New York and Seattle, he was excited about the opportunity to start his own business. He took a sample of his ginger brew to his friend Kara Patt (now McKnight). Kara had years of experience in hospitality, and loved the idea of co-founding a ginger beer company. The two set out to start Timber City Ginger Beer, hoping to create a dry, ginger forward, farmer driven ginger beer.

Timber City Ginger Beer sold their first bottles at a Seattle Farmer’s Market in Spring 2014, selling out in 90 minutes. After that, they quit their jobs and started making 10 gallon batches of ginger beer in a kitchen space near Pioneer Square, only to open their own production facility in South Park 4 months later. Partnering with folks at the farmer’s markets, Timber City expanded their brews using local farm botanicals, creating unique blends of bright and refreshing ginger beer.

In the Fall of 2024, Kara and Kyle sold their company to Roger Bialous and Manny Chao, owners of Georgetown Brewing Company.

Kara: "Kyle and I have been running this ginger beer engine pretty much on our own for 10 years now. So many highs and lows, but overall it has been an absolute honor to build a brewing business in the glorious greater Western Washington.

"We are so honored to pass along all we have built to an incredible, local company that upholds the same principles we do: a love for our state and what it grows, tireless dedication to supporting Washington’s economy, a commitment to brewing and sharing quality products, and most importantly, a champion in community building. 

"The team at Georgetown will help grow our spicy little beverage company the right way.”

Timber City Ginger Beer is available throughout Western Washington at over 300 accounts in grocery, bars and restaurants.