Postdoc Brewing

What Postdoc Brewing does

Postdoc Brewing is an independent craft brewery operating two taproom locations in Redmond and Kenmore, Washington, selling craft beer direct-to-consumer through on-site consumption and to-go purchases. The company was founded in 2014 by Tom Schmidlin, a University of Washington PhD in Biochemistry whose scientific background underpins a distinctive science-themed brand identity expressed across beer names (Hydrogen Blonde, Alpha Factor, Tessellation, Null Reference) and product naming conventions. The portfolio spans a Pacific Northwest lineup of IPAs, lagers, stouts, porters, fruited Goses, and barrel-aged specialties, augmented by third-party cider (Yonder, Tieton, Republic of Cider, Soundbite), non-alcoholic beer (Best Day Brewing, Ghostfish), and co-developed collaborative beers with peer breweries (Cairn Brewing, L.A.B. Partner, Logan Brewing). Both taprooms are positioned within feet of major regional trails — the Redmond site at the Marymoor Park entrance and the Kenmore site off the Burke-Gilman trail — forming a roughly 13-mile trail-linked corridor between locations.

The business operates a taproom-centric retail model with on-site service, to-go beer sales, daily rotating food truck partnerships, and event hosting (soccer tournament screenings, Run for Beer events, weekly trivia, private reservations). The company holds a Brewers Association Certified Independent Craft Brewery seal and has accumulated medals at the WA Beer Awards, SIP Awards, Best of Craft Beer Awards, and Untappd Community Awards across multiple years. Distribution is exclusively direct via the two owned locations; a wholesale contact email on the company website suggests nascent off-premise ambitions. The company is privately held by founder Tom Schmidlin with no disclosed institutional investment or parent entity, and it operates as a small team including a Lead Brewer, Retail Operations Manager, Sales Manager, Assistant Brewer/Marketing Manager, and Taproom Manager.

Customer segments are consumer-facing and include local families, outdoor enthusiasts (cyclists, runners, dog walkers, trail commuters using the Burke-Gilman and Sammamish River trails), and community event bookers. Both taprooms explicitly accommodate children, pets, and bike traffic, with non-alcoholic drinks, snacks, and family games available. The differentiated value proposition combines trail-adjacent real estate, a science-rooted brand identity, family- and pet-friendly amenities, and a continuously rotating taplist — supported by multi-year award credentials that validate product quality at the regional and global craft beer competition level.

Name

Postdoc Brewing

Legal name

Postdoc Brewing

Website

https://postdocbrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Postdoc Brewing is an independent craft brewery operating two taprooms in Redmond and Kenmore, Washington, serving local families, outdoor enthusiasts, and event bookers with a Pacific Northwest lineup of award-winning beers, ciders, and non-alcoholic options.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Microbreweries & Craft Breweries (THAFALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Taproom operations
• Barrel-aged beers
• Sour beer brewing
• Independent craft brewery

Headquarters

HQ city

Redmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Taproom Beer Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of craft beers at two taproom locations (Redmond and Kenmore, WA), including on-tap consumption and to-go beer sales.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Postdoc Brewing is a craft brewery producing a Pacific Northwest lineup of beers including IPAs, lagers, stouts, porters, fruited sour goses, and barrel-aged varieties. The brewery operates two taproom and beer garden locations in Redmond and Kenmore, Washington, offering on-site consumption, to-go beer sales, and event hosting. Wholesale distribution is available via a dedicated sales channel.

Product overview

Postdoc Brewing is a craft brewery with two taproom locations in Redmond and Kenmore, Washington. The brewery offers a Pacific Northwest lineup of beers including IPAs, lagers, stouts, and porters, as well as a variety of sour and barrel-aged beers. Their beer portfolio features distinct products like the L.A.B. Partner Margarita Gose, Hydrogen Blonde blonde ale, Alpha Factor American IPA, Kilty MacSporran Scottish Ale, and seasonal barrel-aged releases. The company also operates food truck events, event reservations, and to-go beer sales as part of their service offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• L.A.B. Partner Margarita A fruited Gose sour beer that mimics a refreshing Margarita, featuring tangerine and key lime with a fresh sourdough bread tang. The brewery also produces a slushie variant of the same beer under the L.A.B. Partner Margarita Slushie name.
• Hydrogen Blonde A crisp, light-bodied golden blonde ale with a slightly sweet biscuity malt flavor and delicate floral hop aroma from German hops, named after hydrogen bonds formed in alcohol-water solutions. Awarded Bronze at the 2022 WA Beer Awards, Gold at the 2020 SIP Awards, Gold at the 2019 WA Beer Awards, and Silver at the 2018 Best of Craft Beer Awards.
• Alpha Factor An American IPA named for a yeast mating pheromone, stuffed full of Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, and Amarillo hops with clean fermentation and a light malt body.
• Tessellation A Czech Pilsner brewed with Bohemian Pilsner malt and Czech Saaz hops, featuring a light, crushable character with prominent malt and delicate hop aroma.
• Drudenhaus A Rauchbier brewed in Kenmore featuring Weyermann Beechwood Smoked Malt, delivering a toasty, smoky wood-forward aroma with vanilla and baking spice notes and a clean, restrained bitterness.
• 2024 Cinnamon Barrel-Aged Demon Star A Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout rested on whole cinnamon sticks, featuring dark chocolate, espresso, vanilla, and burnt sugar flavors.
• Tropical Studying Abroad A fruit beer inspired by Mexican Agua Fresca drinks, combining mango, guava, and key lime on a crushable base beer.
• 2026 Barrel-Aged Wee Kilty A Scotch Ale aged in Amoretti bourbon oak barrels for a year, featuring caramel, toasted malt, and dried fruit flavors.
• Kilty MacSporran A Scottish Ale with malt-forward layers of caramel flavors, slightly sweet taste with restrained roast and a dry finish. Awarded Bronze at the 2026 Untappd Community Awards, Bronze at the 2025 Untappd Community Awards, Platinum at the 2023 SIP Awards, Bronze at the 2021 WA Beer Awards, Silver at the 2018 WA Beer Awards, and Gold at the 2017 WA Beer Awards.
• Mjölnir A milk stout inspired by Thor's Hammer with vanilla to amplify deep chocolate character, containing lactose.
• Run Humpy, Run! A pale lager inspired by Seattle's underdog, brewed with Salmon-Safe certified malt and hops for a refreshing beer with a clean malt backbone and a snappy finish.
• Citrus Paradisi A fruited IPA brewed in Kenmore with Centennial hops and grapefruit.
• Null Reference An American lager brewed in Kenmore using Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops.
• Cram Session A coffee porter featuring cold brewed Caffè Lusso Gran Miscela Carmo with notes of cocoa and caramelized sugar.
• Lunar Flyby A New England IPA loaded with hops delivering juicy citrus, berries, pine, and soft tropical sweetness with a smooth, low-bitterness profile.
• Cairn Brewing's Sunshine Saison A collaborative Farmhouse Ale Saison brewed with Cairn Brewing, paying homage to the collaboration and described as a Kenmore classic.
• Taproom Service In-person beer service at two taproom locations in Redmond and Kenmore, WA, offering a relaxed environment with family-friendly amenities, non-alcoholic drinks, snacks, family games, outdoor beer gardens, and proximity to trails.
• To-Go Beer Take-out packaged beer sales available at both the Redmond and Kenmore taproom locations.
• Event Hosting and Private Reservations Private event reservations at both Redmond and Kenmore taprooms, including indoor and outdoor spaces, catering options via food truck partners, and programming such as soccer tournament viewings and trivia nights.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cairn BrewingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative brewing partnership producing specialty beers. Cairn Brewing's Sunshine Saison is a Kenmore classic paying homage to the collaboration. Cairn Brewing also inspired Mjölnir milk stout, a beer inspired by Cairn Brewing's Thor's Hammer.
• L.A.B. PartnercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaborative beer series producing flavored Gose variants including Margarita, Raspberry Slushie, and Margarita Slushie versions. Features tangerine and key lime with sourdough bread tang.
• Logan Brewing CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership producing Atlas & P-Body Coffee Schwarzbier, a dark lager with chocolate and roasted coffee notes.
• Soundbite CiderminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCider partner providing house wines and specialty ciders including La Paloma (grapefruit with lime, sea salt, and Blue Agave) and Comfortably Plum.
• Yonder CiderminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDry cider supplier featuring bright, light and refreshing ciders with hints of orange, lime, and tropical fruit.
• Tieton Cider WorksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional cider partner showcasing Northwest fruit. Huckleberry Cider blends Northwest mountain range berries with locally grown Washington State apples.
• Republic of CiderminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFruit cider supplier featuring Sassy Peaches, an unfiltered cider with sweet peaches and sour twist.
• Ghostfish BrewingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGluten-free beer partner providing Grapefruit IPA for customers with gluten sensitivities.
• Best Day BrewingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNon-alcoholic beer partner providing Electro-Lime, West Coast IPA, Wild American, Hazy IPA, and Kölsch for the non-alcoholic offerings.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Ghostfish Brewing Company: Gluten-free craft brewery that supplies Postdoc with a Grapefruit IPA. Comparable as a specialty craft brand with a distinct dietary/ingredient proposition distributed through partner taprooms.
• Best Day Brewing: Non-alcoholic craft beer brand that supplies Postdoc's NA offerings. Comparable as a complementary craft beverage supplier serving the same health-conscious and NA-curious drinker.

Broad incumbents

• Fremont Brewing: Seattle craft brewery with Urban Beer Garden taproom and broad regional distribution. Comparable in core offering and Pacific Northwest footprint, but materially larger and more established.
• Georgetown Brewing Company: Established Seattle craft brewery known for Manny's Pale Ale and a tasting room. Comparable as a Pacific Northwest craft brewery with broader distribution and a more mature brand presence than Postdoc.

Direct peers

• Reuben's Brews: Seattle craft brewery with a taproom and broad distribution, founded by a homebrewer with a science-adjacent background. Directly comparable in size, style range, and taproom-led model.
• Cairn Brewing: Small craft brewery based in the Seattle area and an active collaboration partner with Postdoc Brewing (e.g., Sunshine Saison, Mjölnir). Directly comparable as a similarly sized local craft brewer operating taprooms in the same region.
• Hellbent Brewing Company: Small Seattle craft brewery with taproom focus. Comparable in size and taproom-driven business model within the same regional craft market.
• Stoup Brewing: Seattle-based craft brewery with a taproom and award-winning portfolio across IPAs, lagers, and sours. Comparable as a similarly sized, independently owned craft brewer competing for the same Pacific Northwest craft drinker.
• Bale Breaker Brewing Company: Family-owned craft brewery in Washington's Yakima Valley with taproom and regional distribution. Comparable as a Pacific Northwest craft brewer with family-founder DNA and broad portfolio including IPAs and lagers.
• Logan Brewing Company: Seattle-area craft brewery and a Postdoc collaboration partner (Atlas & P-Body Coffee Schwarzbier). Directly comparable in size, geography, and craft taproom operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/postdocbrewing
• Facebookfacebook.com/postdocbrewing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/postdoc-brewing-company

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Postdoc Brewing