Biography

Established: 2011

Owners: Ken Thoburn, Daniel Heath and Derrick Moyer

Brewers: Ken Thoburn, Mike Dempster, Chris Jones

Location: 509 1/2 Puyallup Ave., Tacoma WA 98421

Specialty: Inspired by Tacoma’s legacy of honest hard work, Wingman Brewers strives to create a strong selection of spirited, full-flavor beers, including excellent porters.

Five Notable Beers: Ace IPA, P51 Porter, Coconut P51 Porter, Peanut Butter Cup P51 Porter, Stratofortress Belgian Strong Ale

Status:

• Closed permanently (Yelp & MapQuest reflect “Closed” as of July 2025)

• Final confirmation via Washington Beer Blog’s 2021 closing coverage

The Final Descent:
Once soaring from nano‑brew dreams to doubled‑up fermenters and a shiny bottling line by 2015—by roughly late 2021, the brewery ran out of runway. 

Timeline Rewind:

• April 2011: Thoburn, Derrick Moyer, Daniel Heath & Jason Sabol launch Wingman Brewers in downtown Tacoma.

• 2012: Move to Puyallup Ave., add taproom.

• 2013–15: System upgrades (1→7‑barrel), fermenter expansions, bottling machine, Click Distributing deal.

• Awards:

  • 2015 Washington Beer Awards Gold — Cucumber Beer

  • 2014 Bronze – Stratofortress & Gratzer

Legacy (and Lore):

• The name and imagery salute Thoburn’s grandfather, WWII aircraft‑side artist.

• Ownership rooted in Tacoma friendship since high school.

• Brewer Mike Dempster trained at Greenpoint (NY), Buoy (Astoria), Norway’s Graff Brygghus, joined Wingman in 2016.

Fun Fact Coda:
Wingman Brewer’s epistle was beautiful while it lasted—an elegant contrail of ambition that touched local hearts, then evaporated. From rising flights to grounded reality, their story is now folded into Tacoma’s craft‑beer history, bittersweet and potent.

LINK: Wingman Brewers archives