PhinneyWood’s beloved Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery is a democratically run, member-owned and operated cooperative that strives to make membership and activities welcoming and accessible to all members of our diverse community. As Washington Stateโs first cooperatively owned brewery, they have a big announcement for the community:
We are thrilled to announce that Joe Yonke is joining the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery family as our new Head Brewer!
Joe brings a unique and powerful blend of art, science, and cooperative spirit to Flying Bike’s Greenwood taproom. He holds a PhD in animal science from Virginia Tech, is a Certified Ciceroneยฎ, and has completed the General Certificate in Brewing from the Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers. His professional brewing journey spans small-scale, hands-on operations to high-volume production, including key roles at Rising Silo Brewery, Northwest Brewing Company (where he served as Head Brewer), and, most recently, Fremont Brewing Company.
What makes Joeโs arrival truly special is his deep-rooted connection to Flying Bike’s cooperative model and community. An avid homebrewer and active member of the Cascade Brewers Guild, Joe actually taught his co-op member brother-in-law to homebrew! Together, they developed the recipes for โCloudiaโ and โSapsuckerโโboth of which went 2-for-2 as member competition winners brewed in Flying Bike’s taproom.
Joe is incredibly excited to step into the manual 7-barrel brewhouse, where he can leverage his passion for meticulous quality control, hands-on equipment care, and data-driven sensory analysis. From fresh, rotating IPAs to experimenting with creative ingredients like local spruce tips or unique grain bills, Joe is dedicated to keeping Flying Bike’s taplist diverse, exceptionally fresh, and community-focused.
Joeโs first day is August 3, so please join us in giving Joe a warm welcome next time you see him working hard on the brew deck or enjoying a pint in the taproom!