The company will now produce its beer at Silver City Brewery’s location in Bremerton, WA
Around the industry it was hardly a secret, but if you drank a Mac & Jack’s African Amber lately, it probably was not brewed in Redmond. The cat is officially out of the bag. Mac & Jack’s Brewing is moving its brewing production to Bremerton and will operate jointly with Silver City Brewery. In June of this year, we shared news that Ackley Brands acquired Silver City Brewery. Ackley Brands is the Seattle-based company that acquired Mac & Jack’s Brewing in 2023.
The brewery has operated in Redmond since 1997. For a very long time, the physical space created challenges for Mac & Jack’s Brewing, but the company always worked around those challenges. Now, the company says there are new challenges: zoning changes made to accommodate Sound Transit’s expansion into Redmond. That’s what the press release cites as a driving force behind the decision, though the move seemed like a strong likelihood when Ackley acquired Silver City, a brewery positioned to take on the increased volume. Though it marks the end of an era, and will displace some employees, consolidating operations at Silver City probably makes economic and logistic sense for the business, with or without the aforementioned zoning changes.
Ackley Brands says, “… zoning changes will impact Mac & Jack’s longtime Redmond location in 2026, meaning the brewery would need to move by next year.”
Like the plan to extend light rail to Redmond, the zoning changes are not new: they’ve been in place for nearly a decade. The intention of the new zoning is to allow more residential development near the rail station. It does not require that existing real estate be converted to housing: the zoning now allows it. A developer has acquired much of the commercial real estate in the immediate area, reportedly with the intention of pursuing residential development, but those plans are moving very slowly.
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A nearby business told the Washington Beer Blog that it was able to secure a long-term lease extension through the end of the decade and has no need to move. Still, that kind of uncertainty is a consideration for any long-term business plan. No two leases are alike.
Mac & Jacks begins the move tomorrow and expects it to take until the end of the year to complete. During that time, the brewery’s taproom in Redmond will remain open to the public. Ackley Brands says that it is supporting the impacted employees through this transition. You can read more about all of this in the press release below. (Disclosure: Mac & Jack’s is a sponsor of the Washington Beer Blog, but that did not influence how we covered this story.)
Mac & Jack’s Brewing Co. Announces Transition of Operations to Silver City Brewery
For Immediate Release
Seattle, Wash. (October 14, 2025) — Mac & Jack’s Brewing Company, one of Washington’s pioneering craft breweries, announced today that its brewing operations will move to Bremerton, Washington. Mac & Jack’s will share a production facility with Silver City Brewery.
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With Sound Transit’s approved expansion into Redmond, zoning changes will impact Mac & Jack’s longtime Redmond location in 2026, meaning the brewery would need to move by next year. Relocating its brewing operations to Silver City Brewery’s facility—itself a Washington mainstay since 1996 and part of the Ackley Brands family—ensures local continuity, quality, and reach of Mac & Jack’s beers for decades to come. The move will begin on October 15th and should be completed by the end of the year.
Founded in 1993, Mac & Jack’s is a beloved Pacific Northwest brewery started by two friends, Mac Rankin and Jack Schropp, originally brewed out of Schropp’s garage in Redmond, WA. Known for their steadfast commitment to quality and community, Mac & Jack’s was one of the first craft breweries in Washington state. The brewery helped define the first wave of Pacific Northwest craft beer with its legendary African Amber, a flagship that remains a staple of Washington craft beer culture today. For over three decades, Mac & Jack’s has been known as a ‘brewers brewery’, a place where countless brewers learned the art of craft beer, and many of today’s brewing leaders have worked in its brewhouse. In 2023, the brewery was acquired by Ackley Brands, a family-owned company based in Seattle that operates premium beverage brands from the Pacific Northwest.
“Mac & Jack’s has always stood for brewing authentic, relatable beers that stand the test of time” said Seth McHone, General Manager at Mac & Jack’s. “By moving production to Silver City’s facility, we’re setting the stage for the next 30 years of Mac & Jack’s while honoring everything the brand has meant to the Washington craft beer scene. Fans across the state can look forward to enjoying the same Mac & Jack’s beers they know and love, brewed with the same care, and at a scale that allows us to share it more widely.”
Ackley Brands emphasized that supporting employees through this transition remains a top priority. Additionally, the Mac & Jack’s taproom will stay open to customers during the transition; follow @macandjacksbrewingco for taproom closure updates.
“This change is about ensuring that Mac & Jack’s remains an integral part of Washington craft brewing history—not just for today, but for generations to come,” added Brandon Ackley, President of Ackley Brands. Mac & Jack’s beer can be found on taps and shelves across the state of Washington with a broader representation of its portfolio found at The Cove, Ackley Brands’ wine & beer bar located on the waterfront in South Lake Union.
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About Mac & Jack’s Brewing
Founded in 1993, Mac & Jack’s is a beloved Pacific Northwest brewery started by two friends, Mac Rankin and Jack Schropp. Originally brewed out of Schropp’s garage in Redmond, WA, Mac & Jack’s is known for their steadfast commitment to quality and community. One of the first craft breweries in Washington State, today the brewery is a renowned Northwest staple with wide distribution in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and Hawaii. Learn more at macandjacks.com.
About Ackley Brands
Ackley Brands is a family-owned company based in Seattle, Washington that owns and operates premium beverage brands throughout the Pacific Northwest. Driven by an ambitious and discerning team, Ackley Brands continues to launch origin-obsessed brands across the beverage category that undeniably reflect the regions and terroirs from which they hail. Across the Pacific Northwest, Ackley Brands is committed to curating innovation, blending time-honored brewing and winemaking practices with modern creativity. Learn more at ackleybrands.com.
