Karben4 was founded by Appleton, WI natives who have been graciously adopted by the Madison community. The brewmaster, Ryan Koga, was previously working as the head brewer at Yellowstone Valley Brewing Company (YVBC) in Billings, MT. Ryan moved from Wisconsin to Montana to earn his Masters degree in athletic training and fell in love with beer while working on the bottling line at YVBC to pay the bills. In short order, Ryan became a brewer, the head brewer, and before long was known for his seasonal beers and his bright cartoon personality. If Ryan were a lunch meat, he would be roast beef.