Karl Johann "John" Kopp was born in Steckborn, Thurgau, Switzerland. He arrived in America with his brother Joseph in 1873. The brothers settled in Bozeman, Montana where they ran a butcher shop. It was here John met Andrew Hemrich, who was working in the Bozeman Brewery in town.

In February of 1883 the butcher and the brewer decided to pool their money and establish their own steam beer brewery in Seattle Washington. But by 1884 Kopp was looking for greener pastures and sold his stake in the brewery to his partner's father, Wisconsin brewer John Hemrich. Kopp moved south, to Astoria Oregon to form the North Pacific Brewery. The brewery thrived until Oregon State Prohibition shut it down in 1916. John Kopp passed away at age 82 on September 13th, 1935.

The North Pacific Brewing Company of Astoria Oregon introduced their Munchener Style Beer.