by Ray Daniels

Alaska is a spectacularly beautiful land, and a harsh one, too. But a frozen environment is perhaps the least of the challenges once faced by Alaskaâs beer enthusiasts. In the not-too-distant past, both residents and visitors in search of good beer had to make do with little more than the usual mass-produced brands flown in from the lower 48.

"Until the first good beer bar opened two years ago, this was the wasteland of beer," said Richard Sassara, a native Alaskan who has done his part to change that situation. Today, Sassara owns the Railway Brewing Co., one of a gaggle of local breweries to have opened their doors during the past two years. Collectively, their efforts have eliminated the one Alaskan hardship that is most important to drinkers of good beer.

Rugged individualism is a common Alaskan trait, and in typical Alaskan fashion, many of the new breweries have been built from the vision and labor of a single individual. As Kenneth Pajak, brewmaster at Regal Eagle, the stateâs first brewpub, said, "The idea came to us and we did it."

There was no marketing study, no fund-raising drive, no 100-page business plan. Instead, the brewpub came into being almost serendipitously.

One day in 1994, Pajak shared some of his homebrewed beer with the owner of North Slope Restaurant where he had worked as a cook for 20 years. When the owner asked, "Can we sell this stuff?" Pajak replied, "You bet." An unused greenhouse patio area was fitted with brewery equipment and Pajak installed as brewmaster. In June of 1995, the Regal Eagle served what it claims was the very first glass of pub-brewed beer in Alaska.

This spontaneous fermentation of beer enthusiasm didnât happen in Alaskaâs major city, Anchorage, nor in the other well-known population centers of Juneau or Fairbanks. Instead, it boiled over in the little town of Eagle River, population 35,000. Although just 17 miles apart, Anchorage and Eagle River are separated by two sprawling military facilities that create a distinct geographical boundary.

To succeed, the North Slope restaurant caters to locals year around, with long hours to match the long nights and a kitchen that offers hot meals from breakfast through supper. Still, it maintains a strong tourist appeal with frontier decor that features the hunting trophies as well as the antiques and Victorian fixtures reminiscent of Alaskaâs fine historic homes.

Those who venture in for the North Slopeâs quaint Alaskan charm will be pleased to find some nice beers as well. Although mostly malt-balanced to suit the tastes of those who are just discovering good beer, the range of products nonetheless offers some interesting and enjoyable choices. Top picks during a recent mid-winter visit included a brown ale made with smoked malt and a spiced winter ale that was quaffable in pint quantities. Also offered: a well-aged barley wine that was beginning to come into its prime.

For a few months, Regal Eagle enjoyed the sobriquet of "Alaskaâs Only Brewpub." The second, housed by a mid-town Anchorage hotel, opened in October 1995. Another four brewpubs opened in Anchorage during 1996. By January 1997, the Anchorage area was home to no fewer than eight operating breweries with a ninth about ready to begin production.

With a population of just 285,000, the Anchorage area is in contention for having the highest per capita concentration of breweries of any city in America. Today, it sports one brewery for every 32,000 residents-exceeding other beer meccas such as Portland, OR, and Denver by a comfortable margin. Larger cities such as Chicago would need to open 60 new brewpubs and nearly 100 new breweries in total to match Anchorageâs fermentative concentration.

"We have something very refreshing here," said Alaskaâs veteran craft brewer, Geoff Larson. Larson started the Alaskan Brewing Co. in Juneau just over 10 years ago. Today his is the largest brewery in the state, with distribution that extends into the lower 48. Until all the newcomers got started, Larsonâs award-winning products were the only Alaskan craft beers that were well known outside their home state.

Even with all the new breweries, Larson said, "We still find people who are discovering craft beer and they get very excited about it." As for their reaction, he said, "The people here are individualistic and they are not afraid to say what they like and donât like. They buy less on image and go with what they really like."

Because of Alaskaâs near-Arctic environment, Larson said, brewers make heartier styles of beer. "Even in the summer it is cooler than people expect, so they need some extra fuel."

One example of this robust approach to brewing can be found at the Snow Goose Restaurant, which houses the Sleeping Lady Brewery in downtown Anchorage. Of the six beers offered by brewer Mike Hartman during January, all but one were full-bodied, including a honeyish Fish On IPA, the toasty and long-finishing Forty-niner Amber, the praline sweet Braveheart Scottish ale, an espresso-like John Henry Stout and the piquantly fruity Old Gander Barley Wine. In a departure from common brewpub practice, even the one "lighter" beer wasnât made with wheat or fruit extract.

Echoing Larsonâs comments on Alaskaâs beer drinkers, Snow Goose owner Gary Klopfer, a 20-year resident of Alaska, said, "Up here nobody cares who you are or where you came from. If people are pleased with your products, they will buy them."

Klopferâs venture is one of three "destination" brewpubs that opened in downtown Anchorage last year. In total, the three invested more than $7 million in equipment, facilities and furnishings. While these brewpubs cater to locals in the winter months, all were conceived and designed with an eye toward Alaskaâs steady stream of summer tourists. All offer distinctive amenities attractive to visitors.

At the Snow Goose, customers find comfortable casual dining flanked by the brewhouse on one side and a view of scenic Cook Inlet on the other. Upstairs in the pub-and in the summer on the spacious patio deck-patrons can enjoy a beer while watching for the small geysers spouted by whales breaching the water of the inlet. A less-animated feature of the view is the breweryâs namesake, Sleeping Lady mountain, formally known as Mount Susitna. If youâre lucky, on clear days you can also see Americaâs tallest peak, known to outsiders as Mt. McKinley, but called Denali ("The Great One") here in compliance with Alaskan law. The well-crafted beers offer a nice range of malt/hop balance so that each beer drinker can find a selection that satisfies the palate.

The other two destination brewpubs are found just a few blocks away from the Snow Goose. Perched at the bottom of the hill that defines the downtown geography, Sassaraâs Railway Brewing Co. occupies space in the busy Alaska Railway depot building. Railroads provide the only land route to some of Alaskaâs most scenic sites, so unlike many other American train stations, the Anchorage depot sees substantial traffic, with more than 300,000 visitors passing through its doors each year.

Producing both bottles and kegs, Railway sells its products at its own pub and through other local retail outlets. Brewer Ray Hodge uses seven different yeast strains to produce a tantalizing variety of beer flavors, including the authentic banana-like Gandy Dancer Hefeweizen, the peat-tinged Scottish Rail Ale and the powerful Big Stinger Barley Wine with flavors strongly reminiscent of Scotch whiskey. Bottled products include Railway India Pale Ale, the Ironhorse Not Brown Ale and the novel Steel Rail Chili Ale.

Railwayâs pub and separate dining room are true to concept with a somewhat narrow railcar feel as well as railroad and industrial touches in the decor. In summer, those interested in an in-town opportunity to fish for salmon might stop by Railway. The Ship Creek, just a short walk from Railwayâs front door, is reportedly a great spot to catch king and silver salmon. This summer, the pub plans to rent fishing rods during the season, and you can always grab a growler of beer to keep you company.

The upscale entry in the Anchorage brewpub line-up is undoubtedly the Glacier Brewhouse. Perched near the downtown hub, the restaurant wraps visitors in a polished-stone-and-fine-wood hunting lodge motif that makes some locals feel like they are in a more sophisticated locale than has been typical of Alaska. Those who seek fine dining with pub-produced beers will find a menu that fits the surroundings. With the exception of a ginger-spiced barley wine, the beers this writer tried were generally malt-balanced and dry with a touch of graininess. Regular selections include Light Ale, Amber Ale, Oatmeal Stout and a specialty tap.

With all the hubbub created by the big-budget destination brewpubs downtown, it is easy to overlook Anchorageâs other brewery offerings. For those who love the creative ingenuity of brewers who succeed without big budgets, an excursion across town will be in order.

In the midtown area, youâll find Mooseâs Tooth serving up a cornucopia of pizza and salad as well as handcrafted beers. Although technically just a restaurant (and smoke-free to boot), it is the sole outlet for Denali Brewing Co.â s beers. The two businesses were cofounded by partners Rod Hancock and Matt Jones.

"We met in college and started homebrewing together," said Hancock recently. "Matt grew up in Alaska, and at some point we just decided to come back here and start a brewery."

Mooseâs Tooth typically offers a dozen or more of the Denali beers at one time, along with root beer and other soda drinks made at the brewery. Selections may include the likes of Klondike Golden, Chugatch Lager, Wild Country Wheat, Moonflower ESB, Fairweather IPA and Pipeline Stout. Between the wide selection of beers and the more than two dozen pizza options, itâs easy to see that multiple visits might be required to savor the full potential of this establishment.

A second midtown brewpub, Cusackâs Brewpub and Roaster, can be found on the first floor of the Northern Lights Hotel. Featuring a sports-bar theme, Cusackâs serves both its pub-brewed beers and more than a dozen Alaskan and northwestern micros. Those in need of a sports fix might saunter in to try the subtly flavored Blueberry Ale or the rich-as-a-chocolate-brownie Mooseknuckle Stout. Itâs also a good place to sample wares of the nearby Midnight Sun Brewery.

Although still quite young, the breweries of Alaska have proved themselves capable of producing not only tasty, but innovative beers and they have already turned Alaska into a land with many rewarding beer opportunities. In addition, those who visit in the summer may find an indigenous ingredient mixed into some of the brews. Of particular note: spruce tips and salmon berries. Though neither has been added into a commercial beer as of this writing, various brewers are pondering their deployment. Beer drinkers who are adventurous enough to sample the Alaskan products in their native setting may have the opportunity to quaff these enigmatic creations before anyone else from the outside ever gets a chance.

RELATED LINKS
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
Alaska brewpub finder


A TASTE OF ALASKA
Regal Eagle
Rendezvous Brown Ale
Intriguingly accented with a bit of smoked, or rauch, malt to provide a pleasant and inviting wood-smoke aroma. In the palate, the rauch character is fully expressed without overwhelming the other flavors. An innovative and interesting beer. Railway Brewing Co. - Steel Rail Chili Ale: Dry-hopped with Anaheim chilies in the fermenter and then taste-tested until ready. It displays a great pepper aroma, not much heat or pepper character in the flavor. As a result, it is nicely balanced and very drinkable, great with food of any kind.

Alaskan Brewing Company
Alaskan Pale Ale
One sniff marks this beer as a standout because of its incredible fresh hop character. This effect can only be achieved by dry hopping or adding fresh hops in the fermenter. This hop flavor bursts out of a nearly straw-colored beer with a rather light mouthfeel, making it a sure choice for a session beer.

Snow Goose/Sleeping Lady
Forty-niner Amber
This prototypical Alaskan beer offers a meaty, malty flavor that is full of toasty character. Hops provide a decent balance without coming to the forefront. It lingers long in the mouth at the finish with a touch of toasty sweetness. Great with food and cold nights.

Railway
Solstice Gold
Made with organic malt, this beer presents an appealing pale malt flavor, accented by a subtly spicy hop presence. On the lighter end of the range for Alaskan beers, but tasty and drinkable in any season.

Denali Brewing Co.
Fairweather IPA
Soft, floral, hoppy aroma with a hint of lemon zest. In the mouth, hops are front and center with some resiny-spicy-type flavor. It finishes cleanly with just a touch of hoppiness remaining. Pale and inviting in the glass.