The Latest News

Hello!  This blog will be a short one.  As I said in my last one, I'm putting all my spare time (except for meeting column deadlines at The Redoubt Reporter and the Northwest Brewing News) into finishing Volume II of Beer on the Last Frontier: The Craft Breweries of Alaska.  But there's been some news items in the local beer scene that I want to relate now.  Otherwise, it will be too late when I do get around to writing about them.

So no reviews or comments this time, just news.

First, the US will be home to the newest  Trappist brewery.  St. Joseph's Abbey in Massachusetts will be brewing and selling beer under the name Spencer Brewing Company.  Word is that they are getting help from Scourmont Abbey (the brewers of Chimay) and Dann Paquette from Pretty Things.  I'm looking forward to trying their beer.

Second, Rob Weller of Specialty Imports let me know that they have received several beers in from in Southern California.  I've reviewed some of there beers here (and got to visit the brewery in person a couple of years ago) and their stuff is uniformly excellent.  Here's what came in last week:
The Bruery

Anniversary (Bois)
Mischief 
Oude Tart
Rugbrod
Saison Rue
Tart Of Darkness 

If you can find them, buy them.

HooDoo Brewing celebrated their First Anniversary yesterday with a party and the release of their Anniversary Pumpkin Ale, which consumed over 200 pounds of pumpkins.

Silver Gulch Brewing just did a bottling run of their Epicenter Ale.

49th State Brewing closed for the season on Saturday, October 26th.  Now we can all look forward to seeing what sort of cold-conditioned beers their long winter slumber will produce!


For the fourth year in a row, one of Denali Brewing Company’s beers took First Place in the People’s Choice Competition at the Mighty Matanuska Brew Fest, held at the State Fair Grounds in Palmer on October 18 & 19^th. Slow Down Brown, a brown ale brewed with a proprietary blend of spices from Sri Lanka was this year’s winner. Spices in the mix include cumin, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne. This win means it will be the official beer of the 2014 Alaska State Fair. Denali Brewing also plans to begin packaging this beer in cans in 2014. 49^th State Brewing Company of Healy earned the 2^nd and 3^rd place ribbons for its Golden Dahl Tripel and Equinox Double IPA. In total, thirteen breweries were present at the fest, offering over eighty beers.

This event is coming up soon:

Click to Enlarge

Today is First Firkin Friday at Midnight Sun Brewing.  Word is that they'll be tapping a cask of Monk's Mistress spiked with tart cherries.

Alaskan Brewing Company was also recognized with two medals at the European Beer Star 2013 awards ceremony held Sept. 18 in Munich, Germany. Alaskan Oatmeal Stout and Alaskan Smoked Porter were both recognized with Silver Medals, two of the 37 medals won by US brewers in this annual international beer competition. Alaskan has also announced that its beers will now be distributed in New Mexico, bringing the number of states where they are available to fifteen.

King Street Brewing released their Poltergeist Pumpkin Ale on 10/18 and held a costume party on Halloween.

Kassik's Brewery is about to place another order on Monday for Monson snowboards decorated with their Morning Wood IPA logos.  Boards are $425 each, with $200 down when you order.  Contact the brewery right away if you want one.

When I was in St. Elias Brewing a week ago, they had a nice Munich Helles Lager on draft, and were serving it in 20 oz. glasses.

That's it for now.  Short and sweet, as promised.  As soon as I finish writing Volume II, I'll get back to my weekly blogging.

Until Next Time, Cheers!