For an active adventure seeker, Alaska has it all: mountains, rivers, glaciers, vast wilderness, and great beer. I'm on a ten-day vacation in Alaska at the moment with my wife, Kris. We're spending lots of quality time with my brother, Jon, who's an Army captain stationed at Ft. Richardson in Anchorage, and his girlfriend, Sarah. So far, we've had an amazing time hiking and making the 250-mile drive into Alaska's interior to tour Denali National Park and Preserve. No great vacation is without great beer, however, and we've sampled some excellent craft beer from Anchorage breweries and beyond.
All the breweries we've visited have been brewpubs, with full bar and restaurant service. Craft breweries with only taprooms focusing on beer may exist in Alaska, but I haven't found them yet. The beer is the star of the show at these brewpubs, but the delicious food makes them even more popular with families, tourists and locals. It's hard to beat extremely tasty, satisfying grub and a great selection of craft beers after a day spent traveling, hiking, biking or fishing. One brewpub in Anchorage that regularly draws large crowds with long waits is the Moose's Tooth, known for creative, mouth-watering pizzas and close to 15 beers on tap. Thirsty adults can find something they like, from lighter fruit beers like the raspberry wheat, to IPAs, to darker porters and stouts.
On the way to Denali, we stopped in the funky little town of Talkeetna, which is close to the halfway point when heading to the park from Anchorage. Talkeetna has the look and feel of a counter-culture mountain town, with only main street about three blocks long. Denali Brewing Company resides there at the Twisted Creek Restaurant, where I enjoyed some of the best fried cod I've ever had along with several taster glasses of great beer. The schwarzbier, sour ale, and double IPA are all fantastic choices. Denali Brewing is proof that fine craft beer can be found in the smallest of places, but it also helps that many travelers heading to the national park stop in Talkeetna along the way.
Denali National Park and Preserve was an incredible place to tour and see for myself. We took a seven-hour bus tour about 60 miles into the park before turning around, viewing a couple of grizzly bears and about a dozen caribou along the way. Unfortunately, the dense cloud cover prevented us from viewing Denali, also known as Mt. McKinley, which, at 20,320 feet, is the tallest peak in North America. Most of the return trip was rainy, but it didn't dampen our spirits for long. We warmed up by stopping at the 49th State Brewing Company, about 10 miles north of the park entrance in the town of Healy, where we stayed.
49th State definitely stands out as a pleasant surprise. As pictured below, the walls are a celebration of all things beer and Alaskan charm. Empty bottles from around the world line the walls, with heads of Moose and other wildlife. In the middle of the brewpub sits a large fire pit made from an old brew kettle. The beer was fantastic, showcasing a wide variety. One beer that really captured my attention was the Blonde de Sharif, pictured below. It's a collaboration with Yonkers Brewing Company in New York, and blends together pilsner and wheat malts with American hops and a Belgian yeast strain. The result is huge lemon citrus flavor from the malts that's enhanced even more by the choice of hops. The yeast adds a peppery flavor to the finish. The total package is a crisp, refreshing and intriguing beverage.
There's still plenty of adventure left on my trip, so I'll check in again soon to share what I experience, see, and taste next.
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