I consider myself a beer advocate and a beer activist. I don’t want to just enjoy good, locally produced craft beer, I want to get on my soap box and preach about its virtues. It’s not just my calling, I think it’s my duty as well. Unlike others, I’m lucky to have a voice and a couple of mediums to project it. First, I have the Anchorage Press. This is an important venue because it’s more well read than the other two I use. I also write for The Celebrator Beer News, and maintain my blog site at www.drfermento.net. Each serves a different purpose. I consider the Anchorage Press an opportunistic source of beer information because people pick the paper up for reasons other than beer and by chance, may discover something interesting about beer they didn’t know before. I’m fond of using an example where someone flies into Anchorage on business. They’re not aware of our robust beer culture and perhaps they aren’t particularly interested in it. But, they may pick up the Press and in thumbing through it find out about a unique local beer or a local beer event and say “Huh…that’s interesting. Maybe I’ll see if I can find one of those beers,” or “That sounds like something fun to do, maybe I’ll attend,” or “That looks like a nice little establishment, maybe I’ll check it out while I’m here.”
The Celebrator and my blog are targeted rather than opportunistic meaning that when someone picks up the Celebrator or checks out my site, they have a targeted reason. People that pick up the Celebrator or subscribe to it obviously like beer. People that surf out to my site like beer. I use the blog to make up for lack of space in the other venues to provide an amount of information that’s growing every day. The Press has cut my column length and eliminated the Dr. Fermento character, and I try to make up for that in the blog. The blog is also more timely than the Celebrator, a bi-monthly publication.
Where am I going with all of this? I’m often asked how someone might become more involved in beer. The default suggestion is the Great Northern Brewers Homebrew Club (http://www.greatnorthernbrewers.org/) because it’s the biggest gathering of beer lovers in the state. You should know that while at the same time, not every beer lover homebrews, not every member of the homebrew club makes beer. I’m a prime example. I brewed like a fiend for years and years, but writing about beer slowly took over the time I had to make it and I haven’t brewed a batch of beer in five years. That doesn’t stop me from being an active member of the club, although my attendance at monthly meetings has dropped off lately. I assist in the production of the club’s monthly newsletter and participate in events when I can. I don’t feel the least bit ostracized
Quite by chance, I discovered an online organization called Support Your Local Brewery (http://www.supportyourlocalbrewery.org/). Support Your Local Brewery was established in 2007. The parent organization is the Brewers Association. Briefly, the organization’s mission is to “…promote and protect American craft beer, American craft brewers and the community of brewing enthusiasts…to support 
small, independent and traditional brewers’ efforts to secure fair legislative and regulatory treatment by mobilizing beer enthusiasts across America into a national grass roots movement that will collectively impact the legislative and regulatory process when necessary.” Joining the organization is free. You simply enter your email address and zip code and indicate if you are a member of a particular homebrew club. By doing so, you’ll be alerted when issues affecting beer come up in your state.
I looked on the “Know The Issues” page and there were no current issues listed for Alaska. The organization describes a beer activist as “…the Minutemen and Minutewomen of the brewing community. Just as the patriots of the revolutionary Minute Man Guard answered a fledgling nation’s call to action, Beer Activists support their local brewery at a moment’s notice. When you become a beer activist you’ll be asked to respond to Beer Activist E-Action Alerts sent to your e-mail inbox. Your help will be needed to contact your legislative representatives when state or federal regulatory initiatives threaten the livelihood of your local brewery.” Make no mistake that we do have beer issues up here, so this is a great way to be alerted when they crop up and express your support or dismay on the surrounding issues. It’s interesting to read what other states are facing and there are a lot of similarities. Taxes are probably the biggest issue because increased alcohol taxes are always being postulated somewhere by someone.
I was also surprised that we had no participating breweries in Alaska but I’m guessing they probably don’t know any more about it than I do. So, all of you commercial brewers out there should surf out to the site and check it out. It would be nice to see an Alaska logo in the mix.
I want to be subtle about this, but I’m finally, officially “published,” if there is such a term. My work shows up around the nation but not because I want it to be. It’s because most people are genuinely curious about Alaska’s beer and I’m an easy target. Just the same, last year, I was approached by the Campaign for Real Ale out of Great Britain to assist in the writing of a book called Good Beer Guide West Coast USA.
The authors of the book, Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham needed some help. They bit off more than they could chew. I’m certain they had a good notion of what west coast beer was all about, but didn’t understand that getting around Alaska and seeing all of what’s rich in brewing involved more than renting a car and driving around for a week or so. They quickly understood that experiencing all that’s Alaska brew was impossible with a looming publication deadline.
I agreed to write the Alaska section of the book. I took the project on with a passion, but procrastinated until just before my writing deadline of September 30th. But, I managed to make deadline with a ton of text. I did it for free. I want to spread the gospel about good beer in our state. I got my first official copy of the book in the mail today. The book hasn’t been released in the United States yet. I ripped the package open to see what the final product looked like. It’s a nice book, well appointed with rich detail about beers from California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Alaska. It’s written in a casual “down in the pub” attitude like a couple of blokes were talking to each other about running for beer in the United States. I tried to keep the tone throughout my piece. My voice was muted and changed, but that’s okay. It’s not my book.
Don’t run out and buy the book and especially don’t do it because I penned a piece of it. Fully 80 percent of what I wrote was edited severely and although I tried to represent the flavor or our great state from top to bottom, you, and especially the breweries, brewpubs and establishments I painstakingly covered might feel slighted. Not having experienced the state first hand, McFarland and Sandham high-graded the material and even warned me that my work would be severely edited not because it wasn’t good but because of space and time limitations. I can’t blame them for that. I don’t blame them for anything. The point is that as usual, Alaska was severely under-represented, at least in my opinion. I’ll leave it at that.
So, to make it up to all of the fabulous, incredible, hard-working, fine-craft-ale-producing wonderful brewing establishments in Alaska, I pledge to write my own guide to suds in our great state. If there’s anything that’s more in the “formative years” its my book. I owe it to Alaska and I want it to be right. I think the best books on beer are written by people close to the source and I feel strongly connected to the brewing arts here in my beloved state. I’ll get there. Be patient. In the meantime always remember: think globally (just as I did to support this book) but drink locally. Be proud of our beer: I am.
The problem about writing a book about beer is that at the moment its published, it’s only a snapshot in time. Things change so rapidly in the beer world. What I might say about local beer today is simply historical tomorrow. This is not a bad thing. Beer forever changes, reflecting subtle nuances I culture, palate and even what’s available to brew with. The current hop and malt shortage will shape our local beer in the coming days. Unlike our brewing counterparts in the Lower 48, we slay additional dragons including the omnipotent scourge of isolation which drives prices up forever further. Hops, malt, glass, stainless steel, and all the parts and pieces that bring a beer to your lips are more expensive here because everything except our water is imported. This keeps me forever impressed that brewing giants like Midnight Sun Brewing Company, The Sleeping Lady Brewery, Silver Gulch Brewing Company, Alaskan Brewing, and others continue to make their beers and export them outside despite the cost. It keeps us on the map. Brew free, proud and strong. We have something to say and some day, I’ll help proclaim that across the globe.
Deschutes Brewery’s Hop Henge Imperial IPA has been released, at least it Bend, Oregon (home of the brewery) and because we’re such a big Deschutes state, I expect it to show up here any day. This beer is part of the brewery’s Bond Street Series of beers and if you had it last year, expect something different. According to the brewery, this is an “amplified version of last year’s monument to hops.” According to brewer Brett Porter (via email) “We reformulated everything about the hop recipe to give Hop Henge an extraordinary aroma and flavor similar to a fresh hop beer.” According to the brewery, in addition to using Cascade and Centennial hops, the brewery is experimenting with a hop variety “so new, that it has yet to be named.” 
The brewery indicates that the beer is best matched with spicy foods such as hot wings or “for the next five alarm award.” That’s just great. I enjoy some spice in my foods and note that big hop beers serve as great cutters, but I’m not a hot wing fan (don’t like that vinegar twang). I don’t like jalapenos either, mustard or other foods. But that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy Hop Henge. It was good last year and all indications are that it will be even better this year. Deschutes is the #1 non local craft beer sold in Alaska, so I can’t argue with success. I wouldn’t want to. Deschutes Black Butte Porter is in my Desert Island Six Pack (DISP) and holds a strong position. An easy reach for me is Mirror Pond because it’s easy, well-crafted, hoppy-fun, but unobtrusive. It drinks easy.
Hop Henge Imperial IPA will show up at the likes of Brown Jug Warehouse, La Bodega, Gold Rush Liquors, the Brown Jug Store on 88th and Old Seward, and other grog shops with a taste for good brew. It’s showing up on draft as well and should make for an easy selection at venues like Café Amsterdam and Humpy’s, to name a few.
The 16th Annual Great Alaska Craft Beer and Homebrew Festival is slated for Memorial Day weekend this year (May 23rd and 24th, 2008). In all of my sudsy years, I’ve only been to this gig once, and that was the very first year it took place. I’m long overdue for a visit and this might just be the year. Beer correspondents continue to provide me with great field reports on this event. The only bitch I have about it is getting there and back. Travel between here and Haines a formidable undertaking considering where Haines is. It’s a 770 mile road trip that crosses part of Canada. This isn’t necessarily bad if you have time for such a jaunt, and I suppose with just the right people, it’s just what the Doc ordered. Remember when we only dreamed about road trips of such magnitude? I’ve heard many a war story about this exact road trip and I’m simply green with envy.
The main gig is on Saturday, May 24th at the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds in Haines. Beer sampling runs between 1:00 – 5:00 pm, and if you know the right people and places, probably long after that in other locations. The flyer I got didn’t have anything on the cost or other details. Brewers and distributors get two complimentary tickets to the Gourmet Beer Banquet on Friday evening the 23rd and complimentary food tickets for the Saturday fest. For more information call (907) 766-2476, 766-3823 or email fairevents@aptalaska.net.
What interests me even more is the side event this year. It’s billed as the “Ultimate S.E. (Southeast) Alaska Party Adventure.” The goal is to show up for the all-day Pelican Boardwalk Boogie (in Pelican). No, this isn’t a swim-in event; Rachel Juzler is setting the transportation up which will involve getting on board a boat out of Haines to Pelican. Can you imagine? Party all day at the Haines Brewer’s Festival, then ferry on over to Pelican and pre-load Saturday night for the Sunday gig. Oh, and if you check out www.insidedope.us you’ll quickly get an understanding that this ain’t no “push your kiddies along the pretty dock” event. I get a strong sense that this is a get drunk, rage, puke-down-your-shirt, public urination, public drunkenness and public nudity event. The author of the aforementioned posting in Juneau’s “Inside Dope” paints that sort of picture anyway. I’m rapidly warming up to the concept, anyway, but the transportation logistics remain daunting. Heck, I could easily spend a whole week in SE chasing suds, considering the additional two days it would take me to drink through Juneau again. Are you game? Let me know. Toss out some bait and let’s set up a foray!
If you haven’t noticed, Stone Brewing Company’s Old Guardian Barleywine is out and about in town both on draft and in bottles at select locations around town. I saw Avery’s Maharaja on the shelves at the Brown Jug Warehouse and La Bodega, and don’t quote me on it, but if it’s there, I’m sure it’s at the Brown Jug at 88th and Old Seward. Avery’s New World Porter is available as well.
On Wednesday night, I dragged my liver through The Snow Goose Restaurant and Sleeping Lady Brewing Company, Glacier Brewhouse, and Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse. At the Goose, I drank a number of fabulous beers including the brewery’s new Saison, Wit, Irish Red, Braggot, Nordic Ale, Chocolate Cherry Wheat and probably most of what was left of their very delicious Winter Warmer, aka Rondy Red. I tossed back some of their new Pale Ale as well. 
I’ll be covering this in next Thursday’s Press article, but things are really looking up, at least on the beer side of things at the Goose. Brewers Clay Brackley and Greg Mills are the best two brewers I’ve seen so far at the Goose, and Brackley’s passion for what he does shows in his work, the condition of the brewery, his attitude and of course the improved product. It’s almost deck time at the Goose and secretly I’m waiting for the first batch of Susitna Hefeweizen to hatch and I know where I’ll be planting my happy ass when the sun shines.
My experience at Glacier Brewhouse was little more than a fly through. I came in through the alley door walked up past the brewery and into the dining area and the first words out of my mouth were “forget it.” The place was packed to capacity and even a shot at standing at or near the bar was out of the question. The brewers at Glacier don’t routinely feed me information, an the place is tough to park near, get into and sample the beers, so I apologize for not having more to report. All I know is that what’s there is usually very good, but the crowd situation is only going to get worse as we push into tourist season.
At Humpy’s I enjoyed a Homer Brewing Company Belgian Ale. At first I thought I might be ordering a Celestiale, but when the beer arrived I knew better. I got my typically hypothermic beer still on top with no aroma and pushed it aside to let it warm up. The ruddy/muddy brown beer tasted wonderful with a great Belgique character including the phenols, spicy bite, and a smooth mellow moutfeel. It contrasted nicely with my Blackened Alaskan Halibut Salad. That’s all together too healthy for me, so I ordered some fries with it as well. Humpy’s remains the best value for pub grub in town, in my opinion. I chatted with Executive Chef Tim Farley for a bit. The place seemed a little scarce on a Wednesday night, but I didn’t have to “table vultch” so I didn’t care. Table vultching, by the way, is the art of waiting for an open table at Humpy’s when they’re crowded. It takes skill, steel nerves and strategy, and sometimes I’m just not up for the game. As the menu below indicates, there are some tasty treats on at Humpy’s this week, thanks to the efforts of Beer Manager Christoff.
Here’s the Humpy’s line up as of Tuesday, March 25th: My picks include the Midnight Sun Goldstrike Kolsch because it’s a perennial favorite. Brasserie Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux is nothing short of world class. It’s good to see this on again, at least temporarily. Ommegang Ommegeddon Funkhouse Ale is a rare treat. If you’ve had the bottled version of this beer, don’t forget that the draught version is the non-bretannomyces version, so don’t expect as much funk. The Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout is back and it’s always a winner as well. Alaskan Brewing Company’s Heritage Coffee Stout is back too, and I’ll have to go back and try it because it was oh-so-good last year.
Wheats / Fruits
Moose’s Tooth Wild Country Raspberry Wheat
Ring of Fire Pear—Agave Cyser
$6.75 for 8 oz glass / $11.00 for 12 oz glass
Pyramid Apricot
Pyramid Hefeweisen
Pyramid Imperial Hefeweisen ** (7.1%)
Lindemans Framboise ###
Golden Ales / Pilseners / California Common
Homer Dunkel Lager
Kassik’s Brew Stop Beaver Tail Blonde
Midnight Sun Goldstrike Kolsch
Pale Ales / E.S.B.’s (medium hop bitterness)
Alaskan Pale Ale
Moose’s Tooth Polar Pale Ale
Bass Ale *
Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale
Pyramid D.P.A.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Elysian E.S.B.
India Pale Ales (med - high hop bitterness)
Humpy’s Sockeye Red by Midnight Sun
Midnight Sun Obliteration II Double IPA # (8.3%)
Midnight Sun Obliteration III Double IPA # (7.6)
Moose’s Tooth Fairweather I.P.A.
Bridgeport I.P.A.
Full Sail Slipknot Imperial I.P.A. (7.8%)
Belgian Ales
Homer Belgian Ale
Blue Moon Belgian White Wheat Ale
Unibroue Blanche de Chambly #
Strong Belgian Ales (Alcohol by Volume over 7.5% Kodiak Belgian Triple / I.P.A. # (8%)
Midnight Sun Belgian Imperial Stout ### (10.2%)
Brasserie Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux ### (9.5%)
Chimay Cing Cents Triple ##### (8%)
Delirium Tremens #### (8.5%)
Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre # (8%)
Deschutes 19th Anv. Belgian Golden # (8.7%)
La Chouffe Belgian Golden Ale ### (8%)
Ommegang Ommegeddon Funkhouse Ale ### (8%)
Christmas / Winter Ales
Midnight Sun Rondy Brew
Deschutes Jubel Ale
Elysian Bifrost
Pyramid Snowcap
Amber Ales / Bocks / Dopple Bocks / Scottish
Alaskan Amber Ale
Midnight Sun Oosik Amber
Kassik’s Brew Stop Caribou Strong Scotch # (8.5%)
Mac Tarnahan’s Scottish Ale
Silver Gulch Winter Rye Bock
Smithwick’s Irish Ale *
Porters / Stouts
Midnight Sun Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter
Silver Gulch Pick Axe Porter
Deschutes Black Butte Porter
Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout # (9.5%)
Guinness Stout ***
Murphy’s Irish Stout *
Brown Ales
Alaskan Heritage Coffee Brown Ale
Midnight Sun Kodiak Brown Ale
Barley Wines
Pyramid Barley Wine # (10%)
Dr Fermento Beer Calendar
04/01/08 Maple Leaf Adventures Tall Sails and Ales Brew Cruise Launches (04/01 – 04/08) $2,250 Per Person
04/04/08 Anchor Pub and Club Celestial Meads Mead, Indian and Thai Dinner 7:00 pm $50.00 Per Person
04/05/08 Café Amsterdam Ring of Fire Meadery Tasting 6:00 pm Pay As You Go
04/11/08 Midnight Sun Brewing Company Planet Beer Mars Belgian Imperial Red IPA Release 6:00 pm Free
04/12/08 Snow Goose Restaurant National Homebrew Competition Judging 10:00 am Free
04/13/08 Snow Goose Restaurant National Homebrew Competition Judging 10:00 am Free
04/18/08 Princess Hotel: Fairbanks Ring of Fire Mead Dinner 6:00 pm TBD
05/01-04/08 Arctic Brewing Supply Goblets of Gold Mead Competition Entries Accepted 10:00 am Free
05/03/08 Chena Pump Campground (Fbx) Zymurgist Borealis Nat. Homebrew Day/Big Beer Celeb. Noon Free
05/16-17/08 Andrew Mellon Auditorium (D.C.) Savor Craft Food and Beer Event Sessions $85.00
05/23/08 Hasingland Hotel (Haines) Brewmaster’s Dinner (Haines Brewer’s Festival) 7:00 pm $??
05/24/08 SE Alaska Fairgrounds Great Alaska Craft Beer and Homebrew Festival) 1:00 – 5:00 pm $??
05/25/08 Pelican (SE Alaska) Pelican Boardwalk Boogie ?? Pay As You Go
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