The conquest for great beer

The official dates for this year’s Alaska Beer Week — or AK Beer Week as it’s officially titled and known as across the industry — run between January 24 through February 2. From the events that are listed on the official website associated with the celebration (akbeerweek.com), the celebration is already in full swing. So far, I’m zero for four for attendance, but the biggest week for beer for me starts now.

For long time attendees, the dates have changed, pushing the week out to accommodate this year’s conversion of the Great Alaska Beer and Barleywine Festival to the Alaska Craft Brew and Barleywine festival that takes place on January 31 and February 1 as the capstone event of beer week.

Here’s how beer week works. Local breweries, restaurants, pubs and other entities create events that celebrate the good beer that’s made and brought up here and submit those events to the AK Beer Week Organize – Brian Hall — for inclusion on the website’s calendar of events. The website and calendar are visible globally and not only locals but people that consider Alaska a beer destination can plan a trip around the events they see. It’s proved out that AK Beer Week, and especially the integral beer festival brings people in from all over the world.

The trick is monitoring the site on a daily basis because new beer week events are added all the time. Last year, there were over 70 events to choose from and even a savvy local beer traveler like me had to make some difficult choices as some of the events overlapped, although no one entity was out to compete with any other. The bottom line is that surviving and getting the most out of AK Beer Week takes some planning.

“The whole goal is to come together to celebrate Alaska craft beer and celebrate it and those who make it,” says event organizer Brian Hall. This is a 10 day celebration of the finest craft beer our state has to offer. It’s for the patrons; the people that drink and enjoy our good beer, more than anything else. It’s all about getting out there and seeing what good beer’s all about in our state” he says.

AK Beer Week always starts off with an official toast. It’s been at Williwaw the last couple of years, but this year, the toast goes back to the celebration’s roots at Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse. The vision for an all-Alaska beer festival started there, after all. Bill Opinsky – one of Humpy’s co-owners and the guy responsible from rescuing the beer festival from certain demise this year — will be giving the toast and that will be promptly at 7:00.

Rumor has it that a very special beer will be poured during or right after the toast at Humpy’s, and when it comes to Opinsky getting beer, it’s always a wild card, so you know what’s on my calendar that night. In fact, many events across beer week feature the release of special beers, some made specifically for the occasion.

Highlighting each of the events in this column is possible because of space limitations, so I’m directing you to both the AK Beer Week website and the AK Beer Week Facebook page so you can come up with your own calendar of events.

Short on time like I usually am? Note that not all of the events are single events with one date and one time, but provide a range of dates for participation. Midnight Sun Brewing Company’s Flights and Bites program, 49th State Brewing Company’s Burger and Beer Paring event, and Humpy’s Great Alaskan Aleshouse’s Tower of Sour event are all events that span across a number of days and allow you to participate as you find time, or to fit in between other AK Beer Week events.

Tap takeovers are another option to duck in and grab special beers from specific brewers. On January 29, between 5-8 pm, Cynosure Brewing will take over the taps at South Restaurant. Meet Cynosure owner/brewer Clarke Pelz there and enjoy selections from a special bar bite menu.

Midnight Sun Brewing Company is featuring a Flights & Bites event between Saturday, January 25 and Saturday, Sunday, February 2, the last official day of AK Beer Week. Check out the AK Beer Week Events Calendar to see what new and vintage beers will be featured with the Loft’s chef’s daily selection.

January 27 is the first night of 49th State Brewing Company’s Burgers N Beer week that will match up 49th’s Alaskan beef burgers with special beers from the brewery’s lineup. These special beers and the burgers will be available throughout the establishments regular hours between January 27 and February 1.

On Monday, January 27, between 6-9 pm, there’s a Talkeetna Takeover at Humpy’s SubZero. It’s not all beer, but of course the taps will be crowded with selections from that brewery, but also Denali Spirits cocktails, and even Holocene Sparkling Glacier Water with CBD. Now that sounds calming after a long day of chasing beer in Alaska.

On January 26, Humpy’s throws down a challenge to our local brewers to serve the finest sour beers in Alaska. In the Tower of Sour competition, eight local breweries will vie for the title, and it’s up to you to get down to the legendary alehouse and sample the beers and cast your vote. January 26 is the preliminary night, the second preliminary flight will be featured on January 27, the semi-finals are on the 28th, “Battle Royale” takes place on January 29 and the winner will be announced at a special celebration on January 30.

Wednesday, January 29 is the biggest day for events associated with AK Beer Week. You’ll have to choose between the always legendary Humpy’s Beer Dinner (I haven’t missed this event every year since its inception), the Craft Beer and Artisan Grilled Cheese event at O’Malley’s on the Green where Fromagio’s and Alaskan Brewing Company team up to make sandwiches from cheeses and breads from around the world paired with Alaskan Brewing Company’s killer beers. Kinley’s weighs in every year too, and this year on the 29th will be featuring a five course beer dinner with Girdwood Brewing Company pairing Girdwood’s brews with Kinley’s awesome fare. Girdwood Brewing Company will be featuring a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout – also released on January 24 at the brewery – that’s mega-infused with graham cracker, coconut, cocoa nibs and vanilla beans. La Bodega’s Charlou will be featuring Woodland Empire (Boise, Idaho) brews that we’ve been enjoying up here for the last couple of years and special guest Rob Landerman from the brewery will work with Charlou’s chef Tyler to pair small bites with the available beers. You’ve got some decisions to make.

Of course, there’s the Alaska Craft Brew and Barleywine Festival that takes place with one session on Friday, January 31, then two sessions on Saturday, February 31. Get your tickets for one of the sessions quickly; this festival at the Dena’ina Convention center is sure to sell out.

All I can tell you is that great beer lies ahead in the next 10 days. You’ve got some homework to do to determine how to best spend the biggest, foamiest craft beer celebration in the state. The AK Beer Week website has links to each of the events and links to obtaining tickets and reservations. Grab a mug of beer, a calendar and a crayon and map out a good time over the next week and a half.