Alaskan Brewing Company
Alaskan Brewing Announces Baltic Porter (PR)
(Juneau, AK) — Alaska has experienced a surprisingly cold summer season, despite record highs in the rest of the country, and Alaskan Brewing is welcoming the even cooler weather this fall with the next addition to the Pilot Series — Alaskan Baltic Porter.
“This beer is all about the ingredients,” says Alaskan brewer Michael King. “We hand-scraped and seeded several thousand whole gourmet vanilla beans, so that the vanilla flavors are fresh and full-bodied. We added hundreds of pounds of dark cherries during fermentation along with even more vanilla beans, and then finished it off by aging on toasted French oak chips for another level of flavor and complexity.”
Alaskan’s Baltic Porter is full bodied and jet-black in color with garnet highlights and a dense tan head, characteristics similar to a Russian Imperial Stout. Raisin and licorice notes accentuate the smooth, deep maltiness of Alaskan’s Baltic Porter, and balance the chocolate and mild coffee characters. Oak brings hints of bourbon and hot toffee to the warmth of this richly flavorful beer.
Like Alaskan’s award-winning Smoked Porter, the Baltic Porter can be enjoyed fresh or aged like a fine wine. The vanilla characteristics are more apparent in fresher vintages while the malty and complex dark fruit flavors become more dominant with age.
Alaskan Baltic Porter is a proud member of Alaskan’s growing list of rotating specialty recipes released in the brewery’s limited-edition Pilot Series. Last released via the Pilot Series in 2009, Baltic Porter fans have been calling for its return ever since. They will get their wish this September when this bold and complex specialty brew releases in 22 oz bottles and on draft in select locations throughout Alaska and the western states where Alaskan beers are sold.
Learn more about where to find Alaskan Brewing products at http://www.alaskanbeer.com/our-brew/find-our-beer.html.
About Alaskan Brewing Co.
Alaskan Brewing Co. has been making award-winning beer in Juneau, Alaska, since 1986. The Alaskan Brew Crew bottles the unique character of the Last Frontier with historic recipes, local ingredients and glacier-fed water. Alaskan Brewing handcrafts Amber, Pale, White, IPA, Stout, Smoked Porter, Winter Ale, Summer Ale and a variety of limited edition beers in the Alaskan Pilot Series. Visit www.alaskanbeer.com.
Zymurgy’s Best Beers In America 2012
Zymurgy Magazine, the official Journal of the American Homebrewer’s Association just published their results from the reader’s rankings. For the 4th year in a row, Russian River’s Pliny The Elder takes 1st place. Bell’s Two Hearted and Dogfish Head 90 Minute aren’t far behind for best IPA in the country. Interestingly, the harder to find Pliny The Younger ranked at the other end of the list, at #48.
More than 16,000 votes were received in this years vote. Check out the full story for brewery rankings. (T= Tied) [AHA]
| 1. Russian River Pliny the Elder |
| 2. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale |
| 3. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA |
| 4. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale |
| 5. Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale |
| 6. Bell’s Hopslam |
| 7. Sierra Nevada Celebration |
| 8. Stone Ruination IPA |
| 9. Sierra Nevada Torpedo |
| 10. North Coast Old Rasputin |
| 11. Firestone Walker Union Jack |
| 12. Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye |
| 13. Bear Republic Racer 5 |
| 14. Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale |
| 15. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA |
| 16. Firestone Walker Double Jack |
| T17. Ballast Point Sculpin IPA |
| T17. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot |
| 19. Stone IPA |
| 20. New Belgium Fat Tire |
| 21. Deschutes Black Butte Porter |
| 22. Avery Maharaja |
| 23. Founders Breakfast Stout |
| 24. Left Hand Milk Stout |
| T25. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA |
| T25. New Belgium Ranger |
| T25. Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale |
| 28. Deschutes The Abyss |
| 29. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout |
| 30. Surly Furious |
| T31. Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin |
| T31. Rogue Dead Guy |
| T31. Samuel Adams Boston Lager |
| 34. Troegs Nugget Nectar |
| T35. Lagunitas IPA |
| T35. New Belgium La Folie |
| T37. Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron |
| T37. Founders KBS |
| T37. Russian River Blind Pig IPA |
| 41. Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale |
| 42. Victory Prima Pils |
| 43. Great Divide Yeti |
| T44. Alaskan Smoked Porter |
| T44. Anchor Steam |
| T44. Lagunitas Hop Stoopid |
| T44. Samuel Adams Noble Pils |
| T48. Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter |
| T48. Oskar Blues Ten Fidy |
| T48. Russian River Pliny the Younge |
The Alaskan Brewing Story [Video]
A little bit of the 49th state in a bottle. Alaskan Brewing was founding in 1986 by Marcy and Geoff Larson. This is the story of Alaskan Brewing…
Alaskan Brewing In Texas This Spring
Something for Texans to look forward to…
Juneau, Alaska (February, 2012) — Beer drinkers in Texas will soon enjoyfrom the Last Frontier when Alaskan Brewing brings their bottled “taste of Alaska” to the Lone Star State this spring. Alaskan Brewing Co. is partnering with Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors in Texas to bring their award-winning beers to market throughout the state.
“Alaskan’s line up of award-winning beers has been requested by retailers and consumers in Texas for some time,” says Ben E. Keith specialty beverage manager, Kevin Nettleton. “We are thrilled to be able to distribute this unique portfolio of beers across the state.”
Founded by Geoff and Marcy Larson in 1986, Alaskan has been brewing and bottling award-winning beers that reflect their home in Juneau, Alaska for more than 25 years. The brewery researched the move into Texas for several years, wanting to first ensure they had an established supply chain to support the long trip from Alaska before expanding their distribution to such a large state. Texas will be the 14th state to serve Alaskan Brewing products.
“Alaskans and Texans seem to have a lot in common, especially in their appreciation of wide open spaces and of quality craft beer. We have been getting letters, calls and emails from thirsty Texans for years,” says Alaskan Brewing Co-founder, Marcy Larson. “We are truly excited to finally be answering the call with our partners at Ben E. Keith.”
Alaskan will first enter Texas with their Gold Rush-era inspired Alaskan Amber, Alaskan White Ale and Alaskan IPA on draft. These and Alaskan’s seasonal products will be available in kegs and cases in Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio in April.
“We are very proud to represent Alaskan,” shared Ben E. Keith Beverage Division president, Kevin Bartholomew. “Geoff and Marcy are wonderful people and they, and their crew, brew incredible beers.”
Alaskan Brewing and Ben E. Keith Co. will be posting news and announcements about launch events and activities at Facebook.com/AlaskanBrewingCoTX and AlaskanBeer.com as they get closer to beer’s release in the market.
Alaskan Birch Bock To Join Pilot Series
Alaskan Brewing is looking to add a new beer to their Pilot Series – Birch Bock. This bock will contain Alaskan birch syrup, from birch trees (of course.)
The Pilot series has included beers like Baltic Porter, Raspberry Wheat and the recently released Preserverance Ale.
Style: Doppelbock
Availability: 22oz bombers
8.5% ABV
2011 In Review: Top 20 Craft Breweries
Not everybody knows the Top 2o craft brewers in the United States. To be considered craft, you have to produced less than 6 million barrels of beer a year. Overall in 2011, the beer business declined by 1.5% nationally. (When you factor in the large breweries.) The craft sector saw an increase of 15% growth in volume of barrels shipped. Here’s the Top 20 brewers ranked:
1. Sam Adams
2. Sierra Nevada
3. New Belgium
4. Craft Brew Alliance (includes Red Hook, Kona, Widmer Brothers)
5. Spoetzel (Makers of Shiner)
6. Magic Hat
7. Deschutes Brewing
8. Matt Brewing (Makers of Saranac)
9. Bell’s
10. Harpoon
11. Lagunitas
12. Boulevard
13. Stone
14. Dogfish Head
15. Brooklyn
16. Alaskan
17. Shipyard
18. Abita
19. Long Trail Brewing
20. Great Lakes Brewing
Alaskan Barleywine 2011 Arrives Today
Alaskan Brewing Barleywine Ale usually hits in January, but this year (2011) it arrives today. From their Press Release:
“One of my favorite things about our barley wine is that it is great when enjoyed fresh,” says Alaskan Quality Assurance Analyst Darin Jensen. “It’s a fresh and dynamic beer that doesn’t need to be ‘laid down’ like some barley wines; you can enjoy it right away.”
But while some like it fresh, the bottling of each vintage of Alaskan Barley Wine also allows individuals to age it to their liking. It is an ideal cellaring beer to collect for vertical tastings as it gains deeper malt complexity, smoothness and more dark fruit flavors over time. “The first bottle release of our Barley Wine was in 2008, so we are excited to line up and compare the four vintages to see how the flavors are developing.”
The 2011 vintage of Alaskan Barley Wine will be available in December in select retail locations throughout the 12 states where Alaskan Beer is sold, including Alaskan’s newest markets, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Those who live outside these areas can learn about where to find it online at http://www.alaskanbeer.com/our-bre … -beer.html
Style: Barleywine
Availability: 22oz bombers. Dec- Sells out. Annual release. Areas in image below.
10.7% ABV
note: above is 2010 artwork
