Alaskan Brewing Company

Alaskan Brewing Company was the first brewery to operate in Alaska since Prohibition. Geoff and Marcy Larson founded it in 1986 in Juneau, starting as a husband-and-wife operation fueled by craft beer obsession and a genuine connection to the Alaskan frontier. Nearly four decades later, both founders are still at the helm, and the brewery has become one of the most respected independents in the Pacific Northwest.

The Larsons drew early inspiration from the brewing traditions of Alaska's gold rush era, researching historical recipes and adapting them to modern craft techniques. Their flagship Alaskan Amber, an alt-style ale rooted in a turn-of-the-century recipe discovered in the Juneau library, became the beer that put the brewery on the map. It remains one of the most awarded beers in the history of the Great American Beer Festival, and for good reason—it captures something genuinely Alaskan in every pour, balancing rich malt character with a clean, approachable finish.

Sustainability here isn't a tagline—it's a survival strategy. Alaskan Brewing pioneered using spent grain as fuel, powering their brewing operations with the very byproduct most breweries send to landfills or cattle farms. When you're running one of the most remote breweries in the country, every resource matters. The Larsons built their business around that constraint, not in spite of it.

The year-round lineup includes Alaskan Amber, Icy Bay IPA, Freeride APA, Alaskan White, Hopothermia Double IPA, and Husky IPA, alongside seasonal releases like Spruce IPA and Winter Ale. Bold, resilient, unpretentious. Sounds about right for a brewery in Juneau.

Products

• Alaskan Amber Ale (flagship)
• Icy Bay IPA
• Freeride APA
• Alaskan White Ale
• Hopothermia Double IPA
• Husky IPA
• Smash Galaxy Imperial IPA
• Seasonal releases (Spruce IPA, Kölsch, Cranberry Tart, Winter Ale)

Why We List Them

• Independently owned by founders Geoff and Marcy Larson since 1986
• First post-Prohibition brewery in Alaska
• Pioneer in sustainable brewing, using spent grain as fuel
• No corporate investors or parent company
• Award-winning beers at national and international competitions
• Both founders remain actively involved in operations