It’s time to blast off into Memorial Day Weekend. In Alaska, this holiday is as much a celebration of summer as it is anything else. We’ve had a dismal spring. Our weather is more reminiscent of winter rather than the usual glorious outpouring of pre-summer days and elevated temperatures than have punctuated Alaska in the past. More than ever, we’re hankering to get out of town. The luckier of your folks won’t read this until next week when you get back, hopefully sunburned and maybe a little bit hung over. I hope you experienced a glorious weekend with friends and family. Back to now. What are you going to do? With the price of gas making it prohibitive to travel far, your life has changed. Normally, we’d bevy-up and find some favorite out-of-town place to run off to and enjoy our favorite beers. We all have our destinations, but the cost of getting there makes us think twice. What do we do? Can we afford to travel far? What are the alternatives? Should we stay home and drink beer and do yardwork? And let’s not forget that the price of beer has gone up almost as quickly as gas. With the current hop and grain prices escalating, even beer has become more expensive. Even staying at home costs more when doing so involves drinking our same favorite beers at a higher price. We’re trapped. Oh, what a conundrum!
Sure, it’s easy for me to tell you not to change. Life is short, right? I’d easily recommend that you spend the money and buy the same expensive gas, the same expensive groceries and the same expensive beer that you always do, but that’s not very realistic, is it? We’re all making sacrifices. We’re all cutting corners, even in beer. So, I guess I don’t have a recommendation other than that you should spend your disposable income first on local beers because the same breweries that have jazzed us year after year need your dollars more now than they ever have. Our local breweries, brewpubs and favorite watering holes need what little you can spare more than they ever have. They’re facing the same problems that we do; even greater. Breweries, and the staff that supports them, have the same escalated costs, feed the same families, buy the same shitty-expensive gas, and lead the same lives that we do. It’s time to hunker down and drink locally.
Admittedly, I have to balance my blog each week with a well-rounded dose of local, national, and international beer news. As you read on, I’ll unabashedly continue to proclaim all good beer in life regardless of its source. But, first and foremost, my loyalty extends to our struggling local breweries that continue to deliver the best of the best in fermented suds to you enjoy almost thoughtlessly day in and day out. Despite cost, despite adversity and despite the outcome, our local breweries care. Brewers are artisans first and make a profit only because they have to survive. Never forget this. It’s hugely important now when we want to party, celebrate and forget about the trials and tribulations of modern times that we show our allegiance to our local friends in suds. I’m robbing this from someone else, but think globally, but drink locally. 
An astute reader advised me after reading this week’s Anchorage Press column on St. Elias Brewing Company’s May 26th opening that there has been another delay. According to my source, the brewery will now open promptly at 4:00 pm on Friday, May 30th. I sort of wondered why they were opening on a Tuesday after a long weekend, but this makes sense. So, if you happen to be in Soldotna, stop by the little brewpub just north of Fred Meyer on the way out of town and grab a pint. Tell me what you think.
Are you looking for something to do over the upcoming weekend but don’t want to leave town and fight the traffic and spend your disposable income on fossil fuel? How about exploring the infinite nuances of mead, truly the elixir of the Gods? Anchorage’s Celestial Meads (700 W. 41 st Ave, Unit H in Anchorage: 907-250-8362) is hosting an open house on Saturday, May 31st. The gig runs between noon and 5:00 pm and is free. Mead samples will be provided and meadmaster Mike Kiker will be on hand to talk about the history, evolution, resurgence and production of mead. And, if you’re running low on Celestial’s fine products they’re available for sale at the event as well. Because Specialty Imports will soon be distributing Celestial’s products, expect them to be more widely available. If you haven’t been to the meadery, it’s not tough to find, but a map is certainly helpful and can be had by surfing out to www.celestialmeads.com.
Kinley’s Restaurant and Pub is holding the torch in June with an Alaskan Brewing Company beer dinner on the 12th at 6:30 pm. I’m happy to see that beer and food pairings will continue in the summer and during the week. So many of us (especially yours truly) live in the wilderness on the weekends which makes it tough to attend weekend gigs, especially in the summer. The four-course meal will start out with Alaskan’s Summer Ale as the warm up beer. From there, Alaskan’s Raspberry Wheat will be paired with a 
“Solstice Salad,” comprised of green oak leaf, shaved fennel, heart of palm and a raspberry mango lime vinaigrette. The next course pairs Alaskan’s Belgian Wit with Kinley’s Onion Crusted Alaskan Rock Fish, replete with mornay sauce, anchovy, lemon and caper garnish. This will be followed by a flank steak rubbed with Harissa dry rub along with a sweet potato, black bean hash and avocado compound butter. This will be paired with Alaskan’s Jalapeno IPA, which should afford ample, pleasing balance to the dish. Recall that Alaskan’s Jalapeno IPA is a bronze medal winner at this year’s World Beer Cup in San Diego. This will be a winning beer with a winning dish. The desert paring will tie Alaskans’ Heritage Coffee Brown with Kinley’s Espresso Ganache. Coffee and chocolate, anyone? This $55 pairing is bound to sell out quickly so call Kinley’s at 644-8953 for reservations.
New beers continue to roll into Alaska as summer tries to make an appearance. Despite our weather, the price of gas and other global politics that shape what our local brewers produce, distributors continue to create interest in beer by bringing in new offerings from the tried-and-true and one-offs from faraway lands. This is welcome because although we continue to support our local breweries, diversity is key and provides interesting new benchmarks against which we evaluate all beer from here and abroad.
Avery Brewing Company’s 15th Anniversary (“15) Ale is here. This beer defies description in some respects. Populist media is having a hard time pinning it to any particular style, but that’s no indictment; not every brewery brews to style, so why fret? I could struggle with the description, but here’s what Avery has to say about 15 years of brewing:
“15 years of brewing! You know what’s been the best part lately? Tons of experimentation! For the last couple of years, we’ve been working with several strains of brettanomyces (wild yeast). We found one and deemed it the best for it’s tart flavor and funky, fruity aroma. Adding black mission figs for a subtle jammy aspect, hibiscus flowers for an herbal bouquet and hazy sunset hue, and white pepper for a bit of spicy twang, we’ve created FIFTEEN - a unique drinking experience inspired by the wild farmhouse ales of Belgium. Though immensely complex today, more flavor will emerge with time, so throw a few bottles in your cellar for future celebrations. Thanks to all of you who have made our 15-year ride possible! Peace to all and follow your dreams! Brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, malted wheat, hops, black mission figs, hibiscus flowers, white pepper, and a very unique strain of brettanomyces yeast.”
Sound interesting? It does to me. Figs, hibiscus flowers, brett and white pepper? Doubtful I’ll sample it this week with two days gone in the remote, DRY region of Prudhoe Bay
so check it out yourself and let me know.
Up and coming is Dogfish Head’s Red and White, a Belgian-style wit, appropriately dosed with coriander and wit. It should be no surprise that Dogfish Head can’t leave well enough alone and tampered with the style by cutting the batch, diverting some to Oregon Pinot Noir barrels, then blending the whole thing back together for further conditioning and packaging. Oh, and when’s the last time you had a 10 percent Belgian Wit? Brewer/owner Sam Calagione apparently never rests and this is the latest in his continuing line of extreme brewers from Deleware. This stuff’s due in on May 27th, so keep your mug ready. 
On the next pallet of goods from the Flying Dog Brewery of Denver, look for a new Woody Creek Wit (a summer seasonal selection) and Kerberos Tripel, the brewery’s latest within its aggressive, big-barking Canis Major line of bigger beers. Currently the Canis Major line includes Gonzo Imperial Porter, Horn Dog Barley Wine, Double Dog Double Pale Ale, and the new tripel. New beers from The Lost Abbey and Port Brewing are inbound as well. This blog will precede my possible coverage of these incredible beers two weeks from now, but expect Lost Abby’s Devotion and Red Barn next week along with Port Brewing’s Wipeout IPA and Hop 15 Double IPA. Just in case the names don’t ring a bell, Port Brewing and Lost Abbey are legendary when it comes to definitive west coast beers. Just look up results from this year’s Great American Beer and Barleywine Festival or the World Beer Cup and you’ll get a sense of the brewing prowess of this combined organization. This is truly exciting stuff.
June’s First Taste at McGinley’s Irish Pub (June 6th, 5-8 pm) will feature Midnight Sun Brewing Company’s Planet Series Beers. The first three in the series, Mars a Belgian-style imperial red IPA, Earth, a Belgian-inspired chocolate milk stout, and Mercury, a Belgian-style small ale (the second runnings of upcoming Venus) is spiced with Indian coriander.
If your Memorial Day weekend plans place you in Seattle through Monday, you might want to check out the Global Beer & Cheese Tasting at Brouwer’s Café at 7:00 pm. The $45 pairing includes beers such as Bavik, Bornem Double, Bruge Zot, Gulden Draak, Kapittel Abt Ale, Petrus Aged Pale, Piraat, Scotch de Silly, Trubador Obscura Stout and Wittekerke Wit. Johnny, the head of The Global Beer Network will pair the beers with select cheeses from around the world. And, even if you are in Seattle but won’t be around that late, don’t miss Brouwers Café. It’s one incredible joint and remains firmly on Dr Fermento’s “must visit” list.
Dr Fermento Beer Calendar
05/23/08 Midnight Sun Brewing Company Old Whisker’s Wheat Release at the Brewery 6:00 pm Free
05/23/08 S.E. Alaska State Fairgrounds (Haines) Great Alaska Craftebeer and Homebrew Festival Judging 10:00 am Free
05/23/08 Midnight Sun Brewing Company Old Whisker’s Wheat official release at the brewery 6:00 PM Free
05/23/08 Haines Senior Center (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 $??
05/24/08 Great Northern Brewers Annual GNBC House Crawl Noon $30.00
05/25/08 Pelican (SE Alaska) Pelican Boardwalk Boogie ?? Pay As You Go
05/26/08 Global Beer and Cheese Tasting Brouwers Café (Seattle) 7:00 pm $45.00
05/30/08 Midnight Sun Brewing Company Good MoJo Belgian Style Brown Ale release 6:00 PM Free
05/31/08 Celestial Meads Open House Mead Extravaganza Noon – 5 PM Free
06/06/08 Midnight Sun Brewing Company Planet Series Beer Mercury Release at the Brewery Noon – 7 pm Free
06/06/08 McGinley’s Irish Pub First Taste Featuring Midnight Sun’s 1st 3 Planet Beers 5 – 8 PM $8.00
06/12/08 Kinley’s Restaurant and Pub Alaskan Brewing Beer Dinner 6:30 PM $55.00
06/13/08 Great Northern Brewers Brew Club Camp Out at Trail River Noon Camping Fees Apply
07/12/08 Silver Gulch Brewing Company E.T. Barnette Homebrew Judging 10:00 am Free
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