Content area
Full Text
In 2006, the Alaskan Brewing Co. celebrates its 20th anniversary as Alaska's premier beer-brewing facility. Years ago, co-founders Geoff and Marcy Larson sat discussing ways to make a living in Alaska and perked up at the mention of opening a brewery: especially Geoff, a chemical engineer and homebrewer. After five years of research, the couple raised $500,000 from the hearts, minds and pocketbooks of Alaskans from Ketchikan to Kotzebue and their fermenting idea became a liquid asset. On Dec. 30, 1986, they bottled 253 cases of Alaskan Amber.
Stores were sold out of this inaugural (and now brandname) brew in less than 24 hours.
Alaskan Brewing is an all-Alaskan company, and has been since its inception. Its mission statement is simply to produce internationally recognized quality malt beverages, showcase quality-oriented manufacturing in Alaska as financially rewarding to its stakeholders, and have fun growing as a company and individually. Right now, the company employs 67 full-time, year-round employees (54 in Alaska, 13 in the Lower 48) -a significant increase from the days when it was just Marcy, Geoff, and two other full-timers,...