Glacier Brewhouse

"Where Alaskans Meet Alaskans"

About the Brewery

THE BREWERY

Glacier BrewHouse, established 1996, is an upscale brewpub located in the heart of downtown Anchorage, Alaska.  The brewery is a 15bbl single infusion mash system and constantly ranks in the top ten (out of about 1000) in the United States for brewpub beer production.  The brewery specializes in English and American West Coast style beers along with an elaborate oak aging program.  In 2011, the brewery produced over 4000 barrels of draft only - with half being served on premise and half sold to the Odom Corporation for distribution throughout Alaska and Washington.       

 All brews are created and brewed on premise.  Head Brewer Kevin Burton discovered the intense satisfaction inherent in the brewing profession when he walked away from a lucrative career of practicing law and never looked back.  His formal brewing education came via the famous Siebel Institute in Chicago, IL.  He has been continually brewing beer in Alaska for over 16 years – longer than any other commercial brewer in the state – and has racked up record numbers of local and national awards.  

 Lead Brewer, Drew Weber from Colorado, was on a fishing vacation in Alaska in 2001 and found himself stranded in Anchorage after 9/11.  This extra time in the north changed his life.  He stayed!  He got a busser job at Glacier BrewHouse and proceeded to work his way into the brewery - eventually graduating from the Siebel Institute and becoming our Lead Brewer.    

 

THE WALL OF WOOD


In partnership with Barrel Builders, California’s oldest continually operating barrel cooperage, we have developed an impressive “Wall of Wood” in a chilled vault beneath the floor of the Brewhouse.  The brewers keep this cooperage “like a man keeps his favorite mistress.” Among this wall-and-a-half of casks are at least fifty barrels of special release beers, conditioning in various types of oak that have been selected for the nuances each may impart. Virgin Oak infuses notes of vanilla and coconut on the palate. Those formerly used for Chardonnay or Jim Beam will pass on the distinctive characteristics of their "mother tongue" while conditioning. Hungarian, Ukrainian, and French oaks have their own distinctive profiles to add.
 

 

THE TWELVE DAYS OF BARLEYWINE

December 10, 2012 through December 21, 2012
It is the season of giving, and the BrewHouse brewers give to you a phenomenal collection of their most prized possessions – FORTY vintage barleywines and other high gravity bombs straight from the brewery vault.  
 
THE 1ST DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 10, 2012
1.  2007 Big Woody Barleywine aged 1.5 years in American Oak wine barrels from the J. Lohr Winery (9.85% abv)
2.  2007 Big Woody Barleywine aged 1year in Jim Beam barrels (9.85% abv)
3.  2007 Russian Imperial Stout aged 2.67 years in Hungarian oak barrels.  (9.20% abv)
4.   Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 2nd DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 11, 2012
1.  2008 Big Woody Barleywine aged 2 years in American oak wine barrels from Honig Winery.  (11.03% abv)
2.  2008 Big Woody Barleywine aged 10 months in American oak wine barrels from Honig Winery.  (11.03% abv)
3.  2009 Big Woody Barleywine aged 1.75 years in Jim Barrels.  (9.00% abv)
4.  Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 3rd DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 12, 2012 
1.  2009 Big Woody Barleywine aged 2.67 years in American oak wine barrels from Honig Winery.  (9.00%  abv)
2.  2009 Eisbock aged 9 months in American oak barrels from Silverado Winery.  (9.60% abv)
3.  2011Raspberry XXX aged 1 years in Jim Beam barrels.  (10.50% abv)
4.   Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 4th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 13, 2012
1.  2010 Big Woody Barleywine aged 6 months in American oak wine barrels from Honig Winery.  (9.76% abv)    
2.   2009 Eisbock aged 9 months in Ukrainian Oak barrels.  (9.60% abv)
3.   2012 Cherry XXX .  (10.50% abv)
4.   Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 5th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 14, 2012
1.   2010 Big Woody Barleywine aged 1.5 years in American oak wine barrels from Honig Winery.  (9.76% abv)  
2.  2010 Russian Imperial Stout aged 2 years in American oak wine barrels from Honig Winery.  (9.44%  abv)
3.   2012 Imperial Pumpkin (10.34% abv)
4.   Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 6th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 15, 2012
1.  2010 Big Woody Barleywine aged 2.5 years in Jim Beam barrels.  (9.76% abv)
2.  2010 Eisbock aged 1.67 years in Maker’s Mark barrels.  (9.00% abv)
3.  2011 Big Woody steel aged.  (9.00% abv)     
4.  Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 7th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 16, 2012
1.  2011 Big Woody Barleywine aged in Jim Beam barrels for 7 months.  (9.13% abv)
2.  2011 Big Woody Barleywine aged in steel.  (9.13% abv)
3.  2011 Big Woody Barleywine aged 7 months in Czech oak barrel.  (9.13% abv)
4.  Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 8th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 17, 2012 
1.  2011 Big Woody Barleywine aged 10 months in Bulgarian oak barrels.  (9.00% abv)     
2.  2011 Big Woody Barleywine aged 3 years in virgin Hungarian oak barrels. (9.00% abv)     
3.  2011 Big Woody Barleywine aged 10 months in Ukrainian oak barrel.  (9.00% abv)
4.  Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 9th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 18, 2012
1.  2011 Big Woody Barleywine aged in Maker’s Mark barrels for 10 months.  (9.00% abv) 
2.  2011 Big Woody Barleywine aged in American oak wine barrels from Honig Winery for 1.75 years.  (9.00% abv) 
3.  2011 Eisbock aged 6 months in Jim Beam barrels.  (9.10% abv)
4.  Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 10th DAY OF  BARLEYWINE – DEC. 19, 2012
1.   2012 Big Woody Barleywine aged 2 years in American oak wine barrels from Honig Winery.  (9.80% abv)    
2.  2011 Eisbock aged 1.5 years in virgin Ukrainian oak barrels.  (9.10% abv)
3.  2012 Eisbock aged 1 year in Bulgarian oak barrels.  (9.50% abv)
4.  Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 11th DAY OF  BARLEYWINE – DEC. 20, 2012
1.  2013 Big Woody Barleywine aged in Czech barrels for 1 year.  (11.18% abv)   
2.  2012 Eisbock aged 1 year in Jim Beam barrels.  (9.50% abv)
3.  2012 Eisbock aged in steel.  (9.50% abv)
4.  Cask conditioned selection.
 
THE 12th DAY OF  BARLEYWINE – DEC. 21, 2012
1.  2013 Big Woody Barleywine aged in Jim Beam barrels for 1 year.  (11.18% abv)   
2.  2013 Big Woody Barleywine aged in steel.  (11.18% abv
3.  2012 Eisbock aged 1 year in Ukrainian oak barrels.  (9.50%abv)
4.  Cask conditioned selection.
 
CASK BARLEYWINE  
Cask conditioned selections will be poured each day.  
We will rotate through the following casks.
 
1.  2010 Russian Imperial Stout aged 2 years in American oak wine barrels from Honig Winery.  (9.44% abv)
2.  2011 Big Woody Barleywine aged 3 years in virgin Hungarian oak barrels. (9.00% abv)     
3.  2011 Eisbock aged 1.5 years in virgin Ukrainian oak barrels.  (9.10% abv) 
4.  2013 Big Woody Barleywine aged in Czech barrels for 1 year.  (11.18% abv)   
   
ON STYLE: BARLEYWINE
If the old master Rubens were to paint a beer, barleywine would be his subject. Certainly such a match would be no accident; both portray a full body, appreciate with age, and critics never regard them lightly. Indeed, the classic canvas of barleywine presents the most sophisticated of beers.  
First appearing centuries ago in small house-breweries, a brewer's motivation for producing these strong ales was probably a combination of preservation and bragging rights. They counted on these statuesque beers to increase their standing with the brewery's patrons and were cellared over a considerable period of time.  
Use of the modern name - Barleywine, can be attributed to the high alcohol, which rivals that of wine, along with the practice of maturing in wood. Fermentation produces both products, but no other connection exists.  
Tasting these beers can evoke descriptive words such as big, bold, huge, massive, full, and assertive. Older versions will often be described in appropriately subtle terms. These include malty, sherry-like, estery and complex. At times they will exhibit a richness of deep fruit-like flavors from cherries to plums, raisins, and prunes. Finer examples, aged in the customary wooden cask, will also present wine-like notes of a viney, woody, slightly tannic nature.  A few breweries produce light colored versions of deep golden hues. However, most Barleywines range in color from amber to deep reddish browns.  
Served in a tulip shaped glass or snifter, barleywines are unchallenged by any other beer in the role of a relaxing nightcap. Consume them like a fine scotch, cognac or sherry, and slowly savor the strong malt and alcohol with underpinnings of subtle complexity. They make a picture perfect companion on a deep winter's night. 
 
BIG WOODY AWARDS OVER THE YEARS
 
- Best of Show, Gold Medal, and Best Alaska Brewed Beer - 1998 Great Alaska Beer Festival.  
- Silver Medal - 1999 Great Alaska Beer Festival.
- Silver Medal - 2001 Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival.
- Silver Medal and Best Alaska Brewed Barleywine - 2002 Great Alaska Beer   & Barleywine Festival.
- Best of Show, Gold Medal, and Best Alaska Brewed Barleywine - 2004 Great Alaska Beer and Barleywine Festival.  
- Gold Medal - 2004 Great American Beer Festival, Denver, CO.  
- Bronze Medal - 2006 Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival.
- Honorable Mention  –  2008 West Coast Barrel Aged Beer Festival at The Bistro, Hayward CA.
- Readers’ Choice Award 2nd Place -2008 Northwest Brewing News.
- Bronze Medal – 2009 Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival.
- Top 5 Barleywines - 2009 Hard Liver Festival, Seattle WA.
- Bronze Medal – 2009 Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer, Chicago, Il.
- Grand Champion – 2009 Toronado Barleywine Festival, San Francisco, CA.
- Grand Champion – 2010 Toronado Barleywine Festival, San Francisco, CA.
- Grand Champion – 2010 Hard Liver Festival, Seattle, WA.
- Honorable Mention - 2010 West Coast Barrel Aged Beer Festival at The Bistro, Hayward, CA. 
- Bronze Medal  – 2011 Hard Liver Festival, Seattle, WA.
- Peoples’ Choice Award - 2011 West Coast Barrel Aged Beer Festival at The Bistro, Hayward, CA. 
 
*Vintages - Our barleywines are brewed at least 1 year before the vintage date.  
For example, our 2008 vintage was actually brewed in December 2006.

 IDITAROD – NOME TASTING

Look for us at the Iditarod finish in Nome in mid-March each year.   We sponsor a beer tasting at the famous Airport Pizza – famous for delivering pizzas into the bush communities via small planes.  If you can’t make it there, come by the brewery on the first Saturday in March for the Iditarod start which takes place only blocks from our brew kettle!

  THE GREAT ALASKA BEER TRAIN

 In October, don’t miss the Great Alaska Beer Train – for a unique Oktoberfest celebration.  Come sample the Glacier BrewHouse’s best food and most popular beers as you travel four and a half hours in style along scenic Turnagain Arm to Portage in the Alaska Railroad’s spectacular new dome cars!  Includes appetizers and 6 half pints of BrewHouse Beer. Additional Beers are available for purchase.  See Alaska Railroads website www.alaskarailroad.com for this year’s information.

 KEGS TO GO

State law allows us to sell up to 5 gallons of beer to go, per person, per day.  We generally like at least 24hrs notice to fill kegs but will do our best in keg emergencies.  The brewers are usually only available on weekdays to fill kegs.  Kegs can be ordered by calling the brewery direct at 792-3772.  Prices are as follows:

             Flagship beers             $11.00/gallon

            Specialty beers            $16.00/gallon

            Soda                            $100.00/15.5 gallon keg

                                                 and $8.00/gallon for personal kegs

 Barleywines, oak aged beers, cask conditioned beers, and other small batch beers are not available in kegs.  A deposit of $200.00 is required for each keg and/or tap that is borrowed from us.  Personal kegs do not require a deposit.  All equipment is due back good working order within one week unless otherwise arranged.  Kegs are paid for at the bar when picked up.  Kegs can be picked up at the brewery during normal business hours or at the bar in the evenings or weekends.

  We fill personal used soda kegs (aka Corny Kegs) with all flagship and seasonal beers to go for $11.00 per gallon and some specialty beers for $16.00/gallon.  We clean, sanitize, and purge personal kegs at no charge to the guest.  No deposit is required to fill personal kegs.  These kegs come in 3 sizes: 5, 3, and 2.5 gallons.  We do not fill other breweries’ kegs.  For kegs larger than 5 gallons, try the Brown Jug Warehouse 563-3008.

GROWLERS TO GO

 We sell ½ gallon jugs (aka Growlers) to go over the bar.  Prices are as follows:

 Flagship beers             $8.50 + jug fee

Specialty beers            $13.95 + jug fee

 The jug fee is $5.00 and non refundable.  You may trade your jug in when buying another growler to get the jug fee waived.   Barleywines, oak aged beers, cask conditioned beers, and other small batch beers are not available in growlers.

GROWLER TUESDAYS

 Every Tuesday we sell ½ gallon jugs (aka Growlers) to go over the bar at reduced prices.  Growler Tuesday prices are as follows:

Flagship beers             $5.00 + jug fee

Specialty beers            $10.00 + jug fee

CHEERS FROM THE BREW CREW

 Kevin, Drew, and Bart

 

Glacier BrewHouse is dedicated to your enjoyment of the finest handcrafted brews available. In our quest to deliver outstanding quality, we purchase only the finest raw ingredients from throughout the world.

Glacier Brewhouse Big Woody Barleywine Strikes Gold at San Francisco's 2010 Toronto Barleywine Festival, The Second Year in A Row.

Our Big Woody Barleywine has struck gold in San Francisco! But not just any gold, this gold comes from the world famous Toronado Barleywine Festival. The annual Toronado Barleywine Festival in San Francisco is one of the premier high gravity beer festivals in the United States. It is touted as the undisputed champion of barleywine festivals as well as the biggest barleywine festival in the world. It is truly an honor to receive such an award especially in light of the 55 other great barleywines in the competition.

On tap at the BrewHouse now!

Big Woody Awards Over the Years

  • Best of Show, Gold Medal, and Best Alaska Brewed Beer - 1998 Great Alaska Beer Festival.
  • Silver Medal - 1999 Great Alaska Beer Festival.
  • Silver Medal - 2001 Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival.
  • Silver Medal and Best Alaska Brewed Barleywine - 2002 Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival.
  • Best of Show, Gold Medal, and Best Alaska Brewed Barleywine - 2004 Great Alaska Beer and Barleywine Festival.
  • Gold Medal - 2004 Great American Beer Festival, Denver, CO.
  • Bronze Medal - 2006 Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival.
  • A Peoples’ Choice Award – 2008 Bistro Barrel Aged Festival, Hayward CA.
  • Readers’ Choice Award 2nd Place -2008 Northwest Brewing News.
  • Bronze Medal – 2009 Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival.
  • Top 5 Barleywines - 2009 Hard Liver Fest, Seattle WA.
  • Grand Champion – 2009 Toronado Barleywine Festival, San Francisco, CA.
  • Grand Champion – 2010 Toronado Barleywine Festival, San Francisco, CA.
  • Bronze Medal – 2009 Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer, Chicago, Il.

*Vintages - Our barleywines are brewed at least 1 year before the vintage date. For example, our 2008 vintage was actually brewed in December 2006.

Beer to go

We sell kegs and growlers of all flagship and seasonal beers to go. Barleywines, oak aged beers, cask conditioned beers, and other small batch beers are not available to go.

  • 1/2 Gallon jugs (Growlers) - $8.50 + $5.00 glass charge.
  • 5 Gallon BrewHouse Kegs - $55.00 + $200.00 refundable deposit (includes tap).
  • 3 and 5 Gallon personal corny style kegs - $11 per gallon with free keg cleaning.
  • 15.5 Gallon Rootbeer and Cream Soda Kegs - $100.00 + $200.00 refundable deposit (includes tap).

Give us a call for more information or to reserve your keg at 792-3772. We generally like at least 24hrs notice to fill kegs but will do our best in keg emergencies. The brewers are usually only available on weekdays to fill kegs. For kegs larger than 5 gallons, try the Brown Jug Warehouse or your local liquor store. Our distributor is Odom Corporation, and they deliver kegs all over the state.

Cheers,
Kevin, Drew, and Bart

Glacier BrewHouse does not ship beer. We do recieve many requests for shipping, however as we can not verify age over the internet, we can not be assured of meeting Alaskan laws regarding the sale of alcohol.

Glacier BrewHouse Ales and Lagers are not only served at the BrewHouse. You can find our beer in the following fine establishments:

Alaska

  • West Rib Cafe & Pub, Talkeetna
  • Brown Jug Warehouse, Anchorage
  • Brown Jug, Eagle River
  • Brown Jug, Wasilla
  • Boardwalk Fish & Chips, Homer
  • Alaska State Fair, Palmer
  • Anchorage Hilton Hotel, Anchorage
  • Ray's Waterfront, Seward
  • Christo's Palace, Seward
  • Flight Deck Bar, Anchorage
  • Captain Cook Hotel, Anchorage
  • Chinook's, Seward
  • Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, Talkeetna
  • Lion's Den, Anchorage
  • Cafe Savannah, Anchorage
  • Westmark - Red Lantern, Fairbanks
  • El Tango, Anchorage
  • Oaken Keg, Kenai
  • Residence Inn, Anchorage
  • American Legion #5, Seward
  • DJ's Wheelhouse, Seward
  • Settler's Bay Lodge, Wasilla
  • Moose Pass Sportsman Club, Moose Pass
  • Exit Glacier Salmon Bake, Sewarde
  • Chair 5, Girdwood
  • Mountain High Pizza, Talkeetna
  • Pioneer Club, Anchorage
  • Rumrunners, Anchorage
  • Seward Windsong Lodge, Seward
  • Simon & Seafort's, Anchorage
  • Uncle Joe's Downtown, Anchorage
  • Uncle Joe's-Old Seward, Anchorage
  • Bella Vista Pizza & Restaurant, Peter's Creek
  • Mad Myrna's, Anchorage
  • O'Brady's Burgers & Brew, Anchorage
  • Pizza Man, Eagle River
  • Four Coners Lounge, Palmer
  • O'Malley's on the Green, Anchorage
  • Evangelo's, Wasilla
  • ARA Denali Park Resorts, Denali
  • ABC Liquor/Edgewater Grill, Valdez
  • Airport Pizza, Nome
  • Alaska Airlines Boardroom, Anchorage
  • Alaska Neopolitan Pizza, Fairbanks
  • Alaska Salmon Bake, Fairbanks
  • Al's Alaskan Inn, Anchorage
  • Ayleska Hotel, Girdwood
  • The Avenue Bar, Anchorage
  • B.J.'s Lounge, Soldotna
  • Back Door Inn, Kenai
  • Bear tooth Pub, Anchorage
  • Bernie's Bar, Kodiak
  • Big Lake Liquor, Big Lake
  • Black Diamond Resort Company, Healy
  • Blue Loon, Fairbanks
  • Buckaroo Club, Anchorage
  • Bucket's, Soldotna
  • Club 210 East, Anchorage
  • The Crossing, Soldotna
  • Dickhead's Lounge, Eielson Air Force Base
  • Dillinger's Hideout, Fairbanks
  • Doc's, Fairbanks
  • Duck Inn, Soldotna
  • Elks Palmer Lodge, Palmer
  • Fairview Inn, Talkeetna
  • Fiori D'Italia, Anchorage
  • Froso's, Soldotna
  • FWW Package, Fort Wainwright
  • Girdwood Forest Fair, Girdwood
  • Glacier Canyon Inn, Wasilla
  • Gold Rush Liquors, Anchorage
  • H & H Lakeview Resort, Willow
  • Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, Wasilla
  • Hamilton's Place, Cooper Landing
  • Upper One, Anchorage
  • Hooligan'sLodging & Saloon, Soldotna
  • Husky Lounge, Tok
  • Inlet View Liquor Store, Ninilchik
  • Istanbul Cafe, Anchorage
  • Jen's Restaurant, Anchorage
  • Joe's Bar, Anchorage
  • Kenai Princess: Eagle Crest Dining, Cooper Landing
  • Kodiak Inn, Kodiak
  • La Casa Grande, Anchorage
  • La Casta Loca, Anchorage
  • Lamplight Bar & Liquor Store, Kenai
  • Landing Lights, Valdez
  • Last Frontier Bar, Anchorage
  • Latitudes, Unalaska
  • Long Rifle Lodge, Chickaloon
  • Magpye's Pizzeria, Sterling
  • The Marlin, Fairbanks
  • Marx Brothers Cafe at the Museum, Anchorage
  • McGinley's Pub, Anchorage
  • 962nd AACS Lounge, Elmendorf AFB
  • Polar Bowl, Elmendorf AFB
  • Canadian Forces Det., Elmendorf AFB
  • Mixx Grill, Anchorage
  • Moosehead Saloon, Palmer
  • Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria, Anchorage
  • Mt. McKinley Princess, Trapper Creek
  • Nino's Italian Eatery, Anchorage
  • North Slope Restaurant, Eagle River
  • Oasis Restaurant & Lounge, Fairbanks
  • One Stop Liquors, Kenai
  • Outback Steakhouse, Anchorage
  • Papa Joe's, Anchorage
  • Party Time Plaza & Liquor, Anchorage
  • Pazzo G's, Fairbanks
  • The Perch, Denali
  • Petroleum Club, Anchorage
  • Phyllis' Cafe, Anchorage
  • The Pit Bar, Seward
  • Pizza Paradisos, Kenai
  • Princess Hotel, Fairbanks
  • Princess Lodge - Cruisers, Denali
  • Princess Tours - Seward Rail, Seward
  • Rainbow Bar, Kenai
  • Rough Woods Inn, Nenana
  • Roundup Steak House, Fairbanks
  • Seaview Cafe, Hope
  • Silvertip Bar & Grill, Girdwood
  • Spirits of Alaska, Anchorage
  • Steamers, Ketchikan
  • Riverboat Discovery, Fairbanks
  • Sturat Anderson's Cattle Company, Anchorage
  • Super Valu, Fairbanks
  • Susitna Food & Spirits/Barratt Inn, Anchorage
  • Tailgater's Bar. Wasilla
  • The Anchor, Anchorage
  • Tok Liquor, Tok
  • Tony's Bar & Liquor, Seward
  • Trail Lake Lodge, Moose Pass
  • Trophy Lounge, Anchorage
  • Valdez Harbor Inn, Valdez
  • VFW Post #9569, Nome
  • Wilderness Place Lodge, Anchorage
  • Wood Center Pub, Fairbanks
  • The Wood Shed, Anchorage
  • Yukon Bar, Seward

WASHINGTON

  • Bistro Vino, Everett
  • Collins Club, Seattle
  • Dog & Pony Ale House, Renton
  • Gleneagle Restaurant, Arlington
  • Issaquah Brewhouse, Issaquah
  • Maple Club, Maple Valley
  • McGrath's Fish House, Lynnwood
  • The Milton, Milton
  • Uncle Sam Saloon, Kennewick