About 49th State
Our Story
2010 – Converting the Bus Barn
A 3 Bay Bus barn in Healy sat alone on a wooded property at the doorstep to Denali National Park. We set up one bay as a restaurant, one as our future brewery, and one for restrooms and back-of-house storage.
The brewery had a bit of an echo at the start since we only brewed a barrel at a time. Our brewers were perfecting their recipes before they brewed higher volumes. In those days, we’d announce that a few kegs were ready to be tapped, people would drive down from Fairbanks (2 hrs away), and the beer would be gone by the time they got here. NOTE: We still use this system for pilot testing!
Authentic Alaska
In interior Alaska, you’re pretty far away from the supply chain so we use what we tend to repurpose things, a lot. You can see our fire pit was made out of a cement mixer. There was a huge community table built with two boulders as the table base (it’s now in the beer garden). Sections of The trees that were downed to create the beer garden were brought inside for decoration and to build shelving for our collection of 300 whiskies.
Augtoberfest beginnings
Bavarian Foods
Augtoberfest Today
Solstice Brewfest
The Birth of Solstice IPA
Solstice ipa today
first level up
During the 2012 season, 49th State Brewing – denali park produced roughly 130 barrels of beer, which is the equivalent to 260 kegs. In 2013 we finished the season at around 500 barrels, which maxed out the existing 5BBL brewhouse less than 2 years after it was commissioned
second level up
In 2014, a new, state of the art 15 BBL brewhouse from Premier Stainless was installed along with substantial tank capacity over the previous system. With that installment, the 49th State’s Denali brewpub was able to produce around 1500 barrels, effectively tripling the previous capacity to brew.
anchorage
2016 – Downtown Anchorage Brewpub Opens
49th State’s downtown Anchorage brewpub was acquired at the end of 2015 and opened july 4th, 2016. Originally an Elk’s Lodge building built in 1917, it grew over the decades into a local social club. The three story property located on the water with a view of the Alaska range hosted a private bar, dining area, bowling lanes, and ballroom which made it the gathering place in Anchorage. In 1996, Snow Goose Restaurant and Sleeping Lady Brewing Co took ownership and transformed it into a brewery and commercial restaurant that fit right in with Alaska’s great tradition of brewing.
Now, with 49th State Brewing in residence, the brewpub has added an additional 500BBLs of beer to annual production and maintains a bustling restaurant with two dining rooms, two rooftop patios, a theater, 3 private dining spaces, and a giftshop in this 30,000 sq. ft. space.
2019 – Alaska pacific beverage company opens downtown @ the rail
49th State’s downtown Anchorage brewpub was acquired at the end of 2015 and opened july 4th, 2016. Originally an Elk’s Lodge building built in 1917, it grew over the decades into a local social club. The three story property located on the water with a view of the Alaska range hosted a private bar, dining area, bowling lanes, and ballroom which made it the gathering place in Anchorage. In 1996, Snow Goose Restaurant and Sleeping Lady Brewing Co took ownership and transformed it into a brewery and commercial restaurant that fit right in with Alaska’s great tradition of brewing.
Now, with 49th State Brewing in residence, the brewpub has added an additional 500BBLs of beer to annual production and maintains a bustling restaurant with two dining rooms, two rooftop patios, a theater, 3 private dining spaces, and a giftshop in this 30,000 sq. ft. space.
2023 – 49th State Brewing Opens Two Locations at Ted Stevens International Airport
49th State’s downtown Anchorage brewpub was acquired at the end of 2015 and opened july 4th, 2016. Originally an Elk’s Lodge building built in 1917, it grew over the decades into a local social club. The three story property located on the water with a view of the Alaska range hosted a private bar, dining area, bowling lanes, and ballroom which made it the gathering place in Anchorage. In 1996, Snow Goose Restaurant and Sleeping Lady Brewing Co took ownership and transformed it into a brewery and commercial restaurant that fit right in with Alaska’s great tradition of brewing.
Now, with 49th State Brewing in residence, the brewpub has added an additional 500BBLs of beer to annual production and maintains a bustling restaurant with two dining rooms, two rooftop patios, a theater, 3 private dining spaces, and a giftshop in this 30,000 sq. ft. space.
2025 – Opening of 49th State Brewing @ The Rail
In 2025, 49th State Brewing proudly opened its fourth Alaska location, 49th State Brewing @ The Rail, in Anchorage near the Alaska Railroad Depot and directly connected to the company’s production facility Alaska Pacific Beverage Company.
Designed as a more intimate, beverage-forward pub, The Rail features up to 37 beers on draft, including core favorites and rotating seasonal releases, along with Nordic-inspired interiors, a welcoming outdoor beer garden, and views into the brewing process. With a simplified, high-quality food menu and a strong focus on private events and community gatherings.
The Rail reflects a thoughtful evolution of the 49th State experience, creating a vibrant new hub for craft beer lovers in the heart of Anchorage.
