Best brews in the 49th state

It’s no secret Alaskans love beer. Throughout the state, brewers are experimenting with local ingredients, and the results are as spectacularly unique as the 49th state itself. Here are our favorites:

• “Spruce” things up with Skagway Brewing Co.’s Spruce Tip Blonde Ale.

• Enjoy the refreshing tartness of Girdwood Brewing Company’s Rhu Hefner, brewed with 40 pounds of rhubarb.

• Perk up with Alaskan Brewing Co.’s Heritage Coffee Brown Ale, a coffee-infused brew that uses locally roasted beans.

Other breweries use Alaska-grown wheat, sea salt and birch. Visit your local brewery to discover which Alaska flavor you favor.

– Kelsey Fiedler, The Alaska 100