Juneau brewery offers 2 beers in cans

JUNEAU, Alaska — The Alaskan Brewing Co. began distributing two of its beers in cans on Monday.

The company’s flagship brew, Alaskan Amber, and its Freeride American Pale Ale will now be offered in cans, which co-founder Geoff Larson said was in response to requests from customers.

Larson told KTOO that cans are lighter and more portable than bottles and can be taken where Alaskans go.

“Backpacking, boating, fishing, being on the beach,” he said.

The canned beer is only available in Alaska right now. The Juneau production plant doesn’t have enough room right now to produce enough canned beer for the Lower 48 markets.

However, the brewery recently broke ground on a multimillion dollar expansion. The canned beer will be more widely distributed once the larger facility has been completed, which is scheduled for early next yet.

The expansion, he said, will allow the company to grow comfortably in the next decade.

“You can’t really know what’s going to happen 12 months down the road. But now I think we’re looking at five to 10 years with a lot more certainty and clarity,” Larson said.

The company now distributes to 17 states in the nation after recently adding South Dakota and Michigan.