Alaska
From up top to the tap: Alaska Airlines pulls off ultimate beer run in multiple states
How we made contemporary hops fly – and helped a seasonal beer take off past the Northwest
SEATTLE, Oct. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — This fall, Alaska Air Cargo delivered the business’s first and largest contemporary hops run to breweries in Maui and Anchorage inside 24 hours of harvest – this was an enormous logistical hop-eration that introduced a favourite seasonal beer past the Pacific Northwest.
Comprised of fresh-plucked, undried hops which are sometimes rushed straight from the fields to the breweries, Alaska went additional than any U.S. business airline has earlier than by delivering greater than 1,200 kilos of contemporary hops to Maui Brewing Co. in Hawaii and forty ninth State Brewing in Alaska.
“This can be a potential game-changer for the craft beer business and farm-to-glass collaboration at its most interesting,” says Adam Drouhard, cargo managing director for Alaska Airways, noting that Washington state grows virtually three-quarters of the U.S. hop crop. “This places a Northwest agricultural product in locations that do not usually get it. With the scale and scope we’ve got in Seattle, we’re actually positioned to personal this.”
It began with a deep appreciation of contemporary hops beer and connecting the dots that Alaska Airways could possibly be the important thing to sharing it with the world.
Jake Spotts, postal affairs supervisor on Alaska’s cargo crew, has tried beers all around the world throughout his 20-year Air Power profession – however says there’s nothing higher than the style of contemporary hops throughout harvest. Filled with distinctive floral taste, contemporary hop beers are often made in the course of the late-summer harvest by breweries positioned close to farms in Washington, Oregon and different locations within the Northwest.
Spotts thought that due to our many years of experience transport perishable merchandise like contemporary Alaska salmon, we might discover a solution to ship contemporary hops to breweries exterior the Northwest. One thing that hadn’t been achieved by a U.S. airline on a business scale – till now.
How we made contemporary hops fly.
Craft brewers thrive on collaboration, and when the chance got here to ship a big quantity of contemporary hops out of state, Yakima-based Bale Breaker Brewing Firm helped us get the concept off the vine.
The brewers at Bale Breaker, Maui Brewing Co. and forty ninth State labored collectively on beer recipes to spotlight the hops’ contemporary taste and coordinated logistics with the Alaska Air Cargo crew and Yakima Chief Hops, a grower-owned group that distributes hops for greater than 50 farms throughout the Northwest.
“Scalability of transport contemporary hops has actually been the problem to beat since you solely have about 24 hours from harvest earlier than the hops begin to degrade,” mentioned Bryan Pierce, Chief Gross sales and Advertising Officer for Yakima Chief Hops.
To maintain the hops contemporary all through their journey, the harvest was timed completely in order that the just-picked hops could possibly be bagged onsite at Loftus Ranches, one in all Yakima’s longest working family-owned hop farms and the positioning of Bale Breaker Brewing.
From there, they had been loaded into refrigerated vans and pushed to the Alaska Air Cargo places of work at Sea-Tac Worldwide Airport simply in time to load onto the plane. Greater than 1,200 kilos of hops had been shipped nonstop to the brewers.
On Maui and in Anchorage, the brewers had been prepared so as to add the contemporary hops to the “boil” – the primary stage in beer – as quickly as they arrived.
“After we added the contemporary hops, it smelled superb!” mentioned Kim Brisson-Lutz, Maui Brewing Co.’s Vice President of Operations. “Making beer is a culinary artwork, and we’re all about making these substances actually shine.”
“Utilizing Alaska Air Cargo, we are able to assure the provision chain all the way in which from discipline to the kettle,” mentioned David McCarthy, co-founder of forty ninth State Brewing. “Aficionados of beer are actually in search of this taste, and we’re excited we are able to now make the freshest beer in Anchorage and the entire Alaska market.”
Increase a glass of liquid gold.
This month, Alaska Lounge members and visitors may have the prospect to sip and savor contemporary hop beers from the three breweries on this collaboration at our Lounges in Seattle, Portland and Anchorage airports.
Strive them when you can: these distinctive brews will solely be obtainable in our lounges till they run out. All three breweries are positioned the place we fly.
Bale Breaker Brewing Firm Yakima, WA
The beers: Homegrown Recent Hop IPA and Citra Slicker Moist Hop IPA
The place to attempt them:
- On draft at Alaska Lounges in Sea-Tac Worldwide Airport in North Satellite tv for pc and Concourse C. And at our Lounge in Portland Worldwide Airport.
- On draft and in 16-ounce can 4-packs at Bale Breaker Brewery in Yakima on Loftus Ranches, the Smith family-owned hop farm can be celebrating its ninetieth anniversary this 12 months – identical to us!
- On draft and in 16-ounce can 4-packs in Seattle’s Ballard Brewing District, in addition to all through Bale Breaker’s distribution footprint in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Use the beer finder on their web site to find their contemporary hops close to you.
forty ninth State Brewing Anchorage, AK
The beer: Freshial Supply Hazy Recent Hop IPA
The place to attempt it:
- On draft on the Alaska Lounge in Anchorage Worldwide Airport.
- On draft and in 16-ounce can 4-packs at 49th State Brewing downtown in Anchorage and at choose liquor shops and eating places throughout the state of Alaska.
Hops flown: 454 kilos
Kegs brewed: Equal of 60 kegs (cut up between totally different sizes of kegs and cans)
Maui Brewing Co. Kihei, Maui
The beer: Hop Cargo Recent Hop IPA
The place to attempt it:
- Coming quickly on draft to Alaska’s North Satellite tv for pc Lounge in Sea-Tac Worldwide Airport.
- Coming quickly on draft to Maui Brewing Co. in Kihei, Maui.
Hops flown: 833 kilos
Kegs brewed: Equal of 140 kegs
Editor’s notice: You will discover B-Roll video right here and nonetheless images of the contemporary hops journey on Alaska Air Cargo. Every little thing shot by Ingrid Barrentine (employees photographer at Alaska Airways).
About Alaska Airways
Alaska Airways and our regional companions serve greater than 120 locations throughout america, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. We emphasize low fares and award-winning customer support. Alaska is a member of the oneworld world alliance. With the alliance and our extra airline companions, our visitors can journey to greater than 900 locations on greater than 20 airways whereas incomes and redeeming miles on flights to areas world wide. Study extra about Alaska at information.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airways and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.
Alaska Air Cargo: Alaska Air Cargo serves greater than 100 locations in North America with greater than 1,200 day by day flights, and offers quite a lot of dependable transport companies. Alaska Air Cargo has an extended historical past of cold-chain improvements, using a fleet of 737 freighters serving 20 communities within the state of Alaska – and providing stomach cargo service on a fleet of over 300 passenger planes serving the Continental U.S., Canada, Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica.
Bale Breaker Brewing Firm: Crafting fresh-off-the-farm brews from the center of a hop discipline, Bale Breaker Brewing Firm is a family-owned brewery positioned in Washington state’s Yakima Valley. Backed by 4 generations of hop farming expertise, Bale Breaker began in 2013, and has grown to develop into the third largest impartial craft brewery in Washington.
Loftus Ranches: Loftus Ranches is the Smith household’s farms that embody hops, apples, and cherries. The household’s first hops had been planted in 1932, and Loftus Ranches is now run by the fourth technology.
Yakima Chief Hops: Yakima Chief Hops is a 100% grower-owned world hop provider with a mission to attach brewers with household hop farms. Yakima Chief additionally produces the brand new YCH Trial 301 product – a product derived from flash-frozen contemporary hops which are pelleted and concentrated by their proprietary Cryo Hops® course of to supply a steady contemporary hop product that can be utilized 12 months spherical.
Maui Brewing Co.: Maui Brewing Co. is Hawaii’s largest craft brewery, with 4 eating places throughout Maui and Oahu.
49th State Brewing: 49th State Brewing began out in a bus barn subsequent to Denali Nationwide Park in 2010, and now has brewpubs in Anchorage and Denali.
SOURCE Alaska Airways
Next year, cities and states across the nation will be honoring the American semiquincentennial, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Each of the 50 states will have unique roles in the celebration and Alaska has already established a theme for its participation in America250: baseball.
State historian Katherine J. Ringsmuth and the Alaska Office of History and Archaeology have developed a traveling baseball exhibit, showcasing a uniquely Alaskan stitch in the American tapestry.
“Alaska’s Fields of Dreams: Baseball in America’s Far North” features nine panels — each representing an inning — that explore Alaska’s role in the national pastime.
From the Knock Down and Skin ‘Em club of St. Paul Island to the game’s expansion north to Nome and the formation of the Alaska Baseball League, the exhibit covers more than 150 years of baseball in Alaska.
Late last year, Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed Administrative Order 357, designating the Alaska Historical Commission as the state agency to coordinate with the national America250 organization and plan and coordinate events.
That put Ringsmuth and the commission, which is headed by Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, into action to develop Alaska’s involvement.
And while some states will highlight their roles during early eras of America, Alaska has a relatively short history as part of the U.S. as the 49th state admitted. But as Alaska developed as an American territory even before statehood, baseball was a connection to the U.S.
“What we’re seeing by the 1910s, 1920s with the establishment of places like Anchorage, you see these places turning into real American towns,” Ringsmuth said. “And baseball is part of that agent that’s carrying those values.”
Alaska’s history with baseball is diverse both geographically and in the makeup of its participants.
The exhibit documents the history of Alaska Native baseball and details games in Goodnews Bay in Western Alaska and in Nome, where miners used burlap bags as bases to play on the tundra. It also covers Alaska women who play the game, the arrival of Negro League’s great Satchel Paige in Alaska in 1965, and Midnight Sun games.
The theme for Alaska’s involvement in the America250 is “History for Tomorrow,” and Ringsmuth said that look to the future is a nod at younger populations.
“I thought, let’s do something that makes our young people filled with optimism and (shows) that they can dream for tomorrow, and this can be the promise of tomorrow,” she said. “And I thought sports was a fantastic way to do that.”
The exhibit was shown at a number of places throughout the state over the summer. On Wednesday, the display will be at the Bear Tooth Theatrepub as part of the AK Sports Shorts storytelling event.
One of the seven speakers is Olga Zacharof of St. Paul, who will talk about the Knock Down and Skin ‘Em club, considered Alaska’s first baseball team.
Ringsmuth and Lorraine Henry with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources will also be on hand to talk to attendees about America250-Alaska during the intermission.
The event starts at 6 p.m. and tickets are $20. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Healthy Futures Game Changer program, which “provides small grants to youth from low income families to remove barriers to participation in sports and recreation such as equipment, fees, and transportation costs,” according to its website.
Ringsmuth said the exhibit is a device to get people to learn about the history of baseball in Alaska and an entry into other America250-Alaska events and activities.
The state has big plans for the Week of Dreams — a weeklong tribute to the nation’s pastime culminating on July 4, 2026.
Plans for the week include youth games, legacy softball and Indigenous baseball games and celebrating the addition of Growden Memorial Ballpark in Fairbanks to the National Register of Historic Places.
It will also highlight the Knock Down and Skin ‘Em club, which was founded in 1868.
With the help of Anchorage coach and former pro player Jamar Hill, Ringsmuth connected with the Major League Baseball commissioner’s office, and the event will bring up former MLB players who are also ABL alumni for the Week of Dreams events.
Even active MLB players like Aaron Judge, who was a former star for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, could be involved via remote methods.
“Our office is talking about doing a story map we can (post) online,” Ringsmuth said. “You know, call us and we’ll record you. What’s your story of playing in Alaska? What’s your favorite memory?”
“We can still engage the players who are going to be a bit busy next summer.”
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – As the playoffs inch closer, each successive week of high school action carries more seeding implications and general importance – and one could tell as much from watching the slate of games this weekend.
Every team in the state was active this week except Seward in 9-man, giving plenty of opportunities for statement performances at every level.
Bartlett 12 – Service 6 (3OT)
Service played host to Bartlett looking to extend its record to 5-0, but couldn’t survive a chaotic, back-and-forth game that featured 12 combined turnovers and defensive dominance on both sides.
Golden Bears standout Deuce Alailefaleula notched a first-quarter interception and fell on an errant Service snap to tie the game at 6 late in regulation. After two overtime frames with no scoring, Bartlett back Colt Jardine plunged in for the walk-off touchdown on the first play of triple-OT.
Dimond 25 – Colony 22
The Dimond Lynx invaded a wet and wild Pride Field to take on Colony, and weathered the storm by scoring 19 unanswered points to eke out their first win of the season.
Colony fans huddled underneath tents and umbrellas watched in horror as Dimond surged ahead on a late touchdown strike, before the Knights’ last-gasp drive ended in a sack.
Eagle River 14 – Palmer 31
Though it was a much tighter contest most of the way than the final score would indicate, Palmer’s high-powered offense continued to produce in a similarly rainy matchup with Eagle River.
Twenty-four unanswered Moose points helped Palmer extend its winning streak to four, and secured its first 4-1 start since 2013.
WEEK 5 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The Anchorage Police Department said an outage continues to impact the Anchorage 911 system.
It continues to encourage people in Anchorage who need to use the service to dial 3-1-1 and select option one, or call (907) 786-8900 to connect with police.
ORIGINAL: Anchorage is experiencing a 911 and voice service outage, Alaska Communications told Alaska’s News Source Friday evening.
Alaska Communications spokesperson Heather Cavanaugh said disruption involves home and business landline service as well as 911 calls in Anchorage.
Technicians are working to restore service, but there is no estimated time for when it will be back online, Cavanaugh said. The cause has not been identified, though crews are investigating the source.
“Technicians are still on site working to restore service as quickly as possible,” Cavanaugh said at about 9:40 p.m. Friday night.
Police urged residents to use alternative numbers to reach emergency dispatchers while the outage continues. Anchorage residents can dial 3-1-1 and select option one, or call (907) 786-8900 to connect with police.
Anchorage police first reported a statewide outage late Friday afternoon. Alaska Communications confirmed this evening that the issue is limited to the greater Anchorage area.
See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com
Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.
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