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| suzy lafferty / juneau empire |
 POTENT: The Haines Brewing Co. growlers pack a 64-ounce punch. |
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HAINES - If you've returned from the Southeast Alaska State Fair with a fondness for the splendors of the Haines Brewing Co., you're not alone.
Unfortunately, you do have limited options if you hope to find the Haines brew in Juneau. It's only available at the Hangar on the Wharf, downtown in Merchants Wharf, and The Island Pub in Douglas.
That's unlikely to change.
"We just don't have the capacity to expand to other markets," owner Paul Wheeler said. "They're the ones who have worked with me in the past.
"We have a medium amount we can ship, and most bars don't have the room to stockpile it," he said. "Nobody does. The Hangar and The Island Pub happened to have enough spaces to buy a few kegs at a time."
Wheeler and his crew run the eight-year-old Haines Brewery out of a small space on the fairgrounds' strip - a series of Gold-Rush storefronts built in 1989 as the set for the Walt Disney film "White Fang." There's enough space for a 3.5-barrel system, which cranked out about 315 to 320 barrels last year.
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| suzy lafferty / juneau empire |
| The digs: The tiny Haines brewery sits on the state fairgrounds, former site of the set for the Disney film "White Fang." |
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Kegs of the beer are available at most restaurants and bars in Haines. This year during the fair, the brewery also supplied the beer garden at the end of the White Fang strip, and the over-21 beer garden during the late concerts.
"We try to keep both the Hangar and the Island Pub stocked, but it's hard to at this time of year," Wheeler said. "We're so small our production capacity is maxed out. We're not able to meet all the demand. I'm not doing any extra work. I'm already working as hard as I can."
The most popular item at the fair might have been the brewery's special 64-ounce growlers. It costs $5.25 for a one-time deposit, then $8 to $10 to fill up the jug.
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Beer
What: Haines Brewing Co.
Where: 108 White Fang Way, on the Southeast Alaska State Fair grounds.
For more information: Call (907) 766-3828. No Website.
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They also draw a line during the Great Alaska Craftbeer and Homebrew Competition, traditionally held during Memorial Day.
One person can only buy 10 growlers at a time. The law prohibits the brewery from selling more than 5 gallons of beer to a single individual. Wheeler orders about 800 of the growlers a year. Most of them aren't recycled.
The brew choices during the fair were: Eldred Rock Red, Lookout Stout, Dalton Trail Ale, Spruce Tip Ale, IPA, Black Fang, and the special homemade root beer - an extra just for the weekend.
"Having the brewery in the middle of the fairgrounds has become an exhibit for fairgoers," Wheeler said. "They get to check out different styles of beer and broaden their experience on what kinds of beer are out there."
The potent Black Fang was drawn on the brewery saleboard with an intimidating extra-bold stroke. The dark Imperial stout - thicker than the company's Lookout Stout - takes its name from the film, "White Fang." The latest batch carries a walloping 9 percent alcohol volume.
"You do have to be careful," Wheeler said.
The Spruce Tip Ale is the most popular. It's become the brewery's No. 1 seller during the summer. The IPA and the Red are usually around during the winter.
"At this point, I like the idea that we're the local brewery and you have to come to Haines to get the beer. To get into bottling or that kind of market, you have to be quite a bit bigger than we are to actually make a profit. Because of our location - in Haines, Alaska - it's just not cost-effective as far as shipping beer to places."
• Contact Korry Keeker at 523-2268 or korry.keeker@juneauempire.com.
