In the spirit of imbibing some spirits over the holidays, here’s a road trip idea from Anchorage to Homer with stops at every available brewery along the route. Goes without saying that this trip will involves some alcohol, so it’s important to designate a sober driver for the journey.
Day 1
Anchorage has a multitude of breweries and could constitute a tour on its own, so we’ll start without any foamy libations and begin heading south on the Seward Highway. Girdwood Brewing will be the first stop and they’re open from noon to 8 p.m. every day. To get a good start and reach the brewery shortly after opening we suggest leaving Anchorage around 11:30.
Girdwood Brewing features a rotating selection of food trucks, so this will also be a good stop for lunch. You can visit their website to scope ahead and find out which truck will be there on the day of your drive.
There’s root beer, cold brew coffee, and kombucha available for the DD.
After your leisurely lunch head south about an hour’s drive to Cooper Landing Brewing Company, open 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Monday. This place has been around since 2016 and they whip up some delicious brews and seltzer if you prefer something light in between hops.
Keep on keeping on. Next stop, Kassik’s Brewery in North Kenai. This will require driving past a couple of froth shops, but don’t fret, you’ll be heading back that way. It’ll take a good hour and a half to get from Cooper Landing to Kassik’s, which is open Tuesday to Saturday until 8 p.m. Kassik’s will have at least 10 beers on tap and by the time you have a flight or two, it’ll be probably be late evening.
Head back to Soldotna and check in to a place to stay for the night or set up the tent if you’re camping. Once you’ve settled in to a place to stay, head for a late dinner and a few more beers at St. Elias Brewing Company, which is open until 10 or 11 in the summer. St. Elias has pizza, salads, and sandwiches available, plus five house beers and a few seasonals.
Day 2
Sleep in, you’ve earned it. Plus Kenai River Brewing doesn’t open until noon, so there’s no rush. Start the afternoon with a couple beers (house-made root beer available for the driver) and a sandwich or salad if you’re hungry.
Relax, but don’t linger too long, because there’s still one more stop! Homer Brewing Company is your last stop and the oldest brewery of the bunch. It’s been open since 1996 and is still churning out a delicious lineup of flagships and seasonals.
After quaffing a few we recommend sticking around for the night to further enjoy the quirky seaside town. Safe travels, and enjoy responsibly!
Comments are closed.