Nikiski home-brewers have hands full with all kinds of successes

Down the Hatch

[ With Dawnell Smith ]

Published: June 11th, 2008 11:03 PM
Last Modified: June 12th, 2008 04:32 AM

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Not many breweries operate quite like Kassik's Kenai Brew Stop, a homespun outfit on a dusty road in a residential neighborhood of Nikiski, a bit off the grid for craft beer but mighty convenient for the brewer.

You see, Debbie and Frank Kassik built the brewery right out their front door so they could easily keep their day jobs and run the business at night. No doubt, one or the other of them ran to the brewery late at night in their PJs to check a valve or gauge.

A lot changed a year after opening when they both ditched their jobs to work the brewery full-time, extending their marketing strategy beyond the word-of-mouth zeal of neighbors.

They purchased more tanks and kegs to meet demand and made a trip to Anchorage every few weeks to deliver beer to stalwart watering holes such as Cafe Amsterdam, Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse, Platinum Jaxx and the Tap Root Cafe. (You can still find Kassik's beers at these venues today). The miles and hours took their toll, however.

"At the end of 2007 we once again figured out that we cannot do everything ourselves," Debbie said, "and that we could not keep making the trip to Anchorage every two weeks and keep our brewing schedule on track."

So this year they hooked up with Specialty Imports to take care of accounts outside Kenai and Soldotna. Demand grew accordingly, along with the need for more kegs and tanks. The two founders also wanted more than regional fame, so they entered a few beer competitions this year, including Anchorage's notorious Beer and Barley Wine Festival in January and the World Beer Cup in March.

The brewery batted 1-for-2 in the Cup by submitting two beers and winning bronze with its wildly popular Caribou Kilt Strong Scotch. Come fall, they hope to continue the hot streak at the Great American Beer Festival, assuming they remember to send something in after running themselves ragged all summer.

"Last summer the deadlines seemed to pass before I knew what happened," Debbie said.

Yep, beer-making sure sounds glamorous until you run a brewery. Once in the thick of it, it sounds more like that vicious cycle Debbie talks about, the one where "the more you make, the more you sell, and the more you sell, the more you need to make."

It may be called "success," but it probably feels a whole lot like "not fishing."

Thankfully, the Kassik's clan (son Jason will work the brewery when he gets out of the Air Force in 2009) likes what they do, so next time you head to the Kenai, stop by the brewery to celebrate success of all kinds, because all kinds deserve success, whether by catching a trophy salmon or brewing Four Play Ale for a Peninsula Oiler's baseball game.

Look for directions to the Kassik's Kenai Brew Stop, along with information on some of the places that sell it, on its Web site: www.kassiks kenaibrewstop.com. Or call 1-907-776-4055 for more information.

While in the area, look for a new brewpub called the St. Elias Brewing Co. in Soldotna (434 Sharkathmi Ave., just north of the Fred Meyer). If you check the place out, contact me at dsmith@adn.com and tell me what you think.

• Find Daily News reporter Dawnell Smith at adn.com/contactdsmith or call 257-4587.

• Last Call is off this week and will now appear every other week in Nightlife, rotating with Down the Hatch.

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