Scooter's Bar Journal » Juneau

Alaskan Brewing Company Tasting Room

scooterj — Sun, 14 May 2023 17:10:00 +0000

(Lemon Creek, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1656th bar, first visited in 2023.

I didn’t realize the main tap room closes at 7pm and just barely made it in time to be able to get anything at all on my last night in Juneau.

The tap room is in a plain-looking corrugated steel building in an industrial area, if you were just driving by you might never notice or imagine that such a landmark destination brewery would be located here.

There are two main indoor seating areas, a patio out back, a gift shop, and a walk-in cold beer cave. There’s no food directly, but they do have food trucks (not operating during my visit).

I was too late to be able to get a crowler but did get to enjoy two beers not found back home as well as buy some merchandise. I had the Oaked Amber With Coffee Brown and the Chocolate Cake Stout.

5364 Commercial Blvd
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
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+19077805912
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Red Dog Saloon

scooterj — Sat, 13 May 2023 17:13:00 +0000

(Downtown, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1655th bar, first visited in 2023.

This Old West themed bar is the traditional bar everyone who visits Juneau is supposed to experience. It proved to be our most challenging bar to visit.

The first day we tried (Thursday), it was already closed well ahead of their posted hours because the last cruise ship was already departing.

The next day (Friday) we tried to visit while all the cruise ships were active, and there was a sign on the door stating that it would be closed for a private event until 3pm. We returned around 3:20pm to find that it was now closed for the day.

We finally found it open on Saturday, but with our group split up we all ended up visiting it at different times, but reunited there at the end of the day before returning to our rental house.

As I mentioned, it’s an old-west themed bar. Unsure how much of the decor is authentic vs how much is manufactured for the tourists. There are two levels, plus an attached gift shop that also has its own entrance from the street so that it can maintain its own separate hours. Food is served.

Their trademark is their Duck Fart shot, so we all made sure to get that. Since we were in a hurry to get back to our house after a very long day, that was the only drink I had.

278 S Franklin St
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
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+19074633658
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Amalga Distillery

scooterj — Sat, 13 May 2023 17:12:00 +0000

(Downtown, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1654th bar, first visited in 2023.

We popped in here for one drink shortly before last call at the end of another downtown shopping trip. This is primarily a gin distillery. Rarely they will make other spirits, but most of the time (like today) it’s only gin. I had a raspberry gin & tonic.

134 N Franklin St
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
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+19072092015
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Timberline Bar & Grill

scooterj — Sat, 13 May 2023 17:10:00 +0000

(Cruise Docks, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1653rd bar, first visited in 2023.

This is the restaurant/bar located at the top of the Mt. Roberts Tramway. Access is available primarily via tram ticket, though hiking here is also an option.

Plate glass windows allow for a full view on three sides, and there is also outdoor seating decks.

I had a Chuli Stout from Denali Brewing and an adult hot chocolate.

The address listed here is the address of the sky tram ticket office, as that is the primary means of access.

490 S Franklin St
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
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(907) 463-3412
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The Island Pub

scooterj — Fri, 12 May 2023 17:15:00 +0000

(Douglas, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1652nd bar, first visited in 2023.

After we got back to our rental house we quickly determined that we didn’t have quite enough food to make dinner for all of us. We decided to supplement with a pizza and a few salads, so a couple of us drove over to Douglas Island to grab some take-out.

While we waited for our order I had a Black Fang (imperial stout) and a DMMDI (Devil Made Me Do It) IPA, both by Haines Brewing.

1102 2nd St
Juneau, AK 99824
United States
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+19073641595
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The Alaskan Hotel & Bar

scooterj — Fri, 12 May 2023 17:14:00 +0000

(Downtown, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1651st bar, first visited in 2023.

We used this historic bar as our meet-up spot after our group converged from three different directions. I was the first to arrive and got us a table upstairs. It was pretty busy when I first arrived, but quickly emptied out as the cruise tourists were called back to their chips.

I have no ideal how “authentic” this all was, but it seemed a perfect representation of what I might have expected to find coming here during the gold rush in the 19th century.

There were two levels, as I mentioned, and a stage for performances.

I had a Solstice IPA by 49th State Brewing, as well as participated in a round of lemon drop shots.

167 S Franklin St
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
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907-318-9470
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Barnaby Brewing Company

scooterj — Fri, 12 May 2023 17:13:00 +0000

(Downtown, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1650th bar, first visited in 2023.

The smallest brewery in Juneau featured a cozy tap room with a handful of tables, a popcorn machine (no other food that I noticed), and a kitty. In accordance with Alaska’s looney brewery laws, no seating permitted at the bar — though in this instance there’s really no room. (It’s also possible this was the brewery where I saw the sign I lost my photo of that listed all the ways Alaska bans fun in breweries.) There is also no outdoor seating, but that’s due to the property not a legal issue.

Rather than get a flight I decided to go with a full pour of the Mittens (Mexican chocolate porter) after reading several comments online about how great it is — it did npot disappoint.

165 Shattuck Way
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
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+19074190916
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Devil’s Club Brewing

scooterj — Fri, 12 May 2023 17:12:00 +0000

(Downtown, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1649th bar, first visited in 2023.

Came in here for a few beers after separating from the rest of the group during a shopping excursion.

For some reason I forgot to take any interior photos except of my flight, but I know they served food and had a merchandise display. There was no apparent outdoor seating.

In accordance with Alaska’s looney brewery laws, there was no seating at the bar counter. I am almost certain that this was the brewery that had a sign listing all the ways Alaska’s brewery laws forbid fun (no NV, no music, no playing games) but I honestly can’t say for sure if that was this brewery or one of the others since that photo has somehow vanished.

I had the Signature IPA, the Cocoroon Imperial Hazelnut-Coconut-Macaroon Pastry Stout, and the Wafel House (Pastry stout brewed with stroopwafel).

100 N Franklin St
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
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+19075232739
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Forbidden Peak Brewery

scooterj — Fri, 12 May 2023 17:11:00 +0000

(Auke Bay, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1648th bar, first visited in 2023.

This was the brewery closest to our vacation rental house, and I stopped in here just after opening on a Friday.

This has an expansive seating area both inside and out, with a great view overlooking the bay from both locations. Indoors has a large fireplace for the colder months, a well stocked gift shop, and a separate window in the back for ordering food. In accordance with Alaska’s still-looney brewery laws (even after a 2022 attempt at reform), there is no seating permitted at the bar.

I had the Golden North (pale lager), Statter Oatmeal Stout, Nitro 7 Black (oatmeal stout nitro), Barrel Aged Imperial Brown W/ Cacao Nibs, AukNess (black lager), and Red Spruce (amber ale with locally-picked spruce tips).

Handy tip: Park in the lot on the west side of the building to avoid a lengthy walk of shame around to the correct entrance.

11798 Glacier Hwy
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
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+19075237787
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Hangar on the Wharf

scooterj — Thu, 11 May 2023 17:12:00 +0000

(Downtown, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1647th bar, first visited in 2023.

The name is quite literal, it’s one of several restaurants & shops located inside a former aircraft hangar built right on the wharf. It features large plate glass windows looking right out onto the harbor.

In addition to halibut & chips, I had a Quilter’s Irish Death (strong ale) by Iron Horse Brewery.

2 Marine Way #106
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
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(907) 586-5018
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Griz Bar

scooterj — Thu, 11 May 2023 17:10:00 +0000

(Downtown, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1646th bar, first visited in 2023.

We started out trying to go to Red Dog Saloon but it was closed. My wife wanted to buy something at the Harley-Davison store, and we came across Griz Bar right next door to that.

This is an entirely outdoor bar, mostly covered, with firepits at most if not all of the tables. From what I understand, it opened during the COVID lockdowns and for a while was the only bar able to operate in Juneau during that time.

Food is provided by a permanently-parked taco truck right next to the patio.

The adults all had a round of their signature Bear Fart shot, which I chased with a Chuli Stout by Denali Brewing.

210 Admiral Way
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
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+19077233273
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McGiviney’s Sports Bar and Grill

scooterj — Wed, 10 May 2023 17:13:00 +0000

(Mendenhall Valley, Juneau, AK)

Scooter’s 1645th bar, first visited in 2023.

We came here first thing after deplaning because it was the closest place we found to the airport where the adults could get drinks and we could all still get some food.

In addition to some fried shrimp, I had the Junrau Juice (IPA) by Alaskan Brewing.

9105 Mendenhall Rd
Juneau, AK
United States
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+19077890501
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