Experience
Craft over trends.
Matanuska's profile emphasizes a practical brewing approach built on repetition, balance, precision, and instinct rather than chasing whatever style is fashionable next.
Our Brewmaster
Kevin
Burton.
Matanuska describes Kevin Burton as Alaska's longest-active brewmaster, bringing decades of experience, precision, grit, and instinct to the brewery.
1996published start of his oak-aging work
50+barrels in Matanuska's reserve program
AKdescribed by Matanuska as its longest-active brewmaster
Oak since 1996
Barrel aging runs deep.
Matanuska traces Burton's work with cooperage and barrel aging to 1996. The brewery says that work grew through research and training with master cooper Phil Burton of Barrel Builders in California.
Palmer program
From crisp to barrel-aged.
Today the Matanuska beverage program stretches from lagers and hop-forward beer to high-gravity reserve releases, fruit beer, hard seltzer, canned cocktails, and handcrafted sodas.
The reserve
Oak, time, patience.
Explore Matanuska's published barrel archive and the release history behind more than fifty specialty barrels.
Explore Barrel ReserveThe approach
No shortcuts.
Read how Palmer water, small-batch technique, quality ingredients, and Alaska shape Matanuska's brewing philosophy.
Our Philosophy