Tap Handle #482: Denali

April 05, 2015

Tap Handle #482: Denali - Chuli Stout

Tap size: 11.5"
Rarity: Rare
Mounting: internal 3/8" nut

This is the first of 3 taps from Denali Brewing that I'll be profiling, and it's probably my favorite out of the 3. Featuring an old man using a walking stick, the details and colors are fantastic. The old man is standing on a base, made to look like rock, that has the name of the brewery and also the beer variety. I found this tap difficult to photograph, as the beard and face of the old man were highly reflective on the full profile shots, but fortunately the close ups turned out much better. The tap can easily be found and the price is fairly affordable considering the amount of detail.

Click through to read more about Denali Brewing Company, their Chuli Stout, and to see more photos of this stout tap...

Denali Brewing Company was founded in Talkeetna, Alaska in 2009 by Sassan Mossanen and Boe Barnett. Mossanen came to Alaska from Oregon in 1996 where he had been immersed in the exploding craft beer scene. During the ensuing years, he made several attempts at starting a brewery, while building a cabin, establishing a successful construction company, and homebrewing on the side. At the same time, Barnett was living 250 miles north of Talkeetna, in the Goldstream Valley outside Fairbanks. He was teaching English at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, writing and publishing poetry, and homebrewing on the side. He too had made several attempts at opening a local brewery. In 2007 the two men met over a keg of Boe’s homebrewed pilsner and hit it off, sharing a dream of opening a brewery.

In 2009 the dream became a reality when they opened Denali Brewing on Main Street in downtown Talkeetna. The brewery, an 8.5 barrel system, has a tasting room and a sister establishment called the Twister Creek Restaurant. Denali beers can also be found at a number of bars and restaurants in and around the Mat-Su Valley, Anchorage and Fairbanks. In 2011 and 2012, Denali Brewing was chosen to supply the official beer for the Alaska State Fair. Also in 2011, they built a larger production facility to house a 30-barrel brewing system, and then proceeded to expand on it 3 times

Denali faces challenges most other breweries don't have to deal with. Frequent power outages, distance from resources (like wheat and hops), and cold days and storms are tough on equipment and sales. Denali compensates by brewing robust beers featuring local ingredients when possible, such as Alaska Rose Hips or Birch. They currently brew 5 year-round brews, as well as several specials and seasonals, including the Seductress Series, crafted in conjunction with the Tap Root (a legendary restaurant & bar featuring live music and comedy) in Anchorage, named after and inspired from influential and powerful women.

Chuli Stout is an Irish dry stout that takes its name from the mighty Chulitna River. An ample amount of roasted barley imparts dry, coffee-like flavors, while flaked barley adds smoothness and body. And if that weren’t enough, Chuli Stout is conditioned and served with nitrogen, amplifying smoothness and creating that rich, dense, classic stout pour.