Amanda Neyenhouse poured a Devil’s Club IPA called Fresh Lines from a tap in the brewery’s large, wood-paneled taproom. Beer-drinkers and sandwich-eaters sat around a few tables. It seemed like a typical evening, except for one thing: it was a few minutes past 8 p.m.
Until this week, brewery and distillery taprooms weren’t allowed to serve alcohol after 8 p.m. according to state law. But since Jan. 1, legislation passed in 2022 allows taprooms to serve drinks until 9.
“I think that we will have people that are wanting to be here that extra hour. I mean, I appreciate that we’re allowed to be open later,” Neyenhouse said.
Brittni Wisner has been coming to Devil’s Club Brewing Company since it opened in 2018.
Wisner was headed out of town for graduate school Tuesday evening, and she realized she’d have time to get Devil’s Club one more time before flying out.
“We’re like, ‘Oh, they’re open till nine, so we could go,’” she said.
Before the changes, staff also couldn’t let patrons play games or host live music events. Now people can bring cards and games. Wisner said she saw people embracing the new rules already.
So far, Devil’s Club is the only business in Juneau that’s changing its schedule. Evan Wood is one of the founders, and he said he’s been waiting for the law to take effect since it was passed in 2022.
“We were ready to pull the trigger and stay open an extra hour and invite everybody in for some more time,” Wood said.
Devil’s Club is serving until 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Wood said they’re going to see how the extra hour plays out.
“We’re going to play it by ear,” he said. “We’re going to try as often as we can to stay open until nine to see if people are out and interested.”
These types of businesses can host four events in a year, starting now. Wood said he has big visions for what Devil’s Club’s events will be.
“Since there are only a few events a year, we’re being very careful to pick things that we think would be the most fun and the most innovative things that haven’t happened in Juneau before,” he said.
Customers still can’t drink more than 36 oz of beer at breweries or more than two drinks at distilleries. And taprooms can’t have TVs or allow people to sit at the bar.
Those rules are a part of a swath of limitations placed on breweries and distilleries by the state legislature. Bar owners and brewery owners debated over limitations for years, in a back-and-forth that’s known as the “bar wars.”
Joan Wilson, with the Alaska Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office, said it’s a sign of compromise that the changes finally passed.
“The bill would not move forward that last year unless the recovery community, the bar community and the brewery community agreed on the changes,” she said. “And often they had to agree on changes against their own interest for that bill to move forward. So that, to me, is an incredible accomplishment.”
Barnaby Brewing plans to stay open until 9 p.m. for big events like First Fridays. Forbidden Peak, Amalga Distillery, and Alaskan Brewing Company aren’t making changes to their hours just yet.
KTOO is our partner public media station in Juneau. Alaska Public Media collaborates with partners statewide to cover Alaska news.
