Downtown Anchorage does not lack for places to get a beer, but 49th State Brewing Company at 717 W. 3rd Ave occupies a category of its own. The building — a 30,000 square-foot historic structure originally built as an Elks Lodge in 1917 — sits on the waterfront with views of Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range. The rooftop patios, when open in warmer months, are among the best-positioned outdoor seats in the city. This is where Anchorage takes out-of-town guests when it wants to show off.

The brewery opened its Anchorage location on July 4, 2016, taking over a space with deep local history. The scale is notable: two dining rooms, two rooftop patios, a theater, three private dining spaces, and a gift shop. The beer program centers on house-brewed craft ales alongside a food menu that takes Alaskan ingredients seriously. Expect elk, yak, reindeer, and buffalo alongside king crab, salmon, and halibut, plus American standards like steaks, burgers, and wings. The kitchen sources locally when possible and the seasonal specials reflect what is available in Alaska at the time. Daily hours run 11:00 am to 11:00 pm.

The location is a short walk from the Anchorage Museum and the downtown hotel corridor, making it naturally convenient for visitors. Live music appears regularly on the schedule, and the venue hosts private events year-round across its multiple distinct spaces. Street and surface lot parking are available in the immediate area.

In a state where the craft brewing industry has expanded significantly since the 1990s, 49th State functions as a flagship — not just for its own brand, but for what Alaskan brewing looks like when it operates at full scale in a building that carries a century of Anchorage history behind it. The combination of setting, scale, and quality is hard to match anywhere in the state.