Rooted in the Birch Forest

Each spring, as Alaska’s boreal forest thaws and the sap begins to rise, we tap mature wild birch trees for just a few short weeks.

We only tap trees that are at least 6–8 inches in diameter, typically 40–60 years old. Each tree is hand-tapped using a 5/16-inch drill bit — nearly half the size of the traditional 7/16-inch taps once used in birch harvesting. During the short 3–4 week season, we collect only a fraction of the sap moving through each tree.

Our automated closed tubing system allows us to collect sap efficiently while reducing vehicle traffic, soil compaction, and disturbance to the forest floor. We monitor the health of the birch trees year after year and continually refine our harvesting practices with the long-term health of the forest in mind.

Birch Brew starts with raw, certified organic birch sap harvested from Alaska’s boreal forests. Rather than concentrating that sap into syrup, we ferment it.

Inspired by the tradition of fermented birch beverages in Latvia and across Northern Europe, Birch Brew is wild-fermented in small batches using the native yeasts and microbes present in the sap. Our double-fermentation process transforms the raw sap into something entirely different — tart, crisp, naturally effervescent, and alive with billions of living cultures.

During the second fermentation, a small amount of sugar is added to fuel the fermentation process. The cultures consume that sugar as the Brew develops its natural carbonation and acidity, leaving zero sugar in the finished beverage.

We finish our flavored Brews with simple, high-quality ingredients like organic lemon juice, ginger juice, and raspberry purée. The result is a refreshing, distinctly Alaskan expression of an old northern tradition.

Birch syrup begins with the same wild Alaska birch sap as Birch Brew, but takes a very different path. Because birch sap contains so little natural sugar, it can take more than 135 gallons of sap to produce a single gallon of syrup.

Before the sap ever reaches our evaporator, we use reverse osmosis to remove much of the water and concentrate the sap as far as we can. The higher we take that concentration, the less time the sap needs to spend on the evaporator — reducing fuel use and making the entire process more efficient.

From there, we cook slowly and deliberately. Rather than running the evaporator as hot and fast as possible, our longer, more controlled cooks allow us to use fuel more efficiently while carefully developing the deep, complex flavor that makes birch syrup so distinctive.

The water removed through reverse osmosis is also captured and reused throughout our operation, helping us make the most of every part of the harvest.