Rick McGlasson’s 25-year-old dream of running a brewery in Nikiski finally came true. McGlasson and his wife, Michelle, are the new owners of Kassik’s Brewery, where they plan to continue serving brewery patrons the beer they know and love.
Frank and Debra Kassik started serving their craft beers in 2004. Since the brewery opened, they’ve added a bottling line, multiple new tanks and kegs to keep up with growth and the brewery has tripled in size.
Now, 15 years after they started their brewery, the Kassiks are set to retire to be closer to family. Longtime friends of the Kassik family, the McGlasson’s of Nikiski, are taking over the business.
McGlasson says he’s been brewing since the 1990s, and even attended a brewing school in California. He said he looked at starting his own microbrewery in 1998, but the project never got off the ground. Since then, he’s befriended the Kassiks and has had opportunities to work on a few beer projects with the brewery.
“I’ve been involved with them for years,” McGlasson said. “Of course they’re close, so I come here and visit.”
There won’t be many changes to the Kassik’s Brewery folks are used to, McGlasson said.
“I think they got a good thing going and our product is well received around the state,” McGlasson said.
One small change fans of the brewery might see in the future is their classic beer in cans.
“We might change our packaging a little bit,” McGlasson said. “We’re looking at putting our product in cans. It’s kind of where everyone is headed in this day in age.”
McGlasson said he also hopes to expand current opportunities for collaborations, with food trucks and other special events.
The brewery’s current hours are noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. McGlasson said the brewery might extend the hours from noon to 7 p.m. in the new year to allow more time for the after-work crowd.
McGlasson said that taking over the brewery was an “easy thing to fall into.”
“It just worked out,” McGlasson said. “We didn’t want to see it close.”
McGlasson and his family have lived in Nikiski since 1989.
“My kids are all here, so I’m not going anywhere,” McGlasson said.
He wants fans of the brewery to know that the business will be family run. His wife and he are the owners, and their daughter, who has worked for the brewery before, is coming on as the brewery’s manager. He said all of the brewery’s current employees are staying on.
“We’re real family orientated,” McGlasson said. “We’ve lived out in the Nikiski community for years and we plan on staying around here. Come on out and have a beer.”
