He was a transplant from northern Minnesota, just new in town and looking for adventure in the Last Frontier in 1993. His mother-in-law told him about Alaskan Brewing and soon he was volunteering to help bottle beer and clean kegs. His hard work paid off when he was offered a full-time position, and Darin Jensen's transformation to self-described beer ‘geek' had begun.

Because he's been with the brewery almost 18 years, Darin knows many of the challenges the brewery faced early on, "I can remember showing up my first day to work with Tom West. He had me help load vans with a pallet jack, because we didn't have a ramp yet for trailers," recalls Jensen. "He would lift a pallet of beer into trailer with a fork lift and I would have to maneuver the pallets of beer on a graded floor." But once the ramp was built, it provided one of his fondest memories.

"Riding the pallet jack down the old dock ramp, with me and two other employees all on it - that was fun."

Now, in his role as Quality Assurance Analyst, Darin is still enjoying what he does. "I like the fact that my job involves all aspects of the brewery," he explains "It seems like everything rolls through the lab in one form or another - from caps to labels to grain to hops to brewing to tasting."

When he's not at work, Darin enjoys spending time outdoors, and takes advantage of all the Alaska outdoors has to offer, including hiking, snowboarding, wakeboarding and camping. His musical skills and passion for playing are well known, and he performs at many brewery functions and local events.

"I really dig music in all aspects and I love playing with friends. There is a connection that you get and sometimes no words are necessary. You just all know it when you hit it." Another hobby is "doing earth art - like balancing rocks, making ice sculptures - anything that makes me work toward having more patience."

Darin's biggest passion remains his family. "I have a 16 year old and a 12 year old, and they really are an inspiration to me." Like any good Minnesotan, Darin is not just a dedicated Dad but also a great neighbor. But he'll do more than just invite you over for a beer and some ‘hot dish,' don't ya know- he also volunteers his time with Special Olympics, saying it "really keeps me rooted. It just really puts things in perspective when you hang out with kids and adults with special needs. When you see what these people go through on a daily basis, it is really humbling and truly inspiring."

While Darin and his family talk about "selling our house, buying a motor home and just traveling the world" for a few years, they plan to stick around for awhile.

"The thing that keeps me here is the people. I have met so many interesting people here - it really keeps you hip on what's going on in other parts of the world."