Times have changed from the beer halls in Alberta’s past, when you drank whatever was on tap to go with the beef jerky on the menu. Today’s booming craft beer scene has brought countless different drafts to the table. Now it brings you a difficult decision — which one to drink.
At Calgary’s Wild Rose Brewery & Taproom, you’ll notice old kegs decorating the bar and handmade chairs. The barstools even have tractor seats on them, giving new life to the phrase "from farm to table." Prime beer houses in Alberta rely on fresh, local ingredients. Your discerning palate will tingle at the taste of malt barley grown just 50 miles away. A satisfying sip of hops-infused brew confirms what you were hoping — you’ve come to the right place.
A natural partnership
Quality workmanship may set Alberta beers apart, but Nature provides the foundation. We have all the right stuff for making fantastic ale: premium barley, golden wheat and perfect hard water. Next, there are great malt houses such as Rhar Malting in Alix. Finally, we have experienced brewmasters.
Local Favorites
In 1985, Calgary's Big Rock Brewery got craft beer going in Alberta. Now, thanks to our spirit of entrepreneurialism, you’ll find premium breweries and tap houses all around the province.
Bear Hill Brewing Company is another Alberta craft brew success story, beginning in 2005 with their first tap house, Jasper Brewing Company, followed by the Banff Avenue Brewing Company in 2010. Then they launched one of the largest brewpub/eateries in Canada, the Wood Buffalo Brewing Company in Northern Alberta.
Here you can almost taste the local pride in the beer, designed specifically for the water of Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo. Sample suds like Gold Digger Golden Ale, Lift Kit Lager and Overtime IPA, among others, in downtown Fort McMurray.
Not your father’s beer
In Alberta, the beer industry is changing and for the better. Try any tap house — it’s not just your dad's brand any more. Craft brewing is a whole new way of looking at beer — fresh versus a packaged brand. Cheers!