Indulge in one of Alberta’s exhilarating one-day getaways in the Northern Rockies. While you marvel at the beauty, impress your taste buds at one of these exceptional establishments in the area.
Five Sensational Tasting Experiences in the Northern Rockies
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Venture into the Northern Rockies to experience vast landscapes with few people in sight—and continue the feast for your senses with the region’s inventive food and drink scene.
- Stare across your plate at the glorious mountains.
- Taste a custom spirit made just for you (and pet some goats).
- Listen to live music or get in the game with Trivia nights.
Moonshine and baby goats
If you haven’t been here, you definitely haven’t tried these drinks. Explore new taste territory with moonshine made from fruit grown in the orchard around you at the Crabbie Goat Distillery in Valleyview. Try playful concoctions and sample surprising spirit flavours. You won’t be able to taste it all, so take a few bottles and satisfy your inner mixologist at home. But don’t leave without petting the farm’s adorable pygmy goats.
Voted Alberta’s top distillery in 2022, the folks at the Crabbie Goat Distillery bring new meaning to farm-to-glass. Inspired by Grandpa Floyd’s crabapple wine, owners Cheryl and Jamie cultivated their 10-acre farm to create the perfect stop for adventurous taste buds.
Mind-blowing drinks and mind-bending games
With rotating cocktails on a seasonal menu plus the most extensive backbar in Grande Prairie, 92 Beverage Co. promises to “delight, surprise, or maybe even blow your mind.” Pair your off-the-hook beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic inventions) with a menu featuring unusual morsels like Bombay Samosa Sliders and Banh Mi Dogs.
The food, drinks and atmosphere may be upscale, but the vibe is chill. Stop in on an event night for a head-to-head competition with the locals in a round of '80s Trivia, Music Bingo or a popup Cards Night.
A tap room with a view
The view is jaw-dropping. You’ll have to remind yourself to close your mouth to sample the award-winning beer and delicious comfort food at Folding Mountain Brewing, just 22 km (13.7 mi) west of Hinton. Here, on the edge of Jasper National Park, the foothills meet the front range, providing a picture you’ll want to memorize.
It’s family-friendly at all times (including the furry members on the patio), and the menu is varied and hearty enough to satisfy picky palates and hungry hikers. During the summer months, the Beer Garden is also home to Juniper Pizza Pies.
Up for adventure first? Make it a full-day getaway and take on the nearby Folding Mountain Trail first—it’s a 15 km (9.3 mi) challenging route with 1,125 m (3,690 ft) of elevation.
Taste the Canadian North
It doesn’t get more local than this. The “cask-to-glass” experience at Latitude 55 Distilleries Ltd. in Grande Prairie salutes the Canadian North with tastes inspired by the surrounding landscape. Latitude 55 infuses award-winning spirits with locally harvested grains and botanicals for flavours you won’t find anywhere else.
The Lattitude 55 Lounge in The Old Fire Hall offers signature cocktails and shareable morsels for every taste and budget. Depending on the day, you can heat up with live music or cool down with a distillery tour and tasting. And if you gather a group, you can book a spot to craft your own custom gin.
Try their beer, then make it your own
Where else can you create a limited run of your own beer? Grain Bin Brewing Company prides itself on more than its original brews and hard seltzers. They cater to you, the customer, by offering custom-branded beer. You choose the brew and design the label, then pick up your exclusive beers to share with friends and family.
Choosing is hard, so try a flight of their flagship beers or fresh seasonals. It’s never the same twice. In fact, in its first five years of brewing, Grain Bin Brewing Company developed more than 100 beer styles and collected a bunch of awards for their efforts.
