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Alberta’s craft brewers and distillers have earned international recognition by using homegrown ingredients. Grab a table and sample the local vibe.

The craft beer scene is hopping

Alberta is famous for its barley, wheat and water. Lately, we’ve also been growing a booming craft brewery scene that takes these ingredients and creates magic in a glass. More than 170 breweries have sprung up in recent years in all corners of the province. So come on in, grab a pint and toast independent thinking.

Grab a flight and taste your way through Alberta.

Meet some spirited entrepreneurs

Our distillers transform locally-grown grains into award-winning whiskey, gin and vodka. We like to think of it as Alberta alchemy.

See how it’s made. Taste the results.

Many Alberta brewers and distillers give tours. They’re like master classes that allow you to see how great beer and spirits are made, then sip the results. It’ll be the most enjoyable exam you ever take.

Liquid assets. Solid citizens.

Craft breweries and distilleries are neighbourhood hangouts and pillars of the community. They support local groups with donations, special creations and hosting events.

Alberta's world class barley makes world class beer.

Breweries

Innovative craft brewers are at home in Alberta

From unconventional ingredients to new techniques, our craft brewers are leading the flavour revolution. Taste a seasonal brew or tap into an old standby. Lagers, pale ales, IPAs, pilsners — you name it, we’ve got it — and good times — on tap.

Close-up of a pint of beer at Folding Mountain Brewing Taproom and Kitchen jasper

Folding Mountain Brewing

Folding Mountain is surrounded by natural beauty on the edge of Jasper National Park. It’s the perfect place to relax after hiking or biking on the area’s trails.

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Two people with a dog have a beer and food at a restaurant.

Ol’Beautiful

Calgarians of all stripes flock to Ol’ Beautiful for great beer and tasty tacos. Standbys include Pegasus pale ale and Okami Kasu, a Japanese ale that uses rice left over from sake production.

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A group of people holding beers take a tour of a brewery.

Alley Kat Brewing Company

One of the pioneers of craft brewing in Alberta, Alley Kat has been serving up tasty suds since 1995. Ask for an Aprikat, the first apricot ale brewed in the province, or a Buena Vista brown ale.

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Dog Island Brewing Company

You’ll find Dog Island in the northern town of Slave Lake. You’ll also find a lively taproom, busy patio and a lineup of beer that includes a pineapple pilsner and a seriously tasty IPA.

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A beer flight with four samples of delicious beers displayed attractively on a wooden plank

Medicine Hat Brewing Company

Over a century after the original Medicine Hat Brewing Company opened its doors, the city’s namesake brewery remains a staple in the community. With 23 craft beers on tap, delicious fare, and an outdoor patio, there’s nowhere else you need to be.

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Did you know?

Calgary has 40 craft breweries, with more on the way. That gives it one of the highest number of craft breweries per capita in Canada.

Distilleries

There’s a whole lot of shaking (and stirring) going on

Alberta’s craft distillers are dedicated to transforming local ingredients into remarkable spirits. Their inventive elixirs have invigorated the cocktail scene in big cities and small towns throughout the province.

Eau Claire Distillery

Located in Diamond Valley, Eau Claire has one foot in the present and one in the past. Its flavour-forward gins and vodkas are bright and modern. It also farms 20 acres of barley using draft horses and farm equipment from the 1920s.

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Wild Life Distillery

Alberta grains and water are on the menu at Canmore’s Wild Life. Check out the seasonal cocktails or sample the rye whisky. You can also grab a bottle of bitters to boost your home mixology efforts.

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Anohka Distillery

Anohka is a Hindi word meaning unusual or wonderful. You’ll find both in the Tempest Dry Gin bursting with botanicals. It stars in cocktails like the Negroni and the Anohkatini.

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Burwood Distillery

Burwood’s new tasting room in Calgary offers tours, classes and, of course, cocktails. There’s also Veranda restaurant, a collaboration between Burwood and the Vacay Brewing Company.

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Featured stories

A pint of beer is poured from a draft tap in a brewery.

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Exploring the Breweries of Red Deer and Central Alberta

Sip and savour the award-winning craft beers produced in Central Alberta.

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Five Ways to Eat and Drink Your Way Through Northwestern Alberta

From Jasper to Grande Prairie, you'll find a wide variety of eclectic eateries and breweries that satisfy all tastes and cravings while you're in Northwestern Alberta.

Dogs in a sidecar on Whyte Avenue at night.

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Pooches on Patios: Alberta’s Restaurants Embrace Trend of Dining with Your Dog

You’ll find several dog-friendly patios at restaurants, bars and breweries across Alberta. Many of them dole out little extras to pamper your pooch, too.