5 Alberta Craft Breweries to Try

Alberta is experiencing a craft brewery renaissance! Breweries have been popping up all over the province and making their way into restaurants and shops all over Calgary. I’m a big fan of supporting local so being able to drink local is right up my alley. These five breweries have only been around for a couple of years or less which means you probably haven’t had a chance to taste them – yet. With an emphasis on small batches and quality ingredients, you won’t want to wait too long to give them a try.

Blindman Brewing
If you’ve ever been to Lacombe, you’ll find plenty of antiques, a corn maze and now Blindman Brewing. Their tap room looks warm and friendly – which may well be worth a pit stop to the small central Alberta town. The Blindman River Session Ale is their flagship beer, golden in color and finishes clean and dry. Pick up a growler at Oak & Vine in Inglewood or grab a pint down at National on 8^th.

Bench Creek Brewing
Surrounded by the Alberta wilderness, Bench Creek Brewing is one of the more remote breweries based out of Edson. But it’s all about the destination for Bench Creek as they fill their beers with tons of flavor. Their flagship Black Spruce Porter is a dark stout with hints of chocolate and espresso. I usually don’t enjoy dark ales and this one went down rich and clean and had me wanting more.

Six Corners Brew Works
Six Corners hasn’t even been around for a year yet, but they’ve done a lot in that time. They have been busy getting their brewery built in Okotoks while crafting their draft in their temporary home in Saskatoon. Their brews aren’t for the faint-hearted with strong ales like the 10.3% Triple Summit IPA. You can find their beers in Calgary Co-op or Willow Park Wines & Spirits.

Troubled Monk Brewery
They only opened this past June, but Troubled Monk Brewery has been able to put together four different ales in their 15 barrel brew house. Inspired by their Red Deer homebase, Troubled Monk has created brews like the Golden Gaetz Golden Ale which will hopefully make their way down the QEII to Calgary. In the meantime, a road trip north is in order!

The Dandy Brewing Company
Located in Calgary’s NE off of Barlow Trail is the Dandy Brewing Company’s tap room – the newest hangout for beer aficionados to get their nano-brewery fix. The space is home to Dandy’s mainstay and seasonal brews including the Golden Brown Dandy Ale and the Dandy Underworld Stout. If you can’t make it up to their tap room, you’re in luck as Dandy is available at many Calgary restaurants and liquor stores.