You know what goes well with food? Beer. And wine, of course, but this is all about the beer. There are 75 independent craft breweries in Alberta, a 35% growth over 2017, and a huge growth over 2012 when there were only 11. And if you drift back to late last century (over a nice cloudy
hefeweizen or seasonal bock), there was only Big Rock, established in 1985. Oh, how the landscape has changed since then. Canmore and Banff have three breweries between them, while Calgary has an astonishing 37!
Beer pairing is as rewarding as a good wine pairing, and better restaurants are starting to have a cicerone along with their wine sommelier to help elevate your dining experience. Even if your dining destination is not quite that fancy, the likelihood of there being craft beer on the menu is no accident: and the Chef will have considered carefully what matches with their style.
No matter where you are in Alberta you’re not far from a craft brewery, why not check out your local tipple? For more information and upcoming beer events, visit alberta.beer.