It’s no secret that Alberta knows—and loves!—its beer. If you’re as much as a fan of the stuff as we are, you’ve definitely noticed the incredible number of brand new brew pubs and craft breweries that keep popping up from Calgary to Edmonton and beyond. And because we love drinking local, we strive to taste what’s on tap at as many of the province’s breweries as we possibly can. We serve some of our top picks at Tom’s House of Pizza’s restaurant and cozy pub sections! While it’s impossible to pick a single favourite from all the amazingly unique craft beers made right here in Alberta, here are a few that we are particularly fond of. We think you’ll like them too.
1. 42 Session Ale, Wild Rose Brewery (Calgary)
Brewed in small batches at Wild Rose Brewery’s AF23 Hanger in the Currie Barracks, this special brew is available exclusively at Tom’s House of Pizza and the WR tap room. Galaxy hops from Australia add a tropical fruit flavour of mango and citrus. At 4.2% abv this beer offers mild hop without the bitterness of higher alcohol IPA’s.
2. Trailhead IPA, Six Corners Brew Works (Okotoks)
A big hoppy IPA weighing in at 7.5% abv and 80 IBU, this beer pours golden with a slight dry-hop haze and offers a big citrusy nose from the generous experimental hops variety used by the brewer. Trailhead is made with a touch of malted rye and light crystal malt to support the crisp bitterness expected in a west coast style IPA – this one’s not to be missed.
3. Grasshopper, Big Rock Brewery (Calgary)
This Kristallweizen, or filtered wheat ale, snagged the silver medal in its category at the 2017 Canadian Brewing Awards—and for good reason. Fruity and bready at first, each perfectly balanced sip finishes off on a crisp, lightly hopped note. A Calgary classic that pairs extremely well with pretty much any pizza combination you can come up with!
4. White Raven IPA, Bench Creek Brewing (Edson)
Another great Alberta IPA, White Raven is a very hop forward beer with huge aromatics of orange, grapefruit, passionfruit and mango with a touch of resinous pine. Specialty malts offer a complex toffee caramel backbone to balance the elevated bitterness from the hops. The IPA finishes clean, slightly dry and robust. At 6.5% abv and 72 IBU, this is a big beer that goes down very smoothly.
5. Rangeland Ale, Ribstone Creek Brewery (Edgerton)
This well-rounded Pale Ale is balanced with just the right amount of hops and malt; cascade hops give citrus and floral aromas, while the malt gives notes of caramel and toffee. Rangeland Crosses an ESB with an American Pale ale to create a distinct Alberta Craft brew. With a slightly lighter alcohol content (4.2% abv) and lower IBU’s (30) than some of the other beers on this list, the Rangeland Ale does not pale in the comparison and offers complex and satisfying flavours.
Did our list of mouth-watering Alberta-brewed beers make you thirsty? Why not round up some friends and come enjoy a crisp, cold brew at your nearest Tom’s House of Pizza location? We make everyone feel right at home inside our cozy, friendly pubs—and we have the best thin-crust pizza in Calgary and Okotoks. What are you waiting for?