Stephan Villanueva

Co-op’s Creekside liquor store has the longest wall of beer this afficianado has seen in the province

Forget all the doom-and-gloom headlines about beer prices going up, it is an exciting time to be a beer drinker in Alberta. In the last year, two new breweries have opened, and our more established breweries are offering a steady stream of seasonal treats.

If that wasn’t enough, our Alberta liquor board system is the envy of all the other provinces — the Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission has streamlined governmental red tape to the point a licensed agent can bring in any new beer and, with the proper labelling, have it on store shelves in as little as two weeks. Alberta has just over 500 beers listed, with wonderful new brews showing up monthly. In some of Calgary’s best stores the beer sections are getting so big you may swear you can see the curvature of the Earth in them.

Calgary’ best stores include:

Willow Park Wines and Spirits: The beer guy at Willow Park, Dave Gingrich, gets excited about every new beer, and to say his passion for good beer resonates through the whole store is an understatement. The man is animated, excitable and loves to talk beer and scotch. A word of caution — Dave may talk you into filling your shopping cart and emptying your wallet.

Kensington Wine Market: What this store lacks in size, it makes up for in its well-chosen beer section. The staff are enthusiastic and passionate about all 300-plus beers offered, providing education courses on all the beverages they sell and bringing in interesting new products that are exclusive to their store.

Calgary Co-op: The most surprising of the bunch is Calgary Co-op. Who would have guessed that a grocery chain liquor store would have such a great selection of beer in its stores? Co-op’s best store, Creekside, has over 500 beers and the longest beer product walls this beer writer has seen in the province.