Riley Brandt

Rob Walsh, head brewer at Brewster’s, one of Calgary’s beer gems.

When drinking beer in Calgary I think it is key to remember that our water comes from one of the best sources in the world, the Rocky Mountains, and our Alberta barley is some of the most sought-after grain globally. Given these two ingredients comprise the larger half of the four key beer ingredients (the other two are hops and yeast), it only makes sense to try the local beer where it is freshest, at its source in Calgary’s great breweries and brewpubs. You won’t be disappointed.

Wildwood Restaurant and Brewpub: Brian Smith is an excellent brewer and his Pale Ale is one of the best brewed pints in town. Wildwood hosts a cask-conditioned ale made special for most Fridays, which is always a pleasure and makes for some good fun after work. Some of the other brews include the Red Lager, which is styled after the Austrian Vienna red lagers, and is a rich caramel pint ending with a satisfying toastiness. Keeping with the adventurous names for its beers, the Dark Ale is a rich, roasty brew with notes of chocolate, similar to Guinness but better. Smith usually has a seasonal offering on tap and in 2008 one of them won best beer at the Calgary Beer Festival, beating out a global field of brews. Wildwood’s food menu is a cut above the usual pub grub — try the the Pale Ale paired with their amazing Cobb Salad.

(2417 4 St. S.W., 403-228-0100)

Big Rock Brewery: Big Rock, established in 1985, is the oldest brewery on the Alberta craft beer scene. Although Big Rock is served almost everywhere in Calgary, it is best to have this beer at the source, the Big Rock Grill. The restaurant is open weekdays for lunch (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and offers brewery tours Tuesday through Thursday at 1:30 p.m. The Grill offers good value for lunch and is one of the few places in town where you can find its best beer, McNally’s Extra Irish Ale, on tap. As an added bonus, there is usually a surprise beer on tap that is not sold elsewhere.

(5555 76 Ave. S.E., 403-236-1606)

Wild Rose Brewery: Brewer Dave Neilly is passionate about beer, so much so that he hosts local home-brewer’s club The Calgary Yeast Wranglers’ monthly meeting at the brewery. This pint-sized brewery and its taproom are situated next to the trendy Calgary Farmers’ Market. Wild Rose has a cast of six house beers and sometimes features seasonals. The bar is unique as it is made out of old fermenters and conditioning tanks called grundys, so it feels like you are sitting right in the brewery, and it has none of those brain-numbing televisions. When the brewhouse is not in use there is a large door that rolls up to show off their beautiful copper kit. Although this taproom is not geared to fine dining, the kitchen offers a real treat — the Simple Simon Pies Wild Rose Brown Ale meat pie.

(Bldg AF23, #2, 4580 Quesnay Wood Dr. S.W., 403-720-2733)

Brewster’s Brewing: Brewster’s brews at two locations (one is in Edmonton), but the Foothills location makes most of the beers for its four restaurants and lounges in Calgary. Award-winning head brewer Rob Walsh brews a number of house beers with rotating unique seasonals. The Czech Pilsner and the Hefeweizen are served all year and should not be missed; the Pilsner is an assertive, crisp, well-balanced treat. Always ask what the seasonal offerings are as this brewpub makes some adventurous beers. Brewster’s also does a nice job with the food and has a good brunch on Sundays.

(5519 53 St. S.E., 403-723-2739)

Brew Brothers Brewery: Head brewer Alan Yule has all Brew Brothers’ beers in fine form. My favourite of the five regulars is the Black Pilsner, which has a wonderful robust flavour finishing with hints of smooth roasted coffee. The beer’s rich colour belies a surprising lightness in body. Brew Brothers doesn’t have its own taproom, but District and Amsterdam Rhino are in the same building and serve their brews as the house beers. Amsterdam Rhino has a great patio and no shortage of televisions for taking in most sporting events.

(607 11 Ave. S.W., 403-258-2739)