Alberta doesn’t compete with British Columbia’s wine tourism industry, but Wild Rose Country does have much to offer when it comes to breweries and distilleries. Many of these drinking rooms are bold and rugged, reflecting Alberta’s farming traditions and western heritage. With summer upon us and fewer Canadians headed to the U.S. of A, it’s time for a spirited and scenic tour of Alberta’s award-winning drinks.
We started our tour in Red Deer, dipping down Highway 2 to Innisfail before heading west for the scenic tour on Alberta’s unspoiled Cowboy Trail. The 350-kilometre stretch of Highway 22, from Caroline to Lundbreck, cuts through about a dozen rural communities, almost every one home to a brewery or distillery.
Some of the best grains in the world are grown 10 minutes away from Red Deer, so prepare yourself to sip a dram of the best Canadian whisky here. Diony Distillery has serious street cred among whisky specialists. Their bestselling Campfire whisky reveals a mash bill of 67 per cent rye smoked with spent grain and oak, which gives it a unique campfire taste. From notes of caramel to dried fruit, this craft whisky tastes succulently sweet.
In Central Alberta, the Daines family is synonymous with rodeo. Mutton Bustin’ is the most beloved children’s event at the summer Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo, where you’re sure to see kids face-plant or cry as sheep break free from steadfast handlers. Whether you’re in Innisfail for the rodeo or heading home to Edmonton via Highway 2, pop into Dark Woods Brewing for their popular Smokin’ Fire Red Ale, a 2024 bronze medallist at the Canadian Brewing Awards in the smoked beer category. Maple wood is used to smoke this unique beer’s barley. In the morning, head west to Caroline, then start your scenic tour on the Cowboy Trail.
The 120-year-old Rockyview Hotel on First Street is your first hint that the spirit of the west is strong in Cochrane. On Tuesday nights, the historic hotel offers line dancing lessons, and you can research the area’s ranching history at the Stockmen’s Memorial Library & Archives located at the Cochrane Ranchhouse. The core lineup at Half Hitch Brewing Company focuses on its crushable ales, but the caramel flavour of the Fire ‘N Fury red ale pairs well with the brewery’s smoked brisket ends.
Less than an hour west of Calgary, you can fall back into a slower pace in Bragg Creek. This hamlet’s proximity to Kananaskis Country makes it an ideal gateway to explore the mountains by horseback. With its old trading post, the town looks like a dusty frontier settlement straight out of a western movie. Saddle up and trot to Bragg Creek Distillers’ historic hut, where they pour six different barrique whiskys — a French word for the smaller barrels used to traditionally age wine in France’s Bordeaux region. This whisky maturation process adds interesting notes of peat and caramel.
Eau Claire Distillery is a must-stop in Turner Valley. It’s not only the first craft distillery in Alberta but the most awarded distillery in Canada. Many of those accolades go to its Rupert’s Exceptional Canadian Whisky and other cask-series bottles, but Eau Claire also offers an exceptional collection of vodka, gin and seasonal offerings. Take a tour and distill your knowledge of Turner Valley’s unique booze-soaked history, which covers the prohibition preachers and brazen bootleggers of this former boomtown. Next door you’ll find Chuckwagon Cafe, a Cowboy Trail institution that serves one of the best burgers in Alberta, if not Canada, thanks to the beef that comes directly from the owner’s cattle ranch.
While not officially located on the Cowboy Trail, Old Man River Brewing is only a five-minute trip on Highway 3, dubbed the Ale Trail. The Oldman River Brewing taproom is where you can taste the Ale Trail’s seasonal summer beer, a collaboration between several breweries along Highway 3. Last year’s release was a Kolsch. This year’s beer will be announced and available mid-June. After, head to Lundbreck Falls or further explore Crowsnest Pass.
While the mountain towns of Banff and Jasper suffer from overcrowding, Blairmore, one of several towns in the Crowsnest Pass, is a low-key option. When heading into town, keep your eye out for the mural of legendary bootlegger Filumena Lassandro painted on the side of Frank Slide Liquor. End your road trip at The Pass Brewing Co. for coffee rub chicken wings and raise a glass of Evil Shenanigans Chocolate Milk Stout to the rugged West — sláinte!
This article appears in the June 2025 issue of Edify
