Of Edmonton’s roughly 20 craft breweries, 10 are a stein’s throw from 99 Street, south of Whyte Avenue.
Breweries have bubbled up here for years, like little oases of cheer in this light industrial strip between 78 and 60 Avenue, rail yards to the west, the backyards of Ritchie and Hazeldean to the east. In summer 2021, the area was united under the name Happy Beer Street, after the owners of Sea Change Brewing were inspired by a trip to a brewery district in Calgary.
“Drawing more attention to this area was our main goal,” says Sea Change co-founder Pete Nguyen, a creative director who helped lead the street’s branding on behalf of nearby brewing buddies. “There was this huge need at the end of COVID to give people a reason to go out again and experience beer in a different way.”
And in a “happy” way — which struck all involved as a ridiculous but appropriate name. Besides, says Nguyen, “every good beer pun has been taken.”
The variety a Happy Beer Street visitor will encounter is dizzying: crisp lagers, acidic sours, hoppy IPAs, complex Belgian ales and more. But “it’s bigger than just the beer,” says Nguyen. There’s food, from burgers to pizza to tacos to bánh mì. Happy Beer street is family-friendly, with some spots specifying no kids after 10 p.m. Every one of them has a patio, and two (Sea Change and Odd Company) have patios open in all seasons.
On long weekends, the strip becomes a peripatetic party, with special beers and live music on offer.
“We want people to experience something they’ve never experienced before,” says Nguyen.
Here’s your guide, from Bent Stick in the north to Alley Kat in the south. It’s a map marked by creativity and a focus on Alberta ingredients, each stop a fresh look at Edmonton through the lens of a pint glass.
The “Ritchie neighbourhood’s living room,’’ according to founders. Homey, nostalgic and calming.
Focused on barrel-fermented beers and featuring a glittering Belgian beer bar, as well as the drop-by approachability of an English pub.
A bright, modern and minimalist space, offering as many as 20 innovative beers from the brewery, which is visible behind floor-to-ceiling windows.
The most restaurant-forward stop on the street, accommodating casual pints or lingering over leisurely meals with friends.
One of the street’s largest taprooms, complete with a full kitchen, lengthy bar, event space and a view of the sizeable brewery.
A truly “come as you are’’ space, dominated by communal tables, an open view onto the brewery and a feature wall clad in old pallets.
Unpretentious and inclusive, it’s the most laid back brewery on the street. Watch for music and comedy nights.
A small-town tavern vibe, but with as many as 20 taps running beers inspired by the brewers’ world travels. Enjoy your pint over a board game.
A hectically hip decor, featuring concert posters and hand-painted murals pointing to the founders’ roots in the arts community.
Presents as a simple neighbourhood pub, unassuming and unselfconscious, despite being Edmonton’s longest-running brewery at more than 30 years.
This article appears in the June 2026 issue of Edify
