Page 37 - 04-June-2024

DOG ISLAND
BREWING 250 CARIBOU TRAIL SW
BEFORE JOINING THE PARADE OF TRAFFIC
west to the mountains, consider the para- dise of underappreciated wilderness to the north. At the end of Highway 44 is Lesser Slave Lake, a body of water so large that one side can’t be seen from the other, crystal clear and skirted by a white-sand beach, surrounded by lush boreal forest.
And it even comes with a brewery.
“Everyone’s coming here for camping, fishing and all the outdoor activities that we have [in the region],” says Dog Island Brewing cofounder Ben Fiddler. “The brewery is kind of the icing on top of that.”
Pull up a chair at a live edge table sup- ported by industrial piping — a nod to both the natural setting and the trades back- grounds of Fiddler and business partner Chad Paulson — and recount the day’s adventures with family, friends and even the dog, who’s welcome too. Don’t miss Saints and Sinners, one of Alberta’s best examples
of a West Coast IPA, and Rise from the Ashes, a rich red ale brewed in recognition of the resilience of the community in the face of the disastrous 2011 wildfire. (The brewery also offers a growing lineup of pre-made cocktails, including a hard
iced tea.)
Throughout the summer, you’ll find that community gathered at Dog Island (named, incidentally, for an uninhabited island in the lake) to take in live music, try their luck at cornhole, or to back their favourite food truck at the annual “burger battle.”
“Beer is related to good times with family and friends,” says Paulson. “It’s pretty sweet to be a part of that.”
After those good times, Old Town Cabins offer a comfortably rustic rest, a few minutes north of the brewery and near the lake. If you’re a camper, dive into the wilderness beyond with a spot at the serene Marten River Campground.
MARTEN RIVER CAMP- GROUND CAMPING
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SLAVE LAKE
CHAD PAULSON
BEN FIDDLER
255 KM
FROM EDMONTON
WHERE TO STAY
OLD TOWN CABINS
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