The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful and the Bow Valley has a selection of winter and holiday-themed beers and spirits to celebrate the season.
Whether you're looking to rejoice in the most wonderful time of the year with a unique 100 per cent Albertan gin, or warm up with a creamy and filling Stout, there are several breweries and distilleries in the Bow Valey ready to satisfy your taste buds.
Treat every day like Christmas day and bring some joy your world by exploring Banff and Canmore's unique locally made spirits and beers.
Grizzly Paw Brewery Alpenglow Winter Ale
Brewing up a refreshing mountain beer, Grizzly Paw Brewery will be releasing their Alpenglow Winter Ale on Nov. 15.
Like alpenglow, the reddish glow created on the summit of the snow-covered mountains when the sun sets or rises, the winter ale embodies the spirit of the Rockies.
This rich Belgian-style ale boasts prominent spicy yeast notes balanced with a robust malt character.
Alpenglow is a richly dark refreshing beer that is the perfect companion to relax with after a long day on the ski hill.
The Alpenglow Winter Ale will be available across the province in 472ml cans, and on tap at Tank 310, the Grizzly Paw Brewery and Tasting Room and the Grizzly Paw Pub.
Canmore Brewing Company Chocolate Maple Porter
Offering up their favourite seasonal treat, Canmore Brewing will be serving up its signature Chocolate Maple Porter for the third year in a row.
Built for winter, this dark beer captures the feeling of settling down in a mountain town on a cold afternoon. Each sip is savoury and warms one up when the chill sets in.
Each batch of the Chocolate Maple Porter is brewed with 50 kilograms of pure Canadian maple syrup. However, the beer is not overwhelmingly sweet and tastes like a classic porter with a hint of maple.
The Chocolate Maple Porter will be ready for customers in early December. It is available at the Canmore Brewery on tap and in cans at almost any liquor store in town.
Banff Ave. Brewing Company
Playing with big flavour, the dark and rich Reverend Rundle Stout is on tap, this rich beer is fuel for those that love the great outdoors.
This dark stout features vibrant chocolate undertones with hints of coco-coffee notes, finished off with a satisfying malty flavour.
The Reverend Rundle is a one-of-a-kind brew that benefits from the clean and rich glacier mineral water that flows through Banff.
Nitrogen and carbon dioxide are added to the stout creating small bubbles that render a smooth creamy beer with a dense head.
The stout is an opulent flavour making it the perfect treat to enjoy after exploring the Canadian Rockies.
Banff Ave. Brewing Company will also be featuring their new lighter “any-time beer,” Ride or Dry at the end of November in partnership with the Banff Norquay Ski Resort. Ride or Dry is an easy-drinking pilsner designed to be enjoyed after a day of shredding up the hill. The popular annually released honey brown in collaboration with Norquay will also be launched at the end of November.
Wild Life Distillery
Releasing the inner animal, Wild Life Distillery has an all Alberta Saskatoon Gin designed to warm the spirit with hints of Saskatoon berry and a mix of 100 per cent Alberta botanicals.
A savoury gin that is a vivacious rich deep red is a limited-edition spirit that has been infused with Saskatoon berries from a farm near Turner Valley providing a depth of flavour that creates a slow gin with a taste of sweetness – complementing the rich smell of juniper on the pallet.
It features foraged botanicals that were handpicked from plants on Nature Conservancy of Canada land.
The Alberta Saskatoon Gin is unique because it incorporates only local regional botanicals and makes a great mix for holiday cocktails that compliment cranberries and spices, or to a mulled wines to add a bit of a kick.
The gin will only be available at Wild Life Distillery and has a limited release of only 400 bottles that will be available Nov. 22.
The distillery recently released its Wildcat Amaro, an Italian style bitter liqueur that incorporates notes of mint, citrus, and herb flavours, is also available. The Amaro goes great in Negroni or Americana cocktails. It is the first Albertan Amaro to be produced and has incorporated mead from Fallentimber Meadery in Water Valley, Alta.
Park Distillery
Offering a trifecta of treats, Park Distillery has ready to serve barrel-aged cocktails to warm the belly on a cold winter day.
Perfect for relaxing after a day on the ski hill, a snowshoe hike in the mountains or celebrating with friends and family, Park’s Classic Negroni, Glacier Manhattan and Alpine Martinez are a great winter warm-up drinks.
Made with Alberta grains, Rocky Mountain glacier-fed water and handcrafted in Banff by Park Distillery's master distiller these classic cocktails come with a twist.
The Classic Negroni features Parks’ Alpine Dry Gin with Campari and Vermouth before it is barrel-aged for six months in new oak.
The Glacier Manhattan is made with Park Glacier Rye paired with Curaçao and bitters and is aged for six months in new oak.
The Alpine Matinez has been created using Park’s Alpine Dry Gin blended with cherry liqueur and Park Orange Bitters and aged for six months.
All of the cocktails come out of the barrel with a smoked oak finish, ready to pour on ice, pair with zesty orange peel and enjoy.
Weighing in at 375ml, the ready-to-go classic cocktails are the perfect stocking stuffer or holiday gift.
Their signature cocktail Observation Peak will also be available at the distillery.
Visit the Park Distillery, online or the Lake Louise Liquor store to pick up a bottle.
Sheepdog Brewing
Creating a savoury winter ale, Sheepdog Brewing will be revealing its beer for the holidays at a cask unveiling party in December at the brewery.
The unique secret recipe will have chocolaty-coffee notes creating a savoury brew.
The casked winter ale tastes like Christmas with malty crisp spicy notes of nutmeg and cinnamon that complement the dark rich flavour.
It is a great beer to curl up with, to fight off the winter chill, or enjoy with friends.
The beer is a limited edition, only 20 litres will be brewed, so stop by Sheepdog Brewery before it's gone.
