Born in 2010 as a sibling to the Jasper Brewing Company, Banff Ave Brewing Co. has become as much a part of Banff as the mountains themselves. The entrance is at street level on Banff Avenue — easy to miss — but the brewpub upstairs is the destination. BABC brews exclusively for its own taps: you cannot buy these beers anywhere else in the world. That exclusivity, combined with a consistently excellent rotating lineup, a balcony overlooking Banff’s main street, and a full pub menu, makes this the anchor stop on any Banff beer tour. Life tastes pretty good at 1,383 metres.

Three Bears Brewery opened on Banff’s pedestrianised Bear Street as a newer sibling to Park Distillery — which owns it. Where Banff Ave Brewing Co. has heritage and altitude bragging rights, Three Bears brings a more contemporary, design-forward energy to Banff’s beer scene. High ceilings, beautiful décor, a large Bear Street patio, and a rotating lineup of four core beers plus seasonals make it an excellent complement to a BABC visit. The cocktail programme — benefiting from the distillery connection — is genuinely exceptional and worth ordering even if you’re here for beer.

The Grizzly Paw has been brewing in Canmore since 1996 — making it the granddaddy of the Rocky Mountain craft beer scene and a genuine institution in the town. The brewery now operates across two locations: the original downtown pub on Main Street, warm and lively and ideal for a post-hike pint, and the purpose-built brewery site with the Tank310 restaurant on the upper floor, where panoramic mountain views through floor-to-ceiling windows are the defining feature. Grizzly Paw also produces a famous range of handcrafted sodas — a genuine point of difference for non-drinkers. Brewery tours are offered and consistently well reviewed.

Canmore Brewing Company may not occupy the most prominent address — tucked into the Railway Avenue shopping complex rather than on the main strip — but it has earned a devoted following as one of the finest small breweries in the entire Canadian Rockies. The philosophy is quality over quantity: a tight lineup of six core beers done with exceptional consistency, supplemented by rotating seasonal taps and genuinely creative pilot brews including beer cocktails. The Ten Peaks Pale Ale is consistently cited as one of the best beers in Alberta. Saturday afternoon brewery tours are available and highly recommended.

BLAKE is the most ambitious single venue in the Canmore craft drinks scene — combining a brewery, distillery, full-service restaurant, and ice creamery under one large roof with a sprawling outdoor patio. It’s the place to be on a warm Canmore afternoon, when the patio fills with post-hikers and families and the energy reaches a genuine peak. Six permanent beer taps anchor the drinks list alongside cocktails made with house-distilled spirits. The Mango Picante Margarita has become a signature for a reason — it’s outstanding. The food kitchen is one of the most creative in Canmore.

Sheepdog Brewing is Canmore’s least-known brewery and, by the accounts of those who seek it out, one of its most rewarding. Located in the industrial area on the outskirts of town, this is what genuine small-batch craft brewing looks like: a modest operation run by people who care deeply about the beer, with a relaxed no-frills atmosphere that feels nothing like a tourist destination. The food offering is minimal — bring your own or order delivery — but the beers themselves justify the pilgrimage. The sour programme in particular is consistently excellent. Check social media before visiting for current hours and available taps.

The Jasper Brewing Company is a piece of Canadian brewing history: founded in 2005, it was the first brewery ever established inside a Canadian national park. Part of the Bearhill Brewing Group — the same family behind Banff Ave Brewing Co. — it has been drawing visitors and locals to Connaught Drive with a changing lineup of brews and genuinely good pub food for two decades. Just a block from the Jasper visitor centre, it’s the natural finishing point for any day in the park. The large rustic chalet-style building features second-floor tables overlooking the brewery equipment itself — a great detail for any beer enthusiast.

Folding Mountain Brewing sits just outside the eastern gates of Jasper National Park on Highway 16 — making it the perfect first or last stop on any Jasper trip. The brewery occupies a stylish, spacious building with mountain views from both the interior and a large outdoor patio, with an atmosphere that works equally well for groups of hikers, families, and solo travellers. Twelve beers on tap covering a wide range of styles, a food menu extending well beyond pub snacks, and a section for kids on the menu make Folding Mountain one of the most complete brewery experiences in the entire Rockies. Parking is never an issue — a real advantage over central Jasper.