Draught Picks
Draught Picks
Calgary, Canada’s love of a tall cold one has given rise to a hopping beer scene in the city’s Beltline district.
Best for Microbrews With 72 craft beers on tap, National claims the city’s largest selection of microbrews, all of them hailing from North America. Select beers are rotated into the mix every two weeks and displayed stock-market style on a digital ticker tape. In the basement of the 10th Avenue location, find an eight-lane bowling alley, where you can roll a few strikes while enjoying a perfect pint. 550 17 Ave. SW and 341 10 Ave . SW., NTNL.CA
Best for the Beer-Garden Vibe With communal tables tailor-made for downing a stein with friends (old and new), Wurst Überkitchen Wunderbar provides an authentic German experience complete with indoor trees strung with lights, a live oompah band and Bavarian fare such as pretzels, schnitzel and, of course, wursts. 2437 4 St. SW., WURST.CA
Best for International Selection Travel the earth from the comfort of your bar stool at Bottlescrew Bill’s Pub by signing up for the “Around the World in 80 Beers” passport. Taste-test your way around the globe within a year and your name will be immortalized on a plaque on the watering hole’s wall of fame. 140 10 Ave. SW., BOTTLESCREWBILL.COM
Best for Happy Hour Celebrating its centennial in 2014, The Fairmont Palliser in Calgary has always been the downtown destination for the after-work crowd. The hotel’s elegant Oak Room is where the city’s oilmen, hockey players, politicians and socialites meet for live jazz and selections from the city’s best stills (including a special 100th anniversary ale). Try tasty local brews from Village and Wild Rose.
133 9 Ave. SW., FAIRMONT.COm/palliser-calgary
Best for Pairings When done just right, beer can complement food as well as any wine. Two places that make it easy are 1410 World Bier Haus and 1600 World Bier Haus – their menus spell out exactly which brews match up well with which dishes. You can’t go wrong with an AAA top sirloin and a Fuller’s. 1410 17 Ave. SW and 1600 90 Ave. SW, 1410BIERHAUS.COM; 1600BIERHAUS.COM Jesse Semko