Explore Red Deer’s Best Breweries & Distilleries

Discover Red Deer Breweries: Sip Local with Friends and Family

The Red Deer region is a hub for craft beverage enthusiasts, with local breweries and distilleries offering a unique blend of flavours, styles, and tasting experiences. The Ale Trail is an absolute must for anyone looking to dive into Red Deer’s vibrant craft beer scene.

Here’s where to explore and discover your next favourite brewery or distillery in the Red Deer region.

Red Deer Breweries

With a diverse selection of beers, Red Deer’s breweries are sure to impress, whether it’s your first visit or your tenth.

Troubled Monk

Located in the heart of malt barley country, Red Deer, Alberta, Troubled Monk has been serving customers since 2015. In addition to their year-round brews, the Troubled Monk also offers seasonal brews, delicious cocktails, spirits, snacks, and even kegs.

Patrons can also take part in tasting tours, book events, and request onsite bar service at this Red Deer brewery.

Recent Awards:

• Specialty IPA: Gold Winner for Be Kind Rewind (2024, Alberta Small Brewers Association Awards)
• Craft Soda & Lemonade: Gold Winner for Saskatoon Soda (2024, Alberta Small Brewers Association Awards)
• Seltzer and Ready-to-Drink Beverages: Gold Winner for Troubled Tea (2024, Alberta Small Brewers Association Awards)
• Brown Ale: Silver Winner for Open Road (2024, Alberta Small Brewers Association Awards

Red Hart Brewing

Located in the McKenzie Industrial Business Park, just East of Gasoline Alley, Red Hart Brewing is another mandatory stop on your next ale trail adventure.

With a variety of IPAs, Ales, Stouts, and Porters always on tap, Red Hart Brewing has gluten and alcohol-free drinks. You can also ask for the taproom menu and taste some of the most delicious meat pies in all of Red Deer.

Recent Awards:

• Experimental Beer: Bronze Winner for Sarah’s Foggy Black Tea Wit (2025, Alberta Small Brewers Association Awards)
• Specialty IPA: Bronze Winner for Black IPA (2025, Alberta Small Brewers Association Awards)
• All-Alberta Malt Beer: Bronze Winner for Traditional English Pale (2024, Alberta Small Brewers Association Awards)
• Fruit Beer: Silver Winner for What’s Up Peaches (2024, Alberta Small Brewers Association Awards)

Craft Beer Commonwealth

Located at Gasoline Alley Farmers’ Market, Craft Beer Commonwealth truly stands out in more ways than one. Open Thursday to Sunday, they pour pints and show guests just how delicious locally-produced beer can be as several local breweries contribute to their line of rotating taps.

As the smallest brewery in Alberta, it also doubles as a coffee shop and guests can sample the delicious caffeinated beverages at the Birdy Coffee Company.

Sawback Brewing Co.

Located in North Red Deer, Sawback Brewing Co. is a taproom-focused brewery that’s become a must-visit destination for craft beer enthusiasts. What started as a crazy idea born in a garage among friends has grown into a small-batch brewery specializing in everything from light and dark beers to sour and wild ales.

Sawback takes pride in their connection to local Alberta farmers who provide the world’s best barley, sourcing ingredients right from their own backyard. Their name honours the Sawback mountain range in the Canadian Rockies – the origin of the Red Deer River and the water source that forms the foundation of every beer they craft.

Recent Awards Awards

• Amber Ale: Gold Winner for Irish Red Ale (2025, Alberta Small Brewers Association Awards)
• American and Hazy Pale Ale: Bronze Winner for East Coast Hazy Pale (2025, Alberta Small Brewers Association Awards)
• Session India Pale Ale: Gold Winner for East Coast Hazy Ale and Session India Pale Ale (2023, Canadian National Brewing Awards)

Red Deer Distilling

Handcrafted spirits that celebrate Central Alberta’s local flavour.

Diony Distillery

Located in the heart of the Canadian Prairies, Diony Distillery crafts small-batch whisky from 100% Canadian grains, showcasing a true passion for quality. Distilled with precision in a custom-designed copper still, their whisky offers a uniquely aromatic experience in every sip. Diony takes pride in never using bulk neutral-grain spirits, ensuring that each bottle reflects their dedication to craftsmanship. Guests can explore the art of whisky-making through immersive workshops, where they’ll follow the entire process from grain to glass. With award-winning spirits recognized at the World Whiskies Awards and Canadian Whisky Awards, Diony is a must-visit for whisky lovers looking for a taste of true craftsmanship. World Whiskies Awards 2025:

• Silver – Canadian Rye Whisky, Port Cask Finish
• Bronze – Canadian Rye Whisky, Rum Cask Finish
• Bronze – Canadian Rye Whisky, Aged 5 Year-Sherry Finish

GrainHenge Whisky

GrainHenge Whisky is more than just a blend of grain, wood, water, and time—it’s a reflection of the prairies and the people who call them home. Inspired by Alberta’s iconic grain elevators, mills, and abandoned wood structures, GrainHenge evokes the spirit of the land, combining tradition with craftsmanship. Made by the award-winning Troubled Monk, GrainHenge symbolizes the rich history of Central Alberta’s agricultural heartland. Its bold flavour profile captures the essence of the prairies, making each sip a tribute to the land that inspired it. World Whiskies Awards 2025

• Best Canadian Rye (Arrowood)
• World’s Best Rye (Arrowwood)

In honour of their decorated first edition, Troubled Monk is excited to release Arrowwood No.02 in Summer 2025, continuing the tradition of exceptional Canadian whisky.

Epitaph Gin

Epitaph Blue Gin is a standout creation from the passionate and inventive team at Troubled Monk. Originally crafted as a way to explore the art of distilling beyond beer, this signature gin has since grown into a full collection. What makes Epitaph Blue Gin truly special is its vibrant transformation. Distilled with botanicals like juniper, coriander, and lemon zest, the final touch comes from butterfly pea blossom, which gives the gin its signature deep blue hue. 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

• Gold Medal Winner

Adequate Vodka

Adequate Vodka, where simplicity meets refreshment in every bottle. Crafted by Troubled Monk, in small batches, this vodka is a tribute to the purity and authenticity of Canadian Prairie Grains. Distilled with precision in a rectification column, Adequate Vodka achieves a remarkably neutral and smooth spirit, refined through multiple stages of charcoal filtration. The result is a vodka with a clean, pure flavour and subtle nuances that deliver a velvety texture and a delicate sweetness.

How to Know Which Beer Suits You?

While each brewery in Red Deer offers exceptional beer, your personal preferences may vary. To help you find the perfect brew for your taste, consider the following:

• The food you’re eating along with your beer — For example, lighter dishes like salads, chicken, and seafood go well with lighter beers like pilsner or lager. In contrast, heavier dishes go well with porter, brown ale, and stout.
• Draft beer is typically fresher — but, don’t disregard bottled or canned beer, as that is a gem on its own. In fact, bottling does enhance some types of beer.
• Seasonality — Depending on the season, your palette is preconditioned to enjoy certain tastes more than others. For example, a light, airy beer might be a better choice in the heat of summer. On the other hand, a dark, rich beer could suit you better during winter.