On Jun 3, 2023 the Canadian Brewing Awards and Conference was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The CBAC competition, which had more than 400 Canadian breweries enter product, judges beer in categories divided into four main groups; styles originating from Europe, styles originating from the U.K , styles originating from North America and Mixed Beer styles.
The competition is judged blindly over the course of a few months by a panel of certified BJCP members in accordance with the BJCP Style guidelines. The BJCP is a world-wide certified judging organization for beer and related fermented products which was founded in 1985 and houses members in over 60 countries. Judges are certified through a series of challenging written and tasting examinations covering the technical aspects and processes of brewing, ingredients and style history and parameters. This year nearly 400 Canadian breweries submitted entries across 59 categories with 2171 beers in total being entered for judging.
This year, Alberta breweries won a medal in 51% of the 59 categories and took 26% of all available national medals at the Canadian Brewery Awards.
While Alberta brewers cleaned up in medals, Muddy York Brewing Company of Toronto won the distinction of being named the 2023 Canadian Brewery of the Year. An honor recently bestowed to Calgary's own Common Crown (2020) and The Establishment (2021). Blindman Brewing of Lacombe, Alberta took home 2023 Best in Show, otherwise known as Canadian Beer of the Year for their 'Dwarf Cherry Sour'. A quick nod to Town Square Brewing of Edmonton who won recently at the Beer World Cup.
Alberta, who has the 4th most breweries in Canada behind Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec has seen an explosion of new venues in Edmonton where the total amount of breweries has gone up over 25% in two years. Calgary also has several new breweries that have either just opened, or will be opening their doors early this summer. World and National beer champions are scattered elsewhere in the province in towns such as Turner Valley (Fahr), Lacombe (Blindman) and Sylvan Lake (Snake Lake).
With around 100 breweries in the province, Alberta brewers offer a wide range of product from historical and long forgotten styles to Pilsners, Abbey Ales and Hazy IPA's. Many choosing to use Alberta wheat, malt and sometimes hops to create their award winning beer.
Here is a look at all of Alberta Breweries who were winners at the 2023 Canadian Brewery Awards in alphabetical order of location and here is a link to all Canadian winners.
Calgary
Annex Ale Project - ‘Dark Adaptation Black IPA’- American Style Black Ale - Silver
Big Rock - ‘Traditional Ale”- Brown Ale - Gold
Born - ‘Get Lucky Lager’ - North American Style Premium Lager- Gold
Cabin - ‘Sunshine Rain’ - American Style IPA - Silver
‘Fuego’ - Herb and Spice Beer - Bronze
‘Chapter 4’ - Wood and Barrel Aged Strong Beer - Bronze
Cold Garden - ‘Dandelion’s Blonde’ - North American Style Blonde or Golden Ale - Bronze
Eighty-Eight - ‘Hammer Pants’ - North American Style Pale Ale - Gold
Meta - ‘Spectrum Stout’ - Oatmeal Stout - Gold
‘Celestial Canadian Wheat Ale’ - Wheat Beer (North American Style) - Gold
New Level - ‘Sorceress Sour’ - Experimental Beer - Silver
Trolley 5 -’Turntable Lager’- European Style Pilsner - Gold
The Establishment - ‘My Best Friend’s Girl’ - German Kolsch Style - Silver
‘Faithful Guide’ - Baltic Porter - Bronze
Two Pillars Brewery -’Two Pillars Pale’ - Belgian Style AbbeyAle/Pale Ale - Bronze
’Two Pillars Dark Strong’ - Belgian Style Strong Specialty Ale - Silver
Village - 'Binge Watch’ - Specialty IPA - Gold
Canmore
Canmore Brewing Co - ‘Georgetown Brown’ - Brown Ale - Bronze
‘6th Birthday DIPA’ - American Style Imperial IPA - Silver
Drumheller
Valley Brewing - “Miners” - European Style Amber to Dark Lager- Bronze
Edmonton
Analog - ‘Gingering Mouther’ (Ginger Lime Gose) - American Style Sour Ale - Gold
Bent Stick - ‘Solid Gold’ - Belgian Style Strong Specialty Ale - Gold
Irrational - ‘A Fictitious Anomaly’ - French and Belgian Style Saison - Bronze
‘Opuntia Mirage’ - Fruit Beer or Field Beer - Silver
Town Square - ‘Liquid Lullaby’ - Imperial Stout - Bronze
Sea Change - ‘Death Wave Light Lager’ - Light (Calorie Reduced) Lager - Gold
Innisfail
Dark Woods Brewing and Coffee Roast - ‘Smoking Fire Smoked Red Ale- Smoked Beer - Silver
Lacombe
Blindman - Best of Show (A.K.A. Canada’s Best Beer) - Dwarf Sour Cherry
‘Dwarf Sour Cherry’ - Fruit Beer or Field Beer - Gold
‘Perepllut Barley Wine’ - Barley Wine Style Ale
Medicine Hat
Medicine Hat Brewing - ’Year 4’ - Baltic Porter - Gold
Olds
Olds College Brewery - ‘Hay City’ - Wheat Beer (North American Style) - Gold
Red Deer
Troubled Monk - ‘Daycation’ - North American Style Lager - Gold
‘Cold Snap’ - Experimental Beer - Honorable Mention
Sawback - ‘East Coast Style Pale Ale’ - Session IPA - Gold
Sherwood Park
70 Acre Brewing - ‘Bossman Lager’ - North American Style Premium Lager - Bronze
St. Albert
Endeavor Brewing Co. - ‘Cryptical Evasion Rye IPA’ - Specialty IPA - Silver
Sylvan Lake
Snake Lake Brewing Co - ‘Sour Porter’ - American Style Brett Beer - Silver
‘Public House Mild Porter’ - Session Ale - Silver
‘Raspberry Honey Golden Sour’ - Wood and Barrel Aged Sour - Gold
Turner Valley
Fahr Brewery (Brauerei Fahr) - ‘Copper’- European Style Amber to Dark Lager- Silver