As tastes change, Alberta’s craft brewers expand their offerings

At this past weekend’s Banff Craft Beer Festival, premixed cocktails were on prominent display amidst the usual IPA’s, lagers and sour beers.

Frozen margaritas, hard iced teas and canned espresso martinis are now part of the lineup, as Alberta’s craft beer brewers adapt to changing consumer tastes.

According to Statistics Canada, beer consumption in Alberta has declined over the past decade. During the same time period, the market share of ciders, coolers and ready-to-drink cocktails has doubled.

While beer still outpaces coolers and cocktails in sales, the 140-plus small beer breweries in the province have noticed the shift.

Dan Allard, co-founder of Cold Garden Beverage Company in Calgary, said the business started making premixed cocktails in 2020 after noticing a decline in the dem