Best beer near the Calgary Saddledome

Breweries within walking distance

If you want beer made within a five-minute walk of where you're drinking it, the Beltline brewery cluster is the place. All of these are within walking distance of the Saddledome.

• Last Best Brewing & Distilling (607 11 Ave SW). Beltline brewery, restaurant, and gin distillery. Their Common Crown lager is the steady drinker; their barrel-aged saisons are worth the splurge.
• Trolley 5 Brewpub (728 17 Ave SW). 17th Avenue location, brewery on the second floor, restaurant on the main. Their lineup leans clean and crisp. The Local 510 lager is good for warm summer evenings on the patio.
• Cold Garden Beverage Company (1100 11 St SE, Inglewood). Inglewood location, walk over the river. Eccentric, fun, ever-changing tap list. Their Sweetheart lager is a Calgary classic.
• Annex Ale Project (4323 1 St SE, Manchester). 10-minute drive or a short Uber from the Saddledome. Hop-forward, mostly IPAs and pales. The Eat Your Hops Imperial IPA is one of the city's best big beers.
• Wild Rose Brewery (4580 Quesnay Wood Dr SW). Older, established Calgary brewery. Their Velvet Fog wheat ale is a longtime city favourite.

Pre-game pubs

The classic move for a Flames home game: arrive in the Beltline 90 minutes before puck drop, eat at one place, drink at another, walk to the Saddledome. These are the spots that consistently deliver.

• National on 17th (341 17 Ave SW). The unofficial Flames pub. 100+ taps. Wall of TVs. Get there 90 minutes before puck drop or you'll wait. The IPA selection is especially deep.
• Bottlescrew Bill's (140 10 Ave SW). One block north of 12 Ave SW. Closer to the Saddledome than 17th Avenue and significantly less crowded. They list 350+ beers in fridges and on tap. Old-school Calgary energy.
• Ship & Anchor (534 17 Ave SW). Calgary classic dive bar. Patio in summer. Cheap, no pretense, friendly bartenders.
• Last Best (607 11 Ave SW). Brewery + sit-down restaurant. Less of a sports-bar vibe than National. Better for date-night-around-the-game energy.
• Trolley 5 (728 17 Ave SW). Same vibe as Last Best but on 17th Avenue. Their patio is one of Calgary's largest.
• Banded Peak Brewing (519 34 Ave SE). Manchester area, 10-minute Uber. Mountain-themed brewery. Their Microburst hazy IPA is on a lot of best-of lists.

Beer at the Saddledome itself

The Saddledome's concession beer selection is mid-tier arena. Major Canadian and American macros on tap (Molson, Coors, Budweiser), with a small selection of Alberta-brewed beer at certain stands. Specifically:

• Big Rock Traditional Ale is on tap at most concession stands, plus the canned version at others. Big Rock is a Calgary brewery and the closest thing to a hometown beer at the Saddledome.
• The Cheechako's bar on the upper concourse usually has 2 to 4 craft taps rotated seasonally. Currently includes Last Best, Annex, or Cold Garden depending on the week.
• The 200-level club seating areas have more craft options than the standard concession.

Beer prices at the Saddledome run $13.50 to $15.50 for a standard 16-ounce can, $15 to $18 for a 20-ounce craft pour. Bring cash or tap-and-go; lineups during intermissions are 10 to 15 minutes long.

Post-game celebrations

After a Flames win, the Red Mile fills up. Specifically along 17th Avenue SW between 4th Street and 14th Street, every bar packs out. Expect a 30-to-45-minute wait at most spots after a big win, especially during playoffs.

• National on 17th. Unofficial Flames post-game HQ. Loud, packed, jerseys everywhere.
• Cowboys Casino & Bar (421 12 Ave SE). Right next to the Saddledome. Country-themed, gets rowdy on game nights.
• The Banditos Beer Bar (738 17 Ave SW, in the Bow Cycle building). Newer, smaller, deeper craft list than National. Less crowded than the bigger spots.
• Hop in Brew (213 12 Ave SW). Specialty beer bar, dozens of taps. Walking distance from the Saddledome.
• Cold Garden (Inglewood). Walk over the river for a quieter celebration. Their patio is one of the best in Calgary.

The Red Mile, briefly explained

The Red Mile is the stretch of 17th Avenue SW that fills with red-jersey-wearing Flames fans during home playoff games. The phenomenon started during the 2004 Cup Final run, when Calgary surprised the league by reaching the Final, and tens of thousands of fans poured onto 17th Avenue after every home win.

If you're in the Beltline during a Flames playoff game, you'll know it. Streets close. Bars overflow onto sidewalks. Strangers high-five. The C of Red extends from the building to the Mile. Calgarians who lived through 2004 still talk about it. The full story is at calgarysaddledome.com/c-of-red.

Stampede week (early to mid July)

If your Saddledome event falls during the Calgary Stampede, the beer scene transforms. Every Calgary brewery has a Stampede-specific seasonal release. The Beltline restaurants are slammed. Most pubs run wait lists. The Stampede grounds themselves have multiple beer gardens; quality is mid-tier but the volume is impressive.

Specific Stampede-week beer recommendations:

• Stampede beer gardens on the grounds. Tourist-y, expensive, busy, but part of the experience.
• Last Best Stampede menu. Their seasonal release is usually a low-ABV shandy or radler designed for hot July days.
• Cold Garden's outdoor space. Less crowded than the grounds, real beer, walking distance.
• Banff Ave Brewing Calgary location (in the Beltline). Mountain-brewery feel.

Designated drivers and CTrain

If you're drinking at the Saddledome and surrounding bars, you should be taking the CTrain home. The Erlton/Stampede and Victoria Park/Stampede stations are one block from the Saddledome. Service runs until about 1:30 am most nights. Calgary Transit fare is $3.80 single or $11.80 day pass.

Practical tip: many Calgary bars near the Saddledome (Bottlescrew, Last Best, Trolley 5) are within a 5-minute walk of a CTrain station. You can drink, watch the game, and not worry about driving.

For full CTrain info to the Saddledome, see calgarysaddledome.com/lrt-to-saddledome.

What Calgary regulars actually do

The veteran regular-season game move: meet at Bottlescrew or Last Best 90 minutes before puck drop, get one or two beers and food, walk to the Saddledome. After the game, unless it's a playoff night, head somewhere quieter (Cold Garden, Annex) instead of fighting the 17th Avenue crowds.

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