The hold craft beer has had on the alcohol beverage industry in Canada is dying down and possibly drying up.
The 2010s saw a thirst for small batch brews that couldn’t be quenched, but now, a changing social scene and challenging markets have dampened the industry.
Calgary is no exception to the trend.
“When you see a boom, when you look at that bell curve and see that boom, there has to be some attrition. That happens. We’re seeing that the next generation coming up just definitely are not drinking as much,” said Christina Owczarek, owner of XhAle Brew Co.
Canning out of Prairie Dog Brewing in the city’s southeast, trying new flavours such as lemon-lime sodas and even considering branching out into non-alcoholic beverages are just some of the ways Christina is adapting to social shifts.
“We’re seeing post-COVID, getting people out of the house and adapting to that. You’ve definitely got to pull more tricks out of your hat,” said Christina.
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The closure of local breweries, such as Evil Corporation Brewing, isn’t a surprise to Prairie Dog co-owner Laura Cole. Saddened to see a fellow brewer close up shop, she says the market is getting trickier to navigate.
“Especially rent going up and supply chain — we don’t have the commodities of scale in our ordering,” Laura said. “We’re ordering for two or three batches at a time. For small batches, it’s a higher price. It’s the same as when you order pretty much anything else in small quantities.”
Adding live music and trivia nights are just some of the ways Prairie Dog has weathered the changing market, opting for a business model where its restaurant and brewery can support each other, depending on which is performing better.
While a change in culture could be the culprit, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis’s new rates issued in early 2025 are also a factor. The agency reclassified the small manufacturers’ licence, meaning breweries producing over 180,000 hectolitres per year are now taxed $1.25 per litre — something small labels couldn’t keep up with.
The avenue for new brewers has also taken a hit. Olds College of Agriculture & Technology has suspended its Craft Beverage and Brewery Operations. Owczarek, who helped teach the program, said the course itself got too expensive to facilitate.
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