Last Updated on August 5, 2026
Breweries in Banff might not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Canada’s most visited National Park. Likely you picture the turquoise blue water of Lake Louise or the snow capped mountains. After your scenic hikes a cold beer will be the perfect way to cap it off. Situated in those mountains is the town of Banff, and like plenty of other mountain towns they have breweries.
If there is one I thing I love after hiking its a nice cold beer and I had no problem sampling all the beer Banff had to offer. Banff is not a large town so there aren’t a ton of breweries, but on my recent trip I tried the three that were there, as well as one in Canmore. This is by no means a comprehensive ranking (or even a casual one) and the breweries are presented in the ordered I visited them.
3 Bears Brewery
The first of the breweries in Banff that I visited was 3 Bears Brewery. This was our first stop because we were hungry and the google reviews said the pizza was good.
Located a block off of Banff Ave it was in a central area and easy to get to from pretty much anywhere in Banff. We stayed at the Moxy and it was an easy 20 min walk. There are also buses that go up and down Banff Ave you can take.
The building had plenty of tables and seating as it is also a full restaurant. We sat at the upstairs bar since it was a busy time. The chairs were comfortable and the weather was great so the windows were open.
I got a flight which came with six beers: four regular standbys, a seasonal, and a rotating draft. They unfortunately were out of their copper lager, which was a bummer for me because I am more of a lager guy. I will say I enjoyed all the beers I tried and was pleasantly surprised that none of their beers were too hoppy. I found them to be quite crisp and refreshing.
What really stood out was the pizza. I had heard the pizza was good and saw many tables getting pizza. We got the margherita pizza and it was excellent. It was a good size for two people.
Sheepdog Brewing
Sheepdog Brewing was definitely the most unique of the breweries in Banff I visited. As the name might imply Sheepdog Brewing is a brewery that loves dogs. They have plenty of beers to choose from in different styles with cool names, like Mango Fett the Mango Milkshake IPA.
With locations in Canmore as well as Banff, Sheepdog Brewing is a nice place to hangout and grab a cold one. Located right on Banff Ave it is easily accessible from most parts of town and centrally located.
What really made Sheepdog stand out was the homey feel and of course the dogs. While there were no dogs one I went there was a wall of the dog of the month for adoption and one of their beers benefited a local shelter.
The most unique part of this brewery was the decor in the bathroom. The wallpaper was different cartoon dogs doing their business. Even more was all the pictures covering the wall of real dogs going to the bathroom sent in by their owners.
It is definitely worth stopping in!
Banff Ave Brewing
Banff Ave Brewing is aptly named given than it is located on Banff Ave. We didn’t stay too long in this brewery. We were getting tired and were running out of steam.
From my time there it gave me more of a bar that vibe that also brewed beer than a stereotypical brewery. There was a pool table and the seating was booths. They also had a food menu so you can grab a bite to eat as well.
They had some interesting merch and I bought a koozie, but sadly I lost during the trip home.
Grizzly Paw Brewing
Ok so Grizzly Paw Brewing is actually in Canmore. Now you might be wondering what a brewery in Canmore is doing in a blog post about breweries in Banff. That’s a very understandable question.
Well for one I ran out of breweries in Banff proper. There are plenty of other bars and places to drink in Banff, like the Park Distillery, but there are only a few breweries. Secondly, Canmore is only about 20 min away from Banff and a popular place to stay when visiting Banff National Park for those that are looking for lower prices accommodations and less crowds.
Given its proximity to Banff I’ll include it in this list. Grizzly Paw Brewing is located in downtown Canmore in a very walkable area. If you need parking there is paid parking nearby and was $5 CAD per hour at the time of our trip.
Grizzly Paw Brewing had a patio but we chose to sit inside since I like to sit at the bartop. We only stopped in for a beer but there was a full food menu as well. They had what seemed like two dozen different beers on top ranging from IPAs to lagers.
Of the Breweries in Banff Which Was My Favorite?
All the breweries in Banff (and Canmore) that I tried had good beer and seemed like a good place to hang out. That being said, 3 Bears Brewery was my favorite of the breweries in Banff. The beer was great and the pizza was on point.
If you want more a pure brewery vibe then I think Sheepdog Brewing pulls ahead. They have at least a dozen beers you can try that are very creative and a chill hang out vibe. If you are a dog lover then it’s an added bonus and you will love the bathroom decor.
No matter what brewery in Banff you choose to grab a pint at you can’t go wrong!
