You can’t beat Citizen Brewing’s happy-hour burger and beer

Pretty much any Calgary taproom worth its salt has at least one burger on its food menu. Here are four of the best pairings.

This one’s a slam dunk. Annex Ales (4323 1 Street SE) is arguably the most adventurous craft brewery in Calgary. The attached Lil’ Empire serves some of the city’s finest burgers. Try a small-batch, seasonal brew and an Empire regular burger with cheese ($12).

Annnex Ales has arguably the most innovative craft beer in Calgary

Trolley 5 (728 17 Avenue SW) is the city’s liveliest brewpub, especially on Flames’ game nights. Its full kitchen churns out the best, most diverse pub food in Calgary (dim sum anyone?). Grab a bar seat and watch the fast-moving beertenders while you savour a Turntable lager and a hefty prime-rib burger ($19 with fries) that rivals the best in Calgary. Bonus points for a brioche bun that doesn’t fall apart. The wings and smoked brisket sandwich are damn good, too.

Trolley 5 is the liveliest brewpub in Calgary

Citizen Brewing Company (227 35 Avenue NE)—between the communities of Tuxedo and Highland Park—may have the best brewpub happy-hour deal in Calgary. From 2-5 pm Monday to Thursday, select 20-ounce pints, like the Hijacked IPA, are only $6 and ground-chuck burgers and hot fries $14. Best enjoyed on an expansive, dapple-lit patio that includes a hop and vegetable garden.

Citizen’s patio is the perfect place to savour a beer and burger

Is it wrong to pair a juicy burger with a knock-you-on your-ass Imperial iPA? Not when the delightfully named Bitter Sisters (510 Heritage Drive SW) is pouring a 16-ounce pint of Triple Haze (8.5%), a full-flavoured New England IPA featuring experimental hops and hop oil. While we’re bending norms, how about a custom-blend beef burger with jalapenos ($20)? Enjoy it all on the sun-splashed patio.

Excellent burgers and beers at Bitter Sisters