Canadian brewers are finding smarter ways to make a better beer. From supporting clean-water and reforestation projects to sourcing ingredients closer to home and finding new uses for brewing waste, breweries across the country are putting sustainability on tap. Here are 15 beers worth raising a glass to.
Liberty’s Farm-to-Glass Pilsner
Something in the Water Brewing Co.
Something in the Water donates five cents from every can sold to Swim Drink Fish to support clean water across Canada. Its Liberty’s Farm-to-Glass Pilsner is made entirely in Ontario with locally sourced malt and hops.
Islander Lager
Vancouver Island Brewing
Vancouver Island Brewing has a long history of supporting B.C. wildlife conservation. This year, $1 from every specially marked 8-pack of Islander Lager supports the Pacific Salmon Foundation. The easy-drinking lager is crisp and clean, with low bitterness and a subtle floral finish.
Mountain Bongo Golden Ale
Annex ALES
Alberta brewery Annex Ales’ latest Conservation Brew supports the Wilder Institute’s work to protect the critically endangered mountain bongo in Kenya and support surrounding communities. The golden ale is light and nuanced, with gentle tropical fruit, hop character and a spicy floral finish.
Lug Tread Lagered Ale
Beau's
Ontario’s Beau’s has long put sustainability at the centre of its brewing, using green electricity and certified organic ingredients sourced from Ontario and Quebec farmers. Its flagship organic Lug Tread is a crisp, balanced lagered ale.
PrimeTime IPA
Bridge Brewing Co.
North Vancouver’s Bridge Brewing is 99% waste-free, with nearly everything that enters the brewery consumed, reused or recycled. PrimeTime IPA is light-bodied and hoppy, with a pronounced fruity aroma.
Karbon J.E.D.I Hazy Ipa
Karbon Brewing Co.
Ontario’s Karbon Brewing was founded with sustainability at its core and a goal of reducing the carbon footprint of craft beer. Brewed with Ontario malt and hops, J.E.D.I. is a full-bodied hazy IPA with fruity hop aromas and a slightly sweet finish.
Homegrown Lager
Origin Malting and Brewing Co.
It doesn’t get much more local than this: Alberta’s Origin grows its own barley on its family farm and malts it in-house, reducing the distance ingredients travel. Homegrown Lager is crisp and clean, with mild bitterness and a hint of lemon.
Fahr Pils
Fahr Brewery
Alberta’s Fahr Brewery combines traditional German brewing with a detailed sustainability program, including repurposing spent grain as animal feed for local farmers and residual yeast as biofertilizer. Its Black Forest-style Pils is crisp and balanced, with subtle malt, floral notes and a touch of bitterness.
Ripple Effect Pale Ale
Bench Brewing
Niagara’s Bench Brewing recycles 100% of its brewing wastewater, a system that won a 2023 Water Canada Award. Ripple Effect Pale Ale is medium-bodied and toasty, with notes of orange marmalade and a balancing bitterness.
Deep Bay Lager
Farmery Estate Brewery
Manitoba’s Farmery Estate Brewery grows its own barley and hops, reducing transportation emissions, and repurposes spent ingredients through composting, cattle feed and even hop-oil bath products. Deep Bay Lager is crisp, light and malty.
Cariboo Blonde
Pacific Western Brewing
Pacific Western Brewing has supported reforestation projects across British Columbia for more than a decade through its Cariboo Cares program, helping restore forests and wildlife habitat. Brewed in Prince George with natural spring water, Cariboo Blonde is an easy-drinking lager with a crisp, light malt finish.
Coyote Lager
Tin Whistle Brewing Co.
Penticton’s Tin Whistle Brewing Co. takes sustainability seriously: the carbon-neutral brewery sends zero waste to landfill, upcycles 100% of its spent grain and sources ingredients locally whenever possible. Coyote Lager is one of the brewery’s original beers, first brewed when Tin Whistle opened in 1995.
River Session Ale
Blindman Brewing
Alberta’s Blindman Brewing captures CO₂ produced during fermentation and reuses it in the brewing process, including to carbonate and package its beer. The Lacombe brewery was the first in Canada to implement the carbon-capture technology. Its River Session Ale is a medium-dry, late-hopped blonde ale with notes of citrus and tropical fruit.
Blonde Ale
Tofino Brewing Company
https://tofinobrewingco.com/ Tofino Brewing> is powered completely with hydroelectricity, and multi packs are packaged with biodegradable “EcoRings” to keep the nearby ocean clean. Their blonde is one of the brewery’s most popular beers, and features earthy hop notes with a malty sweetness.
Ancestral Quinoa Beer
Miski Brewing
Miski’s innovative gluten-free beers are made with quinoa, with any surplus grain being sent to local animal sanctuaries for feed. The beer has a smooth, dry finish and slight bitterness. https://miskibrewing.com
Story updated Sept 2026
