brewery tours winnipeg

The Ale and Cocktail Trail

The ale and cocktail trail will not be offered in 2022. please check out our city and ghost tours to join us this season.

4 Hours  Please see tour times below.

PLEASE NOTE: Tickets MUST be purchased in advance. We cannot accommodate walk-up sales this season. Please purchase below or call us for tickets. Tour times subject to change; please see available tours below. We apologise for any inconvenience. 

Tour Departure Point: Fort Garry Hotel (222 Broadway)

Please Note: As per provincial requirement, all guests must be double vaccinated and wear a mask on board the trolley and when standing or walking inside the breweries/distillery.

Discover Winnipeg’s craft beer and spirits scene like never before on our high-energy  Ale and Cocktail Trail —with amazing trivia, unique games, and the liquor-laced history they don't tell you in school!

Join our guide to learn about the intoxicated antics of Winnipeg's first mayor, hear about the local veterinarians who circumvented Prohibition laws by prescribing alcohol to their four-legged ‘patients’ (and decide what animal you'd like as a drinking buddy), find out what percentage of the world population is drunk at this very moment, and so much more. Experience includes:

• Safe, fully-narrated transportation;
• Stops at two breweries and a distillery;
• Guided distillery tour;
• A crash course in professional beer tasting;
• Food available for purchase at our last stop.

Our 100% Guarantee: If you don't love our tour, let us know and we will issue a full refund!

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All You Can Drink: $99.95 General Admission (two flights, a cocktail, and samples): $65.95 Dry Run (no drinks): $34.95

For more information, read our Satisfaction Guarantee  and  FAQs !

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Ale Trail Craft Brewery Tour

• 1 Forks Market Road
• WINNIPEG, MB R3N 1E4
• (204) 226-8687 | [email protected]
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The 11 Best Winnipeg Breweries

What are the best Winnipeg Breweries to visit this year? Well, we’ve done the work to figure that out for you! We have sampled all their brews, spent time in their taprooms and read all the online reviews to come up with our take on the best Winnipeg Breweries to explore this year! 

Breweries List

Winnipeg Breweries

Winnipeg is known in Canada for its thriving arts scene, but it’s also becoming a talked-about town for its top-notch food and craft beer scene. Its growing number of craft breweries means we had to take a tour of Winnipeg’s beer scene and give you our two cents on the top craft breweries in the ‘Peg.

The best part about many of these breweries is that they’re located in the city’s bustling Exchange District, which is also home to great restaurants, cafes, and shops. So, whether you’re looking for a place to grab a quick pint or want to spend an afternoon exploring a new neighbourhood, these are the best craft breweries in Winnipeg.

What are the top breweries in Winnipeg?

Currently, Winnipeg has over a dozen craft breweries with numerous additional contract brewers throughout the city. Amongst these breweries, you’ll find gorgeously designed taprooms, flavourful beer profiles, and friendly brew lovers.

Whether you’re looking to sample an assortment of craft beers with a flight at one of these breweries or wanting to find a new favourite beer to have delivered to your doorstep, we’ve got you covered.

We’ll take you through our favourite Winnipeg craft breweries that you absolutely must visit if you’re in town. So grab a glass, pour yourself a cold one, and read through our list of the top breweries in Winnipeg.

How do we pick the best Winnipeg Breweries?

With every ‘Best Breweries’ post that we write, we make sure to do diligent online research to determine who makes it on our list. From reading online reviews and reviewing beer selections, to checking other authority websites and of course, sampling their beers. We do our best to take all the information we collect and give you our opinion of the top breweries in Winnipeg.

Did we miss something?

If you think a brewery deserves a spot on our list, Vote for them ! If you’re a brewery looking to update your information or get in touch, contact us!

The Best Winnipeg Breweries

Alright, ready to find out which breweries in Winnipeg we chose for this year? Here we go.

Nonsuch Brewing Co.

What do you get when you mix delicious Belgian-inspired beers, expertly crafted snacks, and a stylish, Instgrammable brewery? You get Winnipeg Nonsuch Brewing, one of the best breweries in the city.

Located in the heart of Winnipeg’s Exchange District, Nonsuch Brewing offers a great line-up of traditional style Belgian brews as well as an offshoot called Vessel, which brings some more experimental brews to the table. Try either, or try both, we’re certain you won’t be disappointed. And be sure to try something from their incredible food menu. With options for lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks, you won’t leave hungry!

Customer Review: Not only is the beer some of the best craft beer I’ve had, but the hospitality, atmosphere and staff are some of the best in the business. We felt welcomed , and made to feel like it was an extension of our home. (Just with better beer in the fridge. Lol)

• Phone: (204) 666-7824
• Address: 125 Pacific Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0M1
• Best Beer: Belgian Blonde
• Website: www.nonsuch.beer

Kilter Brewing Co.

Another beautifully designed Winnipeg brewery is Kilter Brewing Co. If you love trying new styles of delicious craft beers, Kilter Brewing will be right up your alley. They focus on releasing new, seasonal and experimental beers on the regular. The name Kilter originates from the desire to live a balanced lifestyle, create meaningful memories, and enjoy the little pleasures in life – the perfect description for enjoying one of their beers with friends.

Customer Review: Excellent lineup of beers, beautiful space, and a huge, comfy patio. Well worth the trip, and not far out of the way from anywhere you’re going to visit in town anyways.

• Address: 450 Rue Deschambault, Winnipeg, MB R2H 0K1
• Best Beer: “Pulp Fiction” Pulp Fruit Sour and “Waves” Juicy Pale Ale
• Website: www.kilterbrewing.co

Sookram’s Brewing Company

With an infectious passion for beer, Sookram’s head brewer pours his heart and soul into his beers. Sookram’s core lineup, albeit small, packs a punch with each brew being better than the last. Known for their delicious sour beers, Sookram’s also releases seasonal brews and other interesting beers for you to try throughout the year.

Customer Review: Sookram’s is my favourite brewer in the city. They pack so much flavour and complexity into their beers. They manage to consistently come up with new varieties and ideas for each new release while also sticking to their identity and personality.

• Address: 479-B Warsaw Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3L 0R2
• Best Beer: MacGuffin California Common and Cult Classic Pilsner
• Website: www.sookrams.com

Barn Hammer Brewing Company

This independently-owned West End Winnipeg brewery has cozy (TV Free) taproom vibes. This is a place where you’re encouraged to grab a beer and strike up a good conversation, be it with your friends or one of the staff members. The ultimate goal at Barn Hammer is to be your “friendly neighbourhood” brewery that serves beers you love to drink.

Customer Review: A fantastic brewery and staple of the west end. Barn hammer brewing has consistently delivered imaginative new beers while perfecting their flagship lineup in the short time they’ve been in operation. They also have shown themselves to he a community conscious business, striving to ensure their taproom is a safe space for all.

• Address: 595 Wall St, Winnipeg, MB R3G 2T5
• Best Beer: Lousy Beatnik Amber Lager and Witch Hunt Witbier
• Website: barnhammerbrewing.ca

Torque Brewing Company

Torque Brewing has been around since 2016 and has produced a number of award-winning brews. They have a spacious taproom for you to enjoy one of their tried and true core pours or give one of their flavourful seasonal releases a taste. You’ll also find Torque craft beers being served around Winnipeg at a number of local restaurants, pubs, and at most Manitoba Liquor Marts. Mabitoban’s just can’t get enough of Torque Brewing craft beer!

Customer Review: Torque it up! This place has great beer, and friendly staff. Did you know you can buy food, from either a food truck outside or deliver and eat inside this restaurant! Fricking awesome pair that with a Witty Belgian and your set!

• Phone: (204) 410-2124
• Address: 330-830 King Edward St, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0P4
• Best Beer: Red Line Red IPA and Witty Belgian Wheat Beer
• Website: torquebrewing.beer

One Great City Brewing Company

One Great City Brewing is the ultimate collaboration: design, food, and craft beer. The taproom showcases a 300 square feet wall of glass so guests can see right inside the craft brewery from every seat in the house. The menu offers a delicious blend of high-end dining and traditional comfort food. And finally, the beer is adventurous and accessible with a blend of familiar beer styles and some surprising new takes on classic brews.

Customer Review: One Great City is awesome, great selection of beer and the food is always consistently delicious. They’re always coming out with new beers to keep things fun and exciting.

• Phone: (657) 968-4070
• Address: 1596 Ness Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3J 3W6
• Best Beer: The Queen’s Best Bitter and Tipsy Cow Milk Stout
• Website: www.ogcbrewingco.com

Little Brown Jug

Little Brown Jug is the proud brewery of the well-known and well-loved 1919 Belgian Pale Ale. They have an open concept brewery with tons of natural light where they brew up some of the best, high-quality craft beer in Winnipeg.

Located in the Exchange District, Little Brown Jug brewery is a hop, skip, and a jump away from Nonsuch Brewing, so if you’re checking out that brewery, don’t miss this gem for more great local beers.

Customer Review: Great selection of locally crafted beers with something for everyone! The taproom staff is always friendly and the brewery itself has a super cool open concept. You can enjoy a pint and see the brewers work their magic.

• Phone: (204) 500-0441
• Address: 336 William Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3A 0H7
• Best Beer: Little Brown Jug 1919 Belgian Pale Ale
• Website: littlebrownjug.ca

Stone Angel Brewing Co.

Specializing in British-style brews, Stone Angel Brewing is a nice addition to the Winnipeg brewery scene. You won’t find any food here, but you’re welcome to order in and enjoy their spacious taproom and patio as you sip enjoy a pint. (Don’t forget your pup if you’re planning on sitting on the patio as their outdoor space is dog-friendly!).

Customer Review: Classic European style beers with a North American twist. Great board games. Warm atmosphere and they have an excellent restaurant next door that pairs really nicely with the beer.

• Phone: (204) 226-1361
• Address: 1875 Pembina Hwy #9, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2G7
• Best Beer: Amaretto Chocolate Cheesecake Stout and Miss Havisham Regrets Bitter
• Website: stoneangelbrewing.com

Half Pints Brewing

Half Pints has been brewing great craft beer in Winnipeg since 2006. They use locally grown ingredients and focus on quality over quantity. You can witness Half Pints brews in the making with their brewery tours, then have a seat in their cozy taproom to sample a flight of their flagship beers.

Customer Review: Some of my favourite local beer and a nice tap room. The brewery tour is also worth doing and pretty informative.

• Phone: 204-832-7468
• Address: 550 Roseberry St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3H 0T1
• Best Beer: Stir Stick Stout
• Website: halfpintsbrewing.com

TransCanada Brewing Co.

Trans Canada Brewing offers a wide array of beer styles with the goal of appealing to both the casual beer drinkers and the crafter beers connoisseurs. Their craft beer selection ranges from core beers, seasonal beers, specialty beers brewed once a year and their sour series. With over 20 beers on tap in their charming taproom, you’re sure to find something you love.

Customer Review: Really great place for casual drinking and pizza! Transcanada brewery has so many great options for drinks, including core flights and DIY flights. For those who do not like beer they carry wine as well. Their kitchen is small but they have a fire oven for some great pizza flavors including fig, perogy, classic pepperoni, etc. They have quite a lot of sitting areas and sometimes live music too. Highly recommend giving it a try and also supporting local brewery!

• Phone: (204) 666-2337
• Address: 1-1290 Kenaston Blvd, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3P 1J9
• Best Beer: Blueberry Ale
• Website: tcb.beer

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company

Though their primary brewing location is in Kenora, Ontario, about two hours from Winnipeg, they’ve recently opened a second location in town for us Winnipegers!

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company, known for their expertly crafted beers and innovative flavours, has truly pushed the envelope with their Limited Edition Imperial Black Lager. Infused with organic plum and aged for 6 months, 20 feet under the ice of Lake of the Woods, this brew promises to be a unique beer experience. Only available in the summertime, you won’t want to miss this rare brew.

Customer Review: Beers were fantastic, staff were even better !

• Phone: (833) 321-2337
• Address: 221 Carlton St, Winnipeg, MB R3C 1P5
• Best Beer: Forgotten Lake Blueberry Ale
• Website: lowbrewco.com/

Enjoy the best breweries in Winnipeg!

Make sure to go and check out Winnipeg’s best craft breweries, grab a pint (or 2) and support your local brewers!

About The Author

Craft Beer Guide's Ultimate Local Brewery Showdown!

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The 17 Best Winnipeg Breweries for Craft Beer (for 2024)

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Compiled by the Road Trip Manitoba team

Last updated on January 16, 2024

Here at Road Trip Manitoba, we believe there are many reasons to crack a beer, be it a celebration with friends, a cozy night in, or a way to quench one’s thirst on a hot summer’s evening. Thankfully, there is an abundance of fantastic craft breweries in Winnipeg to choose from; head to one of their taprooms or enjoy their beer in the comfort of your own home.

While we could never choose a favourite, we’ve rounded up the best Winnipeg breweries from around the city, whether you’re after a crisp lager, a hoppy IPA, or a chocolatey stout. Please note that many of these beers can be purchased directly from the brewery themselves as well as at Manitoba Liquor Marts . In many cases, you can also find them at local beer vendors around Winnipeg as well!

Winnipeg is located on Treaty No. 1 the original lands and waters of Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anishininiwak, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.

Breweries in Winnipeg

Nonsuch brewing co..

Location: 125 Pacific Ave

Nonsuch Brewing Co. is one of the best-known of Winnipeg’s breweries, and for good reason: they have an ever-changing roster of delicious craft beers and one of the nicest taprooms in the city. This microbrewery in the heart of Winnipeg’s downtown consistently has an impressive lineup of beer to try, and past favourites include the Belgian Blonde, The Tripel, the Raspberry Sour, and the Gose, a tart, salty beer. Also worth a sample are one of their many bottled beers, which change with the seasons; think innovative beer blended with unique flavours to create a drink you won’t soon forget.

And the taproom? Simply stunning. The modern yet cozy interior is beautiful, and it’s the perfect place for a date, a quick drink after work, or an evening with friends. The taproom food menu always has incredible options when it comes to a cheese board or charcuterie, while the burger, named simply “Le Burger” is one of the best in Winnipeg. We said we don’t want to play favourites, but Nonsuch Brewing Co. is a must-try when it comes to Winnipeg breweries. Also try Vessel Brewing, which is a niche operation within Nonsuch.

You can also order their beer online or find it in your local Manitoba liquor mart.

Barn Hammer Brewing Company

Location: 595 Wall St

Head to Barn Hammer Brewing Company for an inviting taproom off of Portage Avenue, one that has quickly become popular with those who love a tasty pint. This West End Winnipeg brewery is owned by a husband and wife duo – Sable and Tyler Birch – with a unique background, but with something huge in common: they both love absolutely love beer. That love is fully realized in their delicious craft beers, and their beer has fast become one of Winnipeg’s most beloved brands.

Try interesting beers such as the Guavatron Philly Sour (with notes of – you guessed it – guava), the Saturday Night Lumberjack (a double IPA), or, our favourite, Grandpa’s Sweater, a rich oatmeal stout that we’d wager is one of the best stouts in the city.

Purchase their beer directly from the brewery or from your nearby Manitoba Liquor Mart. They also have home delivery available from the brewery itself. Have a big event coming up? Rent a keg of one of their signature beers to guarantee a happy crowd!

Little Brown Jug Brewing Co.

Location: 336 William Ave

Little Brown Jug has been a staple of Winnipeg’s Exchange District since 2016, starting off by brewing only one craft beer: the 1919 Belgian Pale Ale, a beer that remains on their menu to this day. Today, however, their lineup of craft beers has grown substantially to include a variety of delectable drinks that will appeal to any beer drinker. With options such as the refreshing Summer Lager (with a floral, lemon, and berry hop aroma), the copper-coloured Dubbel (a dry beer with flavours of raisin, plum, and dried cherry), or the fan favourite Golden Ale (a crisp ale made with local Manitoba honey), Little Brown Jug is constantly thinking outside the box and reinventing what it means to brew truly great beer.

Head to the open concept taproom in the 100+ year building in order to feel a fantastic sense of community. With furniture built out of reclaimed wood and a heating system that is generated by the brewery itself, there are a lot of small details at LBJ that make for an excellent visit. There’s also a great patio in summer; head there early on weekends, as it tends to fill up quickly.

Order your beer online (they also provide delivery) or find Little Brown Jug in your local Manitoba liquor mart.

Sookram’s

Location: 479-B Warsaw Ave

If you’re looking for your next favourite local brewery, look no further than Sookram’s . Unassuming but the kind of place you’ll instantly fall in love with, it’s become one of Fort Rouge’s most popular spots for a fun hangout. After multiple awards and years of home brewing, owner Andrew Sookram made his dream of opening a brewery a reality, and today, it’s a beloved spot among the breweries in Winnipeg.

Choose from the refreshing Eternal Sunshine (a pale ale), the Cosmos (a dry hopped sour), or the ever-popular Cult Classic (a pilsner with a crisp finish). Taproom rules state that the goal of Sookram’s is to be safe and welcoming to all, so expect a family-friendly place where everyone will instantly feel at home. In summer, the patio always hopping – no pun intended – and is dog-friendly to boot.

Purchase Sookram’s beer directly from the brewery or from any Manitoba Liquor Mart. They also offer home delivery!

Good Neighbour Brewing Co.

Location: 116 Sherbrook St

As one of the newest Winnipeg breweries on this list, Good Neighbour Brewing Co. has launched onto the city’s craft beer scene with a bang. This brewery is owned by two women with a combined 25+ years in the industry, so you know their beer is going to be out of this world. With a strong emphasis on community, their incredible taproom is a new hit in the Wolseley neighbourhood and has quickly become a spot for local hangouts.

As for the beer itself, think rich, bold flavours; sample their tarty fruited sour ales, their chocolate cherry stout, or the tropical hazy IPA that has notes of sweet stone fruits. They have an extensive list of beers to order from online or to try in the taproom on Sherbrook Street, a bright, airy space with a mouthwatering menu (the fried pickerel burger is so good you might need to order two).

You can also buy Good Neighbour Brewing beer from your local Manitoba Liquor Mart.

Torque Brewing

Location: 330-830 King Edward St

With an impressive 18 taps, Torque Brewing has always been considered one of the best Winnipeg breweries. From their humble beginnings in August of 2016, the brewery is now known for its innovative flavours and dedication to the craft beer community in Manitoba. You can often find their beer on tap in other restaurants in Winnipeg , because Torque is just that delicious!

No matter what you’re after, Torque has a beer for you. With four “core pours” – the Witty Belgian wheat beer, the Red Line red IPA, the What the Helles lager, and the Torque Blonde ale – there’s also a massive selection of seasonals that change frequently and never cease to amaze. Past favourites include Afternoon at Oma’s (a coffee cake streusel brown ale), Pepper Don’t Preach (a jalapeño lemon gose), and the Bellhop (a vanilla bourbon porter). And yes, we think the names are as fun as the beers are delicious. Also make sure to try La Shoppe Brewery, which is a nice operation within Torque.

Buy Torque Brewing beer directly from their brewery or from any Manitoba Liquor Mart.

Kilter Brewing

Location: 450 Rue Deschambault

One of Winnipeg’s newer breweries, Kilter Brewing can be found in the heart of St. Boniface. “Inventive beer brewed with love” is how they describe themselves, and we have to wholeheartedly agree. With a beautifully bright taproom and some of the best beer can designs we’ve ever seen, it’s not just the eye for design and detail that makes Kilter such a fantastic choice when it comes to the craft beer scene in Winnipeg. Thankfully, their beer is pretty amazing, too!

With an ever-changing lineup of craft beers to choose from, you can always expect inventive flavours alongside tried and true classics. Try their staple beers, including the hoppy “Juicii” IPA or the tropical “Waves” pale ale, but make sure to keep an eye out for the new flavours, too; past favourites include the “Tiramisu” Italian Dessert Stout, the “Paradise” Oat Cream IPA, and the “Pulp Fiction” Pulp Fruit Sour.

Purchase Kilter’s beer online or from a Manitoba liquor mart. There’s also the option for local delivery from the brewery itself.

Trans Canada Brewing Company

Location: 1290 Kenaston Blvd #1

Found on Kenaston Boulevard in the growing southwest corner of Winnipeg, Trans Canada Brewing Company is the perfect place to pop in for a quick business lunch or for an evening out with friends. With a goal to cater “to both casual beer drinkers and seasoned connoisseurs alike”, you can expect a wide range of craft beers on tap to choose from. And the pizza in the taproom? Simply divine.

With four beers found permanently year-round – the Bluebeary Ale, the Lamp Lighter Amber Ale, the Portager Bohemian Pilsner, and the Arrow IPA – there’s also an amazing selection of seasonal craft beers to choose from. Past small-batch specialty beers include the Harvest Sky (a rye pale ale brewed with ingredients from local Manitoba farms), the Cranberry Stout (found in 750 ml bottles, perfect for gift giving), and the Barkeep Brown Ale (with notes of dark cherry and chocolate).

You can buy their beer directly from the brewery or from a Manitoba Liquor Mart near you.

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company

Location: 221 Carlton St

Wait… does Lake of the Woods count as a Winnipeg brewery? We’re going to go ahead and say yes! Even though the name comes from our neighbours to the east (and there is indeed a Lake of the Woods taproom in Kenora, Ontario), the Lake of the Woods Brewing Company has a craft brewery right here in Winnipeg, too. Found in the fantastic Hargrave Street Market in downtown’s True North Square, you can watch the brewing action take place through glass walls as you enjoy a pint.

The unique atmosphere of Hargrave Street Market allows you to mix and match what you’d like to eat and drink, so you can pair your beer with a selection of some of Winnipeg’s best restaurants, including Yard Burger, Saburo Kitchen, or The Good Fight Taco. Perfect for grabbing a quick drink before a Winnipeg Jets game at the nearby MTS Centre, you can also book a brewery tour if you’re so inclined.

You can purchase Lake of the Woods beer from Manitoba Liquor Marts.

Oxus Brewing Company

Location: 1180 Sanford St

With a small but cozy taproom in the West End, Oxus Brewing Company is a fan favourite in Winnipeg. Sharing their taproom with Winnipeg Brew Werks, Bookstore Brewing, and Interlake Brewing Co. (so make sure to try a few of their beers as well!), Oxus is consistently one step ahead of the game when it comes to developing fantastic flavours and thinking outside the box. In fact, they’ve just launched a new brand of craft beer – Astra – that promises to be just as tasty as past offerings.

Try the Fermi Italian Pilsner (clean, crisp, and hoppy), the Icarus Raspberry Sour Ale (fruited with organic raspberries, this one is both tart and refreshing), or the Canadian Dream Blonde Ale (a nice, easy-drinking beer with notes of pine and citrus). No matter what you pick, you’re sure to be satisfied.

You can pick up Oxus beer from the taproom, have it delivered, or purchase it from Manitoba Liquor Marts.

Devil May Care Brewing

Location: 155 Fort St

“Craft beer loud. Winnipeg proud.” Is that not the best tagline? While the Devil May Care taproom is due to open any day now (please check their website before going!), the beer they’ve been producing so far is a testament to their talent. As their own website says, they aim to provide customers with “the coolest styles, top-quality ingredients, and […] the most innovative brewing techniques in the industry today.”

Core beers include Starstuff, an American pale ale that’s fruity, hazy, and hoppy, as well as Get Up Offa That Thang, a brown ale that they describe as deep, malty, and soulful. Other seasonals include Beer Lager Smoke Magik (an American lager that’s subtly smoky), Synth City (a wheat beer with sour cherry and lemon), and Nothin’ But the Hops, a West Coast IPA described as a “hophead’s paradise”. When it comes to breweries in Winnipeg, you should definitely add Devil May Care to your list of must-trys.

Buy Devil May Care directly from the brewery or from any Manitoba Liquor Mart.

One Great City Brewing Company

Location: 1596 Ness Ave

Describing themselves as a “celebration of the people, the land, and the life that makes Winnipeg a place of which to be proud,” One Great City is one of the favourites for Winnipeg breweries. Their brewpub is always a good choice for a fun hangout. With glass walls separating the restaurant/taproom and brewery from each other, you can watch the beer being made as you enjoy a pint and a delicious meal.

With a fantastic selection of more approachable beers for the hesitant beer drinker – their American Blonde is a great place to start – as well as a list of specialty craft beers that will appeal to even the most seasoned connoisseur, your most difficult decision at One Great City will be choosing which pint to drink. The six core beers have long been a staple on the Winnipeg craft beer scene; their Mad Scientist Eye PA, Tipsy Cow Milk Stout, and Belgian Esprit are often listed as favourites amongst locals. With a food menu that is just as appealing as the beers on tap, the brewery makes for a perfect place for a date, a hangout with friends, or even a casual business lunch.

You can purchase One Great City’s beer from the brewery itself, from a Skip the Dishes order, or from Manitoba Liquor Marts.

Stone Angel Brewing Co.

Location: 1875 Pembina Hwy, Unit 9

Head to southern Winnipeg to try Stone Angel Brewing , a solid selection when it comes to breweries in Winnipeg. With a huge taproom and large patio, it’s a fantastic place to hang out no matter the season. Make sure to head here for Cider Wednesday, when a small batch cider is released… and when it’s gone, it’s gone forever! There are also a lot of events, food trucks, and sports showings throughout the months, so make sure to check their calendar.

With 15 to 16 beers and ciders on tap at all times, don’t be surprised if you have difficulty choosing a favourite. Popular picks include the Marcellus Peanut Butter Milk Stout, the Brennan’s Barn Irish Pale Ale, and the Kaiser Bill IPA. Can’t decide? Try one of their flights of four beers!

You can buy their beer at Manitoba Liquor Marts, at the brewery itself, or have it delivered through Uber Eats or Skip the Dishes.

Half Pints Brewing Co.

Location: 550 Roseberry St

One of the most recognized brands of beer in Winnipeg, Half Pints Brewing Co . considers themselves “fiercely local”, striving to use as many local ingredients in their beer as possible. With a history that dates back to 2006, this brewery has won many awards for its high-quality craft beer, focusing on keg-only batches, bottles, and canned beer that’s sold throughout Manitoba.

Head to the taproom for a flight of some of their tastiest beers; their flagship beers are the Little Scrapper IPA, the Bulldog Amber Ale, the Stir Stick Stout, and the St. James Pale Ale. There is also home delivery and keg rentals available, so you can enjoy Half Pints in the comfort of your own home if you’re looking for a cozy night in. Want to find out how the beer is actually brewed? Join one of their free tours on Saturdays at 2pm.

Purchase their beer from the brewery itself or from any Manitoba Liquor Mart.

Fort Garry Brewing

Location: 130 Lowson Cres.

Another one of the most popular Winnipeg breweries, Fort Garry Brewing is also the oldest in the city; its history dates back to 1930, and has long been an iconic part of Winnipeg’s beer scene. Today, it’s one of the most popular brands of beer in Winnipeg, and has an extensive roster of craft beer to choose from. They’re also known for their kegs, perfect for large events.

Though they don’t have their own taproom, you can find Fort Gary Brewing all over Winnipeg at a variety of bars and restaurants. Try one of their classics, like the Portage and Main IPA or Fort Garry Rouge, or go for one of their newer additions such as the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sour. They also make a variety of seltzers, hard iced teas, and radlers.

Curbside pickup and delivery is available from the brewery (they’re on Skip the Dishes), but you can also buy their beer from Manitoba Liquor Marts.

Low Life Barrel House

Location: 398 Daly St N

Low Life Barrel House is one of the newest additions on this list. Calling themselves a lo-fi minimalist brewery, their focus is on foeder-aged Brett and sour beers. Not sure what that means? Foeder aged (pronounced “fooder”) means the beverage was aged or fermented in an oak barrel (in the case of Low Life Barrel House, their beer is aged in neutral American oak barrels). And brett beer? Short for Brettanomyces, brett is a type of yeast used to ferment beer. All we know is that whatever they’re doing, it tastes pretty darn good.

Beers include the Acadia Blanc Piquette, the Kismet, or the Kiss Kiss with Peach, a brett beer aged with flavours of peach. As this brewery is quite new on the Winnipeg scene, we’re very excited to see the unique flavours they continue to come up with.

You can purchase their beer directly from the brewery or find it at a Manitoba Liquor Mart.

Brazen Hall

Location: 800 Pembina Hwy

Brazen Hall is so beloved for their food that it’s easy to forget it’s one of the popular Winnipeg breweries, too! And while they’ve won many awards for their delicious burgers, it’s absolutely worth it to visit for their beer as well. Want to find out how their beer is made? You can book a private brewery tour, a fun option for a group event.

Head to the Fort Rouge brewery for a flight of their best beers, which pair perfectly with the extensive food menu. With a rotating list of beers on tap, favourites have included the Gokstad IPA, the Steel Cut Blonde, and seasonals such as the Philly Sour and the Haze Bomb Juicy Pale Ale. Brazen Hall frequently has live music, and the atmosphere is almost always lively and fun, making it perfect for a well-deserved catch-up with friends, a date, or for those times you crave a great burger and a great pint.

You can purchase Brazen Hall beer directly from the brewery.

Other Winnipeg Breweries

If you’ve exhausted the above list, then wait! There’s more!

• Dastardly Villain Brewing Company
• Bookstore Brewing Company
• La Shoppe Brewery
• Winnipeg Brew Werks
• Interlake Brewing
• Bernhard Wieland Brewing
• Vessel Brewing

You guessed it, brewery sampling is a fun (and delicious!) activity in Manitoba’s capital, but don’t miss out on these other great things to do in Winnipeg .

Please don’t drink and drive! Park your car at one of these Winnipeg hotels or Winnipeg Airbnbs for the night and trust a professional to take you around the city on a brewery tour.

Beer is best paired with a delicious slice of ‘za! So check out our article on the best pizza in Winnipeg to complete this essential coupling.

And if you want to make a night of it sampling all kinds of different brews, check out our article on pubs and bars in Winnipeg . Start with a good and hearty meal by visiting one of the best Italian restaurants in Winnipeg !

Brenna Holeman (she/her) has adventured to over 100 countries but is incredibly proud to call Winnipeg home. Brenna spent 16 years travelling solo around the world, living in Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Osaka, Antigua, and London, England. Once a writer and editor for Expedia UK, she is a co-founder of Road Trip Manitoba and also runs This Battered Suitcase , one of the most trusted and respected travel blogs in the world.

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Little Brown Jug's 1919 Belgian Pale Ale (PCG)

Getting crafty with Winnipeg’s ever-growing microbrewery scene

Raise a glass and take a tour at these craft breweries.

After a lengthy absence (due to laws that have since been changed) craft beer fans in Winnipeg now have a lot to pore over (or should that be pour from?). 

A handful of new breweries have opened within the last year, while most of our already established breweries have added tasting rooms to their repertoire – making it easy to get a pint brewed on premise in areas across the city. 

Below you’ll find some of those notable new breweries, some that are opening soon, along with tours that can take you and your crew around to wet your whistle.

Newish brews (and one craft distillery)

PEG Beer Co. (125 Pacific Avenue) – The city’s newest brewpub opened back in Spring 2016, but they didn’t start slinging their own draft until September 11, 2016. It’s located right in the centre of the Exchange’s theatre district, which means that the atmosphere is always quite lively (plus, they do apropos things like Shakespeare in the Pub) and you can do FREE brewery tours every Monday at 7 and 8 p.m. for up to 25 people. They are currently brewing six full-flavour brews that have hops fans fawning. As an added bonus, because it is also a full service restaurant with great family style fare like a bone-in baked ham and airy, delectable flatbreads, PEG Beer Co. is open until 11 p.m. or midnight every night. 

#sundayfunday is happening now. The All Star game is on and the faspa special is . A post shared by PEG Beer Co. (@pegbeerco) on Jan 29, 2017 at 3:29pm PST

Little Brown Jug Brewing Company (336 William Avenue) – It just opened in November and is crafting and serving one excellent beer, the 1919 Belgian Pale Ale, which you can find on many taps across the city. It’s a delicious, sweet-yet-sour and refreshing number that pairs well with breakfast on the frozen Red River (as RAW:almond brunchers will recently attest). The tasting room itself is quite the stunner; the building is a former livery that has been completely opened up and made shine so you can see everything – from the brewer working the tanks to the storage areas – while sitting on the teak furniture in the swish tasting area. LBJ also gets green bonus points: all the heat created during the brewing process is captured and used to heat the room in the winter, while the inverse will happen with regards to the brewing cooling equipment that will be converted to air conditioning in the summer. Open Tuesday to Thursday, noon to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m.  Read more about it here .

Barn Hammer Brewing (595 Wall Street) – What a handsome transformation of an auto shop this brewery and taproom is. It’s located half a block north of Portage Avenue, fairly close to Polo Park – which is great if you need to kill some time while waiting for someone shopping.  They make five signature beers along with an experimental and seasonal beer that frequently changes. Their refreshing Lousy Beatnik Kellerbeir has become my go-to après skate draft at The Common (inside The Forks Market), while their Le Sneak Belgique is a super flavourful wheat beer. Currently, the hours are: Wednesday & Thursday 4-10 p.m., Friday 3-11 p.m., Saturday 12-11 p.m., and Sunday 2-6 p.m. You can also find Barn Hammer’s beers on taps across the city.

Can we axe you a question? Do you yarn for a new growler...? New Grandpa's Sweater & Saturday Night Lumberjack graphic growlers available in the taproom until we sell out. And then we will probably order some more. • Thanks to assistant brewer @theadrienneator for her fun word skills. A post shared by Barn Hammer Brewing Company (@barnhammerbrewing) on Nov 4, 2016 at 3:49pm PDT

Torque Brewing Co. (330-830 King Edward Street) – You can find their cans and growlers available in liquor stores across Winnipeg, while their beer is also available on taps across the city. Their taproom just opened a few weeks ago and the website RateBeer has just bestowed them with the title of “Best New Brewer” in Manitoba. Plus, at the brewery you can now get custom designed double insulated stainless steel growlers that are both super badass and will keep beer cold and carbonated for 24 hours. They currently brew four regular beers -- a stout, IPA, wheat and lager along with specialty small batches. 

Brazen Hall Kitchen & Brewery (800 Pembina Highway)  – The former location of The Round Table has been completely overhauled and converted into a brewpub that just opened on Sunday, March 19. On the beer side of things they are currently brewing a blonde ale and a Bière de Garde "malty artisanal farmhouse beer" (both in collaboration with Torque Brewing), while an English Best Bitter will be ready to pour soon. On the food side of things the menu is extensive, ranging from bar snacks like beet and kale chips, to salads, to a noodle section featuring handmade pastas, to a massive meat section featuring braises and smoked items. You can read all about it on  their website . 

Capital K Distillery (Unit 3 - 1680 Dublin Avenue) – Manitoba’s first craft distillery makes two incredibly smooth products – Tall Grass Gin and Vodka. They have a tasting room where they make cocktails, while distiller/owner Jason Kang is almost always around to give tours for up to 30 people. You can get the full story on this smooth operation  here .

Tasty tours 

Winnipeg Tasting Tours  – “ Exploring Winnipeg… one drink at a time ” these beer-tasting tours bring you by van to the city’s best microbreweries – including PEG Beer Co., Little Brown Jug, Barn Hammer Brewing and The Common at The Forks Market. On the tour guests will be provided with flights at each stop along with flatbread at PEG Beer Co. Custom tours to various breweries are also available, as are cocktail and distillery tours. 

Talk about a flight you don't want to miss! Good times brewing @torque_brewing A post shared by Winnipeg Tasting Tours (@wpgtastingtours) on Dec 29, 2016 at 6:58pm PST

Winnipeg Trolley Ale Trails  – Everyone’s favourite orange trolley will soon also be crafting its own brewery tours, so stay tuned for when they are able to give us the full scoop. 

Downtown Winnipeg Biz Tap In Tour  – This walking (or group cycling) tour brings you to four of downtown’s most lively rooms where you’ll sample appetizers along with one or two draft beers at each stop. With seven participating restaurant/bars, this tour can be customized and runs approximately four hours.

Beer and Food Tasting at Fort Gibraltar  – Heartland International Travel & Tours offers this 2.5-hour culinary experience inside the historical walls of Fort Gibraltar, a replica 19th century trading fort located on the Red River inside Winnipeg. Guests receive a delicious 3-course French meal paired with premium European craft beers and ciders.

Half Pints Brewery Tour  – One of Winnipeg’s pioneering independent microbreweries, Half Pints offers tours every Saturday (and by special request), where brewers show you grain to bottle processes. Half Pints brews four main beers, along with fun seasonal selections like their “fruity and fabulous” Queer Beer, which they brew every year for Pride Winnipeg. They also just won “Top Brewer” and “Top Beer” (for their Le Temps Noir Batch Two) for Manitoba from RateBeer.com for 2016.   

This week's #testbatchtuesday is a new small batch of Wild Rice Saison brewed with loads of local Manitoban wild rice, wildflower honey, and a hop bred from Manitoban wild stock: Brewer's Gold. #local #wildrice #saison A post shared by Half Pints Brewing Co (@halfpintsbrewing) on Feb 14, 2017 at 5:06pm PST

Fort Garry Brewing Company Tour  – Winnipeg’s oldest microbrewery, Fort Garry first started brewing in 1930, and has since gone through several incarnations with Molson (1990) along with an amalgamation with BC’s Russell Brewing in 2007, before being sold back to a Manitoba firm in 2016. Group brewery tours can be arranged to take you through their nine-step process.

Coming soon 

One Great City Brewing Co. (1596 Ness Avenue) – A brewpub that will feature six mainstay beers along with a few seasonals, accompanied by a menu of elevate pub food they describe as, “adventurous while remaining accessible.” It will (hopefully) be open by the end of the month. Here's  their website for more info .

Nonsuch La Brasserie and Brewing Co.  – They have yet to reveal location (aside from it being downtown) but they are slated to open in 2017. Some of their beers have already won awards and  their website gets huge bonus points for design and tranquility (love that ocean background and overall nautical theme). 

from Mark. A post shared by Nonsuch Brewing Co. (@nonsuchbeer) on Mar 10, 2017 at 12:36pm PST

OXUS Brewing Company (1180 Sanford Street) – The tanks have been installed and they are currently tinkering with their recipes at this west end brewery that is scheduled to open later this year. For updates visit  their website .

Stone Angel Brewing Co.  – Opening in south Winnipeg for summer 2017. You can keep up-to-date by checking out their rather  cheeky website (owners Paul M., Paul C. and James D., seem like witty fellows, while Paul C. gets bonus points for being an LFC supporter) and  twitter account .  

Trans Canada Brewing (1290 Kenaston Boulevard)  – Set to open in mid-2017. You can  follow them on twitter for updates as they come in. 

North City Growlers  – Since October 2014, these folks have been creating custom designs on glass, stainless steel and ceramic beer growlers, while they also make fantastic touristy gifts like Cap Maps, oak barrels, and custom designed beer tap handles. Pretty much, if you are looking for some sort of beer merchandise or mechanism, they can craft it for you. Check out the full product line on  their website . 

We just dropped off a couple of custom growlers for @huronwoodwork, picked up our very own Manitoba Home wood block and met @waiting.for.sunday at @littlebrownjugbrewing. It's always great meeting other local #makers! A post shared by North City Growlers (@northcitygrowlers) on Feb 23, 2017 at 2:57pm PST

Brewery fans please note: we plan to continually expand this article, and to use it as a standalone in the EAT section on Tourism Winnipeg's website. If you notice something new we are missing please email [email protected] so we can keep it updated. Cheers!

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1. Trans Canada Brewing Co.

2. Little Brown Jug Brewing

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5. Barn Hammer Brewing Company

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WINNIPEG BREWERY TOURS

Your tour starts on the first floor of Hargrave St. Market in our taproom and retail store. You will learn a little bit about the history of Lake of the Woods Brewery while enjoying a pint of our beer. Your guide will then take you upstairs to the Brewery where you will learn how we make our beer and the unique processes we use. Tours usually last about 45 minutes. Choose a Souvenir add-on or a Crowler add-on!

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Tours are limited to 20 people, on a “first-come, first-served” basis. Please arrive early enough to secure a spot for you and your group.

Staff guide visitors through the history of Half Pints and our brewing process – from grain to bottle.

You will learn how beer is made; the different styles of beer there are; how and where Half Pints fits into the Winnipeg beer landscape. Questions are welcome.

Three locations, one great beer OUR BREWERIES

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company has brewery locations Ontario, Manitoba and Minnesota. All three regions touch the shores of Lake of the Woods. This is where we work and play…. it’s our backyard… and we are proud to be able to bring beer to everyone that has a connection to the place we call home.

KENORA ONTARIO LOCATION

Located in a 109 year old firehall, the Kenora brewery opened its doors in the summer of 2013 . Our 10Hl copper kettle brewery was made by Kaspar Schulz  (Germany). Kaspar Shulz has been manufacturing brewhouses for over 335 years and are the world’s oldest brewery plant manufacturer. We are proud to brew our beer on this amazing, German engineered 2 kettle system.

The Kenora brewing facility  is adjacent to the taproom and was retrofitted to fit in our 109 year old fire hall location. The brewery and taproom is considered one of Ontario’s coolest and is a  designated Ontario Heritage building. The brewery, taproom and retail store are all housed in the building and it is a must-see if you are visiting Kenora.

WINNIPEG MANITOBA LOCATION

The Hargrave St. Market location  is located in True North Square Downtown Winnipeg. This showcase brewery is the centrepiece of the locally inspired food hall. The glass walls allow you to watch our brewers in action while you enjoy a pint and a bite to eat from a hand-picked selection of some of Winnipeg’s best restaurants. The brewery spans 3 floors of the 17 storey office tower with the mill room on level 3, the brewery on level 2 and the retail store & taproom on level 1.

The Winnipeg brewery opened its doors in early 2020 along with Hargrave St. Market . Winnipeg’s longest bar (Rose Bar) surrounds the brewery and offers a selection of our beer on-tap, wine and cocktails. For a more intimate Lake of the Woods experience, visit our taproom and retail store just downstairs with an entrance and patio on Carlton Street.

WARROAD MINNESOTA LOCATION

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company’s Minnesota taproom & brewery is located on the south shore of Lake of the Woods in Warroad and opened in June of 2019. Similar to our Kenora location, LowBrewCoMN calls a circa 1970s refurbished fire hall home.

Nestled on the banks of the Warroad River we feel intimately connected to the outdoors and Lake of the Woods . Our waterfront taproom gives a classic Minnesota scene to observe throughout the space. Imagine the perfect atmosphere to unite the outdoors/indoors and our taproom provides you that experience. No matter where you are in the building you feel connected to the water.

THREE BREWERIES MEANS 3X THE BEER! 🙂

Brewery retail hours of operation, kenora retail store.

Take-home Beer & Merch Open 7 Days a Week:  Sun to Tues 11:00am to 7:00pm, Wed to Sat 11:00am to 9:00pm

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Sunday thru Thursday: 4:00pm to 9:00pm Friday & Saturday: 11:00am to 11:00pm

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BOOK A BREWERY TOUR!

Your tour starts on the second floor of the 109 year old firehall that houses our brewery and taproom. You will learn a little bit about the history of the building and the history of the original Lake of the Woods Brewery that operated in Kenora from 1898 to 1954 while enjoying a pint of our beer. Your guide will then take you into the Brewery where you will learn how we make our beer and the unique processes we use. There are usually a few brewers around and they often join in on the conversation. Tours usually last about 30 to 40 minutes.

Y our tour starts on the first floor of Hargrave St. Market in our taproom and retail store . You will learn a little bit about the history of Lake of the Woods Brewery while enjoying a pint of our beer. Your guide will then take you upstairs to the Brewery where you will learn how we make our beer and the unique processes we use. Tours usually last about 45 minutes. Choose a Souvenir add-on or a Crowler add-on!

Your tour starts in the Live Well in our taproom . You will learn a little bit about the history of Lake of the Woods Brewery while enjoying a pint of our beer. Your guide will then take you through the Brewery where you will learn how we make our beer and the unique processes we use. Tours are $10 and include a pint!

OUR BREWERY LOCATIONS

Our Flagship Brewery in Kenora Ontario

This is where it all started… on the northern shores of Lake of the Woods.

Our Warroad Minnesota South Shore Brewery

Our Warroad Minnesota location on the southern shores of Lake of the Woods

Our Downtown Winnipeg Hargrave St. Market Brewery

Our Winnipeg Manitoba location in Hargrave St. Market, True North Square

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Take a guided tour to uncover how the Royal Canadian Mint can produce up to 15 million coins per day. Shop at the boutique where you will find remarkable collector coins, unique souvenirs and one-of-a-kind gifts.

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Winnipeg has a story to tell on almost every street corner. Discover the past through historical guided walking tours, river boat excursions and interpretive walks that highlight the city’s storied neighbourhoods and most captivating attractions.

Discover Winnipeg’s burgeoning craft beer scene and the liquor-laced history they never told you in school. Visit three breweries, learn the art of professional beer tasting, and hear about the...

Guided walking tours for groups are available year-round at the Assiniboine Park Zoo and Pavilion art galleries, and seasonally in our beautiful gardens. Tours are 30 to 60 minutes in...

Guided walking tours for groups are available year-round at the Assiniboine Park Zooautiful gardens. Tours must be pre-booked and are subject to staff availability. CANADIAN SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE...

Few ballet companies can claim such an exciting and varied past as Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. From its humble beginnings as the Winnipeg Ballet Club, the company has been a vital part of...

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Take a tour of the world at Folklorama and enjoy 3 pavilions! Tours include: • luxury motorcoach transportation • bypassing line-ups • a delicious progressive meal during your tour of 3 pavilions...

Enjoy nature’s best nestled within the urban boundaries of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Inject your visit with fresh air, outdoor activity, wildlife, cultural heritage, and environmental education. Our...

Bison Safari: See the world’s ninth largest land animal, the bison, and learn how this magnificent beast has shaped Manitoba’s history. Hop aboard the van where a knowledgeable guide will take you...

For over six thousand years, people have been living at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. Hop aboard our Heart of a Nation City Tour, and we guarantee you will never see this...

Go deep into the heart of Manitoba’s North – without leaving the city of Winnipeg! Join us for an exclusive tour of the Journey to Churchill exhibit at the Assiniboine Park Zoo, one of the...

The bakers at Tall Grass Prairie are passionate about the art and craft of baking so it’s safe to say that the Tall Grass Prairie Bread Company celebrates bread. Whole grain flour is milled daily...

This experience creates an intimate connection with nature where visitors hold a wild bird as they are released after banding and canoe through channels in search of wildlife.

Oak Hammock Marsh offers many opportunities to bring an exhilarating and educational experience with nature to groups of all sizes.MARSH WALKABOUTEnjoy the fresh air and discover the basics of...

The 45-minute guided tour, overlooks the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility revealing the precise art and science of coin-making! The onsite Boutique offers beautiful collector coins and the...

Join the Midnight Conductor as he shares some of the creepiest stories from Winnipeg’s darkened streets. He’ll take you inside Winnipeg’s most famous haunted mansion; its oldest—and most...

In 2020, celebrate Manitoba 150 by visiting Upper Fort Garry Provincial Park, the place where, in 1850, they voted to create the Province of Manitoba and to enter the confederacy of Canada. Today...

WAG-Qaumajuq has grown into one of the country’s leading visual art museums with an international reputation! Founded in 1912, the WAG is one of Canada’s first civic art galleries, housed in an...

Join us on a guided tour that explores the unique and varied history and uses of Lower Fort Garry. Explore our buildings and learn about how the site has evolved to meet changing economic needs...

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Are there enough fans to keep a team in the NHL’s smallest market?

WINNIPEG – Three hours before puck drop, Greg Burnett awaited the fate of his beloved Winnipeg Jets , on the brink of elimination.

The 56-year-old retired high school teacher stood in a fenced-off courtyard, just beyond a statue of the late Jets legend Dale Hawerchuk, between the glittering reflection of newly developed office towers on what used to be a vast parking lot in Winnipeg’s age-worn downtown.

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Burnett felt optimistic. He calls it a glass-half-full mentality when his team is “paradoxically aligned with impending doom.”

He sipped a Michelob Light as hundreds of Jets fans filled the streets around Canada Life Centre ahead of Game 5 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche , trailing 3-1.

The stakes that night felt particularly high. The Jets’ successful regular season (second in the NHL ’s Western Conference) was clouded by dwindling attendance and concerning comments made by ownership about the team’s future.

Winnipeg is Canada’s seventh-largest city. With a population of 758,000, it is the NHL’s smallest market.

The prairie hub proudly leans into its reputation as a large “small town.” The region boasts a rich history in the game — and a passionate fan base.

But Winnipeg is often overlooked by players. The Jets appear with great frequency on the “no-trade” lists of many contracts. High-profile players like Jacob Trouba , Evander Kane and PL Dubois have all forced their way out of town. In The Athletic ’s anonymous player poll, Winnipeg was declared the destination that players least liked to visit on the road, with 41.24 percent of the vote.

That sentiment has a galvanizing effect on the fan base.

“The perception is that people want us to fail,” Burnett said, adding that the Jets faithful embrace the team’s underdog position.

Burnett wore a white Connor Hellebuyck jersey, the team’s All-Star goalie who recently signed a seven-year deal to stay in Winnipeg and was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. Burnett’s jersey could have been any member of the current Jets roster, aside from the team’s most recent trade deadline acquisitions. He has a jersey for almost every player who has played multiple seasons in Winnipeg since the team’s return more than a dozen years ago. His collection includes more than 60 jerseys from two generations of the Jets.

I first met Burnett in 2011, when he was one of the 13,500 fans who signed up for season tickets in 17 minutes when the Atlanta Thrashers moved to the Canadian Prairies, becoming the second iteration of the Jets.

He gave me a tour of the basement he’d dedicated to the team that left the city for Arizona in 1996, which had become central to Burnett’s life. Celia Burnett relinquished the basement to her husband, knowing he needed a place to address his anger and sadness at the Jets’ move to Arizona. He turned it into a shrine that includes a miniature locker room, old jerseys, game programs and memorabilia that spoke to the love and agony that comes with being a fan. The final A from the Winnipeg Arena sign above the entrance of the now demolished building sat on a landing above the basement stairs. Gillian, the youngest of the Burnetts’ four daughters, helped her father show off his prized Jets possessions.

Gillian was 9 then. She’s grown up sitting in the family’s seats — section 312, row 5 — next to her father. She is now 22 and has a Winnipeg Jets tattoo on her forearm.

“I got it in honor of my dad, because that’s what my dad is — the Winnipeg Jets,” Gillian said. “It’s part of him.”

She sat next to her 78-year-old grandmother, Donna, on a concrete stoop in True North Square, as a DJ pumped music into the pregame festival. Donna, who wore a white and pink Jets zip-up hoodie, also never misses a game, not because of an obsession with an on-ice product but because of what the team means to her family.

In the late 1970s, Donna bought season tickets to the original Jets franchise. For a single mother, the Jets became a way for her to connect with her rambunctious 8-year-old son. They drove more than a half-hour to each game and always went out to a restaurant they considered to be fancy. At the time, it was all doable on Donna’s teacher salary.

“We had a wonderful time,” she said. “I just loved it.”

But that “wonderful time” didn’t last. In 1996, the original Jets franchise left for Arizona. When the ownership group True North announced in 2011 that it was purchasing the Atlanta Thrashers and moving the team to Winnipeg, Jets love was rekindled.

The NHL’s return kicked off a revival so fervent that the franchise nurtured a waiting list of several thousand people willing to purchase season tickets should a seat ever open up.

The Canada Life Centre is the smallest arena in the NHL, with a capacity of just more than 15,000. And for years the Jets boasted constant sellouts and one of the loudest fan bases in the league.

But over the past couple of seasons, the Jets have had only a handful of sellouts.

And then early this season, Greg Burnett started to feel that familiar pang of dread when he saw rows of empty seats inside the Jets home rink. It was a reminder of an underlying anxiety shared by many fans old enough to remember the first time the team left town.

It was just the second home game of the 2023-24 season and only 11,226 fans showed up to watch the team play the L.A. Kings, the lowest attendance Burnett said he had ever seen at a Jets game.

Things didn’t get much better. Aside from the smoldering ashes of the Arizona Coyotes — the former Jets franchise playing out its final days at a 5,000-seat college rink — Winnipeg had the lowest attendance in the NHL this season, averaging 13,490 fans. By percentage of rink capacity, the Jets were third worst at 89.9 percent, ahead of only the Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks . In Winnipeg, it was the continuation of a downward trend that started with the NHL’s first full 82-game season after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Jets’ season-ticket base shrunk by 27 percent in three years, falling to under 9,500 from close to 13,000.

The team’s mediocre results didn’t help. The Jets missed the playoffs in 2022, then lost in the first round after barely squeaking into the postseason in 2023.

Last spring, True North angered fans with a poorly conceived “Forever Winnipeg” ticket drive.

“So is Winnipeg an NHL city? You better believe it,” narrator Kenny Omega, a Winnipeg-born wrestling star asks over sentimental visuals of Jets highlights and smiling fans, before the background music turns abruptly somber. “But it takes all of us.”

The campaign was widely viewed as a not-so-veiled threat, recalling painful memories of the Jets’ departure.

In February, concern about the franchise’s future was stoked by comments Mark Chipman, True North’s chairman, made in an interview with The Athletic ’s Chris Johnston.

“I wouldn’t be honest with you if I didn’t say, ‘We’ve got to get back to 13,000,’” Chipman told Johnston. “This place we find ourselves in right now, it’s not going to work over the long haul.”

In the upper bowl, behind the visiting goal — section 312, row 5 — Greg, Gillian and Donna took their regular seats in the sea of white. The rink filled quickly, as it had through the final stretch of the regular season when the Jets sold out six of the team’s last eight games. A late-season surge helped build excitement for the playoffs. The Jets carried an eight-game winning streak into the playoffs. They drew the Colorado Avalanche in the first round, a team they hadn’t lost to all season and had recently stomped 7-0.

Maybe the fans just needed a reason to believe?

If that hope was fleeting with the Jets trailing 3-1 in the series, you wouldn’t have noticed as the Jets took the ice for warmups in Game 5. The arena buzz rose to a crescendo.

Just after warmups, Celia Burnett met her family at their seats, taking a quick break from her job working at the front gate of Canada Life Centre, ushering lively fans through the ticket line at Portage Avenue. The family was at the arena so much that a few years ago she decided it made sense that she get paid to be close by.

“It’s a constant,” Celia said. “It’s always about the Jets.”

The arena thundered. The sold-out crowd twirled white towels and cheered at a relentless volume. Fans belted the words “True North” in unison when the Canadian national anthem lyrics were sung — a tradition that started with the team’s inaugural season in 2011.

Outside the Jets “whiteout” street party on Donald Street, next to the arena, another 5,000 fans packed as close to two massive projection screens. All wore white. Some reveled in more creative attire. Several wore full white bodysuits and white old-school goalie masks. One man wore a white beer-stained pinstripe suit. Another wore a Panda head.

Evan Chubaty wore a low-cut wedding dress he found at a thrift store, fastened by dirty shoelaces he borrowed from a pair of sneakers. He was 9 when the Jets arrived. He’s not worried about them leaving. He thinks the fans would never actually let that happen.

“Everyone loves them,” Chubaty said. “It’s a huge part of Winnipeg. The city wouldn’t be the same without them.”

Benny, the original Jets mascot, interrupted the conversation and got down on a furry blue knee in front of Chubaty.

The Bloodworth family stood quietly amid the crowd of mostly twentysomethings, reflecting both the older and younger generation of fans. Shayne and Maureen Bloodworth brought their children out for the experience. Shayne was a “1.0” Jets fan.

“I’m the old guy,” he said, as a crush of well-imbibed fans weaved around the family.

His 10-year-old twins — Max, who sat sleepily on his shoulders, and Jack who leaned against him — have grown up in the “2.0” era. They play minor hockey for the River East Royals and catch every Jets game they can stay awake for.

“It’s become a part of this city’s culture, for sure,” Shayne said. “It’s brought a lot of people together.”

Moments later, the street erupted as Josh Morrissey scored for the Jets halfway through the second period, tying the game at two. But before the period was over, Colorado was ahead again.

Greg Burnett admitted that his optimism was fading. The Jets were 20 minutes away from another first-round exit. Considering the empty seats of the regular season, the stakes felt especially high.

“I hope I’m wrong,” he said.

So is Winnipeg an NHL city?

Glen Hodgson, an Ottawa-based economist and expert in the economics of sports franchises, believes it is — but in a unique, inherently precarious way. Hodgson wrote a book on the business of sports franchises, developing a methodology with his co-author for evaluating whether a sports franchise would succeed or fail.

As a market, Winnipeg falls short in almost every key component. The population is too small, the per capita income is too low, and there are a dwindling number of corporations with a head office in Canada’s windy city.

“But then you get to the intangibles, like passion,” Hodgson said. “And Manitoba is off the chart.”

Hodgson knows the psyche of the city’s sports fans well. He grew up in Winnipeg and was a devoted follower of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the other franchise that holds a deeply rooted place in the region’s culture and identity.

For many, like Burnett, the NHL’s return in 2011 was a miracle, faithfully prayed for.

Nostalgia and pride alone were enough to sell the team to local fans. For more than a decade, True North was viewed as a savior.

The franchise was able to operate in an “if you build it, they will come” mode, Hodgson said.

But after the pandemic, amid a wavering Canadian economy, high inflation, and growing dissatisfaction with rising prices, stringent policies and a perceived lack of appreciation from the organization, many fans decided to stay home. The magic faded. The season-ticket waiting list disappeared. And the franchise entered a new, critical era.

Chipman later clarified his comments about the franchise’s sustainability and season-ticket sales, saying he was referring to the team’s ability to spend to the cap and ice a contender. Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, visited Winnipeg this winter and underscored his confidence in the city as an ideal hockey market — which is something he has previously said about several other cities that ended up losing NHL teams.

But there is plenty of reason for Jets fans to be confident in the team’s commitment to Winnipeg.

The franchise’s books are kept private, but Chipman has said it’s never lost money since its inaugural NHL season. And there is plenty of cash underpinning it. David Thomson, one of True North’s co-owners, is the richest person in Canada — and 21st richest in the world — with a net worth of $61.3 billion, according to Forbes.

True North has also invested hundreds of millions into the city, revitalizing the area around Canada Life Centre with sparkling new office towers. Last year, the group announced a $500 million plan to redevelop a worn-down shopping center across the street from the arena, a healthcare and social services hub for the community.

Still, Winnipeg remains a constrained market, Hodgson said. There are only so many businesses and people to commit to season tickets.

Chipman has been candid about True North’s missteps in taking the community of Jets fans for granted. At the same time, fans like Burnett say it’s also on the community to re-up its commitment to the team. He’s reached out to friends who’ve let their season tickets lapse in recent years, urging them to come back.

The team’s future likely depends on that rekindled relationship.

“If you’re asking the fundamental question, is the market really big enough to sustain over time, it really depends on engaging the passion,” Hodgson said.

“If any city is going to make it with those limitations, it will be Winnipeg.”

As the Colorado Avalanche pulled away from the Jets, those passionate fans started to head for the exits. Before the final horn sounded on a 6-3 Avalanche win, large sections of the stands sat empty. Celia watched people stream through the doors onto Portage Avenue.

Gillian joined her friends who’d watched from the street party, which emptied off Donald Street within minutes. Hundreds of crushed silver cans sparkled beneath the street lights.

In section 312, Greg sat next to his mother, watching the teams shake hands, trying to process another lost opportunity. As the players left the ice, Greg helped Donna from her seat and carefully guided her down the steep stadium stairs.

He paused for a moment in the atrium, trying to describe the dejection he knew would linger u​​ntil the Jets begin again. A deep playoff run would certainly have stoked deeper interest in the team across the city. But this first-round exit felt perilously familiar.

“You know, as a Winnipeger,” Greg said, “it feels like we can’t have nice things.”

Donna smiled softly. Her son extended his arm and she took it. They walked away together, disappearing among the fans left and leaving.

(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic. Photos: David Lipnowski / Getty Images; Jonathan Kozub / NHLI via Getty Images)

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Dan Robson is a senior enterprise writer for The Athletic. He is an award-winning journalist and the bestselling author of several books. Previously, he was the head of features for The Athletic Canada and a senior writer at Sportsnet Magazine and Sportsnet.ca. Follow Dan on Twitter @ RobsonDan