Craft beer to be sold at Calgary Stampede in 2017, after years of pressure

After years of criticism from local brewers and visitors who are simply sick of drinking Bud Light after Bud Light, the Calgary Stampede has agreed to offer a variety of craft beer, starting in 2017 in one location only.

A selection ofIPAs, pilsners, ales, unfiltered whites and seasonal varieties from 23 Alberta small brewers will be on sale atThe Big Four Station this year, alongside larger-batch brews fromLabatt.

• From 2016:Calgary Stampede deal with Labatt shuts out Alberta craft brewers

Previously, smaller local breweries had been excluded from the Stampedebecause of a long-runningexclusivity agreement to sell only Labattand related brands.

Those brands include well known beers such as Budweiser, Corona and Alexander Keith's, all owned by Belgium-based brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev.

"Labatt is a big sponsor of the Stampede and, as a not-for-profit organization, we really rely on sponsorship dollars like that from companies like Labatt," said Calgary Stampede communications managerLarryLalonde.

"We have a lot of exclusivity relationships with other sponsors."

• From2015:Calgary brewers want in on Stampede beer monopoly

Terry Rock, executive director of theAlberta Small Brewers Association, called on the Stampede last year to open up sales to smaller breweries and applauded the move Friday.

"It's huge," he said.

"This is actually something that Albertans have been asking for. I think that's the most important part of this story."

The craft beer industry has been growing rapidly, Rock noted. He said Calgary will have more than 20 different, small breweries as of later this year, up from just three breweries a few years ago.

The Big Four Station is a bar and restaurantlocated on the lower level of the InternationalPavilion intheBig Four Building.

"This is a venue that is designed right for this kind of thing," Lalonde said.

The Calgary Stampede runs July 7 to July 16 this year.

• Calgary Stampede midway food 2017: From the horrifying to the horrifyingly delicious
• Alberta's beer-tax dispute comes to a head at trade panel hearing

With files from The Calgary Eyeopener