Inside Four Dogs Brewing Company, a New Dog-Friendly Brewery and Taproom in Victoria Park

With drinks, decor and amenities inspired by dogs, this brewery and taproom is a welcoming spot for both humans and their furry friends.

Step inside Four Dogs Brewing Company and you’re immediately surrounded by references to owner Vince Schaeffer’s pack of late pooches: Friday, Zen, Sasha and Elvis. There are Four Dogs beers named after each member of the quartet — Friday’s German (Pointer) Pilsner, Zen’s Great (Dane) Stout, Sasha’s Rhodesian Ridgeback Red Ale and Elvis’ Salted Lime Lager — and memorabilia like framed photos and illustrations of each canine decorates the walls of this spot that opened in Kaffeeklatsch’s former space in early July 2023.

The menu includes the aforementioned brews that come in pints or as a flight (served in glasses placed inside a dog bowl with a side of popcorn), along with two cocktails (a vodka lemonade or gin soda). Cans of Four Dogs’ beer are available for purchase on-site, with 25 cents from each can that’s sold going to the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society.

But this brewery and taproom isn’t just inspired by dogs, it’s also designed for them. Furry friends of all shapes and sizes are welcome on Four Dogs’ street-side patio as well as inside. A small alcove built into the bar acts as a dog bed. If you’re sitting at a table, the table bases have a section cut out that’s the size of a dog bowl, and bowls are filled with fresh water and provided by the staff.

For smaller canines that want VIP treatment, you can plop them into plush, mini-egg swing chairs throughout the brewery and along a featured green wall beside large, human-sized swing chairs. Finally, there’s an Instax Polaroid camera available for patrons to snap a photo of their pup to add to the “Our Pack” photo wall near the washrooms.

The taproom’s compact size and laid-back charm allow it to serve double duty as a place that pet owners can add to their list of local, dog-friendly spots and a warm and welcoming neighbourhood pub that anyone (whether you’re a dog owner or not) can enjoy. The space has a relaxing vibe for both humans and dogs with many seating areas that allow multiple dogs to sit politely with their families (and there is a list of rules posted that includes dogs being leashed at all times).

Original Article by Tsering Asha - https://www.avenuecalgary.com/restaurants-food/dining-out/inside-four-dogs-brewing-company/  All photos by Tsering Asha