How local does a beer have to be before "local" actually means something? Alley Kat is putting that question to the test with Homegrown, an Italian pilsner built specifically to showcase Alberta craftsmanship from grain to glass rather than just slapping a provincial flag on the label.

The barley comes from Red Shed Malting, a local maltster, and the beer leans into what that ingredient can do on its own: subtle spice, delicate fruit notes, and the clean, refreshing finish the Italian pilsner style is known for. Custom artwork from JD Art rounds out the package, at a crisp 25 IBU and 5.1 percent ABV. This lands the same year Alley Kat is marking 30 years as Edmonton's original craft brewery, which makes a "homegrown" release feel less like a marketing angle and more like a fitting way to mark three decades of staying independently owned in one city.

It's available now at the Alley Kat taproom and at select restaurants and liquor stores around Alberta. Worth grabbing one if you're curious how far "local" can actually go when a brewery means it.