Canada

Canada

Beer was first introduced to Canada by European settlers in the seventeenth century, as Canada had an ideal climate for making beer before refrigeration was introduced. The first commercial brewery was built by Louis Prud’homme in Montreal (then Fort Ville-Marie) in 1650, followed by a larger brewery built by Jean Talon in Quebec City, in the year 1668.

The numerous British soldiers in Canada in the seventeenth and eighteenth century was a benefit to breweries since the troops were each entitled to six pints of beer per day. Most preferred ales and other heavy beers, not lager.

During those centuries and into the nineteenth, a number of commercial brewers thrived, including some that became the staple of the Canadian industry: John Molson founded a brewery in Montreal in 1786, Alexander Keith in Halifax in 1820, Thomas Carling in London in 1840, John Kinder Labatt in 1847, also in London, Susannah Oland in Halifax in 1867, and Eugene O’Keefe in Toronto in 1891. The very first patent to be issued by the Canadian government on July 6, 1842, was to one G. Riley for “an improved method of brewing ale, beer, porter, and other maltliquors.”

Prohibition in Canada did not last as long as in the U.S. and was largely over by the mid-1920s apart from Prince Edward Island, where it ran from 1901 to 1948. By comparison the temperance act in Ontario ran from 1916 to 1927.  Surprisingly, the relatively large and powerful beer manufacturing sector – and the huge working class that purchased their products – failed to convince any of the provincial governments to reverse their stance on prohibition.

Even after that era, the sale of beverage alcohol products remained heavily controlled by liquor boards and publicly owned stores in each of the provinces. Those restrictions had a similar effect: leaving very few brewers. It was only in the late twentieth century that there has been a revival in craft brewers and microbreweries.

Products from this region

  • Sleeman Clear 2.0 ~ 35.5cl can

    Canada

    A light, very low bitterness, easy-to-drink lager with only 80 calories and 2 grams…

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  • Sleeman Original Draught ~ 20lt keg

    Canada

    An Unpasteurized American-style Pale Lager.  Brewed with a proprietary Sleeman yeast, Canadian barley, Nugget and Cascade…

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  • Sleeman Original Draught ~ 35.5cl can

    Canada

    An Unpasteurized American-style Pale Lager.  Brewed with a proprietary Sleeman yeast,  Canadian barley, Nugget and…

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  • Unibroue La Fin du Monde Abbey Triple ~ 34.1cl

    Canada

    One of the most famous craft beers from Canada with over 35 international awards.…

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  • Unibroue Maudite Abbey Double ~ 34.1cl

    Canada

    A deep red 'Belgium-style Dubbel' – complex, unctuous and slightly sweet.. Maudite, meaning cursed…

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  • Unibroue Blanche de Chambly ~ 34.1cl

    Canada

    Belgium style Witbier (wheat beer) - this was the original beer brewed by Unibroue…

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  • Okanagan Pale Ale ~ 35.5cl can

    Canada

    A balanced and smooth Pale Ale - tasty and approachable; one that is distinctly…

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  • Sleeman Honey Brown Lager ~ 35.5cl can

    Canada

    A  full-bodied lager with a copper colour and distinctive notes of honey - Sleeman's…

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  • Sleeman Honey Brown Lager ~ 20l Keg

    Canada

    Sleeman's most sought-after flagship beer - a full-bodied lager with distinctive notes of honey.…

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