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List of breweries in Canada facts for kids

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Canada has a long history of making beverages. Places where these drinks are made are called breweries. This list talks about some important breweries in Canada. These places are special because of their history or what they mean to Canadian culture.

What is a Brewery?

A brewery is a place where special drinks are made. These drinks are often made from grains like barley. The process involves mixing ingredients and letting them ferment. This means tiny living things called yeast change sugars into other things. Breweries can be very old or very new. They can be small local businesses or large companies.

A Look at Canadian Brewing History

Making drinks in Canada started a very long time ago. Early settlers and Indigenous peoples made their own beverages. The first official brewery in Canada was built in Quebec City.

Early Breweries

  • La Brasserie du Roi (The King's Brewery) was founded in Quebec City in 1668. Jean Talon started it. It closed in 1674. The original building burned down in 1713.
  • Another early brewery was Louis Prud'homme's brewery. It opened in Montreal in 1650. It was located just outside the walls of Fort Ville-Marie.

Breweries Through the Years

Over time, more breweries opened across Canada. Many of them grew into big companies. Some of these older breweries are still around today.

  • The Molson Brewery started in Montreal in 1786. It is one of the oldest breweries in North America. Today, it is part of Molson Coors Brewing Company. An old stone building from the original Molson brewery was built in 1913.
  • Alexander Keith's Brewery began in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1820. It is now owned by a large international company. Its current building was built in 1837.
  • The Carling Brewery started in London, Ontario, in 1840. It became very popular in Canada and other countries. Carling joined with other companies over the years. Today, its drinks are still sold across Canada.
  • Labatt Brewing Company also started in London, Ontario, in 1847. It grew to be a very big company. It is now owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev.
  • Moosehead Breweries in Saint John, New Brunswick, opened in 1867. It is the oldest and largest brewery in Canada that is still owned by the same family.

Modern Breweries

In recent years, many new and smaller breweries have opened. These are often called "craft breweries." They focus on making unique and special drinks.

  • Steam Whistle Brewing in Toronto, Ontario, started in 2000.
  • Collective Arts Brewing in Hamilton, Ontario, is known for its art on the labels.
  • Parallel 49 Brewing Company in Vancouver, British Columbia, started in 2012.

Many breweries have changed hands over the years. Some have merged with bigger companies. Others have closed down. But new ones keep opening, showing that the tradition of brewing is still strong in Canada.

Notable Breweries by Province

Many provinces have their own famous breweries.

Alberta

  • Big Rock Brewery in Calgary started in 1985.
  • Wild Rose Brewery also in Calgary, opened in 1996.

British Columbia

  • Granville Island Brewing in Vancouver started in 1984. It was bought by Molson in 2009.
  • Central City Brewers & Distillers in Surrey opened in 2003.
  • Columbia Brewery in Creston opened in 1898. It was bought by Labatt in 1974.

Manitoba

New Brunswick

  • Picaroons Traditional Ales operates in Fredericton and Saint John. It started in 1995 and is still making drinks today.

Nova Scotia

  • Oland Brewery in Halifax opened in 1907. It was sold to Labatt in 1971.

Ontario

  • Brick Brewing Company now known as Waterloo Brewing Company in Kitchener started in 1984.
  • Creemore Springs in Creemore opened in 1987. Molson bought it in 2005.
  • Sleeman Breweries in Guelph started again in 1988. The family had a brewing history since the 1830s. It is now owned by a Japanese company.
  • Mill Street Brewery in Toronto started in 2002. Labatt bought it in 2015.

Quebec

  • Unibroue in Chambly started in 1991. It is known for its special types of drinks.
  • Les Brasseurs du Nord in Blainville opened in 1987.
  • McAuslan Brewing in Montreal started in 1989.

Saskatchewan

Yukon


See also

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