Early 1600's
Europeans who settle in Canada bring brewing knowledge with them.
1668
First commercial brewery opened in Quebec City.
1786
John Molson founded Molson Brewery in Montreal, QC.
1820
Alexander Keith’s opens in Halifax, NS.
1840
Carling brewery opens in London, ON.
1842
On July 6th, a patent was issued by the Canadian Government to George Riley of Kington, Ontario for an “improved method of brewing ale, beer, porter and other malt liquors.”
1847
Labatt Brewing Company opens in London, ON.
1856
New Brunswick enacts a Provincial Prohibition on Alcohol. It is repealed the same year.
1867
Susannah Oland opens Oland Brewery in Halifax, NS.
1891
O’Keefe’s opens in Toronto, ON.
1901
Prince Edward Island enacts a Provincial Prohibition on alcohol.
1915
Saskatchewan enacts a Provincial Prohibition on alcohol.
1916
Alberta and Manitoba follow with provincial prohibitions on alcohol.
*It is debated whether Ontario’s prohibition began this year, or ever did happen. Ontario made wines were legal in the province.
1917
British Columbia and Newfoundland (not yet a part of Canada) ban alcohol. New Brunswick enacts a prohibition on alcohol for the second time.
1918
Yukon bans alcohol.
1919
Quebec prohibits the production and sale of alcohol.
1921
Nova Scotia is the last province to prohibit alcohol.
1927
By the end of 1927, all provinces have repealed prohibition on alcohol, while some dry counties still exist across the country.
1961
The "stubby" beer bottle is introduced in Canada and becomes the standard for bottled beer in the country.
1964
A number of breweries in Quebec increased the amount of cobalt sulphide in their beer to increase head retention. It resulted in the death of 20 people.
1983
Strange Brew, a comedy starring Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis as two brothers who get jobs at a Canadian brewery on their quest for free beer, is released. It soon becomes a cult classic in Canada.
1984
Canada’s first microbrewery, Granville Island Brewing, opens in Vancouver.
1990
Unibroue opened in Quebec, focusing on Belgian style beers.
1993
Molson & Labatt go to war over "Ice Beers". Both breweries claimed to have released the first Ice Beer in Canada.
*Ice Beers are made with a process of brewing at lower temperatures to make proteins and tannins precipitate at a faster rate.
1997
Two mircobreweries open in Halifax, NS - Garrison Brewing & Propeller Brewing Co.
2000
Molson releases their now famous "I Am Canadian" television advertisement, starring "Joe".
2012
Gerard Comeau was stopped and charged by RCMP while bringing beer back to his home province of Quebec which he purchased in New Brunswick. The charges sparked a nationwide debate about free trade across provinces and cross border beer shopping.
2018
Radical Road Brewing in Toronto, ON is the first Canadian brewery to brew beer with hop extraction technology.
The ultimate source for homebrewing supplies in Canada, BrewHQ, launches.
