Alexander Keith's Brewery
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada · Est. 1820
Tally's Take
Why this matters
Brewing in Halifax since 1820, which makes it older than Canada by forty-seven years, and Alexander Keith himself was three times mayor of the city. Nova Scotians drink it on his birthday. The complication is that the decisions have been made in Leuven since AB InBev absorbed Labatt: a brewery whose entire marketing rests on two centuries of Halifax identity, owned by the largest brewer on earth. That tension is the whole reason this archive tracks ownership.
The Museum
Timeline
- 1820Founded
Alexander Keith's Brewery established in Halifax, Nova Scotia by Alexander Keith.
- 1836Expansion
Expanded operations with the construction of a new multi-storey stone brewery on Hollis Street in Halifax.
- 1928Acquired
Sold to Oland Brewery, subsequently integrating into larger national brewing conglomerates over the following decades.
The People
Behind the beer
Legendary historic brewery established in downtown Halifax.
The Beer Library
Beers
Alexander Keith's IPA
Year-RoundPale Ale
Founded in Halifax by a Scotsman who became the city's mayor three times. Every year on his birthday, people still leave beer on his grave. That is a legacy.
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How it changed hands
1 recorded move- 1820Founded
- 1928Acquired
Sold to Oland Brewery, subsequently integrating into larger national brewing conglomerates over the following decades.
Today the chain tops out at Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Show your working
Sources
- controlConfirmed
Alexander Keith's Brewery is controlled by Founder / family.
Anheuser-Busch InBev — SEC filing · U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission · 2026-02
PrimaryHigh reliabilityAccessed 2026-08-05Reviewed 2026-08-05
Only the claims above are sourced. Everything else on this page is the archive's own research and has not yet been tied to a document — which is worth knowing rather than hiding.
Straight answers
Common questions about Alexander Keith's Brewery
- Who owns Alexander Keith's Brewery?
- Alexander Keith's Brewery is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev. Alexander Keith's Brewery is based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
- Is Alexander Keith's Brewery still independent?
- No. Alexander Keith's Brewery is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev and is no longer independent.
- When was Alexander Keith's Brewery acquired?
- 1928. Sold to Oland Brewery, subsequently integrating into larger national brewing conglomerates over the following decades.
- When was Alexander Keith's Brewery founded?
- Alexander Keith's Brewery was founded in 1820 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
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