Boswell Brewery / Boswell and Brother
Québec City, Quebec, Canada · Est. 1844
Tally's Take
Why this matters
The hinge in the longest chain in this archive. Joseph Knight Boswell opened his own brewery in 1844 and in 1852 moved onto the site of Jean Talon's 1668 Brasserie du Roy — 184 years after the Intendant of New France put a brewery there. The business later traded as Boswell and Brother, then joined National Breweries, which in 1952 became Dow Brewery Limited. Which is to say: from the King's Brewery of New France to the brand that collapsed after the 1966 Québec City cases, it is one continuous thread of ground, and this record is where it turns.
The Museum
Timeline
- 1844Boswell opens his own brewery
After the leased Anchor Brewery of 1842.
- 1852Moves to the former Talon site
The 1668 Brasserie du Roy ground.
- 1909Joins National Breweries
Which became Dow Brewery Limited in 1952.
Follow the money
How it changed hands
1 recorded move- 1844Founded
- 1909Joins National Breweries
Which became Dow Brewery Limited in 1952.
No current parent in the archive's records — the moves above are history, not present ownership.
Show your working
Sources
- recordProbable
Brewery record taken from Tally's Quebec master, Pass 83, which cited https://www.patrimoine-culturel.gouv.qc.ca/detail.do?id=104017&methode=consulter&type=bien for this entry. The cited page has not been opened by the archive.
Tally's Quebec master, Pass 83 (research workbook) · Tally's Beer Universe research workbook · 2026
CommercialMedium reliabilityAccessed 2026-08-19Reviewed 2026-08-19 - historyProbable
Dated evidence as recorded in Quebec Pass 83: 1844, 1852, 1909.
Tally's Quebec master, Pass 83 (research workbook) · Tally's Beer Universe research workbook · 2026
CommercialMedium reliabilityAccessed 2026-08-19Reviewed 2026-08-19
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 Boswell Brewery / Boswell and Brother
- Is Boswell Brewery / Boswell and Brother still open?
- No. Boswell Brewery / Boswell and Brother has closed. Quebec Pass 83. Quebec cultural-heritage register states Joseph Knight Boswell opened his own brewery in 1844, moved to the former Talon brewery site in 1852, and the business later became Boswell and Brother before joining National Breweries.
- When was Boswell Brewery / Boswell and Brother founded?
- Boswell Brewery / Boswell and Brother was founded in 1844 in Québec City, Quebec, Canada.
Drinking Boswell Brewery / Boswell and Brother? Stamp it in your passport.
Discover it here — collect it in the Passport. Track every beer, earn stamps, and build your own beer passport.
Every brewery deserves its full story told.
If you're the owner or team behind Boswell Brewery / Boswell and Brother, we'll build out your complete profile — history, the people, every beer — and feature you in a Tally's documentary. No cost, just your story.