Souris Breweries Ltd.

Status: CLOSED. Dominion Bureau of Statistics lists Souris Breweries Ltd., Estevan, among Saskatchewan breweries operating in 1928. The R.L. Sweet Breweriana Collection specifically preserves a Souris Brewing file dated 1928-1932. [Canada Pass 26]

A summary written during research. The sourced facts are in the sections below.

1. 1927
   Incorporated October 1927 — Krivel and Pitzl

   "This Joint Stock Company was incorporated in Oct 1927 with $180,000 capital"; its promoters were Jake Krivel, owner of the Krivel Hotel in Estevan and a director in 1932, and "the brewer Mathias 'Matthew' 'Math' Pitzl from Munich MN". An August 1927 report had a new 100 by 125 ft concrete, tile and brick building to turn out 100 barrels a day, to cost $100,000; another account has Pitzl moving his Munich, Minnesota brewery to Estevan by train. Both kept (a family-history compilation of newspaper items).

2. 1928
   Pitzl's Beer, 'the Best Beer in the West'

   Operating from April 1928. "They produced a beer called 'Pitzl's Beer', slogan 'the Best Beer in the West'"; labels also show Old Style Beer. The compiler believes the plant was the town's old power plant at 814 6th Street (built about 1911) — a belief, not established.

3. 1932
   Alkali in the water; the plant goes to Great Falls

   "The plant closed when it was discovered the water was contaminated with alkali Salts." In September 1932 the Western Trust Company, Regina, was taking bids on the buildings and equipment; the same page says the plant "was moved to Great Falls Montana" in June 1933. Labels end in 1932. Both dates kept.