Archive record · Brewery
Unibroue
Chambly, Quebec, Canada
- Founded
- 1990
- Archive ID
- TB-PFKZ4VA8
- Last checked
- 2026-09-24
Who owns this brewery?
The direct owner is recorded. No company is held above it.
- UnibroueThis brewery
- Sapporo HoldingsConglomerate
From the record
Summary
Iconic Quebec pioneer of Belgian-style bottle-conditioned ales. Bought by Sleeman in 2004, transferring ownership to Sapporo. Official brewery site describes Unibroue as based in Chambly and brewing since 1992.
A summary written during research. The sourced facts are in the sections below.
Tally’s Take
They built a Belgian brewing tradition in Quebec from nothing in 1990, then sold to Sleeman in 2004 and on to Sapporo. The beers are still exceptional. The ownership is Japanese.
Ownership & corporate history
- Owned by Sleeman Breweries Ltd.2004
Partly settledCurrent evidence supports this, but the record is not fully resolved.
What the sources say
Unibroue states Sleeman bought the brewery in 2004; current Sleeman history continues to list Unibroue in its acquisition history.
Ownership history is kept as dated events, so a change of owner never overwrites the one before it.
The Museum
Timeline
- 1990Founded
Unibroue begins brewing in Chambly, Quebec.
- 1991Massawippi and Unibroue merge
André Dion "and Serge Racine became majority shareholders of Brasserie Massawippi in Lennoxville" (1990); "1991 The beginning The Massawippi brewery and Unibroue merge. It is at this time that Gino Vantieghem, a young Belgian brewmaster, is hired." The company counts itself "Proudly brewed in Chambly since 1992"; Wikipedia says 1993. All three years kept.
- 1992Blanche de Chambly, and Robert Charlebois
"Unibroue made history with the launch of Blanche de Chambly. It was the first white beer in North America brewed in the Belgian tradition and refermented in the bottle. That's when popular singer Robert Charlebois became a partner of Unibroue." La Maudite followed that fall, "the first strong beer in Canada"; La Fin du Monde in 1994.
- 2004Acquired
Bought by Sleeman in 2004, transferring ownership to Sapporo.
The People
Behind the beer
Iconic Quebec brewery specializing in Belgian-style ales.
The Beer Library
Beers
La Fin du Monde
Year-RoundTripel
'The End of the World' — named for the explorers who thought reaching Quebec meant reaching exactly that. This Quebec tripel has won more international medals than most countries.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Maudite
Year-RoundBelgian Strong Dark Ale
Named for the legend of the chasse-galerie — voyageurs who made a deal with the devil for a flying canoe. Unibroue built a Belgian brewing tradition in Quebec from nothing in 1990.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Trois Pistoles
Year-RoundBelgian Strong Dark Ale
Dark, port-like and named for a Quebec village. Along with Maudite and La Fin du Monde it convinced North America that Belgian-style ale did not have to come from Belgium.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Follow the money
How it changed hands
1 recorded move- 1990Founded
- 2004Acquired
Bought by Sleeman in 2004, transferring ownership to Sapporo.
Today the chain tops out at Sapporo Holdings.
Show your working
Sources
- controlConfirmed
Unibroue is controlled by Public company.
Sapporo Holdings Fact Book · Sapporo Holdings · 2025-06
BreweryHigh reliabilitySource accessed 2026-08-05Brewery-statedClaim last checked 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 Unibroue
- Who owns Unibroue?
- Unibroue is owned by Sapporo Holdings. Unibroue is based in Chambly, Canada.
- Is Unibroue still independent?
- No. Unibroue is owned by Sapporo Holdings and is no longer independent.
- When was Unibroue acquired?
- 2004. Bought by Sleeman in 2004, transferring ownership to Sapporo.
- When was Unibroue founded?
- Unibroue was founded in 1990 in Chambly, Canada.
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