Unibroue
Chambly, Quebec, Canada · Est. 1990
Tally's Take
Why this matters
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.
The Museum
Timeline
- 1990Founded
Unibroue begins brewing in Chambly, Quebec.
- 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 →Blanche de Chambly
Year-RoundBelgian-style wheat ale
Quebec master source id QC-B0001; added Pass 1.
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 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 Unibroue
- Who owns Unibroue?
- Unibroue is owned by Sapporo Holdings. Unibroue is based in Chambly, Quebec, 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, Quebec, Canada.
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