was first premier of the Dominion of Canada in 1867, MOLSON'S ALE was then 81 years old!" Founded in 1786, the Molson Brewery is one of
the oldest breweries in North America and continues to produce
beer on the original brewery site. On May 2, 1782,
John Molson, age 18, left
England for
Canada, landing in
Montreal on June 26. Shortly after his arrival, he began working at the
Thomas Loyd brewery. In 1784, Molson sued Thomas Loyd for repayment of a debt. The result was Loyd admitted that he owed the debt and all of his brewery buildings were put up for auction. Around this time, Molson sensed the market potential for beer in the
British colony. Prices for
wine,
rum, and port were rising and an influx of English and Irish immigrants were particularly partial to beer. In January 1785, Molson used the money inherited from his parents to acquire what had been the Thomas Loyd brewery on the shores of the
St. Lawrence, just outside the fortifications of the burgeoning City of Montreal. In June 1785, he temporarily closed his business to cross the
Atlantic for modern equipment and ingredients. Upon his return, he offered the seeds free of charge to neighboring Montreal farmers, who agreed to grow them to satisfy the brewery's need for
malt. In 1786, just six weeks after taking the helm, Molson delivered his first brew, an
ale. Priced at five cents a bottle, his brew sold well. Molson took advantage of the many business opportunities available at the time. He quickly diversified his
investments, opened a
lumber yard, and began issuing
loans to local Montreal merchants. In 1816, the family enterprise began to take shape when founder John Molson entered into an association with his three sons,
John Jr.,
Thomas and
William. Although brewing proved to be Molson's most sustainable field of endeavour, other activities were added throughout the company's lengthy history. Molson was the first company to own and operate a fleet of
steamboats, Molson Brewery expanded the breadth of its corporate activities throughout the 20th century. In 1945, the family decided to transform the company into a public,
limited-liability enterprise. It then became possible to acquire ownership in the company without being a member of the Molson family. This made it possible for the company to expand into
lager and inaugurate a new brewery in
Toronto (near the
Canadian National Exhibition) in 1955. The Crown and Anchor brand of beer dates from this time. in the event, they agreed on a price of $262 million. In 1997, Molson sold for CAD$147 million their interest in
Reno-Depot to
Castorama. In 1999 they sold Beaver Lumber to
Home Hardware. In 2005, Molson merged with US-based
Coors to form
Molson Coors Brewing Company. This was followed in 2007 by the opening of a new brewery in
Moncton, New Brunswick. Sixth-generation family member
Eric Molson retired in 2009; however, his sons
Andrew and
Geoff Molson continue to be active in company affairs as members of the corporate
Board of Directors. On October 11, 2016,
SABMiller in the U.S. sold its interests (from the joint venture formed in the United States and
Puerto Rico) in
MillerCoors to
Molson Coors, who had been its partner in the joint venture, for around US$12 billion. Molson Coors gained full ownership of the
Miller brand portfolio outside of the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and retained the rights to all of the brands that were in the MillerCoors portfolio for the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In 2018, the company brewed and marketed a number of the most popular brands of beer in Canada. Domestic labels include
Molson Canadian,
Molson M,
Molson Export, Molson Dry, Molson Exel Dealcoholized beer,
Old Style Pilsner,
Rickard's, Creemore Springs, and
Granville Island Brewing. Through partnerships with other major brewers, Molson Coors Canada also offers beer brands, including
Coors Light,
Miller Genuine Draft,
Heineken,
Foster's Lager, and
Tiger. Molson employs 3,000 people in Canada and operates five breweries in locations across the country (
Chilliwack,
Toronto,
Montreal,
Moncton, and
St. John's), as well as former micro-breweries
Creemore Springs in Ontario and
Granville Island Brewing in
British Columbia. ==Operations==