Sleeman Breweries
A Canadian brewery revived from a family legacy dating to the 1830s.
Sleeman Breweries, now owned by a Japanese parent company, is Canada’s third-largest brewer. It was founded in 1988 in Guelph, Ontario, by John Warren Sleeman. The company brews its own Sleeman brands and also produces Stroh’s family of beers, Maclays Ale, and Sapporo Premium under licence for the Canadian market. Sapporo, the parent firm, holds 4.2 percent of The Beer Store, Ontario’s main beer retailer.
The business revives a family brewing tradition that began in the 1830s. The original Sleeman Breweries started in the 1850s and operated until 1933, when its licence was revoked for smuggling and tax evasion—a ban that lasted 50 years. John W. Sleeman relaunched the brewery in the 1980s using the original family recipes. In 2006, Sapporo Brewery bought Sleeman for $400 million; John W. Sleeman stayed as CEO until 2010, then became Chairman.
The family’s brewing history started with John H. Sleeman, born in Cornwall, England, in 1805. He moved to Upper Canada in 1834, settling in St. David’s (Niagara-on-the-Lake), where he founded the Stamford Spring Brewery in 1836. In 1847, he moved to Guelph and ran several breweries, including Hodgert’s Brewery and the Silver Creek Brewery, opened in 1851. His son George Sleeman joined as general manager in 1859 and became a partner in 1865. John H. died in 1893.
By 1890, George Sleeman had made Silver Creek Brewery a success, with sales across Ontario and Quebec. He incorporated it as the Sleeman Brewing and Malting Company Limited with family members. Heavy investments in his Guelph Street Railway Company led to the loss of the businesses to banks in 1905; he then opened Springbank Brewery. A year later, the banks sold the brewery back to him. The family ran breweries in Guelph, often successfully, until 1933.
Prohibition in Ontario began in 1916 with the Ontario Temperance Act, which eliminated the domestic market but allowed brewing for export. The Sleemans shipped beer to the US legally until the Volstead Act brought Prohibition there in 1920. Family members then worked with bootleggers to export beer to Michigan, evading taxes on illegal profits. Historian Micheal Matchett suggests the US contact was Rocco Perri, often called the “Al Capone of Canada,” rather than Al Capone himself, as John W. Sleeman hinted. Perri had ties to Guelph’s Italian community.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 1984
- Founder
- John W. Sleeman
- Hq Location City
- Guelph, Ontario
- Hq Location Country
- Canada
- Industry
- Alcoholic drink
- Products
- Beer
- Production
- 1,200,000 hl
- Parent
- Sapporo Brewery / (2006–present)
- Subsidiaries
- The Beer Store (4.2%)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Sleeman family brewing tradition began in 1836 when John H. Sleeman founded the Stamford Spring Brewery in St. David's (Niagara-on-the-Lake). After moving to Guelph, he opened the Silver Creek Brewery in 1851. His son George Sleeman achieved great success by 1890, incorporating the Sleeman Brewing and Malting Company Limited. However, due to excessive investments in his Guelph Street Railway Company, George lost the businesses to banks in 1905, though he later reopened the Springbank Brewery and the banks sold the brewery back to him. The family operated breweries in Guelph until 1933.
Prohibition in Ontario began in 1916, but the law allowed brewing for export. The Sleemans shipped beer to the US legally until the Volstead Act brought Prohibition there in 1920. The family then worked with bootleggers to export beer to Michigan, paying no taxes on illegally gained profits. Some sources hint at involvement with Al Capone, but historian Micheal Matchett suggests the US contact was actually Rocco Perri, often called the 'Al Capone of Canada.' In 1933, charges were laid for smuggling and non-payment of taxes, and the family's license was revoked for 50 years, ending their enterprise.
Five decades later, in 1984, John W. Sleeman acquired the book of family beer recipes from his aunt Florian. He incorporated the new Sleeman Brewing and Malting Co. Ltd. in Guelph and began producing beer in 1988 with backing from Stroh Brewery Company, a loan from a Detroit bank, and about $500,000 of his own money. The company flourished. In 2006, Sapporo Breweries purchased Sleeman for $400 million; John W. Sleeman remained as CEO until 2010, then became Chairman.
Reader's Guide
Sleeman Breweries represents a notable revival of a family brewing tradition that dates back to the 1830s. The company's history includes both early success under George Sleeman and a dramatic downfall due to smuggling and tax evasion during Prohibition, resulting in a 50-year license revocation. The re-establishment by John W. Sleeman in 1988 using original family recipes marked a significant comeback, making the company the third-largest brewer in Canada. Its acquisition by Sapporo Brewery in 2006 for $400 million integrated it into a global portfolio while maintaining its Canadian identity. Sleeman's operations span three cities—Guelph, Ontario; Chambly, Quebec; and Vernon, British Columbia—where it brews its own brands as well as licensed products including Sapporo Premium, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Old Milwaukee. The company has grown through acquisitions of regional breweries such as Okanagan Spring, Upper Canada Brewing, Unibroue, and Wild Rose Brewery. Its ownership of a 2% stake in The Beer Store further ties it to Ontario's beer retail landscape. The brand's use of clear bottles and its connection to a pre-Prohibition family legacy remain distinctive elements of its market presence.
Did You Know?
- The original Sleeman Breweries lost its licence in 1933 due to smuggling and tax evasion, with the family's license revoked for 50 years.
- John W. Sleeman re-established the brewery in the 1980s using the original company recipes from his aunt Florian.
- Sleeman Breweries was purchased by Sapporo Brewery in 2006 for $400 million.
- The company owns a 2% stake in The Beer Store, Ontario's primary beer retailer.
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