McAuslan Brewing

McAuslan Brewing is a Canadian brewery based in Montreal, Quebec. It opened in January 1989 and remains associated with the St-Henri borough, where its facility is located on St-Ambroise Street. The brewery forms part of Montreal’s modern craft-brewing history and operates in a market shaped by both independent brewing and large-scale provincial distribution systems. The company’s development included a significant expansion in 2002, when Moosehead Breweries Limited became a major, though not majority, shareholder. The investment supported the move into a new facility and helped McAuslan increase its brewing capacity. The brewery is reported to produce approximately 70,000 hectolitres of beer annually, placing it among the more substantial brewing operations associated with Quebec’s craft-beer sector. In June 2008, McAuslan and Les Brasseurs RJ announced a business partnership covering sales, marketing, and distribution. The arrangement applied to their respective brands in Quebec and in markets beyond the province, giving the two breweries a coordinated commercial platform while they remained distinct businesses. In April 2013, Les Brasseurs RJ purchased full control of McAuslan. Following the transaction, McAuslan’s founders departed the company, while the brewery continued operating under the McAuslan identity and at its Montreal location. McAuslan’s public-facing activities extend beyond packaged beer. The brewery offers regular facility tours and operates Centre St-Ambroise, a venue used for concerts by local independent bands. During the summer, Terrasse St-Ambroise opens behind the brewery beside the Lachine Canal bike path near the Côte-Saint-Paul locks. These facilities connect the brewery with Montreal’s neighbourhood, cycling, music, and tourism culture, giving the business a hospitality and community presence in addition to its manufacturing role. The brand’s positioning is therefore rooted in Montreal production, local cultural participation, and a broad beer portfolio rather than in a single narrowly defined product. Its ownership history illustrates the consolidation and commercial partnerships that have affected Canadian brewing: the business received outside investment from Moosehead, formed a distribution partnership with Les Brasseurs RJ, and ultimately became fully controlled by Les Brasseurs RJ. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate current chief executive, a stock-market listing, or an official standalone website URL for McAuslan Brewing.

McAuslan Brewing opened in Montreal in January 1989. It established its base on St-Ambroise Street in the St-Henri borough, an urban location that has remained central to the brewery’s identity. The company developed during the growth of Quebec’s independent and specialty-beer movement, while also operating within the province’s established commercial beer-distribution environment. A major change in the brewery’s operating scale occurred in 2002. Moosehead Breweries Limited became a major shareholder, although it did not obtain a majority position at that time. McAuslan subsequently expanded into a new facility, enabling the brewery to increase production. Reference material identifies annual output at approximately 70,000 hectolitres, indicating that the business grew beyond a small brewpub model while retaining its Montreal base. The brewery’s commercial relationships evolved further in 2008. In June of that year, McAuslan and Les Brasseurs RJ announced a business partnership focused specifically on sales, marketing, and distribution. The partnership covered each company’s brands in Quebec and in markets outside the province. This arrangement provided a shared commercial structure for two Quebec brewing businesses without immediately converting McAuslan into a subsidiary of Les Brasseurs RJ. That relationship culminated in a change of ownership. In April 2013, Les Brasseurs RJ purchased full control of McAuslan Brewing. The founders departed the company following the acquisition. The brewery nevertheless continued to operate under the McAuslan name and remained located on St-Ambroise Street in Montreal. The available reference does not identify a subsequent rebranding or closure, and describes the brewery as continuing production. McAuslan’s history also includes a substantial public and hospitality dimension. The facility hosts regular brewery tours, listed as taking place every Wednesday. Centre St-Ambroise provides a concert venue for local independent bands, while Terrasse St-Ambroise operates seasonally behind the brewery along the Lachine Canal bike path near the Côte-Saint-Paul locks. These activities make the brewery a visitor destination and a participant in Montreal’s local music and neighbourhood culture, in addition to its role as a beer producer. The company’s historical arc is consequently defined by four stages: its Montreal opening in 1989; capacity expansion associated with Moosehead’s minority investment in 2002; commercial cooperation with Les Brasseurs RJ in 2008; and full acquisition by Les Brasseurs RJ in 2013. Public reference material does not provide a complete chronology of individual product launches, current management, financial performance, or later ownership changes.

1. 2013Les Brasseurs RJ takes full control

   Les Brasseurs RJ purchased full control of McAuslan, and the brewery’s founders left following the transaction.

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2. 2008Commercial partnership with Les Brasseurs RJ

   McAuslan and Les Brasseurs RJ formed a partnership for sales, marketing, and distribution of their brands in Quebec and beyond.

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3. 2002Expansion follows Moosehead investment

   Moosehead Breweries Limited became a major but non-majority shareholder, after which McAuslan expanded into a new facility.

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4. 1989Brewery opens in Montreal

   McAuslan Brewing opened in January 1989 and established its headquarters in Montreal, Quebec.

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Montreal-based brewery with a craft-beer heritage, local cultural venues, and a broad production and distribution footprint in Quebec and Canada.

• St-Ambroise beer portfolioBeer

  The St-Ambroise portfolio is the brewery’s principal publicly associated beer family. It represents McAuslan’s Montreal identity and is connected to the brewery’s St-Ambroise Street location and visitor facilities. The supplied reference confirms the existence and importance of the brewery’s brand portfolio but does not provide a complete current list of individual St-Ambroise products or their launch dates.

• McAuslan beersBeer1989

  McAuslan produces beer under its corporate brewery identity and associated labels. Its operations include packaged and distributed beer production at a scale of approximately 70,000 hectolitres annually according to the reference material. Specific current varieties, formulas, and package formats are not documented in the supplied sources.

• 2013Sell full control to Les Brasseurs RJM&A

  After the 2008 commercial partnership, Les Brasseurs RJ moved to full ownership of McAuslan Brewing.

  What changed. Les Brasseurs RJ purchased full control of the brewery.

  Aftermath. McAuslan’s founders left the company, while the brewery continued operating under the McAuslan identity in Montreal.

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• 2008Create a joint commercial partnership with Les Brasseurs RJStrategy

  Both breweries sought a coordinated approach to commercializing their respective brands in Quebec and outside the province.

  What changed. McAuslan and Les Brasseurs RJ partnered on sales, marketing, and distribution.

  Aftermath. The partnership preceded Les Brasseurs RJ’s later purchase of full control of McAuslan.

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• 2002Expand brewing capacity after major shareholder investmentStrategy

  Moosehead Breweries Limited became a major but non-majority shareholder as McAuslan sought to increase its operating capacity.

  What changed. McAuslan expanded into a new brewing facility.

  Aftermath. The brewery continued operating from Montreal and later reported annual production of approximately 70,000 hectolitres.

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• 2013Les Brasseurs RJ purchases full control of McAuslan Brewing

  Les Brasseurs RJ acquired full control of McAuslan Brewing. The brewery’s founders left after the transaction.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 2008McAuslan and Les Brasseurs RJ announce sales, marketing, and distribution partnership

  The two Quebec breweries announced a partnership for sales, marketing, and distribution of their respective beer brands in Quebec and beyond.

  M&AOther
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1. McAuslan Brewing