The long-time standing beer, Molson Pilsner, is an old style Pilsner created in the pilsner style and has been brewed in Canada since 1926. What beer lovers might not know is the actual history behind its origin. While it has been known to be associated with the province of Saskatchewan, the beer actually started in southern Alberta.

“Over time, it really has become associated with Saskatchewan,” said Belinda Crowson, president of the Lethbridge Historical Society. “And so there’s a need to remind people that it has a longer history than that.”

Fritz Sick, grandfather of the Molson Pilsner, moved to Lethbridge in 1901 from Germany.

Since he had so much experience in the brewing industry, he began Alberta Brewing and Malting Co. and brewed Alberta’s Pride.

“You need the beer, which is grown locally, you need good, clean water, which we have here, and you need skilled people, which [Fritz] certainly was,” Crowson said.

When prohibition hit Alberta in 1916, Sick actually expanded his business and bought more breweries. He changed the name to Associated Breweries of Canada Ltd.

“He made this big fanfare,” said Crowson. “It was this beer that he had wanted to bring around for a very long time but he couldn’t introduce it until after prohibition was over.

“He said that the other breweries just didn’t care about their customers as much as he did, and they just didn’t have as much knowledge or experience.”

For the full history of the Molson Pilsner, click here.

Photos courtesy of Galt Museum and Archives