Alexander Keith's
Encyclopedia
Alexander Keith's is a Canadian
brewery
founded in 1820 in Halifax
, Nova Scotia
making it one of the oldest commercial breweries in all of North America. It was founded by Alexander Keith
who emigrated from Scotland
in 1817. Today, the brewery is under the control of Labatt, a subsidiary of Anheuser–Busch InBev
, formerly Interbrew
. The brewery also produces Oland Brewery
beers, distributed in Eastern Canada.
In April 2011, Alexander Keith's began selling beer in the United States
after nearly two centuries of being available in Canada alone.
Keith's brewery produces Keith's India Pale Ale, Keith's Red Amber Ale, Keith's Premium White, Keith's Light Ale, and Keith's Dark Ale previously known as Stag's Head Stout for Canadian markets, and Keith's Nova Scotia Style Pale Ale, Keith's Nova Scotia Style Lager, and Keith's Nova Scotia Style Brown Ale for US markets. Keith's first, most popular, and most widely distributed beer is its India Pale Ale
. Keith's has also produced Keith's Ambrosia Blonde, Keith's Harvest Ale, and Keith's Tartan Ale as seasonal brews. Originally brewed in the Halifax brewery, Keith's expanded production to other breweries as well, and is now produced in Ontario (London), Quebec (Montreal), Newfoundland (St. John's), and British Columbia (Creston), in addition to the original Halifax brewery which now produces beer for all of the Maritime provinces.
heritage are used to market the beer. In 2002, the mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Peter Kelly, included an invitation to visit Halifax in each case of beer.
In the mid-2000s, Keiths ran a series of television adverts showing a beer-obsessed Scotsman, sporting mutton-chops and wearing a thick grey wool sweater and kilt. This character warned other bar patrons in an exaggerated Scottish brogue that they should not spill a drop of their Alexander Keith's ale. However the commercials were pulled after the actor, Robert Norman Smith, was arrested for child pornography in February 2006, of which he was later convicted and sentenced to 21 months in jail.
: the alcohol percentage is too low (5% ABV
vs. the expected 5.5% to 6.5%), as is the level of bittering hops
(less than 20 IBU vs. the expected 40-100). It also lacks the fruitiness and heavier body found in most ale
s. Keith's was marketed as an India Pale Ale long before the IPA style gained popularity in craft brewing circles as a revived historic beer style. This has allowed Keith’s to effectively grandfather the India Pale Ale name in without meeting the current IPA standards.
Despite (or perhaps as a result of) its lack of resemblance to the current IPA
standard, Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale continues to be Nova Scotia's most popular beer and the number one specialty beer in markets across Canada.
with the slogan "Stout need not be heavy." As heaviness is a prime factor in the stout classification it was widely panned by critics for not meeting the accepted standards of a true stout. As a result Keith’s decided to rebrand the brew as Dark Ale, a name that better reflects its dark character without the stout standard to meet.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
founded in 1820 in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
making it one of the oldest commercial breweries in all of North America. It was founded by Alexander Keith
Alexander Keith
Alexander Keith was a Scottish born-Canadian politician, Freemason and brewer. He was mayor of the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, a Conservative member of the provincial legislature, and the founder of the Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Brewery.-Biography:Keith was born in Halkirk, Caithness,...
who emigrated from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1817. Today, the brewery is under the control of Labatt, a subsidiary of Anheuser–Busch InBev
Anheuser–Busch InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev N.V. is a Belgian-Brazilian publicly-traded company, based in Leuven, Belgium. It is the largest global brewer with nearly 25% global market share and one of the world's top five consumer products companies by EBITA....
, formerly Interbrew
Interbrew
Interbrew was a large Belgium-based brewing company which owned many internationally known beers, as well as some smaller local beers. In 2004 Interbrew merged with Brazilian brewer AmBev to form InBev, which is the now largest brewer in the world by volume, with a 13% global market share now...
. The brewery also produces Oland Brewery
Oland Brewery
Oland Brewery is a brewing company in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and a unit of Labatt Brewing Company, itself a unit of InBev.The Oland family, which formerly owned Oland Brewery, has been active in public life in Nova Scotia. Victor de Bedia Oland was lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia from...
beers, distributed in Eastern Canada.
In April 2011, Alexander Keith's began selling beer in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after nearly two centuries of being available in Canada alone.
Keith's brewery produces Keith's India Pale Ale, Keith's Red Amber Ale, Keith's Premium White, Keith's Light Ale, and Keith's Dark Ale previously known as Stag's Head Stout for Canadian markets, and Keith's Nova Scotia Style Pale Ale, Keith's Nova Scotia Style Lager, and Keith's Nova Scotia Style Brown Ale for US markets. Keith's first, most popular, and most widely distributed beer is its India Pale Ale
India Pale Ale
India Pale Ale or IPA is a style of beer within the broader category of pale ale. It was first brewed in England in the 19th century.The first known use of the expression "India pale ale" comes from an advertisement in the Liverpool Mercury newspaper published January 30, 1835...
. Keith's has also produced Keith's Ambrosia Blonde, Keith's Harvest Ale, and Keith's Tartan Ale as seasonal brews. Originally brewed in the Halifax brewery, Keith's expanded production to other breweries as well, and is now produced in Ontario (London), Quebec (Montreal), Newfoundland (St. John's), and British Columbia (Creston), in addition to the original Halifax brewery which now produces beer for all of the Maritime provinces.
Advertising
Alexander Keith's career as a politician, and the brewery's and Nova Scotia's ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
heritage are used to market the beer. In 2002, the mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Peter Kelly, included an invitation to visit Halifax in each case of beer.
In the mid-2000s, Keiths ran a series of television adverts showing a beer-obsessed Scotsman, sporting mutton-chops and wearing a thick grey wool sweater and kilt. This character warned other bar patrons in an exaggerated Scottish brogue that they should not spill a drop of their Alexander Keith's ale. However the commercials were pulled after the actor, Robert Norman Smith, was arrested for child pornography in February 2006, of which he was later convicted and sentenced to 21 months in jail.
Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale
Many beer aficionados are quick to note that Keith's India Pale Ale lacks most of the qualities usually associated with the IPA styleIndia Pale Ale
India Pale Ale or IPA is a style of beer within the broader category of pale ale. It was first brewed in England in the 19th century.The first known use of the expression "India pale ale" comes from an advertisement in the Liverpool Mercury newspaper published January 30, 1835...
: the alcohol percentage is too low (5% ABV
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
vs. the expected 5.5% to 6.5%), as is the level of bittering hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
(less than 20 IBU vs. the expected 40-100). It also lacks the fruitiness and heavier body found in most ale
Ale
Ale is a type of beer brewed from malted barley using a warm fermentation with a strain of brewers' yeast. The yeast will ferment the beer quickly, giving it a sweet, full bodied and fruity taste...
s. Keith's was marketed as an India Pale Ale long before the IPA style gained popularity in craft brewing circles as a revived historic beer style. This has allowed Keith’s to effectively grandfather the India Pale Ale name in without meeting the current IPA standards.
Despite (or perhaps as a result of) its lack of resemblance to the current IPA
India Pale Ale
India Pale Ale or IPA is a style of beer within the broader category of pale ale. It was first brewed in England in the 19th century.The first known use of the expression "India pale ale" comes from an advertisement in the Liverpool Mercury newspaper published January 30, 1835...
standard, Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale continues to be Nova Scotia's most popular beer and the number one specialty beer in markets across Canada.
Alexander Keith's Stag's Head Stout
The issue of authenticity also arose when Keith's Stag’s Head Stout was released. Keith's Stag’s Head Stout was marketed as a "light" stoutStout
Stout is a dark beer made using roasted malt or barley, hops, water and yeast. Stouts were traditionally the generic term for the strongest or stoutest porters, typically 7% or 8%, produced by a brewery....
with the slogan "Stout need not be heavy." As heaviness is a prime factor in the stout classification it was widely panned by critics for not meeting the accepted standards of a true stout. As a result Keith’s decided to rebrand the brew as Dark Ale, a name that better reflects its dark character without the stout standard to meet.