Dow Breweries
Encyclopedia
Dow Breweries was a brewing company based in Quebec
, Canada. It was formed in 1952 in the facilities formerly used by the Boswell Brewery (1843–1952) in Quebec City
. It was acquired by Carling O'Keefe
and stopped its activities on March 31, 1966. After purchasing Carling O'Keefe, the Dow brand came under the ownership of Molson
, but disappeared from the Canadian market in the spring of 1997. Brands brewed by Dow included Dow Ale, Kingsbeer Lager and Black Horse Ale.
At the urging of Board president and academic Pierre Gendron
, Dow Breweries supported the construction of the Montreal Planetarium
, originally calling it "Dow Planetarium". It was completed in 1966 as one of many projects for the Canadian Centennial
.
. Over the next 8 months 50 more cases with similar findings appeared in the same area with 20 of these being fatal. It was noted that all patients were heavy drinkers who mostly drank beer and preferred the Dow brand, consuming an average of 24 pints of alcohol per day. Epidemological studies found that Dow had been adding cobalt
sulfate to the beer for foam stability since July 1965 and that the concentration added in the Quebec city brewery was 10 times that of the same beer brewed in Montreal
where there were no reported cases .
Although Dow denied any responsibility, the Dow Brewery in Quebec City temporarily shut down and the remaining beer was dumped into the Saint Lawrence River
. At the time of the incident, Dow Ale was the number one selling beer in Quebec, however, as a result of the "tainted beer scandal" sales of the brand soon dropped dramatically never to recover.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada. It was formed in 1952 in the facilities formerly used by the Boswell Brewery (1843–1952) in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. It was acquired by Carling O'Keefe
Carling O'Keefe
Carling O'Keefe originated from Canadian Breweries Limited which was the first brewing conglomerate in Canada and is now owned by Molson Coors Brewing Company.-Carling 1840-1930:...
and stopped its activities on March 31, 1966. After purchasing Carling O'Keefe, the Dow brand came under the ownership of Molson
Molson
Molson-Coors Canada Inc. is the Canadian division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Molson Coors Brewing Company. It is the second oldest company in Canada after the Hudson's Bay Company. Molson's first brewery was located on the St...
, but disappeared from the Canadian market in the spring of 1997. Brands brewed by Dow included Dow Ale, Kingsbeer Lager and Black Horse Ale.
At the urging of Board president and academic Pierre Gendron
Pierre Gendron
Pierre Raoul Gendron, was a Canadian academic who was the first dean of the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences at the University of Ottawa from 1953 until 1962....
, Dow Breweries supported the construction of the Montreal Planetarium
Montreal Planetarium
The Montreal Planetarium is a public planetarium located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the oldest surviving public planetarium in Canada. It is also Canada's largest, with a seating capacity of approximately 375.-History:The planetarium was opened in advance of Expo 67, located at 1000 Saint...
, originally calling it "Dow Planetarium". It was completed in 1966 as one of many projects for the Canadian Centennial
Canadian Centennial
The Canadian Centennial was a year long celebration held in 1967 when Canada celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Celebrations occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1. 1967 coins were different from previous years' issues, with animals on each...
.
Downfall of the brewery
In August 1965, a patient presented to a hospital in Quebec City with symptoms suggestive of alcoholic cardiomyopathyAlcoholic cardiomyopathy
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a disease in which the chronic long-term abuse of alcohol leads to heart failure. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a type of dilated cardiomyopathy. Due to the direct toxic effects of alcohol on heart muscle, the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently, leading to heart...
. Over the next 8 months 50 more cases with similar findings appeared in the same area with 20 of these being fatal. It was noted that all patients were heavy drinkers who mostly drank beer and preferred the Dow brand, consuming an average of 24 pints of alcohol per day. Epidemological studies found that Dow had been adding cobalt
Cobalt
Cobalt is a chemical element with symbol Co and atomic number 27. It is found naturally only in chemically combined form. The free element, produced by reductive smelting, is a hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal....
sulfate to the beer for foam stability since July 1965 and that the concentration added in the Quebec city brewery was 10 times that of the same beer brewed in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
where there were no reported cases .
Although Dow denied any responsibility, the Dow Brewery in Quebec City temporarily shut down and the remaining beer was dumped into the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
. At the time of the incident, Dow Ale was the number one selling beer in Quebec, however, as a result of the "tainted beer scandal" sales of the brand soon dropped dramatically never to recover.