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{{Short description|Japanese-owned Canadian brewery}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = Sleeman Breweries Ltd.
| logo             = Sleeman.svg
| logo_size        = 250px
| type             = [[Subsidiary]]
| predecessor      = 
| successor        = 
| foundation       = [[List of Oldest Breweries of Canada|1984]]
| founder          = John W. Sleeman
| defunct          = 
| location_city    = [[Guelph]], [[Ontario]]
| location_country = Canada
| locations        = 
| area_served      = 
| key_people       = 
| industry         = [[Alcoholic drink]] 
| products         = [[Beer]] 
| production       = 1,200,000 [[Hectolitre|hl]]
| revenue          = 
| num_employees    = 
| parent           = [[Sapporo Brewery]]<br/>(2006–present)
| divisions        = 
| subsid           = [[The Beer Store]] (4.2%)<ref name=“thebeerstore.ca”>{{cite web |title=THE BEER STORE OPERATIONS REPORT 2017 |url=http://www.thebeerstore.ca/sites/default/files/Operational%20Report/OpsReport2017-Final-secured.pdf |website=The Beer Store |access-date=27 October 2018 |page=57}}</ref>
| homepage         = {{URL|http://www.sleeman.ca/}}
| footnotes        = 
}}
[[File:2023 Beer Store Waterdown Laslovarga (5).jpg|thumb|300px|Sleeman delivery truck in Waterdown]]
'''Sleeman Breweries''' is a Japanese-owned Canadian [[brewery]] founded by John Warren Sleeman in [[List of Oldest Breweries of Canada|1988]] in [[Guelph]], Ontario. The company is the third-largest brewing company in Canada. Along with its own Sleeman brands, the company produces under licence the [[Stroh Brewing Company|Stroh's]] family of brands, Maclays Ale and Sapporo Premium beers for sale in Canada. The company's parent Sapporo owns 4.2 per cent<ref name=“thebeerstore.ca”/> of Ontario's primary beer retailer [[The Beer Store]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Harrison |first=Derek |date=6 March 2015 |title=What's Wrong With the Beer Store? |url=http://www.windsorindependent.com/what%E2%80%99s-wrong-with-the-beer-store/ |newspaper=Windsor Independent |location=Windsor, Ontario |access-date=24 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220201230/http://www.windsorindependent.com/what%E2%80%99s-wrong-with-the-beer-store/|archive-date=February 20, 2017}}</ref> 

The company is the re-establishment of a line of brewing companies owned by the Sleeman family dating back to the 1830s. The original Sleeman Breweries was established in the 1850s and operated until it lost its licence due to smuggling and tax evasion, for 50 years, in 1933.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foodserviceandhospitality.com/oh-canada-profile-sleeman-breweries/ |title=Oh Canada Profile: Sleeman Breweries  |date=30 June 2017 |publisher=Foodservice and Hospitality magazine |access-date=16 January 2020 |quote=}}</ref>

John W. Sleeman re-established the brewery in the 1980s using the original company recipes. In 2006, Sleeman Breweries was purchased by [[Sapporo Brewery]] for {{CAD|400}}&nbsp;million.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/sapporo-acquisition-of-sleeman-on-tap-1.578154 |title=CBC News - Money - Sapporo acquisition of Sleeman on tap |publisher=cbc.ca |access-date=2010-04-04 |date=August 11, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202044759/http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2006/08/11/sapporo-sleeman.html |archive-date=December 2, 2008 }}</ref> John W. Sleeman remained as CEO until 2010 when he relinquished that role and was made Chairman of the company.<ref>{{cite news |last=Blackwell |first=Richard |date=30 August 2012 |title=Brewing a Recipe for Success |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/careers-leadership/brewing-a-recipe-for-success/article573391/ |newspaper= The Globe and Mail|location=Toronto |access-date=25 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220201439/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/careers-leadership/brewing-a-recipe-for-success/article573391/|archive-date=February 20, 2017}}</ref>

==History==
John H. Sleeman was born in [[Cornwall]], [[England]], in 1805 and came to [[Upper Canada]] (present day [[Ontario]]) in 1834, first settling in [[St. David's, Ontario|St. David's]] (Niagara-on-the-Lake) where he founded the Stamford Spring Brewery in 1836. He and his family moved to [[Guelph, Ontario|Guelph]] in 1847 where they operated a series of breweries including the Hodgert’s Brewery, and the Silver Creek Brewery, which he opened in 1851. His son [[George Sleeman]] joined the company in 1859 as general manager and was named a partner in 1865.<ref name=GPL>{{Cite web |url=https://www.guelphpl.ca/archives/famous_person.cfm?id=33 |title=GPL |website=guelphpl.ca |publisher=Guelph Public Library |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220203204/https://www.guelphpl.ca/archives/famous_person.cfm?id=33 |archive-date=February 20, 2017 |access-date=February 20, 2017}}</ref> John H. died in 1893.

By 1890, George Sleeman had achieved great success with Silver Creek Brewery which had sales in Ontario and [[Quebec]]. He incorporated it into the Sleeman Brewing and Malting Company Limited with members of his immediate family. Due to excessive investments in his Guelph Street Railway Company, he lost the businesses to the banks in 1905; he then opened the Springbank Brewery. A year later the banks sold the brewery back to Sleeman.<ref name=GPL/> The family subsequently operated breweries in Guelph, often with success, until 1933.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=The Manor is a monument to Guelph's history and much more |url=http://m.guelphmercury.com/news-story/2764311-the-manor-is-a-monument-to-guelph-s-history-and-much-more |newspaper=Guelph Mercury |location=Guelph |date=15 January 2011 |access-date=24 January 2011}}</ref>{{efn|They were involved in smuggling during the American prohibition as well as the Canadian prohibition, said Sleeman.}}

[[Prohibition in Canada]] had an effect on the business. In Ontario, prohibition started in 1916 with the passing of the ''[[Ontario Temperance Act]]'' by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. While that eliminated the domestic market, the law allowed for brewing for export, so the Sleemans continued to do so, shipping their products to the US. This was perfectly legal until 1920 when the ''Volstead Act'' led to [[Prohibition in the United States]] as well. The Sleeman family (including younger members) subsequently worked with bootleggers to export their beer to Michigan, paying no taxes on the illegally gained profits. Some sources (including John W. Sleeman) hint that the family was involved with [[Al Capone]] but after considerable research, historian Micheal Matchett suggests that the contact in the US was actually [[Rocco Perri]], often called the "Al Capone of Canada" according to the book ''Rocco Perri: The Story of Canada's Most Notorious Bootlegger.'' Perri had documented connections with Guelph's large Italian population.<ref name=MM>{{cite web |url=http://michealmatchett.blogspot.ca/2012/08/sleeman-brewery-guelph.html?m=1 |title=Sleeman Brewery, Guelph |last=Matchett |first=Micheal |date=29 August 2012 |website=Michealmatchett Blog |publisher=Micheal Matchett |access-date=24 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220212258/http://michealmatchett.blogspot.ca/2012/08/sleeman-brewery-guelph.html?m=1|archive-date=February 20, 2017}}</ref>

In April 1927, the family claimed to a [[Parliament of Canada]] special committee that the business' books had been lost. Eventually, the smuggling was uncovered; it was allowed to continue however, on the agreement that taxes would be paid. Since the business refused to pay, charges were laid for smuggling and for non-payment of taxes later in 1933. On conviction, the family's license to brew beer was revoked for 50 years, effectively ending their entire enterprise. The brewing operation was sold to the Jockey Club Brewery Ltd.<ref name=GPL/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foodserviceandhospitality.com/oh-canada-profile-sleeman-breweries/ |title=Oh Canada Profile: Sleeman Breweries  |date=30 June 2017 |publisher=Foodservice and Hospitality magazine |access-date=16 January 2020 |quote=}}</ref>

===Revival===
Five decades later, in 1984, John W. Sleeman {{postnominals|CM}} of [[Oakville, Ontario]], great-great-grandson of John H. Sleeman, acquired the book of family beer recipes from his aunt Florian.<ref name=GPL/> He incorporated the new Sleeman Brewing and Malting Co. Ltd. in Guelph and began producing beer in 1988 with backing from [[Stroh Brewery Company]] for much of the $3 million he needed, a loan from a Detroit bank, and about $500,000 of his own money.<ref name=Few>{{cite news |last=Hoffman |first=Andy |date=March 17, 2009 |title=A Few Too Many |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/a-few-too-many/article18163342/?page=all |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto |access-date=January 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220215919/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/a-few-too-many/article18163342/?page=all|archive-date=February 20, 2017}}</ref> The company flourished.
[[File:Sapporo logo.svg|thumb|upright|The Sapporo logo]]
In 2006, Sleeman Breweries was purchased by [[Sapporo Breweries]] for $400 million; in the agreement, John W. Sleeman sold all of his shares to Sapporo but continued as president until 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sleeman expects Sapporo to grow company he founded |date=2006-08-14 |website=[[CBC News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708153240/https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/sleeman-expects-sapporo-to-grow-company-he-founded-1.573953 |archive-date=2022-07-08 |url-status=live |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/sleeman-expects-sapporo-to-grow-company-he-founded-1.573953}}</ref> In 2012, the company produced {{convert|1157420|hL|gal|abbr=on}} of beverages, an increase of approximately {{convert|40000|hL|gal|abbr=on}} over the previous year.

As of 2020, the company's President and CEO was Jesse Hanazawa.<ref>[https://globalnews.ca/news/6826041/sleeman-breweries-coronavirus/ Guelph-based Sleeman Breweries gives $35,000 to United Way for coronavirus fight]</ref> The company was brewing its products in three cities: Guelph, Ontario; [[Chambly, Quebec]]; and [[Vernon, British Columbia]]. These facilities were manufacturing Sleeman, Okanagan Spring and Unibroue Canadian beers as well as the Sapporo, Old Milwaukee and Pabst Blue Ribbon brands.<ref>[https://www.sleemanbreweries.ca/ Brands]</ref><ref>[https://www.sleemanbreweries.ca/where-we-brew Where We Brew]</ref> The company previously operated a plant in [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia]], until its closure in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sleeman closing Dartmouth brewery, 15 jobs lost |publisher=CBC News |date=28 November 2013 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/sleeman-closing-dartmouth-brewery-15-jobs-lost-1.2444264 |access-date=22 June 2025}}</ref>

==Acquisitions==
Over the years, Sleeman either acquired other breweries or purchased the rights to distribute, or manufacture and distribute, various brands of beer.<ref name=MM/><ref name=Few/>{{efn|"Sleeman purchased the Stroh Brewing Co. portfolio of discount beers in 1999 for $39-million. With brands including Old Milwaukee, Pabst Blue Ribbon, the deal helped Sleeman double the company's volumes but in a category with lower margins than premium beer.}}<ref name=Timeline>{{cite web |url=http://www.lib.uoguelph.ca/find/find-type-resource/archival-special-collections/sleeman-collection/timeline |title=Timeline: Sleeman Family History and Events |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2013 |website=McLaughlin Library |publisher=University of Guelph |access-date=24 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220214140/http://www.lib.uoguelph.ca/find/find-type-resource/archival-special-collections/sleeman-collection/timeline|archive-date=February 20, 2017}}</ref>{{efn|Sleeman Brewing and Malting is incorporated and a second brewery, Spring Bank Beverages, is erected on Edinburgh Street.}}

*In 1996, the Sleeman brewery purchased the Okanagan Spring Brewery and the consortium formed the new Sleeman Breweries Ltd.
*In 1998, the company acquired [[Upper Canada Brewing Company|Upper Canada Brewing]] and Quebec's Brasserie Seigneuriale Inc.
*In 1999, Sleeman purchased [[Shaftebury Brewing Company]], a large microbrewery in Delta, B.C.
*Also in 1999, Sleeman purchased the Canadian rights to brew and distribute the American [[Stroh Brewing Company]]'s folio of brands, including Stroh's, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Old Milwaukee, Rainier and others for $39 million.{{efn| "Buying the Stroh business doubled our volumes, made our plants more efficient and helped reduce our cost of goods sold. It was a great strategic decision." John W. Sleeman said.}}<ref name=Few/>{{efn|"Sleeman purchased the Stroh Brewing Co. portfolio of discount beers }}
*In 2000, Sleeman bought Maritime Beer Co., a small bankrupt brewer in Dartmouth, N.S.
*In 2002, the company purchased the rights to distribute products of the Dutch [[Grolsch Brewery]] in Canada.
*In 2004, the company bought [[Unibroue]], Quebec's largest craft brewer that was making a line of premium beers in [[Chambly, Quebec]].
*In 2019, the company bought [[Wild Rose Brewery]], a small craft brewery in [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/wild-rose-sleeman-craft-beer-1.5130237|title=Wild Rose Brewery agrees to be acquired by Sleeman|date=May 10, 2019|website=CBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510173328/https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/wild-rose-sleeman-craft-beer-1.5130237|archive-date=May 10, 2019|url-status=|access-date=May 10, 2019}}</ref>

==Timeline==
Sleeman's breweries date back to 1836 when John H., a malter and brewer, founded Stamford Springs Brewery.<ref name=Timeline/>
* 1800s – The ''Slyman family'', unlicensed English brewers, change their name to ''Sleeman''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbj.ca/features/january_09_features/john_sleeman_successful_canadian_entrepreneur.html|title=John Sleeman – Successful Canadian Entrepreneur|date=January 2009|work=The Canadian Business Journal|access-date=28 July 2011}}</ref>
* 1805 – John Sleeman is born in Cornwall, England.
* 1834 – John H. Sleeman leaves Cornwall and arrives in [[Upper Canada]] (Ontario); he settles in St. Davids (Niagara-on-the-Lake). 
* 1836 – Sleeman establishes the Stamford Springs Brewery in St. David's.
* 1845 – Sleeman moves to Lockport, New York, to craft brew beer.
* 1847 – He sells the Stamford Spring Brewery and moves from Rockport, New York, to Guelph, where he leases Hodgert's Brewery, which he will operate for three years.
* 1850 – Hodgerts Brewery is sold.
* 1851 – Sleeman establishes his third brewery, Silver Creek Brewery, in Guelph. 
* 1859 – He relinquishes control to his son [[George Sleeman]] (1841–1923) who had been general manager and then partner.
* 1862 – The business is renamed Sleeman and Son when George Jr. joins the enterprise.
* 1867 – John H. Sleeman retires leaving George Sleeman (Sr.) as sole owner.
* 1900 – John's grandson George Sleeman Jr. incorporates Sleeman Brewing and Malting and in 1903, he opens a second company, Spring Bank Beverages.
* 1921 – Silver Springs Brewery Beverage Company is renamed Canada Malt Products.
* 1927 – Spring Bank Brewery is incorporated and managed by Henry O. Sleeman.
* 1933 – The Sleeman brothers are charged with smuggling and tax evasion; their license is suspended and the brewery is sold to the Jockey Club.
* 1955 – The Sleeman Brewing and Malting Company name becomes inactive.
* 1988 – The Sleeman Brewing and Malting Company is re-established by John Warren Sleeman, great-great grandson of John H. Sleeman, marketing beer in clear bottles instead of the typical brown.
* 1999 – Sleeman Brewing purchases [[Shaftebury Brewing Company]].
* 2004 – Sleeman Breweries Ltd. buys Quebec based [[Unibroue]] brewery for $36.5 million.<ref>{{cite news |last=Marotte |first=Bertrand |date=24 April 2004 |title=Sleeman's Unibroue buy offers up Quebec market |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/sleemans-unibroue-buy-offers-up-quebec-market/article997598 |newspaper=Globe and Mail |location=Toronto |access-date=24 January 2017}}</ref>
* 2006 – [[Sapporo Breweries]] purchases Sleeman for approximately $400 million.<ref name=":0" />
* 2014 – Shaftebury Brewing Company is sold to Fireweed Brewing Company

==Operations==
[[File:John Sleeman India Pale Ale.jpg|thumb|right|A bottle of ''John Sleeman Presents India Pale Ale'']]

The brewery produces a line of beers under the Sleeman name, including:

* Clear 2.0 (a low carbohydrate beer)
* Cream Ale
* Original Lager
* Honey Brown Lager
* Silver Creek Lager
* Light
* Rousse Dark
* India Pale Ale
* Fine Porter

Aside from its own brands, the company brews [[Pabst Brewing Company|Pabst]] products for the Canadian market, including [[Old Milwaukee]], [[Stroh's]], [[Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company|Schlitz]] and [[Pabst Blue Ribbon]]. Other brands brewed under licence include Maclays Pale Ale for [[Maclays Brewery]], Red Bull Beer and Sapporo Premium for Sapporo Brewery, their parent company.

Sleeman also continues to brew Upper Canada Lager and Upper Canada Dark Ale, two beers that were formerly produced by the ''[[Upper Canada Brewing Company]]'' before it acquired the company. Additional beers under the Upper Canada brand including Rebellion Lager, Wheat and Maple Brown Ale have since been discontinued.

Sleeman owns a 2% stake in [[The Beer Store]] (previously Brewers Retail), the operator of the primary retail outlet for beer in Ontario.

Many Sleeman brands are distributed in clear bottles, which are less expensive, but can result in the liquids becoming more susceptible to light damage. Concerned this would affect the beer's taste, Sleeman compensates for this in a majority of their brews by using hops that are processed to be less light sensitive.

The annual Canadian Brewing Awards recognizes the best beers in Canada using blind taste tests.<ref>{{cite news |last=Suits |first=Mark |date=3 June 2016 |title=Alberta Breweries Win Big at Canadian Brewing Awards |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/storyline/mark-suits-alberta-breweries-win-big-at-canadian-brewing-awards |newspaper=Edmonton Journal |location=Edmonton |access-date=12 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220201803/http://edmontonjournal.com/storyline/mark-suits-alberta-breweries-win-big-at-canadian-brewing-awards|archive-date=February 20, 2017}}</ref> Most of the 2015 winners were craft beers. However, one of the winners was Sleeman Cream Ale, taking a Gold in the Cream Ale category.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canadianbrewingawards.com/winners/2015-winner-list/ |title=2015 Winner List |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=May 2016 |website=Canadian Brewing Awards |publisher=Taps Media |access-date=23 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220201947/http://www.canadianbrewingawards.com/winners/2015-winner-list/|archive-date=February 20, 2017}}</ref>

==Marketing==
The brewery entered into a $1.2 million sponsorship deal with the City of Guelph in 2007 that gives Sleeman exclusive naming rights to the [[Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre]] until 2020.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/article/226900 |title=City of Guelph approves Sleeman sponsorship deal|work=www.thestar.com |access-date=2010-04-04 |location=Toronto |date=2007-06-18}}</ref>

In 2010, the company began an advertising campaign drawing attention to their bootlegging past.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://strategyonline.ca/2010/05/07/sleemans-20100507/|title=Sleeman brews infamy|last=Paul|first=Jonathan|date=2010-05-07|work=strategy|access-date=28 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221131859/http://strategyonline.ca/2010/05/07/sleemans-20100507/|archive-date=February 21, 2017}}</ref> In July 2016, an ad with the slogan "Every bottle of Sleeman has a past – A shady past" won Best Alcohol Ad of the Month from [[AdForum]], an online showcase for advertising agencies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.adforum.com/top5/alcohol/31 |title=Best Alcohol Ads of the Month  |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=29 July 2016 |website=AdForum |access-date=25 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221132103/http://www.adforum.com/top5/alcohol/31|archive-date=February 21, 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Beer in Canada]]
*[[List of breweries in Canada]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.sleeman.com/ }}
* [http://michealmatchett.blogspot.ca/2012/08/sleeman-brewery-guelph.html Sleeman Brewing history]
*[http://www.lib.uoguelph.ca/find/find-type-resource/archival-special-collections/sleeman-collection/timeline Sleeman Timeline]
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[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1834]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1988]]
[[Category:Canadian companies established in 1988]]
[[Category:Companies based in Guelph]]
[[Category:Beer brewing companies based in Ontario]]
[[Category:Canadian beer brands]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies disestablished in 1933]]
[[Category:Canadian subsidiaries of foreign companies]]
[[Category:Sapporo Breweries]]
[[Category:Re-established companies]]
[[Category:1834 establishments in Upper Canada]]
[[Category:1933 disestablishments in Ontario]]
[[Category:1988 establishments in Ontario]]
[[Category:2006 mergers and acquisitions]]