lists: Biggest breweries and beer distributors
Biggest breweries and beer distributors
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RANKED BY | Sales to the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch for year ending March 31, 2011
| Rank '12 | Company | Types of beers produced | Majority owner(s) | Year founded | BCLDB sales '11/'10 |
| 1 | Molson Coors Canada (Vancouver Brewery) www.molsoncoors.com | Molson Canadian, 67, Coors Light, Rickard's Red, Rickard's Blonde, Carling, Pilsner | Molson Coors Brewing Co. (TSX:TAP) | 17861 | $299,524,6132 $323,885,1952 -8% |
| 2 | Labatt Breweries of Canada www.labatt.com | Kokanee, Kokanee Gold, Lucky, Blue, Alexander Keith's, Kootenay Mountain Ale | ABInBev | 1847 | $263,369,0312 $288,972,7992 -9% |
| 3 | Okanagan Spring Brewery www.okspring.com | Pale Ale, 1516, Porter, Brewmaster's Black, Winter Ale, Hopped | Operating under Sleeman Breweries Ltd. in Canada, part of Sapporo Group of Cos. | 1985 | $85,634,201 $91,736,837 -7% |
| 4 | Pacific Western Brewing Co www.pwbrewing.com | Pacific Pilsner, Traditional BC Lager, Canterbury Dark Mild Lager, Ironhorse Malt, Pacific Schwarzbock, TNT | Kazuko Komatsu | 1957 | $25,128,463 $18,929,635 33% |
| 5 | Granville Island Brewing Co www.gib.ca | Cypress Honey Lager, Brockton IPA, Island Lager, Kitsilano Maple Cream Ale, English Bay Pale Ale, Robson St Hefweizen, Lions Winter Ale, False Creek Raspberry Ale | Creemore Springs Brewing3 | 1984 | $22,252,319 $25,043,433 -11% |
| 6 | Phillips Brewing Co www.phillipsbeer.com | Blue Buck, Hop Circle IPA, Analogue 78, Slipstream, Dr Funk, Phoenix Gold, Amnesiac, Hoperation Tripel Cross, Ginger Beer, Longboat Chocolate Porter, Skookum Cascadian Brown, Krypton RyePA, Hammer, Leviathan, Twisted Oak Scotch Ale | Matt Phillips | 2001 | $8,827,224 $5,486,618 61% |
| 7 | Whistler Brewing Co www.whistlerbeer.com | Black Tusk Ale, Powder Mountain Lager, Bear Paw Honey Lager, Whiskey Jack Ale, Grapefruit Ale | Bruce Dean | 1989 | $8,579,066 $7,739,914 11% |
| 8 | Vancouver Island Brewery www.vanislandbrewery.com | Piper's Pale Ale, Sea Dog Amber Ale, Hermann's Dark Lager, Spyhopper Honey Brown, Beachcomber Summer Ale, Storm Watcher Winter Lager, Flying Tanker White IPA, Iron Plow Harvest Marzen, Dough Head Gingerbread Ale, Vancouver Islander Lager, Hermannator Ice Bock, Winter and Summer POD PACKS | Barry Fisher | 1984 | $7,577,363 $6,818,067 11% |
| 9 | Big Rock Brewery Ltd Inc www.bigrockbeer.com | Alberta Genuine Draft, Grasshopper Wheat Ale, Hellesbock, Rock Creek, Traditional Ale | Big Rock Brewery Inc. (TSX:BR) | 1985 | $6,526,572 $6,514,617 0% |
| 10 | Premier Brands Ltd www.premierbrands.ca | Distributors of Bavaria, La Trappe, Blackthorn, Hacker-Pschoor, Fuller's, Innis and Gunn, La Messagere, Rekorderlig and Headstrong beers | NP | 1988 | $4,721,382 |
| 11 | Tree Brewing Co4 www.treebeer.com | Beach Blonde, Kelowna Pilsner, Thirsty Beaver Amber Ale, Cutthroat Pale Ale, HopHead IPA, MadCap Belgian White Ale, Vertical Winter Ale, Raspberry Porter, Spy Porter, Jumpin Jack Pumpkin Ale Hophead Double IPA, Hophead Black IPA, Dukes Dry Apple Cider | Tod Melnyk | 1996 | $4,380,016 $3,380,418 30% |
| 12 | Lighthouse Brewing Co Inc www.lighthousebrewing.com | Race Rocks Amber Ale, Beacon IPA, Lighthouse Lager, Fisgard 150, Riptide Pale Ale, Keepers Stout, Switchback IPA | Privately held | 1998 | $4,241,873 $3,985,977 6% |
| 13 | Russell Brewing Co www.russellbeer.com | Cream Ale, Pale Ale, Extra Special Lager, Honey Blonde Ale, IP'eh, Angry Scotch Ale, Black Death Porter, Blood Alley Bitter, Rocky Mountain Pilsner, Lemon Ale, Marzen, Naughty and Spiced Porter | Russell Breweries Inc (TSX-V:RB) | 1995 | $3,522,199 $3,087,455 14% |
| 14 | Nelson Brewing Co Ltd www.nelsonbrewing.com | After Dark, Blackheart, Faceplant, Harvest Moon, Paddywhack, Wild Honey | Privately held | 1991 | $2,076,553 $1,867,492 11% |
| 15 | Central City Brewing Co www.redracerbeer.com | Red Racer: IPA, Pale Ale, ESB, Oatmeal Stout, Lager, Pumpkin Ale, White Ale, Winter Ale, Raspberry Wheat Ale; Thor's Hammer Barley Wine | Darryll Frost | 2003 | $2,069,901 $1,409,017 47% |
| 16 | Carlsberg Canada Inc www.carlsberg.ca | Carlsberg | Carlsberg Group | 20045 | $2,045,386 $2,152,505 -5% |
| 17 | Premium Beer Co www.premiumbeer.ca | Importers of Moosehead, Cracked Canoe, Sam Adams, James Ready, Magners, Hop City Brewing | Privately held | NP | $1,852,330 $2,154,439 -14% |
| 18 | Howe Sound Brewing Co www.howesound.com | Garibaldi Honey Pale Ale, Whitecap Wheat Ale, Timberline Pale Ale, Diamond Head Oatmeal Stout, Rail Ale Nut Brown, Devils Elbow IPA, Baldwin and Cooper Best Bitter, Howe Sound Lager. Seasonal beers: Pothole Filler Imperial Stout, Mettleman Copper Ale, High Tide Hemp Ale, Total Eclipse of the Hop, King Heffy Imperial Hefeweizen, Pumpkineater IPA, Father John's Winter Ale, Megadestroyer Imperial Stout, Gathering Storm CDA, 4-Way Fruit Ale, Woolly Bugger Barley Wine, | Fenn family | 1996 | $1,510,971 $1,121,606 35% |
| 19 | Driftwood Brewing www.driftwoodbeer.com | Driftwood Pale Ale, White Bark Witbier, Farmhand Saison, Fat Tug IPA, Crooked Coast, Altbier, many seasonals | Jason Meyer, Kevin Hearsum, Gary Lindsay | July 2008 | $1,415,237 $734,246 93% |
| 20 | R&B Brewing www.r-and-b.com | Red Devil Pale Ale, Raven Cream Ale, Sun God Wheat Ale, Bohemian Lager, Hoppelganger I.P.A., Dark Star Oatmeal Stout | Barry Benson, Rick Dellow | 1997 | $1,320,402 $1,252,174 5% |