Editing Moosehead Breweries (section)

== History ==
[[File:MooseheadStatueSaintJohnNBCanada.JPG|thumb|left|Statue given by Moosehead Breweries to the people of Saint John, New Brunswick]]
In 1865, [[Susannah Oland]] moved from England to [[Nova Scotia]], Canada. With her husband John and nine other employees, Susannah opened The Army and Navy Brewery in 1867, a name that came after their most appreciative customers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Moosehead Breweries Limited|url=http://www.beercanada.com/member/moosehead-breweries-limited|publisher=Beer Canada}}</ref> After John Oland's untimely death in 1870, the brewery changed its name to  S. Oland, Sons and Co. Over the next eight years, the brewery faced two fires, but recovered after each. In 1886, Susannah Oland died, and the company went to her two sons, Conrad and George. With the approach of the 20th century, the company changed its name to the Maritime Brewing & Malting Co. It faced hard times once again when the [[Halifax Explosion]] of 1917 killed Conrad Oland and destroyed the brewery. A year later, George Oland and his sons moved to [[City of Halifax|Halifax]] and bought another brewery. In 1928, George bought a second, larger brewery in the city of [[Saint John, New Brunswick]], site of the present day facility.

In 1931, the symbol of the [[moose]] came into existence as George launched ''Moosehead Pale Ale''. After the success of its ''Pale Ale'', the Oland-owned brewery changed its name to Moosehead Breweries Ltd. in 1947. Thirty-one years later, in 1978, the brewery president Philip Oland expanded the brand and launched ''Moosehead Lager'' in the United States. In 1982, Derek Oland, then the president of the company (after succeeding his father P.W. Oland), expanded the company worldwide.

In his autobiography ''Lucky Man'', [[Michael J. Fox]] relayed how he told [[Jay Leno]] as a guest on ''[[The Tonight Show]]'', that he did not like American beer, describing it as 'too watery' and that he instead would drink'' Moosehead Ale''. Not long afterwards, a huge truckload of ''Moosehead'' Ale made its way to Fox's house as a free gift from the company.<ref name="Fox2003">{{cite book|author=Michael J. Fox|title=Lucky Man: A Memoir|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FYmZAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT88|date=9 April 2003|publisher=Hyperion|isbn=978-1-4013-9779-1|pages=88–|quote=Once, on the ''Tonight'' show, Jay Leno asked me how I liked living in the States, "It's great. Except for the beer. American beer's a little watery," I confided. "So I drink Moosehead Ale, imported from Canada." A week later, sitting at my kitchen table, I heard the grinding of a large vehicle laboring up my driveway. Drawing aside the curtain, I peered out the window to see a green beer delivery truck with the giant Moosehead logo painted on the side. "There's lots more where this came from," the delivery guy said, handing me a business card. "Just give us a call when you run out."}}</ref>

Once a popular premium import beer in the United States that was distributed by [[RJR Nabisco]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/01/10/beer-accounts-flow-at-mccann/|title=Beer Accounts Flow at McCann|website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=10 January 1986}}</ref> Moosehead lost vast market share in the 1980s when it lowered its price in an attempt to compete with larger US brewers on price instead of quality and prestige.{{Original research inline|date=September 2009}}{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}

Today,{{when|date=May 2017}} Derek Oland's sons Andrew, Patrick and Matthew are the sixth generation of Olands to own and work for the family brewery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tec-canada.com/en/blog/profiles/how-ceo-andrew-oland-stepped-back-family-brewing-dynasty/ |title=HOW CEO ANDREW OLAND STEPPED BACK INTO A FAMILY BREWING DYNASTY |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=17 November 2016 |website=TEC Canada |access-date=23 January 2017 |quote=Mr. Oland was appointed president of the New Brunswick brewery in 2008 and became CEO in 2013, continuing a family chain that stretches back to Susannah Oland, who began brewing beer in 1867. Two of his brothers, Matthew and Patrick, are, respectively, Moosehead’s Vice President of Supply Chain and Chief Financial Officer.}}</ref> Andrew is the current president, Matthew is a Vice President and Patrick is the CFO. Moosehead sells its beer throughout Canada, in many US locations, and in 15 countries around the world. Moosehead USA has recently become its own importer, replacing its importing partner [[Gambrinus Company|Gambrinus]]. Moosehead wholly owns the Niagara Falls Brewing Company in Ontario.

In 2005, Moosehead Lager won Gold at the prestigious Monde Selection; the company had also won Gold medals at the World Beer Cup and 2003 Canadian Brewing Awards.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moosehead.ca/our-history/ |title=History - Once Upon A Moose |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2017 |website=Moosehead |access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref>

In 2008, Moosehead sold its minority interest in [[McAuslan Brewing]] to [[Les Brasseurs RJ]]. McAuslan will continue to brew and distribute Moosehead beer in the province of [[Quebec]]. In the same year, Derek Oland's son Andrew assumed the role of President.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moosehead.ca/our-company/ |title=Our Company |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2017 |website=Moosehead |access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref>

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}}</ref> Most of the 2015 and 2016 winners were craft beers. However, some were made by larger brewers, including Moosehead; this company won a Gold in 2015 for their Pale ale and a Gold and Silver, respectively for their Alpine Lager and Cracked Canoe in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ontariocraftbrewers.com/CBA2016.php |title=OCB MEMBERS TAKE 38 MEDALS AT 2016 CANADIAN BREWING AWARDS |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=28 May 2016 |website=OCB |publisher=Ontario Craft Brewers  |access-date=12 January 2017 |quote=OCB members had their best year ever at the CBAs, almost doubling last year's medal haul. They took home 38 medals, including 16 golds, and Brewery of the Year}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.momandhops.ca/winners-announced-2016-canadian-brewing-awards/ |title=Winners announced for 2016 Canadian Brewing Awards |author=The Province<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=29 May 2016 |website=OBN |access-date=16 January 2017}}</ref> For the 2017 competition, new rules allow for entries only from fully Canadian-owned breweries (and that includes Moosehead) for the 55 categories of beer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.momandhops.ca/call-entry-2017-canadian-brewing-awards/ |title=Call for Entry: 2017 Canadian Brewing Awards |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=16 January 2017 |website=Mom and Hopps |publisher=OBN |access-date=21 January 2017}}</ref>

In June 2016, the company announced plans to build a small-batch brewery. In January 2017 however, Moosehead announced that the plan had been cancelled because it could not be achieved within the intended budget.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/moosehead-backs-away-from-opening-small-batch-brewery-in-saint-john-1.3225847 |title=Moosehead backs away from opening small-batch brewery in Saint John |author=The Canadian Press <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=3 January 2017 |website=CTV News |publisher=Bell Media |access-date=16 January 2017 |quote=The intention of our proposed brewery was for Moosehead to expand its small-batch brewing capability and to have a place to show our passion for beer. That goal has not been lost.}}</ref>

In addition to overwhelming success, the Oland dynasty has also experienced tragedy with the [[Murder of Richard Oland]] who had been a Vice President of Moosehead until 1981. (Richard Oland had vied with his brother Derek for the control of Moosehead. Their father, P.W. Oland, decided to select Derek to succeed him as president; Richard subsequently left the company.)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.macleans.ca/economy/business/murder-and-a-maritime-dynasty-the-dick-oland-case/ |title=Murder and a Maritime dynasty: The Dick Oland case |last=Köhler |first=Nicholas |date=13 November 2013 |website=Macleans |publisher=Rogers Media |access-date=23 January 2017 |quote="The younger one wanted to be president and he hadn’t the experience," P.W. once told the Financial Post Magazine coolly.}}</ref>
On July 7, 2011, the body of 69-year-old [[Richard Oland]] was found dead in his Saint John office at the investment firm Far End Corp.  Oland had been bludgeoned to death. His son Dennis Oland, a financial planner, was charged in 2015 with second degree murder. Throughout the high-profile court case, intimate details about the private lives of the entire family were revealed.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|title = Dennis Oland's mother, Connie, shares 'living hell'|url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/dennis-oland-mother-connie-murder-1.3449295|website = www.cbc.ca|access-date = 2016-02-19}}</ref> On conviction in December 2015, Dennis Oland was sentenced to life in prison, with no possibility of parole for at least 10 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/dennis-oland-sentencing-murder-1.3435552 |title=Dennis Oland gets life in prison for killing father, Richard Oland|last=MacKinnon |first=Bobbi-Jean |date=11 February 2016 |website=CBC News |publisher=CBC |access-date=23 January 2017}}</ref>

Less than a year later, in October 2016, the [[New Brunswick Court of Appeal]] threw out his conviction based on errors made by the trial judge, and ordered a new trial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/dennis-oland-new-trial-date-murder-1.3918940 |title=Dennis Oland's new murder trial date could be set today |last=MacKinnon |first=Bobbi-Jean |date=3 January 2017 |website=CBC News |publisher=CBC |access-date=23 January 2017 |quote=Scheduling was adjourned last month as parties waited for Court of Appeal's written ruling quashing conviction}}</ref> The Crown attorneys said they would ask the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] for leave to appeal the lower court ruling; the defense said it might request a full acquittal from the Supreme Court.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/01/03/dennis-oland-expected-in-court-today-in-murder-case-of-multimillionaire-father/#.WIZaMVMrLX4 |title=N.B. Crown to appeal ruling overturning Dennis Oland's murder conviction |last=Bisset |first=Kevin |date=3 January 2017 |website=National News Watch |publisher=National Newswatch Inc. |access-date=23 January 2017 |quote=he was surprised the Crown is filing an appeal to the Supreme Court. My understanding is that the other side could then ... appeal on some of the grounds they were denied on in the Court of Appeal in Fredericton}}</ref>

In 2018, the company decided to redesign the labeling of its products for a "fresh and modern look and to attract millennial consumers while not alienating an older demographic", starting in April. At the time, Moosehead products had a 4% market share in Canada, and 5% in the province of Ontario.<ref name="Branding"/>

In 2019, the [[Canadian Premier League]] announced that Moosehead would be the official domestic brewery for the league.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Premier League Partners With Moosehead Breweries|url=http://www.beercanada.com/member/moosehead-breweries-limited|publisher=Northern Tribune}}</ref>

In 2025, Moosehead Breweries introduced the "Presidential Pack", which contained 1,461 cans of Canadian lagers. The pack was promoted as a way to endure political uncertainty and was available for purchase on the brewery’s website for CAD 3,490 plus tax and deposit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/moosehead-breweries-introduces-the-presidential-pack-843089802.html|title=Moosehead Breweries Introduces the Presidential Pack|accessdate=March 19, 2025}}</ref>