Brewed in Lethbridge, poured into history

By Lethbridge Herald on March 27, 2026.

Herald photo by joe manio Guest Curator Stephanie Laine Hamilton poses with a portrait of Fritz Sick, who went from a small-town brewer to a global brewing force during the first half of the 1900s.

By Joe Manio

Lethbridge Herald

Pull up a chair and pour yourself a pint of history—A Smile in Every Bottle is brewing something special at the Galt Museum & Archives Akaisamitohkanao’pa. The new temporary exhibition, A Smile in Every Bottle: Sicks’ Breweries Ltd., runs from March 21 to September 6, 2026, in the Special Exhibits Main Gallery, inviting visitors to tap into a story that’s equal parts local lore and global ambition.

Visitors can toast a century of brewing history while discovering how a local enterprise grew into a Western Canadian—and even North American—brewery powerhouse.

In the first half of the 1900s, Fritz Sick went from small-town brewer to global brewing force. Establishing Sicks’ Breweries Ltd. in Lethbridge in 1901, Sick expanded into Western Canada and the northwestern United States.

By 1948, Sicks’ was the largest brewer in the world—a remarkable leap from a modest Alberta town. Along the way, the Sick family became more than business leaders—they were community boosters, employing locals, supporting sports, and leaving legacies like the Fritz Sick Community Centre.

That legacy still carries a familiar ring across the city today. From Old Style Pilsner—first brewed in Lethbridge in 1926 and still poured across Canada—to the original Sick’s Brewery name itself, Fritz Sick’s imprint is woven into the community’s identity. Even beyond brewing, his influence endures at landmarks like Fritz Sick Pool, the city’s oldest swimming pool, which has served generations of residents since the 1950s as a hub for lessons, fitness, and family recreation.

Guest Curator Stephanie Laine Hamilton, also an instructor and PhD student at the University of Lethbridge (U of L), led the exhibition’s research.

“Much of Sicks’ history has been overlooked,” Hamilton says. “The company’s massive success often overshadows its role in shaping Western Canadian brewing—and in building a strong community in Lethbridge.”

Her interest began with the 2016 book Booze and Bars: A Brief History of Pub Culture in the Crowsnest Pass, where she discovered many hotels were brewery-owned.

“That led me straight to Sicks’, my hometown brewery. I realized there was a story waiting to be told—how a small-town brewery became a Western Canadian empire.”

The exhibit celebrates Sicks’ growth and its most enduring product: Old Style Pilsner. First brewed in 1926, it remains a staple in pubs across Canada.

“Old Style Pilsner is a legacy beer,” Hamilton notes. “It represents the quality and consistency that made Sicks’ a household name—and it still connects people to the brewing heritage of Lethbridge today.”

Galt Museum Curator Tyler Stewart emphasizes the exhibition’s broader appeal.

“This isn’t just about beer. Visitors will see how Sicks’ shaped the community, fostered business innovation, and left a cultural imprint that lasts a century. Even though the original brewery isn’t here anymore, the legacy lives on—in the city and in every sip of Old Style Pilsner.”

Fritz Sick himself was more than a businessman. Immigrating from Germany in the late 1800s, he brought brewing and cooperage skills to Lethbridge. Stewart explains, “Fritz could do it all—brew, build barrels, learn from every stop along his travels.

Lethbridge was an industrial town, with coal mines and hardworking residents, and a good beer went a long way. That combination of skill and community need helped Sicks’ thrive—and he made sure to give back, supporting local sports and cultural initiatives.”

The exhibition is peppered with artifacts, photographs, and memorabilia from the brewery’s heyday. Visitors can trace the rise of Alberta’s Pride, Sicks’ first beer, watch label designs evolve, and explore how the company expanded into hotels and other ventures.

Later this summer, Hamilton will even lead guided tours of the former brewery site and gardens, recreating the spaces where the beer—and the magic—once flowed.

For anyone curious about Lethbridge’s past, the origins of a Canadian brewing giant, or just a good story with a pint in hand, A Smile in Every Bottle promises a taste of history you won’t want to miss.

Check the Galt’s calendar for exhibit tours, special events, and opportunities to sip from the rich legacy of Sicks’ Breweries.