Beau's All Natural Brewing Company

Beau's All Natural Brewing Company, also known as Beau's Brewing Company or simply Beau's, is a Canadian craft brewery based in Vankleek Hill, Ontario, east of Ottawa. Tim Beauchesne and his son Steve Beauchesne founded the business after discussing the possibility of creating a small independent brewery and leaving their earlier careers. Tim had operated a textile company for 17 years, while Steve had worked for the Ontario government and operated Go! Go! Go! Records. The brewery opened on July 1, 2006, Canada Day. The company entered the market with Lug Tread, a Kölsch-style lagered ale that became its signature product and an important vehicle for regional expansion. Before the official opening, Beau's had already sold its first 3,000-litre batch to nine Ottawa-area bars and restaurants. The brewery initially focused on eastern Ontario, and Lug Tread reached Ottawa-area LCBO stores in early 2008. By 2009, the beer was available on tap at more than 200 establishments in eastern Ontario and had begun reaching bars and liquor stores in the Greater Toronto Area. Beau's built its identity around small-batch and craft brewing, natural and organic-oriented positioning, local relationships, and a rotating portfolio rather than a single permanent product. Alongside Lug Tread, the brewery developed year-round offerings such as Good Time Session IPA, Full Time IPA, Wag the Wolf White IPA, Beau's Grapefruit Radler, and Countdown Pale Ale. Seasonal and limited releases have included Beaver River I.P. Eh?, Festivale, Farm Table Märzen, Bogwater, and beers from the Wild Oats, Farm Table, Gruit, Greener Futures Barrel-Aged, and Pro-Am series. The brewery has also used collaborations to broaden its cultural reach, notably the Tom Green Beer milk stout and later beers in the Tom Green Series. Distribution expanded beyond Ontario during the 2010s. Beau's began selling in Quebec in February 2015, entered New York State in 2014, and described its beers as being available across Canada by 2017. Its packaging has included 600-millilitre glass bottles as well as 355-millilitre and 473-millilitre cans, with products sold through Ontario liquor channels, Quebec dépanneurs, and other Canadian vendors. The brewery's growth was accompanied by recognition at beer competitions, including multiple Golden Tap Awards for Lug Tread and the brewery, a second-place result for Lug Tread at the 2009 National Organic Brewing Challenge, and a gold medal for Festivale at the 2009 Mondial de la Bière in Strasbourg. In 2016, Steve Beauchesne announced an employee stock ownership plan, making employee participation a central element of the company's ownership structure. In March 2022, Beau's announced that it would merge with Toronto-based Steam Whistle Brewing. The company remains associated with independent Canadian craft beer, regional distribution, seasonal innovation, and community-oriented employment and partnership initiatives.

Beau's All Natural Brewing Company was established by Tim Beauchesne and his son Steve Beauchesne in Vankleek Hill, Ontario. The founders came from careers outside commercial brewing: Tim had operated a textile business for 17 years, while Steve had worked for the Ontario government and run the independent record label Go! Go! Go! Records. Their brewing project developed from informal conversations into a business, and the brewery officially opened on July 1, 2006. The company gained early traction with Lug Tread, a Kölsch-style lagered ale that became its defining beer. Beau's sold its first 3,000-litre production batch to nine Ottawa-area bars and restaurants before its official opening. The initial business plan anticipated selling Lug Tread through local liquor stores, but the beer did not reach Ottawa LCBO stores until early 2008. By then, the brewery had expanded its hospitality presence to more than 90 establishments in the Ottawa area. In 2009, more than 200 eastern Ontario establishments reportedly served Lug Tread on tap, and the brand had begun supplying the Greater Toronto Area. Beau's developed a craft-beer portfolio around a permanent core range and frequent seasonal or limited releases. Lug Tread remained the best-known offering, while other beers explored session IPA, full-strength IPA, white IPA, radler, pale ale, stout, amber lager, altbier, and strong ale styles. The Wild Oats, Farm Table, Gruit, Greener Futures Barrel-Aged, and Pro-Am series gave the brewery ways to experiment with ingredients, maturation, collaborations, and community-linked brewing projects. In 2013, Beau's released The Tom Green Beer, a milk stout made with actor and comedian Tom Green. Green later promoted the beer during an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and the collaboration developed into a broader Tom Green Series. The brewery's market expanded during the next decade. In January 2014, Beau's announced that its products would enter New York State in March, giving the company its first international distribution. Quebec became a distribution market in February 2015, and by 2017 the company described its products as available across Canada. Packaging evolved from the brewery's 600-millilitre glass bottles to include 355-millilitre and 473-millilitre cans. In Ontario, products were sold through the LCBO and The Beer Store; in Quebec, they were available through dépanneurs and other vendors. Community participation became part of the operating identity. Beau's partnered with Operation Come Home, an Ottawa youth program, using beer deliveries as an opportunity for participating young people to gain work experience and income. The brewery also emphasized employee participation in ownership. In May 2016, Steve Beauchesne announced an employee stock ownership plan, presenting the arrangement as a way for the workforce to own the brewery. Beau's received recognition at regional, national, and international beer competitions. Lug Tread won Best Beer of the Fest at the 2006 Golden Tap Awards, followed by awards for the best Ontario beer outside the Greater Toronto Area in 2007 and 2008. At the 2009 Golden Tap Awards, it won Best Regularly-Produced Craft Beer Brewed in Ontario and Best of the Fest, while Beau's also received brewery-level recognition. Lug Tread placed second at the 2009 National Organic Brewing Challenge, Night•Märzen placed third, and Festivale won gold at the 2009 Mondial de la Bière in Strasbourg. On March 1, 2022, Beau's announced a merger with Steam Whistle Brewing, a Toronto brewery. The transaction marked a major structural change after years of expansion and employee-oriented ownership. Publicly available reference material does not establish all post-merger corporate details, including the current executive roster, exact ownership percentages, or the complete operating structure. Beau's remains associated with Canadian craft beer, Lug Tread, seasonal brewing, and its Vankleek Hill origins.

1. 2022Merger with Steam Whistle announced

   Beau's announced that it would merge with Steam Whistle Brewing of Toronto.

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2. 2016Employee ownership announced

   Beau's announced an employee stock ownership plan.

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3. 2014First international distribution announced

   The brewery announced a planned launch in New York State, its first market outside Canada.

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4. 2013Tom Green collaboration released

   Beau's introduced The Tom Green Beer, a collaborative milk stout that later led to additional Tom Green Series releases.

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5. 2009Expansion across eastern Ontario

   Lug Tread was being served at more than 200 eastern Ontario establishments and was reaching the Greater Toronto Area.

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6. 2008Lug Tread reaches Ottawa LCBO stores

   After early sales to Ottawa-area bars and restaurants, Lug Tread began appearing in Ottawa LCBO stores.

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7. 2006Brewery opens in Vankleek Hill

   Tim and Steve Beauchesne officially launched Beau's on July 1, Canada Day, with Lug Tread as the principal early product.

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Canadian craft brewing with an emphasis on natural and organic-oriented ingredients, distinctive seasonal releases, local community relationships, and employee participation.

• Lug TreadKölsch-style lagered ale2006

  Beau's signature beer and its best-known product. Lug Tread is a Kölsch-style lagered ale that helped establish the brewery in Ottawa and eastern Ontario. It was distributed through bars, restaurants, and liquor stores and became the product most closely associated with the brand. The beer received repeated Golden Tap recognition and also placed at the National Organic Brewing Challenge.

• Good Time Session IPASession IPA

  A lower-intensity IPA in Beau's year-round lineup, designed to provide hop character in a more sessionable format than a stronger India pale ale.

• Full Time IPAIndia pale ale

  A year-round India pale ale representing the brewery's fuller-strength, hop-forward offering within its core lineup.

• Wag the WolfWhite IPA

  A white IPA in the regular portfolio, combining the hop-oriented character of an IPA with the lighter, wheat-influenced profile associated with the white IPA style.

• Beau's Grapefruit RadlerRadler

  A grapefruit-focused radler offering that extends Beau's range beyond traditional ales and lagers into a fruit-oriented, refreshing beer style.

• Countdown Pale AlePale ale

  A pale ale included in Beau's year-round beer range, providing a middle ground between lighter lagers and more intensely hopped IPA releases.

• FestivaleAltbier-style ale

  A seasonal altbier-style ale. Festivale received a gold medal at the 2009 Mondial de la Bière in Strasbourg, making it one of the brewery's recognized seasonal offerings.

• Farm Table: MärzenMärzen-style amber lager

  A seasonal amber lager in the Farm Table range, based on the Märzen tradition and positioned as a richer, malt-forward seasonal alternative.

• Beaver River I.P. Eh?India pale ale

  A seasonal IPA described in reference material as having a pronounced citrus character. It illustrates Beau's use of rotating releases to explore more expressive hop profiles.

• The Tom Green BeerMilk stout2013

  A collaborative milk stout released with actor and comedian Tom Green in 2013. The beer received additional public attention after Green brought it to a television appearance and shared it with host Jimmy Fallon.

• Tom Green SeriesCollaborative stout series

  A collaboration family that expanded beyond the original Tom Green Beer to include Tom Green Cherry Milk Stout and Tom Green Summer Stout.

• 2013Tom Green collaboration

  Canada · United States

  Beau's collaborated with actor and comedian Tom Green on a milk stout. Green later featured the beer during a Late Night with Jimmy Fallon appearance, giving the limited release exposure beyond the brewery's normal beer audience.

  Outcome. The collaboration developed into a continuing Tom Green Series with additional stout variations.

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• Operation Come Home partnership

  Ottawa · Ontario

  Beau's partnered with Operation Come Home, an Ottawa youth program, by involving participating young people in beer deliveries. The arrangement provided work experience and income, and reference material reported that several participants later moved into full-time employment elsewhere.

  Outcome. The partnership connected distribution activity with youth employment and job-experience support.

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• 2022Merge with Steam Whistle BrewingM&A

  Beau's had expanded its product range and geographic distribution while operating as a notable Ontario craft brewery.

  What changed. Beau's announced on March 1, 2022 that it would merge with Toronto-based Steam Whistle Brewing.

  Aftermath. The announcement created a combined brewing group, but the available reference material does not specify the full post-merger management structure or financial terms.

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• 2016Adopt employee stock ownershipStrategy

  After a decade of growth, Beau's sought to formalize employee participation in the ownership of the brewery.

  What changed. Steve Beauchesne announced an employee stock ownership plan under which the brewery would be owned by its employees.

  Aftermath. Employee ownership became a significant part of Beau's corporate identity, although the available reference does not provide the plan's detailed structure or later ownership percentages.

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• 2015Expand into QuebecStrategy

  Beau's had established distribution in Ontario and was continuing to broaden its Canadian footprint.

  What changed. The brewery began selling its products in Quebec in February 2015.

  Aftermath. Quebec became an additional Canadian market, with products available through local retail channels including dépanneurs.

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• 2014Enter New York StateStrategy

  After establishing a strong base in Ontario, Beau's sought its first market outside Canada.

  What changed. The brewery announced that its beer would become available in New York State beginning in March 2014.

  Aftermath. The move marked Beau's first international distribution market.

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• 2022Beau's announces merger with Steam Whistle Brewing

  Beau's announced that it would merge with Toronto-based Steam Whistle Brewing.

  M&A
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• 2016Beau's announces employee stock ownership plan

  Steve Beauchesne announced that the brewery would be owned by its employees through an employee stock ownership plan.

  Leadership change
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• 2015Beau's beer launches in Quebec

  Beau's expanded distribution into Quebec, adding a major Canadian market outside Ontario.

  Other
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• 2014Beau's announces entry into New York State

  The brewery announced that its beer would become available in New York State, representing its first international market.

  Other
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1. Beau's All Natural Brewing Company
2. Beau's official website