At Four Fathers Brewing Co., we believe that pride of craftsmanship still matters. We believe that committing to doing something very well requires not only experience and skill, but also practice, creativity and a respect for tradition. This is the foundation of our Ontario craft beer and is the core value in everything we do at Four Fathers Brewing. We live it. So enjoy the journey with us, and stand 4 something good!

Our family name, pronounced ‘Weems’, comes from the Gaelic word for caves which stems from the rocky outcrop on the Firth of Forth on which our family home, Wemyss Castle, sits. Looking back towards Edinburgh, the castle has been the family seat for over six centuries

Single Casks Each cask that is chosen for bottling is representative of the best characteristics of its regional origins and only the best casks are chosen by our Nosing Panel, which is chaired by Charlie Maclean. This strict selection process limits the number of casks which are of the exceptional quality required to be elevated into this range. After our Nosing Panel has selected the casks, they then delve into the flavour profile of these casks to ensure that the name given to each whisky reflects the unique aromas and flavours found within the bottle. All our single cask bottlings come in an individual gift carton, and are presented on a regional basis, reflecting the different taste profiles. Currently, there are five different malts in the range: Speyside, Highland, Islay, Lowland and Campbeltown. All are bottled at a minimum of 46% but occasionally we come across casks of such quality that they dictate bottling at natural cask strength. All of our single cask offerings are non chill-filtered and free of artificial colouring, such as caramel. Perfect when drunk neat, or with water, whatever your taste.

Blended Malts With our family’s premium wine background we have long been aware of the practice of blending specially selected wines to create unique expressions. When we began Wemyss Malts we knew we wanted to take that philosophy forward into the whiskies we produced, blending a small number of very fine casks so the end result was a marriage of flavours and aromas that were beautifully balanced and greater than the sum of its parts.

In an industry filled with names that reflect Teutonic traditions, alpine splendour, or brave and furry woodland predators, our company is named after a multi-tonne quartzite glacial deposit located outside of Okotoks, Alberta. This “big rock” in the middle of the prairie is known as an erratic, and we think it fits perfectly with our mission to brew deliberately different beer.

From five generations of family brewing heritage, the legend of Sleeman beer was born. It began in 1834 when John H. Sleeman founded his legacy based on the love of great beer.

The Sleeman family tradition was passed down from generation to generation. Father to son, again and again.

UNTIL, ONE DAY, IT STOPPED.

On the heels of the roaring twenties, prohibition set in. In their true rebellious nature, the Sleeman family kept their beer flowing, brokering deals with bootleggers and gangsters like Al Capone.

Eventually their notorious ways caught up with them. In 1933 Sleeman lost their licence to brew for smuggling beer.

THE SLEEMAN FAMILY WAS BANNED FROM BREWING OR SELLING BEER FOR 50 YEARS.

Decades later, a family secret would unfold…

After the 50 year brewing ban had passed, Aunt Florian came to John W. Sleeman (great great grandson of John H. Sleeman) with their family recipe book and an original bottle. She said

“IT’S TIME YOU KNEW ABOUT THE OLD FAMILY BEER BUSINESS.”

Against the odds, and after enduring many sacrifices, John Sleeman embraced the notorious spirit of his great great grandfather.

“AND IN 1988 THE SLEEMAN BEER BRAND WAS RESURRECTED.”

We still grow our own barley and keep faith with a traditional malting floor, the last of its kind in the Scottish Highlands. Our resident coppersmith maintains the stills and our team of coopers ensure each barrel is in perfect condition. And of course, our Malt Master presides over the all-important maturation process.