Great Western brews up $25M expansion in Saskatoon as it celebrates 35 years

SaskatoonGreat Western Brewing Company’s new brewhouse, located at the longstanding brewery site on Second Avenue North in Saskatoon, is expected to be fully operational by early 2026. The expansion will increase brewing capacity to 55 million litres per year.New brewing system to be installed in 11,000-square-foot expanstionAlex Kozroski · CBC News · Posted: Oct 16, 2025 4:27 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours agoGreat Western Brewing Company’s new brewhouse is expected to be producing 55 million litres of beer annually as soon as next year. (CBC)Great Western Brewing Company is turning 35, and it’s celebrating with a $25-million expansion at its brewery site in Saskatoon.Its current brewery, purchased from Molson in 1990, was built back in 1927, and the equipment in use was installed in 1954. Now, Great Western is updating it and expanding, with the addition of 11,000 square feet and an entirely new brewing system. Greg Kitz, one of the original 16 founding employees, recalled the first day their products hit the shelf.“We went like gangbusters, it was amazing,” Kitz told host Stephanie Masicotte on CBC Radio’s Saskatoon Morning. “We sat outside liquor stores just watching. ‘They’re actually taking our beer, the stuff we made.’ There were of course some rough times farther down the road. The initial push died off and we managed to struggle through.”The new brewhouse, located at the longstanding brewery site on Second Avenue North in Saskatoon, is expected to be fully operational by early 2026. The expansion will increase brewing capacity to 55 million litres per year.WATCH | Great Western Brewery in Saskatoon turns 35:Great Western Brewery in Saskatoon turns 35One of Great Western Brewery’s original 16 employees and current president joined Saskatoon Morning to talk about the history and future of the company.Great Western’s president and CEO Michael Brennan said that the new equipment is coming from a German company with a reputation for precision.“From a consumer perspective, you will not be able to tell the difference between our products,” said Brennan. “That’s core to us, making sure that the beer we’re producing now tastes the same in the new facility that will get going very shortly.”The City of Saskatoon has named the brewery as a preserved landmark, not only because it is the only major-capacity brewery still standing, but also because it has been used as a brewery throughout its entire history.“There’s always challenges in the industry,��” said Brennan. “The biggest brewer in the world is 2,600 times our size, so they have a few more resources than we do. So we have to be ingenious. One of our core values is relentless ingenuity, and that’s what helps us get through each day.”According to the Saskatoon built heritage database, in less than a decade from opening, Great Western was ranked 29th out of 300 breweries in North America for annual output.LISTEN | As Great Western turns 35, we take a look at its humble beginnings:Saskatoon Morning8:08As Great Western turns 35, we take a trip back to the past to learn the humble beginnings of the businessGreat Western Brewing Company is turning 35 and it’s celebrating that birthday with a $25 million expansion, but back in 1990, few thought the company would survive its first year of operation. Host Stephanie Massicotte spoke with one of the original 16 and the current CEO for more on the company’s humble beginnings.ABOUT THE AUTHORAlex Kozroski is a reporter with CBC News in Regina. He has also worked as a reporter for Golden West Broadcasting in Swift Current, Sask.With files from Saskatoon Morning