There are currently seven breweries in Kingston, each making their own distinctive selection of beers. But in Kingston, if someone says to you, “I’m going to the Brew Pub,” there’s one place they mean. It’s the one that started it all.
In 1986, Kingston Brewing Company opened up with the aim of reviving Ontario’s craft beer tradition. Forty years later, it’s still going strong.
Kingston Brewing Company opened on April 26, 1986, with its first offering – Regal Lager – brewed on the premises. Later that summer, the pub added a new beer. Dragon’s Breath Real Ale was inspired by the Dragon fleet of sailboats. In the summer of 1986, a group of sailors racing at Kingston’s CORK regatta adopted the Kingston Brewing Company as their home away from home. The brew pub dubbed their newest ale “Dragon’s Breath” to evoke the wind that fills the sails of the Dragon sailboats. Dragon’s Breath is a real ale, meaning it is carbonated naturally and uses no artificial preservatives. And unlike many commercially produced beers, real ale doesn’t have added sugar to speed up the fermentation process. Instead, it ferments naturally in the cask from which it is served.
Photo caption: Kingston has a long history of breweries, going back to the 1790s. But it was only in 1986 that the Ontario liquor license law was changed to allow for the creation of brew pubs, where beer brewed on premises is sold to customers. Kingston Brewing Company was the among the first to receive a license and, 40 years later, it is the longest running brew pub in Ontario.
Dragon’s Breath is still brewed in the back of the pub, along with a rotating selection of seasonal beers. In the last 40 years, KBC has expanded its beverage lineup, offering not only ales and lagers, but house-made cream soda and root beer as well. And since the downtown pub (housed in an 1840s telegraph office) has limited space, some of its beers are made off-site – but still close by – at Kingston’s Riverhead Brewing. Today, the Kingston Brewing Company has 28 taps, offering fresh craft beer from Kingston and across Ontario.
In recent years, KBC’s food menu has been tweaked as well. It’s still, for the most part, classic pub comfort food, but with a twist. The house burger is the Royale with cheese, made with freshly ground beef from a local butcher, with American cheese, grilled onions, and in-house Royale sauce, served on a brioche bun. There are plenty of vegan and gluten-free options on the menu. In cooler months, the menu switches from lighter summer fare to cozy mode, with bangers and mash (with house-made smoked bratwurst), cottage pies, and warm sandwiches all now available.
As Kingston Brewing Company gets ready to celebrate its 40th anniversary in April 2026, its owners are planning some special menu surprises as well as limited-edition anniversary beers.
Kingston Brewing Company
34 Clarence St.
kingstonbrewing.ca
Tasting notes
Dragon’s Breath Real Ale: an Extra-Special Bitter, naturally carbonated, served at cask temperature
Whitetail Cream Ale: a crisp, refreshing blonde beer with a medium body
Double Dry-Hopped IPA: a hazy, juicy IPA with moderate bitterness
Regal Amber Lager: a lightly carbonated, European-style lager
KBC 2.0
In 2022, the Kingston Brewing Company opened up another KBC – the Kingston Burger Company. This east-end restaurant specializes in smash burgers, served with house-made sauces, including Royale sauce, a KBC customer favourite.
Kingston Burger Company
695 Innovation Dr.
kingstonburgercompany.com
