In the first half of the 1900’s, Fritz Sick went from small-town brewer to big-time businessman. Sick’s Breweries Ltd. grew from their headquarters in Lethbridge to dominate brewing in western Canada and the northwestern USA. Known across Canada, Sicks’ iconic Old Style Pilsner was first brewed here in 1926 and is still going strong today.

The moral and political crusade to ban alcohol had unintended consequences, both good and bad. It spurred the push for women’s suffrage, led to the creation of the Alberta Provincial Police, and prompted experiments in direct democracy. But it also led to people flouting the law at all levels of society, which would shape politics, policies, and communities for years to come.