History

The Disastrous Beer Recall That Resulted In 20 Fatalities By Kat Olvera Oct. 26, 2025 10:20 am EST

Even some of the strangest recalls in U.S. history may not compare to the incident with Dow beer in the 1960s. William Dow founded the brewery in 1861 in Montreal, and, for a time, it sold the best-selling beer in Quebec. This fame didn't last forever, though, as consumers were frightened away from the drink after at least 20 Dow drinkers died. The deaths didn't all occur at once but over a short window of time in the mid-1960s in Quebec City. Those who died were all heavy drinkers of around a dozen Dow Ales a day, or 8 quarts.

The deaths came as a result of high levels of cobalt sulfate being added to the beer. Consuming too much of this inorganic compound can disrupt

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