One of the most iconic alcoholic drinks is no longer available in Canada

No matter what genre of music you listened to as a teen, you likely heard a song or two about the ever-iconic 40 oz bottles of Olde English 800 malt liquor before you were old enough to (legally) try them yourself.

But it appears future generations of young people in Ontario and across Canada at large may never know what it’s like to play Edward Fortyhands with OG O’E, as the brand is no longer shipping north of the border.

Residents of the province have noticed the red-and-gold-labelled bottles strangely absent from their local booze retailers lately, prompting questions and rumours about new red tape impacting imports.

And while the rumours of regulatory changes are untrue, it is true that Olde English will no longer be available on Ontario shelves — or anywhere in Canada.

Ye Olde English 800 discontinued in Ontario?
byu/psychedoutnaught inontario

The LCBO confirmed to blogTO that the supplier of the drink, Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Company, has unfortunately chosen to stop importing Olde English 800.

While LCBO received its final shipment of the product this past April, the move was actually made back in 2021, a representative from Molson Coors, which owns Miller, told blogTO this week.

“We made the decision to discontinue the distribution of Olde English 800 in Canada as part of our commitment to optimizing our partnerships and product offerings,” the spokesperson said, noting that the company’s focus will now solely be on lines like Molson Canadian, Coors Light and Old Style Pilsner here in Canada.

So, for any Olde E fans out there, whatever you can spot on store shelves is all there is left here — so stock up if you see it, and perhaps pour one out for the brand itself.

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