After learning the brewing trade from his uncle in Northern England,[1] Keith emigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1817 and became manager at a brewery, which he bought out in 1820.

The end of slavery in the British and French Caribbean reduced the availability of sugar for rum-making, and other beverages grew in popularity.

[2] Beverages brewed by Keith included spruce beer, porter, ginger wine, and strong ale.

He married Sarah Ann Stalcup in 1822, and they had three children, all of whom died before reaching adulthood.

[1] Alexander Keith Jr.: his nephew, who was a criminal and Confederate secret agent and used in 1875 a time bomb in an attempt to destroy the ship Mosel in Bremerhaven, Germany, to collect in an insurance fraud scheme.