[2] Labatt went on to apprentice to American brewer George Weatherall Smith in Wheeling, West Virginia, from 1859 to 1864, where he learned the skills to work for his father's company.
[4] Labatt introduced an English-style India pale ale (IPA) in the 1870s to the Canadian market, which served as an immediate success, as it was loved by thousands across Eastern Canada.
[4] To produce this product, Labatt utilized the hard water of his well, high-quality barley from southwestern Ontario, and hops purchased from British Columbia and Central Europe.
[4] Using the railways, he was able to expand his company rapidly, and by 1900, owned and operated bottling agencies in Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, and Saint John.
[4] Through the many expansions, he was able to double the capacity of his London plant compared to the 1970s, with his malting and brewing business growing to be the seventh largest in Canada at the time.
[4] Displays of Labatt's company, logo, and beer were mounted at events across the United States, drawing thousands of visitors at fairs and contests, like the Philadelphia Centennial International Exhibition in 1876 and the Columbian exposition in Chicago in 1893.
[4] At the Philadelphia Centennial International Exhibition, his India pale ale was awarded a ‘gold medal,’ besting other brewers from across the world.