The original Nelson Brewing and Ice Company was founded in 1892 by Robert Reisterer.
In 1956, the brewery moved to Creston, BC and became the Columbia Brewing Company, leaving the original building unoccupied for nearly 40 years.
In 1991, a group of local businessmen reopened the Nelson Brewing Company in its original historical building and by 2006 became BC's largest fully certified organic brewery.
While most beer from the Nelson Brewing Company is consumed in the Kootenays, it is available across British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.
[2] In 2017 Nelson Brewing company won 2 Silver Medals for "Hooligan Organic Pilsner" in the North American Light Beer category, "Nelson Blackheart Oatmeal Stout" in the British Stout category and a Bronze medal for "Nelson Hopgood Organic Session IPA" in the British Bitter category at the BC Beer Awards.