Halifax Alehouse

The most recent iteration, the Halifax Alehouse, is modeled as a traditional Maritime brew pub, with décor that emphasizes history and tradition, and a staff that wears period costumes. The bar is known for its wide range of East Coast beers (with 29 on tap). The menu is traditional pub fare, but specializes in Belgian mussels. The bar also hosts live music, especially from Celtic derived bands.

Bands who have played the Alehouse include Satori, The Frequency, Shameless, Ten Mile House, Kapyr (10 years of Wednesdays), The Persuaders, The Morning After, "The Legendary" Frankie Deuce, Frisky Biscuit, UP, Green with Envy, Merimac.

The Halifax Alehouse is owned by Michel and Marcel Khoury, while Peter Zed is the recognized agent of the business under Nova Scotian law.[3]

The Halifax Alehouse was the subject of a human rights complaint in relation to a 2010 incident in which a 32-year-old black patron, Dino Gilpin, was asked to leave after the bar refused to accept his citizenship card as a valid form of identification for the purpose of purchasing an alcoholic drink. After he refused to leave, the Halifax Alehouse phoned police, who arrested Gilpin and charged him with public drunkenness. In 2013, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission ruled that the Halifax Alehouse racially discriminated against him in phoning the police. The commission also found that Gilpin was not intoxicated.[4]

Halifax Alehouse security staff have been involved in various violent incidents. In 2009, a scuffle between photography students and a Halifax Alehouse bouncer on the public sidewalk outside the bar made local news.[5]

Following a December 2022 murder (see below), The Coast reported on a man who said he was beaten by multiple Halifax Alehouse staff on 25 June 2022 in the venue's back stairwell, out of view of other patrons, after being escorted out of the bar by three bouncers. The man said he suffered numerous injuries including a fractured rib, but decided not to press charges due to personal circumstances. The Halifax Alehouse did not respond to the newspaper's repeated inquiries.[6]

On 14 August 2022, Addisiane Freeland was "badly beaten by bouncers at the Alehouse", according to local media.[7][8] A notice of action filed against the Alehouse in relation to this incident alleged that multiple bouncers inflected physical injury and psychological trauma on the man. A video allegedly depicting the assault was posted to social media website Reddit.[3] The video shows a man being punched multiple times while not moving, being pinned to the ground by several people.[8]

Halifax police charged two staff of the Halifax Alehouse, Matthew Day and Alexander Levy, with assault in relation to another incident that took place on 10 October 2022. A man, who was being restrained outside the bar by Alehouse staff when police arrived, alleged that he had been assaulted by them.[3] Speaking to CBC News, the man said he had been told to leave without being given a reason, and was escorted out of the bar. He recounted that once outside the bar he turned to leave, but was attacked by multiple bouncers and was beaten and choked unconscious on the sidewalk.[8]

On 24 December 2022, Ryan Michael Sawyer was killed outside the Halifax Alehouse.[9][10] Sawyer was visiting Halifax to watch the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Online accounts suggested that the assault involved staff of the Halifax Alehouse, but as of January 2023 this has not been confirmed by Halifax police nor the Halifax Alehouse. A complaint filed on 25 December 2022 with the provincial Alcohol, Gaming, Fuel and Tobacco Division alleged that staff of the Halifax Alehouse have been, for the past several years, "overly eager to resort to violence".[11][12] The murder remains under police investigation.