E.C. Dahls Brewery was founded in 1856 by Erich Christian Dahl (1814–1882), a local businessman and consul-general from Trondheim. He was the son of Erich Dahl (1774-1821) Christine Lyche (1776-1861). His parents had been the owners of an import-export business and shipping company. In 1851, Erich Christian Dahl had bought the Sugarhouse ("Sukkerhuset") in the Kalvskinnet area of Trondheim, where there had been a sugar refinery since 1754. Sukkerhuset was rebuilt for brewing. The brewery stayed in the building until 1984.