Beer from a U.S. day trip

sstackho · Post by **sstackho** » Thu May 29, 2008 11:35 am

Better than whisky (or any spirit) anyway, which gets a 59.9% provincial markup. (They don't say 60%, so that you might feel like you're getting a bargain.) And that's just the provincial markup - not the taxes and federal charges.

I'm guessing that if you bring a bottle of whisky and some beer back - so over the limit in total - you can pick and choose that the whisky be tax-free under the 48-hour personal exemption and just pay the lower charges on the beer?

sstackho · Post by **sstackho** » Thu May 29, 2008 12:00 pm

Jon Walker wrote:Thanks for the clarification. Then it's fair to say folks in Ontario are WAY better off when crossing the border with U.S. beer than our friends in B.C.

Yup.

Beer:
Provincial mark-up in Ontario: $0.676 per litre. So around $5.50 per 24.
Provincial mark-up in BC: 55% of declared value.

And I thought the 59.9% spirits mark-up was bad in Ontario. In BC, it's 150%!!

EDIT: I see BC has a limit of $40 mark-up per litre for spirits. So for bottles over $70, BC is actually cheaper than Ontario.

cannondale · Post by **cannondale** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 10:44 am

Some wisdom from the seasoned border crossers please, I have negligible experience in this department. I'm currently in Niagara Falls and I'm tempted to nip across the border to Consumers Beverages, and then come back (max. I'll be there an hour). Any tips for a successful trip? I plan to declare honestly whatever it is I purchase.

1. Is there a maximum amount (volume or dollar value) that I should stay within to minimize odds of paying duty/taxes, or if I do to minimize the amount?
2. Can I still expect to pay at most ~35% in duty/taxes?
3. Suggestions on best 'phrasing' of my purchases to agent? (eg. "Roughly three 6 packs worth.")
4. Does it maximize bang for buck to buy larger format product?

Any tips appreciated!

Kish84 · Post by **Kish84** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 11:59 am

cannondale wrote:1. Is there a maximum amount (volume or dollar value) that I should stay within to minimize odds of paying duty/taxes, or if I do to minimize the amount?
2. Can I still expect to pay at most ~35% in duty/taxes?
3. Suggestions on best 'phrasing' of my purchases to agent? (eg. "Roughly three 6 packs worth.")
4. Does it maximize bang for buck to buy larger format product?

Any tips appreciated!

1. I've never been over for that short of a time so it is hard to say. Have a friend who was there for less then an hour and bought 6 beers and got dog searched but paid no duty.

2. I always expect to pay duty, but it's not always the case. ~35% sounds about right.

3. Usually give an approximate bottle count (when I have a lot of bottles), I also have the receipt ready to show but they haven't asked to see it too often.

4. I'm not sure if it makes a difference or not, but I'd imagine its safer going with smaller bottles. That being said, most of my bottles are usually bombers.

I don't know if its just a coincidence or it they are stricter, but the only times I've had to pay duty is at the Rainbow Bridge. Best experiences have been at the Peace Bridge, but that's Buffalo/Fort Erie.

andrewrg · Post by **andrewrg** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:13 pm

Under 24 hours, you'll have to pay duty/taxes on anything you bring back because there's no exemption for that little time. That said, if you're bringing back a small amount, such as a six pack, the border guard may be nice and just let you go.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:46 pm

Cannondale, or others in like scenario.

I've been waved through on 30-50 bottles all sizes, and I've been stopped / assessed for a modest 18 or 24. There's no rhyme or reason. Buy the shit you want and tell them 'I've got X number beers sir.' Just be polite and direct, they deal with all kinds of BS from people trying to 'out clever' them.

Yes they might assess 33% on the GROSS purchases (kind of fucked, assessing CDN tax on US tax, deposit etc) and other times the inspector will go 'tell you what, we call this (37 random mess of bottles in the trunk) a regular two-four and you just pay this, sound good?'

You've got to let it all go, Neo...

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:31 pm

Just got back from Buffalo. Somehow managed to spend so much on beer at Premier that VISA put a "security hold" on my card. lol.

Only got 38 beers, but I guess that's what happens when 10 of them are ridiculously priced Mikkeller beers.

heebes · Post by **heebes** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:15 pm

hahaha, wow wild.

decided to go to Buffalo instead of MI? im thinking a trip is due, havent been over since April.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:36 pm

heebes wrote:hahaha, wow wild.

decided to go to Buffalo instead of MI? im thinking a trip is due, havent been over since April.

Yeah. For a couple reasons. Only went for one night, Michigan would have had to be two. Also, the tap list at Founder's has been absolute shit for the past week or so. Once they get some of the great specialty beers back on tap, I might consider a weekend trip.

Soods · Post by **Soods** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:42 pm

TheSevenDuffs wrote: Once they get some of the great specialty beers back on tap, I might consider a weekend trip.

So you mean like the weekend of October 1st?

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:49 pm

Soods wrote:
TheSevenDuffs wrote: Once they get some of the great specialty beers back on tap, I might consider a weekend trip.
So you mean like the weekend of October 1st?

Thought about it. Not worth it though. The madness combined with the 2 bottle limit makes it seem not worth it to me.

Having gone to KBS day, there is a definite downside to travelling to Founder's for release days - the brewery is PACKED so is Hop Cat. Local bottle shops gets depleted fast too. In the case of KBS, it isn't so bad when I can buy a case of 12 oz bottles. But for 2 bombers, I am not sure it is worth the trouble...

Soods · Post by **Soods** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:35 pm

Yeah it will be a zoo for sure.

I think that's also the day they've got the Harvest Ale available as well.

sprague11 · Post by **sprague11** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:20 pm

I was told to expect to pay dollar for dolar coming back from minnesota if I was there less than 48 hours

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 4:33 pm

sprague11 wrote:I was told to expect to pay dollar for dolar coming back from minnesota if I was there less than 48 hours

Might be true if you're buying a $15 pack of Blue, but that's only due to the fact they ding you more for the large producers. Wonder who keeps track of the size of brewery production for all the US Craft breweries.

http://www.lcbo.com/contactus/importing.shtml

NOTES:

1. Import Duty Rates vary according to product type and alcohol content. Rates used in this example are $0.0492/LAA for other imported spirits (it is free for US spirits), and $0.0187/litre for other imported wine (it is free for US wine). Beer is not charged import duty.

2. Rates are $11.696/LAA for spirits, $0.62 per litre for wine and $0.3122/litre for beer. 100% Domestic produced wine is excise free. Excise duty relief for beer with greater than 2.5% alcohol by volume produced by domestic brewers is as follows:

• $3.122/hl for first 2,000 hectolitres produced annually (90% excise duty reduction)

• $6.244/hl for next 3,000 hectolitres (2,001 - 5,000 hl) produced annually (80% excise duty reduction)

• $12.488/hl for next 10,000 hectolitres (5,001 - 15,000 hl) produced annually (60% excise duty reduction)

• $21.854/hl for next 35,000 hectolitres (15,001 - 50,000 hl) produced annually (30% excise duty reduction)

• $26.537/hl for next 25,000 hectolitres (50,001 - 75,000 hl) produced annually (15% excise duty reduction)

• $31.220/hl for over 75,000 hectolitres produced annually (regular rate)

3. Border levy is applied to the value of subtotal 1

4. HST is 13% applied to the value of subtotal 1

cannondale · Post by **cannondale** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:08 pm

Belgian wrote:Cannondale, or others in like scenario.

I've been waved through on 30-50 bottles all sizes, and I've been stopped / assessed for a modest 18 or 24. There's no rhyme or reason. Buy the shit you want and tell them 'I've got X number beers sir.' Just be polite and direct, they deal with all kinds of BS from people trying to 'out clever' them.

Yes they might assess 33% on the GROSS purchases (kind of fucked, assessing CDN tax on US tax, deposit etc) and other times the inspector will go 'tell you what, we call this (37 random mess of bottles in the trunk) a regular two-four and you just pay this, sound good?'

You've got to let it all go, Neo...

The inspector gave me a look of incredulity, and while shaking his head said "You paid $102 for 26 bottles of beer? No, you've gotta pay some tax. " Seemed I was being punished for my lack of thrift, as opposed to an adherance to importation laws.

Tax was a little over $25, so under 25%. Call it a day.

I picked up 6 packs of Victory Golden Monkey, Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild and Flying Dog Raging Bitch. Bombers of Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, ST Oak Aged Unearthly, ST Pumking, Pretty Things Jack D'Or, Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet, Stone Double Bastard and Saison Dupont. I also bought a growler of Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale, which I enjoyed with my partner last night in our room overlooking the falls. The wide mouth flip top growler alone was worth the price of admission...I'll get good use of this thing carting my home brew around.

Thanks for the tips guys.