Ontario Craft Beer, Imports and Pumpkin Beers at the LCBO (Fall 2019)

[midlife crisis]

I don't think so -- it has to be brewed on-site for them to sell it directly out of their facility. If a distributor could simply open up a retail storefront (which is what you are suggesting they are doing), then surely Keep 6, R&R and all of our other excellent distributors would be doing so too. The only retail outlets for beer in Ontario are TBS, LCBO, some groceries stores, and on the site of the brewery where it was produced.

[DerekD]

I bought some of the La Trappe Oak Aged Quad when I was there, and I thought the same thing. I asked one of the employees and he told me that "most" of the beers in the fridge were brewed there, but the middle fridge (at the time) wasn't. The middle fridge had La Trappe Quad, La Trappe Oak Aged, Weihenstephan hefe, Weihenstephan non alcoholic and Weihenstephan festbier. Could they have brewed them on site? What about barrel aging the quad?

[Craig]

I don't think so -- it has to be brewed on-site for them to sell it directly out of their facility. If a distributor could simply open up a retail storefront (which is what you are suggesting they are doing), then surely Keep 6, R&R and all of our other excellent distributors would be doing so too. The only retail outlets for beer in Ontario are TBS, LCBO, some groceries stores, and on the site of the brewery where it was produced.

I'm not sure that's true, or maybe just that it might not be enforced that way. For example, Amsterdam have been selling double Tempest at the brewpub and the brewery for ages, and I doubt they're making separate batches for each location.

Granted, imports are a whole other game.

[Napalm Frog]

I don't think so -- it has to be brewed on-site for them to sell it directly out of their facility. If a distributor could simply open up a retail storefront (which is what you are suggesting they are doing), then surely Keep 6, R&R and all of our other excellent distributors would be doing so too. The only retail outlets for beer in Ontario are TBS, LCBO, some groceries stores, and on the site of the brewery where it was produced.

I'm not sure that's true, or maybe just that it might not be enforced that way. For example, Amsterdam have been selling double Tempest at the brewpub and the brewery for ages, and I doubt they're making separate batches for each location.

Granted, imports are a whole other game.

Re Amsterdam, I'm not sure of the exact rule, but my understanding is a brewery is allowed two bottle shop locations, as long as sales from a second facility do not exceed 50% at that location. See Bellwoods as an example, where the bulk of staples are brewed at Hafis, and the seasonals and one offs (that aren't foeder or barrel aged) are done at Ossington.

[JaseWescott]

La Trappe Quad, i believe, is brewed at Brunswick in Ontario.
and it's Netherlands, not Belgian.

all La Trappe beers are brewed at Koningshoeven in Netherlands.

[midlife crisis]

I don't think so -- it has to be brewed on-site for them to sell it directly out of their facility. If a distributor could simply open up a retail storefront (which is what you are suggesting they are doing), then surely Keep 6, R&R and all of our other excellent distributors would be doing so too. The only retail outlets for beer in Ontario are TBS, LCBO, some groceries stores, and on the site of the brewery where it was produced.

I'm not sure that's true, or maybe just that it might not be enforced that way. For example, Amsterdam have been selling double Tempest at the brewpub and the brewery for ages, and I doubt they're making separate batches for each location.

Granted, imports are a whole other game.

Re Amsterdam, I'm not sure of the exact rule, but my understanding is a brewery is allowed two bottle shop locations, as long as sales from a second facility do not exceed 50% at that location. See Bellwoods as an example, where the bulk of staples are brewed at Hafis, and the seasonals and one offs (that aren't foeder or barrel aged) are done at Ossington.

OK, thanks for the clarification, agreed.

[seangm]

I don't think so -- it has to be brewed on-site for them to sell it directly out of their facility. If a distributor could simply open up a retail storefront (which is what you are suggesting they are doing), then surely Keep 6, R&R and all of our other excellent distributors would be doing so too. The only retail outlets for beer in Ontario are TBS, LCBO, some groceries stores, and on the site of the brewery where it was produced.

I'm not sure that's true, or maybe just that it might not be enforced that way. For example, Amsterdam have been selling double Tempest at the brewpub and the brewery for ages, and I doubt they're making separate batches for each location.

Granted, imports are a whole other game.

Re Amsterdam, I'm not sure of the exact rule, but my understanding is a brewery is allowed two bottle shop locations, as long as sales from a second facility do not exceed 50% at that location. See Bellwoods as an example, where the bulk of staples are brewed at Hafis, and the seasonals and one offs (that aren't foeder or barrel aged) are done at Ossington.

So I suppose the imported beers Brunswick sells fall under this rule. I didn't think it would apply since they're imports and not even Brunswick's own beers, but I guess they've found a loophole. Either way it's pretty nice since the LCBO seems to have stopped carrying Weihenstephaner Dunkel (my favourite dunkelweiss) and now I have a source for it again.

Hopefully this will lead to a further loosening of retailing rules, because it would be amazing to have a boutique Keep 6/R&R/etc. bricks and mortar shop.

[Napalm Frog]

So I suppose the imported beers Brunswick sells fall under this rule. I didn't think it would apply since they're imports and not even Brunswick's own beers, but I guess they've found a loophole. Either way it's pretty nice since the LCBO seems to have stopped carrying Weihenstephaner Dunkel (my favourite dunkelweiss) and now I have a source for it again.

Hopefully this will lead to a further loosening of retailing rules, because it would be amazing to have a boutique Keep 6/R&R/etc. bricks and mortar shop.

My understanding was that Brunswick was selling non-alcoholic Weihenstephaner, at least they started off that way last year. I'm really curious as to how their store is getting around the regs.

EDIT: See instagram post of the bottles here, from this summer: https://www.instagram.com/p/ByvXmsAB3RN

[DerekD]

IIRC they told me that they had a brewer visit from Weihenstephaner for a collab brew, same as La Trappe. Have they found a new way to import and sell into Ontario?

Edit: Looks like their Senior Brewing Advisor studied at Weihenstephan
https://www.brunswickbierworks.com/partner-brewing

[midlife crisis]

So I suppose the imported beers Brunswick sells fall under this rule. I didn't think it would apply since they're imports and not even Brunswick's own beers, but I guess they've found a loophole. Either way it's pretty nice since the LCBO seems to have stopped carrying Weihenstephaner Dunkel (my favourite dunkelweiss) and now I have a source for it again.

Hopefully this will lead to a further loosening of retailing rules, because it would be amazing to have a boutique Keep 6/R&R/etc. bricks and mortar shop.

Call me cynical, but I doubt it. I am much more inclined to believe those beers were brewed at Brunswick. That is their entire business model, after all. Unless they are clearly labelled otherwise, of course.

[DerekD]

I still have three bottles of the Oak Aged Quad, but they're at the in-laws house. I'm curious to see what they say. If I visit them this weekend I'll take a look at the bottle and report back.

[portwood]

I don't think so -- it has to be brewed on-site for them to sell it directly out of their facility.

So how do we explain taprooms selling beer from other breweries.
recent example: Rouge River had a beer from Barncat
current example: https://www.rougeriverbrewingcompany.co ... p-tap-list scroll down to find they are selling Bellwoods White Picket fence

having said that, I haven't seen any brewery sell beer from another brewery (i.e. Brunswick selling laTrappe) to take away - only on-tap

[beerstodiscover]

They are definitely selling imported beer.
The La Trappe products (except the canned collab) are labelled Authentic Trappist Products, a certification which stipulates: "All products must be made within the immediate surroundings of the abbey."

[matt7215]

I don't think so -- it has to be brewed on-site for them to sell it directly out of their facility.

So how do we explain taprooms selling beer from other breweries.
recent example: Rouge River had a beer from Barncat
current example: https://www.rougeriverbrewingcompany.co ... p-tap-list scroll down to find they are selling Bellwoods White Picket fence

having said that, I haven't seen any brewery sell beer from another brewery (i.e. Brunswick selling laTrappe) to take away - only on-tap

Rouge River has a tied house licence which allows for sales of beer, wine and spirits as well as beer made on site. Only the products they make can be sold to go.

[midlife crisis]

Yes, I was speaking of off-licence sales only. Certainly pubs and brewpubs can sell beer from multiple brewers.