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Planning a trip to Buffalo

Discuss beer travel and regional information, including the best bars and places to check out around in Canada and around the world, and other chat that is not specific to Ontario.

Moderators: Craig, Cass

StevenThrasher
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Post by StevenThrasher »

sweetback wrote:where did you pick up the 3 floyds?
A friend who is another craft beer nut made a road trip down to Georgia recently and brought back some as well as Bells Expedition and DFH World Wide Stout and a bunch of other fine brews. He had 60L worth of beer in his car so I met him in Buffalo and bought some Victory beer from the PG. We were 92L between the two of us. 2L over. The customs guy gave us a bit of a hard time but not too bad. He said "You realize you need a permit to bring anything over 45L back". I told him I could dump a few bottles but he said don't worry about it just remember for next time. We got our cars searched briefly after we paid the duty. The one customs woman saw one of the bottles of Alesmith Old Numbskull Barleywine Ale and said "This is wine not beer." My buddy had to explain that it was a type of beer (ale) and not considered wine. Anyways they let it slide and all was good. Good thing they didn't read the %alc on the bottles.

I'm trying to find a closer source for Bells, Alesmith and 3 Floyds.

rudolf
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Post by rudolf »

sweetback wrote: where did you pick up the 3 floyds?
Cole's will occasionally have 3F bottles. I've seen Robert The Bruce, Alpha King, Gumball Head, Rabbit Rabbit and Dreadnaught there. It's never a sure thing though.

Mike, who runs Cole's usually posts what new at http://ratebeer.com/Forums/Forum-1602.htm -- Just click on the "new around town" thread. Posts from Swoopjones will indicate what they've got..

-rudy

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Ale's What Cures Ya
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Post by Ale's What Cures Ya »

Coles? Is this a bar or a store?

rudolf
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Post by rudolf »

DragonOfBlood wrote:Coles? Is this a bar or a store?
Restaurant/bar. Their webpage is linked earlier in this thread.

-rudy

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Ale's What Cures Ya
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Post by Ale's What Cures Ya »

rudolf wrote:
DragonOfBlood wrote:Coles? Is this a bar or a store?
Restaurant/bar. Their webpage is linked earlier in this thread.

-rudy
Found it. I will definitely be hitting up this place next time I'm in Buffalo. How far is it from Premier Gourmet?

rudolf
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Post by rudolf »

DragonOfBlood wrote:
rudolf wrote:
DragonOfBlood wrote:Coles? Is this a bar or a store?
Restaurant/bar. Their webpage is linked earlier in this thread.

-rudy
Found it. I will definitely be hitting up this place next time I'm in Buffalo. How far is it from Premier Gourmet?
Mapquest sends you a slightly odd way and it totals 5.08 miles. Probably 4.5 if you take a more reasonable route.

-rudy

viggo
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Post by viggo »

Cole's is about a 15 or so minute drive from Premier.

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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

I was in Buffalo so I crossed town to Premier on the way back. Coming back to Canada I declared 'just a six pack of beer' and they let it go at the border. I was nervous about duty hassles & time wasted so I went 'small' this time. They have all kinds of Stone, Victory, Brooklyn and Great Lakes stuff there.

And as Jan P says, the Belgian beer prices are disturbingly high so I just tried a few American stouts. Brooklyn Choc Stout reminds me a little of Tsarina actually. Good prices on USA stuff if you are careful.
In Beerum Veritas

sweetback
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Post by sweetback »

Just came back from premier, shit that stores amazing, bought some stone arrogant bastard and ruination, dogfish, victory storm king, loose cannon and a variety of others, declared a case,(actually had about 30) and had to pay a duty of 25 bucks. not bad, definitely worth the trip.

just wondering anyone else who has had to pay duty, do you tend to get nicked on your next trips?

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Ale's What Cures Ya
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Post by Ale's What Cures Ya »

sweetback wrote:Just came back from premier, shit that stores amazing, bought some stone arrogant bastard and ruination, dogfish, victory storm king, loose cannon and a variety of others, declared a case,(actually had about 30) and had to pay a duty of 25 bucks. not bad, definitely worth the trip.

just wondering anyone else who has had to pay duty, do you tend to get nicked on your next trips?
You had to pay duty for only 30 bottles? What time did you cross back to Canada/where did you cross?

sweetback
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Post by sweetback »

I crossed at the queenston/lewiston bridge at around 5:00pm

Duct Tape
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Post by Duct Tape »

DragonOfBlood wrote:
sweetback wrote:Just came back from premier, shit that stores amazing, bought some stone arrogant bastard and ruination, dogfish, victory storm king, loose cannon and a variety of others, declared a case,(actually had about 30) and had to pay a duty of 25 bucks. not bad, definitely worth the trip.

just wondering anyone else who has had to pay duty, do you tend to get nicked on your next trips?
You had to pay duty for only 30 bottles? What time did you cross back to Canada/where did you cross?
Its not a question of when/where. Its a question of the agent in the booth. I have come back on daytrips and got dinged for declairing, and also come back and gotten waived through, its a total crapshoot. I have no idea if being hit makes you more likely to get hit in the future or not though.
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Ale's What Cures Ya
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Post by Ale's What Cures Ya »

Duct Tape wrote: Its not a question of when/where. Its a question of the agent in the booth. I have come back on daytrips and got dinged for declairing, and also come back and gotten waived through, its a total crapshoot. I have no idea if being hit makes you more likely to get hit in the future or not though.
Well, I find that if you return with your haul in the late evening there's almost a zero chance you'll have to pay.

And I also highly recommend crossing at Fort Erie, because those guys seem to be incredibly lackadaisical.

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northyorksammy
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Post by northyorksammy »

And I also highly recommend crossing at Fort Erie, because those guys seem to be incredibly lackadaisical.[/quote]
i strongly disagree, it's reputation as one of the tougher crossings

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Ale's What Cures Ya
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Post by Ale's What Cures Ya »

northyorksammy wrote: i strongly disagree, it's reputation as one of the tougher crossings
Really? I've never had any problems there. Three questions and I get waved right through. Niagara Falls has always been tougher for me.

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