The Bar Towel

John Aitken <jdaitken@msn.com> wrote:
Hi, my name is John Aitken and I am an Ontario craft beer lover. I am
writing to you today to request a contact in which to send a letter to the
LCBO requesting information on why our public monopoly does not carry all
Ontario craft brewers products. Without the products being available will
mean the certain demise of the excellent craft breweries we have here in
Ontario.

I am also curious why some wine retailers can have outlets outside of the
LCBO but brewers don't. Is this the choice of the brewers? Is this a
business that your organization could undertake on behalf of the small
brewers in Ontario? Please let me take this opportunity to thank all the
craft brewers in the province for producing amazing products and trying to
make them available to the public despite the huge problems and costs they
are faced with.

I know I am not alone in wondering why Ontario is not embracing these
Ontario made products and helping them to prosper instead of importing tons
of similar tasting euro brands.

Thank you for your anticipated help with this information.

Sincerely,

John Aitken


This is The ontario craft brewers response:
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Hi John,

Thank you very much for your letter. We are always thrilled to hear from Craft Beer advocates.

As you know we are a fairly new industry we are very excited with the forming of the Ontario Craft Brewers Association this past year, as well as the tremendous support from the Government of Ontario. In our first year of Operation the LCBO has been tremedously supportive, they have agreed to a pilot project in 40 GTA stores to have a dedicated Ontario Craft Brewers section, as well as a promotional fixture in some of the stores. They have also helped us get our foot in the door, and we are begining to do large scale tastings in the summer periods.

That being said, we always welcome the consumer voice which is the strongest voice when it comes to getting more of our products visible on the LCBO shelves. The most effective avenue if for you to talk directly to LCBO store managers. The LCBO does track request received directly at the store level. If you would like to speak directly to LCBO head office please contact Kate Mallet-Thomas the Beer Category Manager, kate.mallet-thomas@lcbo.com. or phone the LCBO Help Line at 416-365-5900.

Thank you again for your letter, I hope that you enjoy a wider variety of Ontario Craft Beers accessible to you in the future.

Cheers,

Excellent Letter-a couple of points. The winery stores you spoke of are grandfathered as a result of the FTA agreement of the late '80s. It is interesting that over 300 of those licences exist, however any new Winery after 1989 was not allowed to have a single off-site retail licence.
Check out last Tuesday's Financial Post. There is an article in it about a possible review of these licences by the goverment. Seems they create a non level playing field within the Ontario Wine Industry. In addition Bill 7 the "VQA Wine Store Act 2005" has passed committee and is awaiting voting on it by the house.
An interesting excerpt from the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills dated September 27, 2005. The entire day long presentations are available from HANSARD.

QUOTE

###Once established, these stores could be an area of future expansion. They could include products from the fruit wineries of Ontario, which face a similar situation with limited distribution, and selected products from Ontario Craft Brewers possibly completing the full circle.###

The idea was raised by the above quote that if Bill 7 becomes law, and I use the word if, further expansion to the concept might include the Ontario Fruit Wineries (who have no presence in the LCBO as a catagory)
and the Craft Brewers of Ontario. Sort of a Ontario Craft Beverage Store so to speak.

John Aitken wrote: "I know I am not alone in wondering why Ontario is not embracing these
Ontario made products and helping them to prosper instead of importing tons of similar tasting euro brands."

Indeed. What we don't need is for the LC to carry every bad, watery euro-clone, which ironically is what Craft brewers are creating to compete with the lamest Holsten and Wells (and worse) stuff crowding the shelves.

If we had something like those "VQA" & "VQA-Gold Capsule" designations for beer to actually distinguish higher quality craft brew, we might be onto something meaningful instead of jamming fizz water down the public's throat and leaving them unconvinced.

OCBA needs third-party Accredited quality-branding for each of its products, not a catch-all grouping of all the 'craft beers' from Cool to Glenora Springs or just whatever lameness. The latter leads directly to opportunism and laxity. OCBA needs a panel of accredited beer experts to advise people what the real deal is, perhaps with a Point-Of-Sale blurb giving a style description and score/100, like wine!

"Craft Brewed" can't just be a slapped-on label that means little to the quality of what's in the bottle. We need a sort of 'Brewer's Quality Alliance' to establish what actually meets the bar, and what is really gold-standard & well above the bar.

I thought the VQA only ensures that a certain percentage of Ontario grown grapes are used in the wine (something like 30%) and not the taste quality of the wine. The distinction being the ingredients versus the final taste.

___

Footnot - From easy-to-google sites:

"The VQA symbol on a bottle of Canadian wine assures the consumer of quality production, content, varietal percentage, appellation, and vintage.

The VQA standard is government sanctioned and is regulated in Ontario by VQA Ontario and in British Columbia by the British Columbia Wine Institute (BCWI). Ontario and British Columbia are the only two regions in Canada that currently produce wines that meet the VQA standard."

"Wineries wishing to produce VQA wines in Ontario must be members of VQA Ontario and submit their wines for an approval and audit process, which confirms the origin of the grapes, the methods used in making the wine, and that all other VQA requirements are met.

VQA Ontario also plays an educational role and works with the grape and wine industry, governments and the public to prrs can be confident that VQA on the bottle means that the wine will reflect the uniqueomote the value and benefits of VQA-approved products. Consume terroir of Ontario and has followed strict quality assurance guidelines. "

(And so on, with the Gold Foil capsule being only VQA wines of particular distinction.)

The point is, it attracts attention, it excites interest in what will in all likelihood be a real pleasure... and further, it intrigues with the distinction of having a Premium or better still, Super-Premium product for a few extra dollars. A guarantee.

This is what OCBA needs at point of sale, something to attract sales and premium dollars on improved goods. At least in the competitve model of my dream world! But without some education and accreditation, the consumer is in the dark, left in a total crap-shoot spending 12 dollars on something that could be great or just horrid. He doesn't have a clue and there are no stickers or symbols to help him. Not a prospect that promotes trying something totally unknown, as we've all experienced!

Now that the OCBA is an all-embracing institution, let's see any brewer try to set themselves apart the way Vintners have with VQA. Brewers will be screaming if they're left out. Or tell me: how will they all use the Association to promote and guarantee quality? It's a joke unless the better beers can compete on the basis of quality.

The VQA improved Ontario wine, don't forget, out of competitve necessity.

What we need is something that will prevent Steelback from calling its brews 'Premium Quality'

What is with this saturation of eastern Europe lagers at the LCBO? I don't ever really see any of it getting bought.

I like the idea of ratings for beer to help a consumer (though these are often subjective), but don't know if a "BQA" or VQA equivlent would ensure the consumer is getting a good tasting beer. I thought the VQA only ensures that a certain percentage of Ontario grown grapes are used in the wine and not the taste quality of the wine. The distinction being the ingredients and process versus the final taste.

An Ontario craft beverage store would be awesome (and don't forget locally made spirits - Kittling Ridge makes a pretty good whisky or two and there must be others).

To receive a VQA designation, the wine MUST BE !00% Ontario, grown in a designated viticulture area, and must be an approved vinifera or hybrid variety. In addition the wine must be labratory and tasting panel approved.