Canadian friendly keg distributors in MI/IN/IL?

[A]

I'm planning on driving to Chicago in august and would like to pick up some kegs (20L or 30L) along the way (ie through Michigan, Illinois, or northern Indiana), hopefully Bells and Three Floyds.

Does anyone have any recommendations for stores that are friendly to selling kegs to Canadians? (in other words who aren't that concerned, deposit-wise, for the kegs). For example the those two breweries have fairly hostile policies. Michigan apparently has a tagging policy in place now for kegs that might make it more difficult.

Bonus points for any stores that will take any random commercial empty kegs as returns!

[grub]

I can only speak from my limited experience, shopping at Merchant's in Dearborn, MI. So far nobody has said a word when I handed them my Ontario ID when filling out the form to pickup kegs. They log them coming in and they log them going out, but that seems to be the extent of it (no sign of cross-referencing which ones I bought on date X vs returned on date Y). I picked up 2 kegs in Dec and returned only one of the empties when picking up a fresh keg last month, no questions asked. Going direct to the brewery might mean they'll be more picky (since it is their investment after all), but my guess is the retailers just do the bare minimum.

I haven't gone direct to a distributor (can the average joe even do this?), and so far haven't shopped elsewhere. If anyone has suggestions for other places in Detroit to get kegs, I'd appreciate it. I seem to recall a thread from last year talking about importing that mentioned spots in Port Huron.

[A]

Thanks - is there a good email contact for someone there? (to arrange for orders and find out availability)

[grub]

Thanks - is there a good email contact for someone there? (to arrange for orders and find out availability)

beer@merchantsfinewine.com

http://www.merchantsfinewine.com/beer.html

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key= ... utput=html

the spreadsheet seems to be hit and miss - a good guideline but that's about it. i generally email with a few things in mind and ask what they can get. sometimes they suggest other tasty things.

[A]

Just to follow up - I was able to purchase kegs at both Merchants in MI and Binny's in Chicago. Bell's brewery would only sell direct to local's in a 50 mile radius, and Three Floyds does not sell kegs on site (and their only distributor only sells to bars)