private order #2?

[LarryKress]

They all go to Toronto first and then are transferred. Even if you did fill in the store on the original form, they would still ask you for that information when you pay. So, I don't think you lost any time.

Ya, I filled in the "ship to" address when I ordered and they still asked me where I wanted it to go when I paid by visa.
I requested the main store/warehouse on bank st in Ottawa because I hoped this would speed things up.
Probably all orders for Ottawa area would go to the distribution WH on bank st to get sorted then proceed to individual stores.
It would be nice to receive before christmas!

Drooling in anticipation,

Larry Kress

[inertiaboy]

I requested the main store/warehouse on bank st in Ottawa because I hoped this would speed things up.
Probably all orders for Ottawa area would go to the distribution WH on bank st to get sorted then proceed to individual stores.

My friend picked up the Great Divide order from the warehouse on Bank and I got my transferred to Kanata. He had his about a week before I got mine, so this will definitely save you a few days.

When I talked to the cashier, she told me that the holiday season should not affect the transfer times from Toronto. I'll believe it when I have the order in my hands.

[El Pinguino]

Quick question - just because I don't know.

Are private orders at all possible through TBS? I know they're run by the beer companies, but wouldn'tthey have some system in place as well for licensees and private orders?

[detritus]

Quick question - just because I don't know.

Are private orders at all possible through TBS? I know they're run by the beer companies, but wouldn'tthey have some system in place as well for licensees and private orders?

My understanding (I'm sure someone will correct me) is that all importation into the province in handled through the LCBO (i.e. the LCBO is the importer/purchaser) - even for beer that's ultimately sold through TBS.

So private ordering through Brewers Retail would only entail an extra middle man.

(I think there's a caveat that Brewers Retail has a monopoly on keg sales - but I don't know if you can do private orders through them of things they don't normally carry. Pretty sure there was a thread a while ago where Peter from Esprit said it was prohibitively expensive to get them to list a new keg.)

[robinvboyer]

How about a private order with Unibroue. They have so many great beers we can't get here. And not everyone can take a ride out to Quebec to get them. I'd love to get some Don De Dieu, or some Eau Benite, or Quel Que Chose and not have to pay $20 a bottle at the bar.

[shintriad]

I met a dude who's worked at the LCBO at a party the other night. He's a huge beer geek, familiar with the 'Towel and he says he's dealt with Esprit a few times before.

Basically he told me two things, not sure how credible it is:

1) That there's an importer in Canada somewhere for every micro in the U.S., it's just a matter of finding them. He says that somewhere along the line, a beer geek would have done the paperwork to get a private order in, and it's just a matter of the LCBO "continuing" the order. Not sure I quite understood it all (I was a bit drunk).

2) Also, that Vintages will occasionally stock beer as part of its "In Store Discoveries" campaign, and not announce it or advertise it. Calling won't even help, because they want you to shop at different stores. He claims that if you know what's up, you can find some ultra-rare craft Belgians and U.S. micros, but you have to walk in.

Has anything heard about this stuff? This guy asked me to talk to Peter. but from the posts I've read it's anything but simple to bring in a special order. As for the in-store discoveries, I'll keep you posted...

[detritus]

2) Also, that Vintages will occasionally stock beer as part of its "In Store Discoveries" campaign, and not announce it or advertise it. Calling won't even help, because they want you to shop at different stores. He claims that if you know what's up, you can find some ultra-rare craft Belgians and U.S. micros, but you have to walk in.

I'm 99.9% sure this is bull-****. If this kind of thing were true, the bartowel community would know about it - particularly since there are a couple (?) of LCBO employees and agents who post here regularly.

-Josh

[GregClow]

Wow. Either that LCBO guy was yanking your chain, or he has absolutely no idea what he's talking about.

1) That there's an importer in Canada somewhere for every micro in the U.S., it's just a matter of finding them.

Not true. There are many, many US microbreweries who have no agent or importer representing them in Canada, or at least in Ontario. Great Divide and Hair Of The Dog are two examples - if they had an agency repping them up here, we would not have been able to do private orders with them. The LCBO would have told us to go through the agency, the same way that orders for Rogue, Dogfish Head, etc. have to go through Esprit.

2) Also, that Vintages will occasionally stock beer as part of its "In Store Discoveries" campaign, and not announce it or advertise it.

Vintages used to carry beer, but they stopped doing so several years ago. All speciality beers are now brought in via the regular LCBO stock system, either as part of the seasonal releases or as one-off releases.

The one exception to this are the rare occurrences where consignment orders are not picked up, so they are shelved at Queen's Quay or that store in the north wed (Weston & 401, I think?) that has a large clearance section. These items are generally quite limited and not listed in the online inventory, so you have to just stumble across them to know about them.

[lagerale]

... or that store in the north wed (Weston & 401, I think?) that has a large clearance section.

They just re-opened the store in a new a space a few doors down that looks like every other new LCBO (no warehouse area) a few weeks ago. I used to like going there and finding an odd beer that found it's way there, but I think those days are over.