The Bar Towel

I'm not familiar with this program.

I'd like to get my hands on some Sierra Nevada Pale Ale....can I go through the LCBO, or do I contact a broker such as Esprit Agencies??

Thanks!

Pollux, a few month's ago I E-mailed Sierra Nevada and asked them if they would consider
shipping the Pale ale to Ontario, thier reply was that at this time they were have a hard enough time supplying the domestic market(US),and that they couldn't export to Canada. I suggest to Bar Towel members that we should send E-mails from time to time asking for this beer, maybe if a lot of people in Ontario expressed a intrest in this beer, they might send some our way.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Publican on 2002-06-23 06:29 ]</font>

The Consignment Program is a way by which importers can sell certain beers direct to consumers, that aren't usually stocked at LCBOs. There is a page on this site that lists the beers currently available through Esprit & Rubiyat (http://www.bartowel.com/consignment.phtml). I don't know who represents SN in Ontario - I don't think it is either of them.

For a quick fix of SN, I suggest driving to Buffalo - I know Premier Gourmet stocks most of their brands.

I ask, because way back - I inquired at a LCBO about getting my hands on *liquor* they didn't carry - and they mentioned that as long as I was willing to purchase a certain amount (I can't remember the exact amount - but something along a case of wine, etc...) - they could get it for me.

Does this coincide with this *consignment* program – or is there another alternative?

Pollux, what the LCBO was referring to was the Private Order program. This is a program which allows a consumer or licensee to place a "private order" for case lots of any product not available at the LCBO. Although this sounds great, in practise, a private sale rarely occurs because most producers of beers, wines and spirits couldn't be bothered with the work that would go into shipping one case of product because it would cost them more to sell that case than they would make on it. I can tell you that not a single brewery in our portfolio would fill a single case private order. The issues are labelling, both bottle and case, and then the paperwork involved in an export order.
The Consignment program is primarily used for wines but we are one of the few agencies which does bring in beer on this program. Under this program the LCBO allows us to bring in beers of our choosing which they in turn warehouse for us for a period of months. These beers are not sold at LCBO stores but rather my company goes out and sells them to bars, restaurants, and individuals.
As for Sierra Nevada, we have been in touch with them a number of times and it's not likely you'll see them in Canada for some time to come as they cannot fulfil U.S. demand at this time so they certainly don't want to get involved with Canada with all of our regulations and labelling issues.

Peter Lopaty......Esprit Agencies