The Bar Towel

Take a read:

http://www.thestar.ca/NASApp/cs/Content ... 2251506793

I won't hold my breath, but wouldn't it be nice?

Andrew

Just more hypocrisy from Canada Post. I can't ship beer, or have it sent to me, but when they have real corporate money to be made, that makes all the difference in the world? I'm so glad I'm an equal taxpayer in the eyes of the law.

Josh - one difference between this any your situation is that all the wine is from Ontario.

The hypocrisy is palpable. I don’t have direct experience with mailing beer. Starting, for me, would be an expensive and obsessive endeavour. My understanding though, from reading Josh’s posts, is that Canada Customs doesn’t have a problem itself with the importation/exportation of small amounts of beer/liquor through the mail–that they would treat it as any commodity, subject to the same taxes, duties, etc.–but that it is illegal to mail beer, whether that be within or out of Canada. Could an Ontario brewery mail its beer directly to a customer? Or, could I mail a bottle of beer to a friend in Ottawa or Thunder Bay or Vancouver? The answer seems to be no.

Obviously, the issue of buying or selling beer from other jurisdictions complicates the matter. Our liquor laws in Ontario would prevent us from purchasing a beer from someone outside of Ontario. But why can’t a friend mail us a bottle? Wouldn’t it be safer if we could legally declare the beer. Yes we might have pay the duty and taxes but at least the courier would know it is beer (and therefore fragile) and treat it appropriately.

Joe.

That's right Joe. It is just as illegal for me to mail you a six pack of Brava Lime as it is for me to receive a box from Bamberg. The LCBO and Customs have already told me they couldn't care less what I do so having product from other jurisdictions is not an issue.

Don't tell them whats in the box. Package it well, (bubble wrap or newspaper wrap it), send it in an unmarked box. You should write fragile on it, but don't say anyting about alcohol.
I used to ship wine on the bus at quite a good price, again be quiet about whats in the box.
I know the regs. suck, but if you are creative you can get the job done.

Shipping within Canada is not a problem as PRMason suggests. I've done it many times. What they don't know won't hurt them is the general rule. Mark the shipment glassware and pack it well then you can use Canada Post, a courier or a bus to transport without a problem. Shipments arriving from outside Canada won't get through because they'll invariably be opened by Canada Customs.

I have sent beer to California through Canada Post. It got there without a problem. I also recieved a bottle from the same location. Label the package as collectable glass and mark "fragile" on it.

Of course it is always a crap shoot and it is possible to be "found out", especially if your bottles are not packed safely and one breaks - so pack them well-.

Daniel.

The problem doesn't come in shipping out, the problem is when customs inspects the packages coming over the border. They don't inspect everything, and my success rate historically has been 5/6. It's not a matter of a broken bottle giving it away either, just a matter of random inspection.

Customs doesn't care about the beer, but they have to tell Canada Post that "illegal matter" has been found. That's when the troubles begin.

So what are the repercussions of being found out? Do you get put on a shipping 'Black List' or something?

If not, over the long run its still worth it.