New ANBL Licensing Rules - Hurting Small Startup Breweries!

[mr x]

The argument that refuses to die. From the first post in the old brew on premise thread.

“It is an irrational, maniacal control issue,” says Ross Harrington, the owner of Wine Kitz in Halifax. “It’s like a schoolyard bully saying you can’t do something, just because.

Get Mr. Harrington talking about the new legislation and he might not stop. In-store brewing is legal in New Brunswick, a two-hour drive from his store. It is also legal in Prince Edward Island, Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

“When people move to Nova Scotia we always say set your clocks back an hour and your calendars back 50 years,” Mr. Harrington says. “Cheers.”

Less jovial and demonstrably harder to reach are members of Premier Darrell Dexter’s government. Five days after I requested to speak with Graham Steele, the Finance Minister and responsible for the NSLC, a spokesperson called me back — on a Sunday.

The message: Mr. Steele had no comment.

Meanwhile, a request to speak with Ross Landry, the NDP MLA for Pictou Centre, which includes New Glasgow, was redirected to Mr. Steele’s office.

Mr. Landry did speak to a local reporter in early December, and argued that brew-your-own outlets lead to bootlegging and binge drinking among minors.

“If kids want to get drunk at the school dance they want to get drunk tonight,” Mr. Harrington says. “They don’t want to spend 150 bucks at my store and come back five weeks later to get their wine.

[Jeriatric]

Not one ANBL supporter chiming in on the CBC Maritime Noon call in currently on-air.

As a greater economy analogy: Over the last decades, we all decided we valued Wal Mart and their prices, and started putting significant pressure on small businesses. Those business owners and employees then ended up working at Wal Mart for a much smaller hourly rate. Now, things are starting to change with many more people starting to choose to shop at smaller and local places because of quality and quality of life to producers.

Unfortunately, the scary part of the ANBL and NSLC and everyone but Alberta and Quebec, is that 'Wal Mart' is actually making the laws...

*disclaimer - there is no such thing as a perfect analogy, I just like slagging on Wal Mart*

[Bryan]

I think the pitchforks might have to come out if they don't revoke this law...

Hopefully ANLB changes their mind after receiving ZERO support from the Maritimes.

The Maritimes in general need to encourage supporting local, and Craft Brewing is starting to become a huge industry and tourist draw for us.

NSLC, ANLB, etc., need to look at the big picture, instead of at their bottom line.

Rant finished.

[cagiva650]

New Brunswick Liquor was supposed to meet about this issue today. Any updates? Did they come to their senses? (I doubt it).

[canuck]

New Brunswick Liquor was supposed to meet about this issue today. Any updates? Did they come to their senses? (I doubt it).

I was supposed to go to the meeting today, but wasn't able to make it. I'm sure I'll hear from the other brewers on how it went.

[berley]

Update... hurray!

http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/news/ ... .1065.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[LiverDance]

50% reduction in markup could make the growler fills at liquor stores a decent fit

[canuck]

This ludicrous policy shouldn't of been implemetd in the first place, but I'm glad to see it reversed. No doubt public outcry had something to do with it.

[LeafMan66_67]

Great to hear.

[mr x]

'I am pleased....', lmfao. Good riddance to that bullshit.

[BBrianBoogie]

Excellent news. Too bad they have to be shamed into doing what's reasonable.

[dean2k]

Excellent news. Too bad they have to be shamed into doing what's reasonable.

[RossBee]

Best news ever, time to move forward!

[mumblecrunch]

Although it's annoying that it happened at all this is a good day for the craft beer community in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada. Enough voices were heard that a rash and I'll-considered decision by a (pseudo-)government agency was overturned due to popular outcry.

How often does that happen? Not nearly enough. But people kept their heads, made rational arguments, and pushed back a wave of authoritarian bullshit.

to everyone who did their little bit to let ANBL know that this policy wasn't in the interest of the public.

[mr x]

http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/novasc ... /1.2757983" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chalmers]

Yup! Not sure if they're trying to get it to fail, but they certainly aren't doing everything in their power to have it succeed.

Nine different beers being poured (three at each store), two of them are NB micros (Picaroons and Pump House), one of which already offers growlers in the same town. So much for increasing NB business.

We reached out to the small NB breweries that weren't taking part, and the constant complaint was not enough information was given to them before they were required to commit. What volumes (min or max) are expected, what types of kegs are allowable (smaller ones are using corneys), what happens to their empties, when do they get paid (at delivery to the ANBL point, or when the beer is put on tap, or when the beer is complete), do they have any power over which location(s) the beer goes to? Etc, etc.

[dean2k]

Todd the Beer Dude has said it's the disposable kegs.

[chalmers]

Todd the Beer Dude has said it's the disposable kegs.

For Flying Monkeys, I imagine. But Picaroons or Pump House? That doesn't sound right.

[dean2k]

Todd the Beer Dude has said it's the disposable kegs.

For Flying Monkeys, I imagine. But Picaroons or Pump House? That doesn't sound right.

Yeah. I dunno for certain. He was taking to the Dieppe store manager. And I believe he said the days/hours of sale were restricted as well. Consult with Todd.

[chalmers]

I'm good. My point was that these were the questions small brewers had raised to us, so clearly the ANBL didn't do enough to answer their concerns before the launch.

[dean2k]

Dunbar was quoted on CBC not sounding too impressed either. And they're participating!

[chalmers]

I saw that. The whole thing seems thrown together at the last minute.

[canuck]

Todd the Beer Dude has said it's the disposable kegs.

For Flying Monkeys, I imagine. But Picaroons or Pump House? That doesn't sound right.

Yep, FM is the only one using the disposable sanke kegs.

[CurtisD]

You'd think NB Liquor would do a better job of publicizing which stores have growler fills and what the hours are. The PDF their site links to just says "Dieppe - Moncton" for the Moncton location....doesn't tell you which store that even is. And what are the hours? When will the taps be changed over? Sheesh....

I was in a hurry when I got mine on Saturday evening at the Regis St store in Dieppe and didn't note the hours for the growler fill station....but the guy filling them had to go ask the manager "Hey, are we still filling growlers today?" and it was only 7pm....pretty prime beer-buying time.

[canuck]

Curtis, here's a current PDF of what's available this week at the three stores. I believe it is to be updated weekly.

http://www.nbliquor.com/documents/growler.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My beer will be available in growlers at the KV store starting Oct 2nd.