More craft beer choices in BC Liquor Stores
Posted November 30, 2015 7:50 am.
Last Updated November 30, 2015 7:52 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The shelves in your local government liquor store are getting some additions today, with smaller craft brewers getting a lot more access.
The breweries are now allowed to sell directly to the six closest government outlets, which is welcome news for operations that don’t have enough production to get into the province’s liquor distribution system.
“It’s really good news and it’s something we’ve been talking to the government about,” says Ken Beattie, executive director of the BC Craft Brewers Guild.
“There has been a barrier to entry to government liquor stores for the small brewers. They are now allowing non-listed [local craft beer]– which means you don’t have to be in the distribution system.”
Beattie says government stores and warehouses haven’t become any bigger, but the market for craft beer has exploded with the rapid growth of the industry.
“They are having challenges keeping up, but this move will allow the small brewers to deliver direct to the six closest stores. It will be up to the store manager, who will decide what products to list, but I think you’ll see more seasonals and one-off stuff that is more unique and supports local. That’s what we’ve been asking for a couple of years now,” he explains.
Beattie says craft brewers are now pushing for the same kind of acknowledgment, given BC’s VQA wineries.
“When you go into a liquor store, you see Spanish wines and South African wines. But you just see ‘craft beer’ and you don’t know if it’s local or not. With access to our smaller members, we’re hoping it also gives access to all our members in terms of visibility inside stores. Really, the goal would be to get a BC craft beer section.”
