Now that 2012 is in the rear view mirror it is time to start looking forward to see what is in store for 2013 for the BC craft beer consumer. The past few years has seen the BC craft beer scene explode but I believe that what has transpired has just been the warm-up for the main event which will totally change the craft beer landscape here in BC over the next few years.
Okay, I will now put on my funny wizard hat, look into my crystal ball and channel my inner Amazing Kreskin to see what is in store for 2013 for BC craft beer consumers with a special focus on the Vancouver area as that is where I am based...
Changes to Laws in the Works
As I announced a few weeks back, it looks like the tied house and trade practice laws are going to be erased from the books and according to the intel I am getting, these changes are happening ASAP. How these changes, if they do indeed occur, impact the craft beer consumer is a point of heavy debate among those involved in the craft beer industry.
Tied Houses: In one camp there are those who believe allowing alcohol producers (i.e. breweries, wineries and distilleries) to also own distribution points (i.e liquor stores, pubs, clubs, restaurants) will allow for deep pocketed producers to buy up distribution and sell only their own product limiting the smaller, less financially able manufacturer from being able to get their products to their adoring public. In the other camp, some believe that by eliminating the tied house laws, consumers will have greater choices, especially in smaller markets, as manufacturers will then have the opportunity to create their own places to sell their wares and licensees will have the opportunity to get into the manufacturing game, producing unique alcoholic treats for their establishments.
Trade Practices: Again, there is one camp that believes that giving deep pocketed alcohol manufacturers the chance to basically buy shelf and tap space or allowing licensees to sell tap and/or shelf space to the highest bidder will cut down on consumer choice as money will dictate selection, not consumer desire-demand. Some also say this practice will drive up prices as manufacturers are forced to pay licensees for the right to sell their products. Others believe that changing these types of laws will have no impact because bribery is alive and well and a common practice here in BC.
To be perfectly honest, these laws (both tied house and trade practice but more so the latter) are being ignored and regularly circumvented in the BC beer industry so it is hard to say if making these common practices legit will really impact things. I think here in the big city, where craft beer has a strong hold, we will not see much change, but deregulating may stop to craft beer craze from growing as quickly in the smaller markets.
Another change to the liquor laws I think we are likely to see sooner than later is one that will allow breweries and distilleries to have licensed lounges and special events areas similar to those that wineries have been allowed for years.You can read about the proposed changes here. These changes are being highly anticipated by many and should allow for a lot more opportunity for craft breweries to market themselves and offer their beers right on-site. It will also allow for smaller, nano-style breweries to operate both in the bigger urban centres and smaller communities without having to worry about packaging or getting their beer to vendors. It might be time to start looking for growler companies to invest in as I think the current growler market, which Barley Mowat writes about here, is going to take off and explode.
But without a doubt the biggest event in 2013 that will influence whether there are major changes in store for the craft beer consumers of BC is the Provincial Election, slated for May 14, 2013. If the current popularity polls are accurate, it looks like we are in for a change of government with the NDP Party taking the reigns for the next four years. I have heard both personally from a contact high up in the NDP party and from another source who also has NDP contacts, that if elected, the NDP will be looking at reviewing BC liquor laws. Whether this is a major review, which could result in widespread changes to laws that are hindering consumer choice, restricting consumer access, inflating alcohol prices, not supporting the growth of the craft beer industry and generally stifling good times, or just a few tweaks here and there, such as we are currently seeing with the Liberals, is yet to be seen. From what I am hearing now, pre-election, is that the NDP may be looking at a major review and fix of our broken alcohol system. I don't expect them to make that promise publicly, as it is a big one to keep, but lets keep our fingers crossed and hope that they truly have been listening to the BC public and have not just been spouting rhetoric in attacking the Liberals for not making these much-needed changes.
Breweries
A sign of how healthy the craft beer industry is here in BC is the seven craft breweries that opened their doors in 2012, five of those in the Greater Vancouver area, according to Thirsty Writer Joe Wiebe's recent Urbandiner.ca article . Joe is wired into this type of thing through his constant research on BC breweries so I am going to go out on a limb and say his list is fairly inclusive.
The upcoming year looks to see even more craft breweries open their doors in BC. By my count, there are 10, seven in the Greater Vancouver area, who have announced plans to open and I know of at least four more that are in the planning stages, including the proposed brewpub or brewery at UBC. That estimate could be conservative as I am not as in the know about things that are happening outside of The Lower Mainland-Greater Vancouver and the South of Vancouver Island.
As well, many existing breweries are also expanding their brewing capacity to keep up with demands. Central City, Red Truck and Steamworks are all in the process of building new, bigger facilities. Driftwood has just gone through an expansion at their present sight that has increased production and Parallel 49, who opened last Spring, seem to be in a constant state of expansion to keep up with the demands for their beer. I know Townsite Brewing, in Powell River, is currently installing new fermenters, which will help them keep up with demand and the list goes on and on as to who is growing and expanding. And to make sure that all this increased beer production makes it to market, I have noticed that many of the craft breweries are increasing their sales and marketing teams and attempting to enlarge their distribution areas. This is great news for those craft beer lovers who live outside the craft beer hubs of Vancouver and Victoria. Lets hope these breweries pushing the borders of the craft beer market are successful in spreading the love.
What does all this mean...well, by the end of 2013 we should have much more production of some of the great beers we already love, meaning less shortages of the most popular brews and possibilities for these breweries to expand their distribution and sales. And with the new breweries up and running we will see new beers on the market competing for your craft beer dollar and, judging by the people I know who are getting involved in the brewing end of the industry, there are going to be some great new beers available in the market competing with the already great selection of BC craft beers.
Restaurants and Pubs
It seems everywhere you go these days, at least here in Vancouver, there is at least a few craft beer options on the menu. Rarely now do I need to produce my small bottle of hop oil to tart up my macro-beer because almost everywhere I go I can find decent beer. I was even in the lounge of the Hotel Vancouver the other day and found several Phillips and Driftwood beers on the bottle list. This is great news for consumers and I do not think this trend will slow down as business folks continue to clue in that craft beer drinkers are everywhere, have money and are willing to part with it while out on the town.
In Vancouver, the two most anticipated openings for me are the Craft Beer Market, to be located in the Salt Building at 85 W 1st Ave in the Olympic Village, shouting distance from The Tap & Barrel, the Daniel Hospitality Group's (DHG) dynamite False Creek BC craft beer hangout. The Craft Beer Market is planning on having 140 taps of draft, many of the craft variety and the DHG are planning on opening a second Tap & Barrel location near the Vancouver Convention Centre, complete with another massive patio and I am told more great BC craft beers on tap.
Advocacy
The last few years has seen CAMRA Vancouver really raise their game and their profile and I do not see this trend slowing down. I spoke briefly with newly elected President Adam Chatburn at CAMRA Van's AGM and he seemed to speak my language and quickly convinced me he wants to keep on fighting the good fight and keep CAMRA focused on pushing their advocacy and education agendas. This is great news for local craft beer consumers as this upcoming year could be CAMRA's big coming out party if they can manage to get themselves to the table if the NDP do get elected and do commit to a review of liquor laws.
I have also heard rumblings that the BC Craft Brewer's Guild is possibly looking at revitalizing and getting more active and focused. I have long said it is essential that the industry get organized and advocate and lobby hard for themselves in order to get the same treatment that the wine industry does and I really do hope that the rumours I am hearing are true and that we do get a more active and comprehensive craft beer, industry-oriented association because a strong craft beer industry means more growth, which should translate into more selection and more access for consumers.
With all these positive things in the works I believe it is going to be a banner year for the BC craft beer lover. As I said at the opening of this post, I think the explosion we have seen in regards to craft beer locally is nothing compared to what is going to happen over the next few years. Exciting times to be a craft beer lover here in BC!!
Showing posts with label trade practices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trade practices. Show all posts
Monday, January 14, 2013
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Is the BC Beer Market About to Become the Wild West?
If the rumours I have been hearing the past few weeks are true the BC beer market may resemble the Wild West by the middle of January.
I have been informed from two completely different sources that the BC Liberals will finally be making an announcement in regards to what course of action they will take two years after the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch.put out a consultation paper requesting industry input in regards to proposed changes to the laws regulating tied house and trade practices.
If the information I am getting is correct, and I do believe it to be so, the changes are to be announced by mid-January and will completely deregulate tied houses and trade practices, leaving the BC market wide open, reminiscent of the Wild West, for the highest bidders to lock down pubs, restaurants and liquor stores by either buying these outlets or offering large amounts of cash, or other inducements, for exclusivity rights (bars/restaurants) and preferential shelf placement (liquor stores).
The original call for input outlined three options for tied house law changes, those being to eliminate tied house prohibitions altogether, permit tied houses between the same corporate entity, but limit the number of tied houses a person can hold to limit risk of market consolidation or to permit tied houses with public interest restrictions.
They also laid out three options in regards to trade practice regulations, those being to eliminate trade practice restrictions altogether, reduce or eliminate most trade practice restrictions or to streamline some trade practice policies and procedures
For better explanations as to what those options mean, click on the consultation link above.
There has been a great divide among the players in the craft beer industry as to whether deregulating tied house and trade practice restrictions will have a negative impact on the industry or not. You can read in more detail what this is all about here and here.
The biggest fear is that the larger, deep-pocketed, national and multinational breweries will simply buy pubs and restaurants, or pay licensees to favor their products, to stop the growth of the local craft beer industry which has managed to claw their way from 7% to about 15% of the domestic beer market in BC over the past five years. That growth may not sound much, but when you consider that each percentage point represents over $8 million dollars in sales, you can see why the bigger, national macro-breweries do not want the smaller breweries get any stronger. There are also some concerns that the more aggressive and growth-oriented local breweries, willing to incur short-term losses for long term gains, might just try to buy a larger share of the market by stepping on their competition who are more focused on sustainability and producing great beers.
There is also the fear that licensees will begin to demand cash, free product and kickbacks for the right to sell beer in their establishments which will prohibit smaller breweries from being able to sell their beers in those types of establishments.
Many others say that the deregulation of the tied house laws will not impact the major craft beer markets like Greater Vancouver and Victoria and will give craft breweries in smaller markets, where marco-beers dominate, another outlet to sell their beer if they have the means to invest in a pub, restaurant or liquor store. There is also the argument that the practices of bribery by breweries and demanding payment of some type by licensees are alive and well in the beer industry because the laws are impossible to enforce and that deregulating will have little impact.
If the laws are wiped from the books, it will be interesting to see what happens. As a consumer, I would like to see a middle ground approach, where their are some safeguards in place to stop the larger, richer breweries from simply buying tap, fridge and shelf space to the point of restricting their competition similar to what happened in the UK in the 1990's. But I think, at least here in Vancouver, there are too many licensees who are committed to craft beer because it is simply a better product, because selling craft beer is profitable and because there is a great thirst among local beer drinkers for superior craft beer products.
In the end, as a consumer, I can only hope that if there is deregulation, it does not result in restricted access to locally brewed craft beers or higher prices. If so, it will have to be the consumers who rally and demand a further review by which ever political party gains power in the upcoming election as the industry is too divided on these issues.
I have been informed from two completely different sources that the BC Liberals will finally be making an announcement in regards to what course of action they will take two years after the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch.put out a consultation paper requesting industry input in regards to proposed changes to the laws regulating tied house and trade practices.
If the information I am getting is correct, and I do believe it to be so, the changes are to be announced by mid-January and will completely deregulate tied houses and trade practices, leaving the BC market wide open, reminiscent of the Wild West, for the highest bidders to lock down pubs, restaurants and liquor stores by either buying these outlets or offering large amounts of cash, or other inducements, for exclusivity rights (bars/restaurants) and preferential shelf placement (liquor stores).
The original call for input outlined three options for tied house law changes, those being to eliminate tied house prohibitions altogether, permit tied houses between the same corporate entity, but limit the number of tied houses a person can hold to limit risk of market consolidation or to permit tied houses with public interest restrictions.
They also laid out three options in regards to trade practice regulations, those being to eliminate trade practice restrictions altogether, reduce or eliminate most trade practice restrictions or to streamline some trade practice policies and procedures
For better explanations as to what those options mean, click on the consultation link above.
There has been a great divide among the players in the craft beer industry as to whether deregulating tied house and trade practice restrictions will have a negative impact on the industry or not. You can read in more detail what this is all about here and here.
The biggest fear is that the larger, deep-pocketed, national and multinational breweries will simply buy pubs and restaurants, or pay licensees to favor their products, to stop the growth of the local craft beer industry which has managed to claw their way from 7% to about 15% of the domestic beer market in BC over the past five years. That growth may not sound much, but when you consider that each percentage point represents over $8 million dollars in sales, you can see why the bigger, national macro-breweries do not want the smaller breweries get any stronger. There are also some concerns that the more aggressive and growth-oriented local breweries, willing to incur short-term losses for long term gains, might just try to buy a larger share of the market by stepping on their competition who are more focused on sustainability and producing great beers.
There is also the fear that licensees will begin to demand cash, free product and kickbacks for the right to sell beer in their establishments which will prohibit smaller breweries from being able to sell their beers in those types of establishments.
Many others say that the deregulation of the tied house laws will not impact the major craft beer markets like Greater Vancouver and Victoria and will give craft breweries in smaller markets, where marco-beers dominate, another outlet to sell their beer if they have the means to invest in a pub, restaurant or liquor store. There is also the argument that the practices of bribery by breweries and demanding payment of some type by licensees are alive and well in the beer industry because the laws are impossible to enforce and that deregulating will have little impact.
If the laws are wiped from the books, it will be interesting to see what happens. As a consumer, I would like to see a middle ground approach, where their are some safeguards in place to stop the larger, richer breweries from simply buying tap, fridge and shelf space to the point of restricting their competition similar to what happened in the UK in the 1990's. But I think, at least here in Vancouver, there are too many licensees who are committed to craft beer because it is simply a better product, because selling craft beer is profitable and because there is a great thirst among local beer drinkers for superior craft beer products.
In the end, as a consumer, I can only hope that if there is deregulation, it does not result in restricted access to locally brewed craft beers or higher prices. If so, it will have to be the consumers who rally and demand a further review by which ever political party gains power in the upcoming election as the industry is too divided on these issues.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Tied House Laws Revisited - Middle Ground May Be the Way to Go
With the recent opening of East Vancouver's Parallel 49 Brewery, the dilemma of whether or not to relax the tied house and trade practice laws has once again become a topic of discussion in Vancouver and BC craft beer circles.
For those not familiar with what tied houses and trade practices are, "a tied house is an establishment that has an association, financial or otherwise, with a liquor manufacturer or its agent that is likely to lead to its products being favoured," according to the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch's Tied Houses and Trade Practices Consultation Paper, released January 2011. If a tied house situation exists, the manufacturer is not allowed to sell its alcohol through the tied house.
Trade practices laws regulate "commercial interactions between liquor suppliers and licensed establishments including restrictions on promoting specific manufacturers and their products in exchange for benefits provided by the supplier" (LCLB Consultation Paper, p.2).These trade practice restrictions are meant to stop producers of alcohol from basically bribing licensed establishments by offering freebies to them in exchange for exclusive or preferred sales deals.
Because of these laws and the fact that Parallel 49 Brewery and St Augustine's Craft Brew House and Kitchen have some common owners, St Augustine's is considered a tied house and are not only prohibited from pouring Parallel 49 beers from any of its 40 taps or sell any of the brewery's bottled products, but are also prohibited from placing so much as single Parallel 49 coaster, poster, beer umbrella or any other Parallel 49 promotional swag in the restaurant. This is not an isolated problem as there are other tied houses here in BC where small breweries and wineries are being hurt by the laws that are meant to protect them.
"Quite simply I can't do any sort of cross-promotion, cross-branding, cross-anything with my 2 businesses," states Parallel 49-St Augustine's co-owner Anthony Frustagli.
"I don't
know of any other industry this applies to. If you own a farm and grocery
store, can you not sell your veggies in your store? If you own coffee roaster
and a cafe, should you not be able to sell coffee made from your
beans?"
Frustagli makes some good points, but then the alcohol industry, especially in BC, is like no other industry out there in regards to unique regulations, restrictions and government control.
The existing tied house-trade practice laws date back to the 1950's and were put into place to stop the larger, national breweries from using their deep pockets to buy up pubs or bribe them in order to feature and favour their beers. The laws were meant to protect the smaller, local breweries by allowing them compete on a level playing field, but as the craft beer industry grows here in BC and more and more entrepreneurs, with varied business interests get involved, these laws, in some cases, are actually harming those smaller businesses they are meant to protect.
When asked if he felt the tied house and trade practice laws were protecting his newly-opened, craft brewery, Frustagli was not really in support of maintaining the status quo.
"Does it (tied house-trade practice laws) protect P49 (Parallel 49), debatable," stated Frustali. "Giving the big boys the green light to open up their cheque books is a bit of a scary thought, but at the same time the rule isn't exactly being enforced right now anyway.
"I'd like to see a reasonable middle ground. Perhaps capping a percentage of taps/bottles in your bar/restaurant/LRS that can come from your brewery/winery/distillery, and something ensuring that they are marketed competitively with other products."
This seems to me like a reasonable middle ground, allowing the alcohol manufacturer to offer their products in licensed establishments linked to them, but prohibiting them from favouring their products by mandating them to offer competitors' products at a competitive prices. This would restrict the bigger breweries from squeezing out competition by monopolizing all the taps and cooler/shelf space and still allow the smaller breweries to offer their products in these tied houses.
In my original post dealing with this issue, I came out as against loosening up the laws due to a fear that the big breweries would open up their wallets and try to stifle the competition, namely the craft beer industry, which is slowly eating into their market share here in BC. But in the past year the craft beer market, at least here in Vancouver, has changed so much, with craft beer getting support from a variety of new establishments, including unlikely sources like The Donnelly Group, The Cambie Malone's Group and Earls. I believe the smaller local breweries will have no problems finding licensed establishments that are willing to ignore the big breweries. There are just too many places committed to serving locally produced, quality craft beers and there are more and more coming on board the craft beer wagon every week. Some are motivating by money, just wanting to cash in on the craft beer craze, some are motivated by wanting to serve the best local beers they can source because, quite simply, they are superior products, but either way, more and more taps are becoming available to pour craft beer.
As mentioned above, the BC Liberal Government issued a consultation paper asking for written feedback on three proposed options to loosen up laws and/or deregulate in regards to tied houses and trade practices. Since that time, not a word has been spoken about the tied house rules. At the time when the deadline for the written submissions passed, the whole HST debacle was in full swing and the Liberals were in survival mode so "non-important" issues, like tied houses, were put on the back burner where they have seemingly been forgotten about.
I recently asked the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch directly as to what happened to the proposed changes and received an email from a LCLB spokesperson saying, "the Province (government) is reviewing possible changes to tied house regulations that specify how liquor manufacturers can promote their products in licensed establishments. Meetings have been held with industry associations to seek their views. Results of the consultations have been mixed and the Province is continuing to review the matter."
In other words, nothing has been done. I don't know who these "industry associations" are, but I certainly have not talked to anyone who has been involved, including a few people I know who are directly impacted by the tied house rules. I spoke to one LCLB Liquor Inspector a few months back and he stated to me the government would "never" relax or change the tied house or trade practice laws, but offered no reasons as to why he believed this or where his information came from.
Let us hope that the government gets it right if they are indeed going to include these issues in the upcoming review and promised changes to the province's liquor regulations. If they choose to not make changes, small breweries like P49, who are motivating by making great beer and not by crushing the competition, will continue to be restricted by the laws that are meant to help them and if they deregulate completely, it may leave the door open for the big, national breweries, owned by gigantic, multi-national corporations, to attempt to throw their financial weight around in order to crush the craft brewing industry.
I think even if the market is opened up completely, the local breweries are producing enough great beer and have enough loyal support to withstand the onslaught, but why even put them in that position. The government should be supporting this local, viable industry and encouraging it to grow, not stifling it or allowing it to be swallowed up by mega-conglomerate corporations.
And on a more person level, I would love nothing more than be able to walk 200 metres from my front door and enjoy a P49 IPL in my favourite local craft beer establishment, which happens to be St Augustine's.
For those not familiar with what tied houses and trade practices are, "a tied house is an establishment that has an association, financial or otherwise, with a liquor manufacturer or its agent that is likely to lead to its products being favoured," according to the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch's Tied Houses and Trade Practices Consultation Paper, released January 2011. If a tied house situation exists, the manufacturer is not allowed to sell its alcohol through the tied house.
Trade practices laws regulate "commercial interactions between liquor suppliers and licensed establishments including restrictions on promoting specific manufacturers and their products in exchange for benefits provided by the supplier" (LCLB Consultation Paper, p.2).These trade practice restrictions are meant to stop producers of alcohol from basically bribing licensed establishments by offering freebies to them in exchange for exclusive or preferred sales deals.
 |
| Vancouver's newest craft brewery |
"Quite simply I can't do any sort of cross-promotion, cross-branding, cross-anything with my 2 businesses," states Parallel 49-St Augustine's co-owner Anthony Frustagli.
 |
| Vancouver's newest tied house |
Frustagli makes some good points, but then the alcohol industry, especially in BC, is like no other industry out there in regards to unique regulations, restrictions and government control.
The existing tied house-trade practice laws date back to the 1950's and were put into place to stop the larger, national breweries from using their deep pockets to buy up pubs or bribe them in order to feature and favour their beers. The laws were meant to protect the smaller, local breweries by allowing them compete on a level playing field, but as the craft beer industry grows here in BC and more and more entrepreneurs, with varied business interests get involved, these laws, in some cases, are actually harming those smaller businesses they are meant to protect.
When asked if he felt the tied house and trade practice laws were protecting his newly-opened, craft brewery, Frustagli was not really in support of maintaining the status quo.
"Does it (tied house-trade practice laws) protect P49 (Parallel 49), debatable," stated Frustali. "Giving the big boys the green light to open up their cheque books is a bit of a scary thought, but at the same time the rule isn't exactly being enforced right now anyway.
"I'd like to see a reasonable middle ground. Perhaps capping a percentage of taps/bottles in your bar/restaurant/LRS that can come from your brewery/winery/distillery, and something ensuring that they are marketed competitively with other products."
This seems to me like a reasonable middle ground, allowing the alcohol manufacturer to offer their products in licensed establishments linked to them, but prohibiting them from favouring their products by mandating them to offer competitors' products at a competitive prices. This would restrict the bigger breweries from squeezing out competition by monopolizing all the taps and cooler/shelf space and still allow the smaller breweries to offer their products in these tied houses.
In my original post dealing with this issue, I came out as against loosening up the laws due to a fear that the big breweries would open up their wallets and try to stifle the competition, namely the craft beer industry, which is slowly eating into their market share here in BC. But in the past year the craft beer market, at least here in Vancouver, has changed so much, with craft beer getting support from a variety of new establishments, including unlikely sources like The Donnelly Group, The Cambie Malone's Group and Earls. I believe the smaller local breweries will have no problems finding licensed establishments that are willing to ignore the big breweries. There are just too many places committed to serving locally produced, quality craft beers and there are more and more coming on board the craft beer wagon every week. Some are motivating by money, just wanting to cash in on the craft beer craze, some are motivated by wanting to serve the best local beers they can source because, quite simply, they are superior products, but either way, more and more taps are becoming available to pour craft beer.
As mentioned above, the BC Liberal Government issued a consultation paper asking for written feedback on three proposed options to loosen up laws and/or deregulate in regards to tied houses and trade practices. Since that time, not a word has been spoken about the tied house rules. At the time when the deadline for the written submissions passed, the whole HST debacle was in full swing and the Liberals were in survival mode so "non-important" issues, like tied houses, were put on the back burner where they have seemingly been forgotten about.
I recently asked the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch directly as to what happened to the proposed changes and received an email from a LCLB spokesperson saying, "the Province (government) is reviewing possible changes to tied house regulations that specify how liquor manufacturers can promote their products in licensed establishments. Meetings have been held with industry associations to seek their views. Results of the consultations have been mixed and the Province is continuing to review the matter."
In other words, nothing has been done. I don't know who these "industry associations" are, but I certainly have not talked to anyone who has been involved, including a few people I know who are directly impacted by the tied house rules. I spoke to one LCLB Liquor Inspector a few months back and he stated to me the government would "never" relax or change the tied house or trade practice laws, but offered no reasons as to why he believed this or where his information came from.
Let us hope that the government gets it right if they are indeed going to include these issues in the upcoming review and promised changes to the province's liquor regulations. If they choose to not make changes, small breweries like P49, who are motivating by making great beer and not by crushing the competition, will continue to be restricted by the laws that are meant to help them and if they deregulate completely, it may leave the door open for the big, national breweries, owned by gigantic, multi-national corporations, to attempt to throw their financial weight around in order to crush the craft brewing industry.
I think even if the market is opened up completely, the local breweries are producing enough great beer and have enough loyal support to withstand the onslaught, but why even put them in that position. The government should be supporting this local, viable industry and encouraging it to grow, not stifling it or allowing it to be swallowed up by mega-conglomerate corporations.
And on a more person level, I would love nothing more than be able to walk 200 metres from my front door and enjoy a P49 IPL in my favourite local craft beer establishment, which happens to be St Augustine's.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
No More Excuses - Time For the BC Craft Brewers Guild to Organize, Collaborate and Cooperate
Like many other Vancouverites a few Sundays ago, I set out into the sunshine with hopes of achieving a personal best, but my dreams of glory had nothing to do with sweating it out with 50,000 others, adorned in spandex, participating in the Vancouver Sun Run hour and everything to do with throwing on comfortable clothes, ambling down to Legacy Liquor Store and stocking up on craft beer. Normally when I enter liquor stores like Legacy, Firefly, etc, I literally spin in circles, losing all sense of time, while trying to decide what beers to place in my basket. I must look like an adult afflicted with ADHD, who has stopped taking my Ritalin, as I flit from one side of the craft beer section to the other, distracted by the brilliant selection of craft beers and all their shiny labels, but on this particular Sunday I was in and out of the shop with a personal-best, sub-15- minute time. I do have to admit my awesome display of efficiency that particular Sunday had more to do with my nine-month-old daughter deciding to test out the acoustics of the cavernous space that Legacy occupies than my own personal focus and commitment to time management, but it was a feat to brag about all-the-same. My wife didn't share my enthusiasm though, especially after finding the receipt for the beers which were threatening to collapse my daughter's stroller.
While scanning the Legacy beer shelves to see what was new and exciting, store GM, Darryl Lamb, wandered over and handed me a six-pack labelled "Discovery Pack Spring 2011", which consisted of beers from six different Ontario craft breweries, packaged and put together by the Ontario Craft Brewers (OCB). Darryl explained that he had stumbled across the product and contacted the OCB to have some of the Discovery Packs shipped out for his store. This current version of the Discovery Pack is the 8th version, first having been released in 2007 and are curerntly being released at the beginning of every new season.
I thought this was a very clever method of marketing and a sign of the commitment of the craft brewers in Ontario, who compete in the same market for the same dollars, to work together to collectively further their cause in general. These seemed like artisans and business people who got the Big Picture.
Despite the relatively tame nature of the beers (in my opinion), my curiosity was peaked by the concept of competing breweries cooperating to package together and promote their products to further the cause of Ontario craft breweries. I have seen many "mixed packs" here in BC, but to my recollection they were always from one particular brewery and marketed by that brewery. I have never seen a collaboration between breweries here in BC in regards to packaging their products together for the betterment of the BC craft beer industry as a whole. I wanted to find out more about the OCB and immediately wondered why we haven't seen similar collaborative marketing here in our province.
Inside the six-pack box I found a few other interesting items, namely two pieces of literature, produced by the OCB, directed at promoting Ontario craft beers. The first insert I read turned out to be the OCB's "Craft Beer Style Guide" which listed all the OCB member breweries along with a list of all their 150+ beers, arranged by style and with brief tasting notes typical of that style. It was in a checklist form so that you could mark off which beers you have tried, much like the old checklists you would get in your hockey card packs back when hockey cards smelled of cheap gum and often ended up in the spokes of your bicycle and not in albums and plastic protectors. The other item inside was an advertisement for the Ontario Craft Beer Week, which takes place in June and is organized by the OCB to help promote their products and beer tourism in Ontario. This, I found interesting as well as almost all the beer festivals that take place here in the Lower Mainland, especially since the demise of DIX, may she Rest in Peace, are not organized by the brewers, but by groups like CAMRA and the Vancouver Craft Beer Week who advertise and promote the events.
I went to the OCB website and found out it to be a wealth of information. It appears that the OCB are a highly organized and professionally-run group, doing their best to work together and promote Ontario craft beer and craft beer in general. On their website they state,
The OCB have utilized this funding, along with the fees/dues they charge their members, to develop many advanced and diverse methods of promoting their beers. They have had a free iPhone app developed, that helps consumers track down craft beer in Ontario and have podcasts, entitled "Ontario Brewer". They also organize brewery tours for member breweries, run radio spots, produce videos relating to craft beer, organize the Ontario Craft Beer Week...the list goes on and on. Their website is full of educational information about Ontario craft breweries, craft beer, beer styles, cask beer, interactive tasting guides, maps to liquor stores/retail outlets, local pubs and restaurants that offer craft beer, a "Discovering Our Beer Guide" and recipes using Ontario craft beer. They even have an on-line (printable) press kit full of background information, facts and statistics relating the the Ontario craft beer industry. I highly recommend it to any beer geek heading out to Ontario and, for that matter, anyone who is interested in craft beer in general, as there are many educational tools and links to beer resources and interactive tools on the site. I literally could have spent hours on there poking around, following the links and reading about Ontario craft beer and craft beer in general.
 |
| OCB Discovery Pack Spring 2011 a multi-brewery collaboration promoting Ontario craft beers |
I thought this was a very clever method of marketing and a sign of the commitment of the craft brewers in Ontario, who compete in the same market for the same dollars, to work together to collectively further their cause in general. These seemed like artisans and business people who got the Big Picture.
Having grown up on the Westcoast, having spent much of my life avoiding Ontario and having the inter-provincial roadblocks in place that make it difficult to export beers from province to province, I know little about the craft beer scene there. I did notice that the six-pack included something from Black Oak Brewery which made me take notice as last summer I had the chance to sample a a very tasty IPA from Black Oak, which had been illegally snuck into our great province by someone who dared cross our provincial borders with alcohol without going through the BC LDB (a rant for another time), so I thought I'd give the Discovery Pack a go based on my enjoyment of that bootlegged brew.
Once I got home I felt celebration was in order, seeing as I had just posted a personal best time, so I cracked open the six pack and began to see what Ontario had to offer. Although the six-pack is described on the OCB website as "a hand selected combination of great brews," I found the beers to be solidly crafted but not "great. This might be due to the fact that I have grown accustomed to the huge beers being produced out here on the West Coast which has resulted in me developing a taste for hops to the extreme. I would describe the Discovery Pack beers as "starter" craft beers for those just making the leap from the world of marcobrews to craft beer and not for those looking to have their taste buds assaulted by big hops and high alcohol. |
| Hoptical Illusion,from Flying Monkey, one of the six beers offered in the Discovery Pack |
Despite the relatively tame nature of the beers (in my opinion), my curiosity was peaked by the concept of competing breweries cooperating to package together and promote their products to further the cause of Ontario craft breweries. I have seen many "mixed packs" here in BC, but to my recollection they were always from one particular brewery and marketed by that brewery. I have never seen a collaboration between breweries here in BC in regards to packaging their products together for the betterment of the BC craft beer industry as a whole. I wanted to find out more about the OCB and immediately wondered why we haven't seen similar collaborative marketing here in our province.
Inside the six-pack box I found a few other interesting items, namely two pieces of literature, produced by the OCB, directed at promoting Ontario craft beers. The first insert I read turned out to be the OCB's "Craft Beer Style Guide" which listed all the OCB member breweries along with a list of all their 150+ beers, arranged by style and with brief tasting notes typical of that style. It was in a checklist form so that you could mark off which beers you have tried, much like the old checklists you would get in your hockey card packs back when hockey cards smelled of cheap gum and often ended up in the spokes of your bicycle and not in albums and plastic protectors. The other item inside was an advertisement for the Ontario Craft Beer Week, which takes place in June and is organized by the OCB to help promote their products and beer tourism in Ontario. This, I found interesting as well as almost all the beer festivals that take place here in the Lower Mainland, especially since the demise of DIX, may she Rest in Peace, are not organized by the brewers, but by groups like CAMRA and the Vancouver Craft Beer Week who advertise and promote the events. I went to the OCB website and found out it to be a wealth of information. It appears that the OCB are a highly organized and professionally-run group, doing their best to work together and promote Ontario craft beer and craft beer in general. On their website they state,
"We're the Ontario Craft Brewers, 25 brewers dedicated to making great tasting beer, right here in Ontario. The reason we got together is to promote our fresh, natural, quality beer and agree on a commitment to excellence that everyone has to live up to.The OCB have even taken their collective commitment further, developing an OCB Brewer's Philosophy, signed by participating brewers and brewery owners, which sets out clearly the Ontario's brewers' dedication to art of brewing craft beer and supplying the consumers with craft beer of the highest quality, while supporting each other as Brothers in Arms, to further the cause of craft beer in Ontario. The OCB makes it clear on their website that they want to be apart of their communities and contribute positively towards the quality of life in those communities. They have successfully managed to lobby the Ontario goverment who have developed a $5 million, five year, Ontario MicroBrewery Strategy, that provides funding to the OCB "for marketing, training and other promotion activities" for the province's craft breweries. The Onatario government has also developed the $8 million, Ontario Craft Brewers Opportunity Fund (OCBOF) to help support and develop small to medium craft breweries in the province to compliment their Ontario Microbrewery Straregy..
We chose "Ontario Craft Brewers" as our name, because it speaks to the tradition of care and craftsmanship that we insist upon when brewing our beer. It's taste that we're obsessed with, and taste that distinguishes us from other beers, so naturally our slogan is "Taste. The difference."
The OCB have utilized this funding, along with the fees/dues they charge their members, to develop many advanced and diverse methods of promoting their beers. They have had a free iPhone app developed, that helps consumers track down craft beer in Ontario and have podcasts, entitled "Ontario Brewer". They also organize brewery tours for member breweries, run radio spots, produce videos relating to craft beer, organize the Ontario Craft Beer Week...the list goes on and on. Their website is full of educational information about Ontario craft breweries, craft beer, beer styles, cask beer, interactive tasting guides, maps to liquor stores/retail outlets, local pubs and restaurants that offer craft beer, a "Discovering Our Beer Guide" and recipes using Ontario craft beer. They even have an on-line (printable) press kit full of background information, facts and statistics relating the the Ontario craft beer industry. I highly recommend it to any beer geek heading out to Ontario and, for that matter, anyone who is interested in craft beer in general, as there are many educational tools and links to beer resources and interactive tools on the site. I literally could have spent hours on there poking around, following the links and reading about Ontario craft beer and craft beer in general.
 |
| OCB Craft Beer Style Guide (1st 2 pages) included in the Discovery Pack Spring 2011 |
If the information and the energy put forward by the OCB, via their website and their Discovery Pack packaging is any indication, it appears the craft beer scene in Ontario is alive, vibrant and very well supported by the brewers/brewery owners themselves who are spearheading their pubic persona, as one, through the OCB and who have sucessfully garnered the support of their provincial governement. They have taken the proverbial bull by the horns and, as stated in the OCB press kit, "banded together under the Ontario Craft Brewers banner to provide collective marketing muscle, promote regional tourism and expose Ontario's beer drinkers to a world of more than 150 handcrafted premium beers brewed in their own home province."
What a concept! Banding together to create one collective voice (sound familiar CAMRA YVR members??). Competing forces pulling together for the betterment of all involved.
Now let's compare that to the BC craft beer scene and how the BC Craft Brewers Guild (BCCBG), formerly known as the Craft Brewers Association of BC, is helping promote the cause of the craft beer industry here in Beautiful BC.
It is true that here in BC we have an alive and vibrant craft beer scene as well. BC brewers are not only producing good craft beers, but world class craft beers that are pushing boundaries and causing the rest of North America to take notice. And it is not just one brewer, but several that are creating these amazing beers. There are several brewers at the moment that are challenging each other to keep up and push the envelope with their brews. I dare say that soon, if it isn't already happening, local brewers will be creating new craft beer trends and styles that others, from across Canada and N America and around the world, will be trying emulate in order to keep on the cutting edge of craft brewing. And those of us who drink these beers are enjoying the fruits of these creative labours.
But While the craft beer scene has bneen exploding here in BC, it seems this explosion has taken place with little-to-no help from the Craft Brewers Guild who, at least at first glance, seem invisible to the general public. I am not a brewer, but have been involved in the craft beer industry in Vancouver for over 10 years, yet I know little about the BCCBG and what they do.
On first blush, it seems to be that the BCCBG is, in fact dormant, disorganized and in turmoil. The general scuttlebutt around the cask is that the BCCBG are doing nothing to advance the craft brewing industry in this province and are too busy fighting amongst themselves to get anything accomplished. The BCCBG website is basically devoid of content, listing 16 member breweries, with some of the names missing on the members list conspicuous by their absence, and giving one contact name and phone number, that being Tod Melnyk, of Tree Brewing, who is listed as chairman. Comparing the BC website to the OCB website is like comparing a kindergartner's crayon scribble to a Master's thesis. The only bit of info, other than what listed above did give at least some idea of what the Guild was about, stating,
I decided to make a few phone calls to try and find out what is happening with the BCCBG and to see if all the rumours I have heard swirling about have any substance. Depending on who you talk to, you get a very different picture of what the BCCBG is about and how the BC brewers are working together - or not. Tod Melynk was more than willing to speak to me about the BCCBG and put a very positive spin on things with the guild.
According to Melnyk, the group is currently reorganizing, refocusing and figuring out priorities and "getting everyone on the same page". When asked about the lack of public presence, including the website, Melnyk, who is co-chair of the group, along with Matt Phillips (Phillips Brewery) and Jim Dodds (Vancouver Island Brewery), stated members have been occupied running their respective breweries and unable to contribute significant time or financial resources to the BCCBG. He did state that they have been "working in the background and tackling issues when they arise" such as putting forth a position paper in regards to the proposed changes to the tied house/trade practice laws. I could not really get what the BCCBG's position was in regards to tied houses and trade practices other than Melynk telling me member breweries did get together, via conference calls, to voice their opinions and come to a consensus on a position.
When queried about the BCCBG's membership and obvious names missing, Melnyk stated he has fielded "several calls recently" from representatives of breweries and brewpubs inquiring about joining the guild and said that there is significant interest amongst the craft brewers in BC to get organized and work together. As an example, Melnyk pointed to the recent collaboration by 28 craft brewers who got together at R&B Brewery to create a Cascadian Dark Ale that will be available during the Vancouver Craft Beer Week. Melnyk did point out that this collaborative brewing session was organized by the VCBW and not the BCCBG, but saw the getting together of all the brewers as a positive sign.
I also queried Melnyk about the rumours about the in-fighting and conflicts that many feel are the main reason why the BCCBG appear to be stagnant and ineffective and Melynk stated that there has been conflict amongst members, "a few years ago," and that at times "small issues pertinent to one brewery have taken over the (BCCBG) agenda" but that those problems are a thing of the past. Melnyk stated that the BCCBG does have plans to put out collaborative products, such as the OCB's Discovery pack, update their website and begin an organized lobby to help "craft brewers get on a better playing field" in regards to competing in the market place and hopes to get the craft brewing industry the same government support the BC wine industry enjoys. Melynk also stated he has a personal vision of creating a special designation for craft beer similar to the wine industry's VQA designation for BC wines that meet certain criteria.
Rick Dellow, the R of R&B Brewing, who belong to the BCCBG, also stated in an email, that there are plans amongst the guild members to, "put together shared raw material buying and shared marketing," but that due to the guild members need to attend to their own businesses, these plans may not "see the light of day". Dellow also pointed to past BCCBG activities which have been successful, such as when the guild,"worked with a group of small brewers from all over Canada to lobby the government to reduce the level of Federal Excise tax," a lobby that was successful and resulted changes to the tax structure.
Melynk stated that the main reason the BCCBG has not been able to organize and get to the level of their Ontario cousins is simply a result of money and time and has little to do with in-fighting and the BC brewers inability to work collectively. He pointed to the "substantial amount of money" the OCB got from the Ontario Provincial government and the fact that the OCB has a full-time "Executive Director" to help guide the group.
These facts are true, the OCB has a President, John Hay and an administrative assistant and, according to PR contact, Christine Mulkins, who I contacted by email, "employs a variety of consultants on contract to provide support on finance, marketing, PR, branding, website, advertising/media, etc." Mulkins also stated that OCB members "play an active role in the association by participating on a variety of committees such as - technical, marketing, etc," and that they pay dues to be members to help fund the cause.
My question is, if funding and resources are an issue, why can the BCCBG not follow Ontario's lead and go after the same funding from government and the guild members themselves? I know each provincial governement if diffeent and market places unique, but the BCCBG has a great blueprint to follow and could they not try to adapt the path the OCB has taken to suit their needs?
I spoke to a few other brewers, some members of the BCCBG and some not, as well as others who are insiders in the craft beer industry and had a completely different picture of how the guild operates painted. A few brewers were not willing "to go on the record" but were more than willing to talk to me over a few beers to share their thoughts about the BCCBG and how it operates. I heard descriptors such as "disorganized", "dysfunctional", "useless", "not focused" and "splintered" used to describe the BCCBG.
One brewer, Crannog Ales' Brian MacIsaac, who used to belong to the BCCBG but who opted out about four years ago, was more than willing to go on the record and state why he is no longer a member. I personally know MacIsaac and consider him to be a straight shooter, one who does not mince words and one whose business practices are honest and above board. Crannog has been very vocal about the lack of ethics in the craft beer industry and the lack of a "code of conduct" in regards to how craft breweries in this province conduct business. He believes it is paramount that the craft breweries hold themselves up to a higher standard than the macrobreweries do, not only with the beers they produce but with how they conduct themselves. He believes that although they compete in the same marketplace, for the same consumers' craft beer dollars, the craft breweries should be able to work together to advance the industry in BC while letting their beers speak for themselves.
The beer industry is rife with what are illegal practices, such as kickbacks of free beer to pubs/restaurants, to breweries paying cash for the right to sell their beer in a certain establishment or breweries paying for beer lines to be installed for the privilege of selling their beer, but Crannog has refused to be apart of this, even if it meant losing potential business. Crannog's famous t-shirt depicting a hand flipping the bird with, "here is your 1-in-10," referring to the practice of giving one free keg for every 10 bought, sums up his thoughts on the issue.
MacIsaac says the main reason he is not apart of the BCCBG any more is the "predatory" business practices of some of the member breweries and his distrust of them having access to "sensitive" information about his business. He states some guild members are "not cooperating" with the other members and that the guild is "not functioning as a group of colleagues". He went on to say certain breweries were not interested in making a stand against the kickbacks and the purchasers' demands for free beer or cash and were currently offering the kickbacks and inducements in the same manner as the bigger breweries with the deeper pockets. He states when he tried to get the members to formulate and implement a "code of ethics" or "code of conduct" he was not supported by the some of the guild members who are known to be quite aggressive in the marketplace and willing to go after the tap space held by other guild members in order to increase their own business.
He also gave, as an example of the group's unwillingness to support each other, that when one member brewery came to the guild for support due to the fact an establishment demanded a payment of $1000 a tap, per year, to do business, that member brewery received no backing or support. In fact they were told by one of the guild members "it was the price of doing business," even though that "price" is currently illegal and something many small craft breweries, with limited resources, having been fighting against. MacIsaac told me he believes that some of the members of the guild are their for their own betterment and are not interested in helping develop the craft beer industry as a whole or work collaboratively in the guild. It comes down to greed and dollars and not the art of making craft beer and developing an ethical and sustainable industry.
"When is it enough?" asked MacIsaac. "It (craft beer industry) should not just be about getting bigger and bigger."
So which version of the BCCBG is the accurate one?
I have had suspicions for years that some of the BC craft breweries who want to grow and play with the big boys in the market place have been predatory and ruthless in taking business away from their craft beer brethren in the name of growth. In fact, I won't buy beers from certain local breweries based on my knowledge of their business practices and have voiced my opinions to most who will listen. This type of behaviour is certainly going to splinter and fracture the craft brewers. The craft brewers are the first to complain about the Molson's of the world flashing their money about, buying taps and giving kickbacks yet some of them are just as bad and some of those protesting loudest are the worst offenders.
Although there are many of the BC craft brewing heavyweights on the member's list, there are many that are not. I don't buy the excuse that there is a lack of resources available to the BCCBG which prohibits them from doing something as simple as put content on their website or update the name on it to reflect their name change. It appears to me there is just not the will amongst the BC craft brewers to band together to work towards common goals. I am quite sure the member breweries could buck up a few thousand dollars a year to hire professionals to help run their guild, such has been done in Ontario. First on the agenda should be to update and professionize their website, go on a massive recruiting drive and develop a collective voice with the focus of getting the governement's attention so that maybe they can secure funding and make themselves known as a group that can contribute positively to the cultural and finacial welfare of BC.
Maybe the BC craft brewers believe it is not necessary to organize and market together as their growth rates are decent and their support from consumers and groups like CAMRA and the Vancouver Craft Beer Week is strong and spreading the word for them. I know that some who have been supplying this support are getting fed up with the lack of action by the BCCBG to help promote the craft beer scene in BC. CAMRA YVR President, Martin Williams, for one, believes it is time for the BC craft brewers to get busy and help themselves.
"BC's brewers need to work together better than they have," says Williams. "There is a vibrant brewing industry in BC. It is small and its growth is well hampered. I doubt the government in Victoria recognizes brewing as a growing industry. This recognition will only come when the BC Craft Brewing Association develops its own personality, its own voice and markets itself as a real and viable industry in BC with an important role to play."
The BCCBG may point to the substantial OCB funding from the Ontario Provincial Government but I do think there is a direct link to the OCB's commitment to contributing to their local communities by supplying jobs, promoting-developing local small businesses, adding to the local economies and promoting Ontario tourism by highlighting the province as a destination to find great beer. I don't know for sure, but I suspect the OCB lobbied the Ontario government hard to get the support they now enjoy. If their website and the image the OCB is projecting is accurate, the OCB sees the craft beer industry as more than sales for its individual members and sees themselves as playing an important part in their local communities. Yes, it is about selling beers and individual businesses being successful, but there is a bigger picture beyond producing the best IPA and the OCB seems to get that.
I would love to see the BCCBG here commit to cooperating with each other and take steps towards getting to where the OCB are. I would definitely love to see them band together to try to combat inducements and illegal trade practices, although that may be a mute point if the government in this province deregulates and allows inducements to exist in the light of day. Think of the positive economic spin-offs of promoting and increasing beer tourism here in BC. Think of the possibilities, as a consumer, of the breweries and brewpubs banding together to help new breweries start up in this province. The more widespread, organized and vibrant the craft beer industry is, the better it is for all involved. At least this is how I see it.
I would also like to walk down to my local liquor store and buy a mixed pack of BC craft beer...imagine a box containing limited releases from Central City, Driftwood, Phillips, R&B or any of your other favourite local craft breweries.
Now that is something I don't mind promoting.
What a concept! Banding together to create one collective voice (sound familiar CAMRA YVR members??). Competing forces pulling together for the betterment of all involved.
Now let's compare that to the BC craft beer scene and how the BC Craft Brewers Guild (BCCBG), formerly known as the Craft Brewers Association of BC, is helping promote the cause of the craft beer industry here in Beautiful BC. It is true that here in BC we have an alive and vibrant craft beer scene as well. BC brewers are not only producing good craft beers, but world class craft beers that are pushing boundaries and causing the rest of North America to take notice. And it is not just one brewer, but several that are creating these amazing beers. There are several brewers at the moment that are challenging each other to keep up and push the envelope with their brews. I dare say that soon, if it isn't already happening, local brewers will be creating new craft beer trends and styles that others, from across Canada and N America and around the world, will be trying emulate in order to keep on the cutting edge of craft brewing. And those of us who drink these beers are enjoying the fruits of these creative labours.
But While the craft beer scene has bneen exploding here in BC, it seems this explosion has taken place with little-to-no help from the Craft Brewers Guild who, at least at first glance, seem invisible to the general public. I am not a brewer, but have been involved in the craft beer industry in Vancouver for over 10 years, yet I know little about the BCCBG and what they do.
On first blush, it seems to be that the BCCBG is, in fact dormant, disorganized and in turmoil. The general scuttlebutt around the cask is that the BCCBG are doing nothing to advance the craft brewing industry in this province and are too busy fighting amongst themselves to get anything accomplished. The BCCBG website is basically devoid of content, listing 16 member breweries, with some of the names missing on the members list conspicuous by their absence, and giving one contact name and phone number, that being Tod Melnyk, of Tree Brewing, who is listed as chairman. Comparing the BC website to the OCB website is like comparing a kindergartner's crayon scribble to a Master's thesis. The only bit of info, other than what listed above did give at least some idea of what the Guild was about, stating,
| "Welcome to the home of some of the world's best beers. While in BC, enjoy your stay here and feel free to sample the artisinal offerings of our members. In 1997, a group of BC Craft Brewers got together for the purpose of establishing a non-profit, cooperative trade organization committed to the promotion of the Craft Brewing Industry through legislation, education, public awareness, and the responsible use of our products." |
According to Melnyk, the group is currently reorganizing, refocusing and figuring out priorities and "getting everyone on the same page". When asked about the lack of public presence, including the website, Melnyk, who is co-chair of the group, along with Matt Phillips (Phillips Brewery) and Jim Dodds (Vancouver Island Brewery), stated members have been occupied running their respective breweries and unable to contribute significant time or financial resources to the BCCBG. He did state that they have been "working in the background and tackling issues when they arise" such as putting forth a position paper in regards to the proposed changes to the tied house/trade practice laws. I could not really get what the BCCBG's position was in regards to tied houses and trade practices other than Melynk telling me member breweries did get together, via conference calls, to voice their opinions and come to a consensus on a position.
When queried about the BCCBG's membership and obvious names missing, Melnyk stated he has fielded "several calls recently" from representatives of breweries and brewpubs inquiring about joining the guild and said that there is significant interest amongst the craft brewers in BC to get organized and work together. As an example, Melnyk pointed to the recent collaboration by 28 craft brewers who got together at R&B Brewery to create a Cascadian Dark Ale that will be available during the Vancouver Craft Beer Week. Melnyk did point out that this collaborative brewing session was organized by the VCBW and not the BCCBG, but saw the getting together of all the brewers as a positive sign.
I also queried Melnyk about the rumours about the in-fighting and conflicts that many feel are the main reason why the BCCBG appear to be stagnant and ineffective and Melynk stated that there has been conflict amongst members, "a few years ago," and that at times "small issues pertinent to one brewery have taken over the (BCCBG) agenda" but that those problems are a thing of the past. Melnyk stated that the BCCBG does have plans to put out collaborative products, such as the OCB's Discovery pack, update their website and begin an organized lobby to help "craft brewers get on a better playing field" in regards to competing in the market place and hopes to get the craft brewing industry the same government support the BC wine industry enjoys. Melynk also stated he has a personal vision of creating a special designation for craft beer similar to the wine industry's VQA designation for BC wines that meet certain criteria.
Rick Dellow, the R of R&B Brewing, who belong to the BCCBG, also stated in an email, that there are plans amongst the guild members to, "put together shared raw material buying and shared marketing," but that due to the guild members need to attend to their own businesses, these plans may not "see the light of day". Dellow also pointed to past BCCBG activities which have been successful, such as when the guild,"worked with a group of small brewers from all over Canada to lobby the government to reduce the level of Federal Excise tax," a lobby that was successful and resulted changes to the tax structure.
Melynk stated that the main reason the BCCBG has not been able to organize and get to the level of their Ontario cousins is simply a result of money and time and has little to do with in-fighting and the BC brewers inability to work collectively. He pointed to the "substantial amount of money" the OCB got from the Ontario Provincial government and the fact that the OCB has a full-time "Executive Director" to help guide the group.
These facts are true, the OCB has a President, John Hay and an administrative assistant and, according to PR contact, Christine Mulkins, who I contacted by email, "employs a variety of consultants on contract to provide support on finance, marketing, PR, branding, website, advertising/media, etc." Mulkins also stated that OCB members "play an active role in the association by participating on a variety of committees such as - technical, marketing, etc," and that they pay dues to be members to help fund the cause.
My question is, if funding and resources are an issue, why can the BCCBG not follow Ontario's lead and go after the same funding from government and the guild members themselves? I know each provincial governement if diffeent and market places unique, but the BCCBG has a great blueprint to follow and could they not try to adapt the path the OCB has taken to suit their needs?
I spoke to a few other brewers, some members of the BCCBG and some not, as well as others who are insiders in the craft beer industry and had a completely different picture of how the guild operates painted. A few brewers were not willing "to go on the record" but were more than willing to talk to me over a few beers to share their thoughts about the BCCBG and how it operates. I heard descriptors such as "disorganized", "dysfunctional", "useless", "not focused" and "splintered" used to describe the BCCBG.
One brewer, Crannog Ales' Brian MacIsaac, who used to belong to the BCCBG but who opted out about four years ago, was more than willing to go on the record and state why he is no longer a member. I personally know MacIsaac and consider him to be a straight shooter, one who does not mince words and one whose business practices are honest and above board. Crannog has been very vocal about the lack of ethics in the craft beer industry and the lack of a "code of conduct" in regards to how craft breweries in this province conduct business. He believes it is paramount that the craft breweries hold themselves up to a higher standard than the macrobreweries do, not only with the beers they produce but with how they conduct themselves. He believes that although they compete in the same marketplace, for the same consumers' craft beer dollars, the craft breweries should be able to work together to advance the industry in BC while letting their beers speak for themselves.The beer industry is rife with what are illegal practices, such as kickbacks of free beer to pubs/restaurants, to breweries paying cash for the right to sell their beer in a certain establishment or breweries paying for beer lines to be installed for the privilege of selling their beer, but Crannog has refused to be apart of this, even if it meant losing potential business. Crannog's famous t-shirt depicting a hand flipping the bird with, "here is your 1-in-10," referring to the practice of giving one free keg for every 10 bought, sums up his thoughts on the issue.
MacIsaac says the main reason he is not apart of the BCCBG any more is the "predatory" business practices of some of the member breweries and his distrust of them having access to "sensitive" information about his business. He states some guild members are "not cooperating" with the other members and that the guild is "not functioning as a group of colleagues". He went on to say certain breweries were not interested in making a stand against the kickbacks and the purchasers' demands for free beer or cash and were currently offering the kickbacks and inducements in the same manner as the bigger breweries with the deeper pockets. He states when he tried to get the members to formulate and implement a "code of ethics" or "code of conduct" he was not supported by the some of the guild members who are known to be quite aggressive in the marketplace and willing to go after the tap space held by other guild members in order to increase their own business.
He also gave, as an example of the group's unwillingness to support each other, that when one member brewery came to the guild for support due to the fact an establishment demanded a payment of $1000 a tap, per year, to do business, that member brewery received no backing or support. In fact they were told by one of the guild members "it was the price of doing business," even though that "price" is currently illegal and something many small craft breweries, with limited resources, having been fighting against. MacIsaac told me he believes that some of the members of the guild are their for their own betterment and are not interested in helping develop the craft beer industry as a whole or work collaboratively in the guild. It comes down to greed and dollars and not the art of making craft beer and developing an ethical and sustainable industry.
"When is it enough?" asked MacIsaac. "It (craft beer industry) should not just be about getting bigger and bigger."
So which version of the BCCBG is the accurate one?
I have had suspicions for years that some of the BC craft breweries who want to grow and play with the big boys in the market place have been predatory and ruthless in taking business away from their craft beer brethren in the name of growth. In fact, I won't buy beers from certain local breweries based on my knowledge of their business practices and have voiced my opinions to most who will listen. This type of behaviour is certainly going to splinter and fracture the craft brewers. The craft brewers are the first to complain about the Molson's of the world flashing their money about, buying taps and giving kickbacks yet some of them are just as bad and some of those protesting loudest are the worst offenders.
Although there are many of the BC craft brewing heavyweights on the member's list, there are many that are not. I don't buy the excuse that there is a lack of resources available to the BCCBG which prohibits them from doing something as simple as put content on their website or update the name on it to reflect their name change. It appears to me there is just not the will amongst the BC craft brewers to band together to work towards common goals. I am quite sure the member breweries could buck up a few thousand dollars a year to hire professionals to help run their guild, such has been done in Ontario. First on the agenda should be to update and professionize their website, go on a massive recruiting drive and develop a collective voice with the focus of getting the governement's attention so that maybe they can secure funding and make themselves known as a group that can contribute positively to the cultural and finacial welfare of BC.
Maybe the BC craft brewers believe it is not necessary to organize and market together as their growth rates are decent and their support from consumers and groups like CAMRA and the Vancouver Craft Beer Week is strong and spreading the word for them. I know that some who have been supplying this support are getting fed up with the lack of action by the BCCBG to help promote the craft beer scene in BC. CAMRA YVR President, Martin Williams, for one, believes it is time for the BC craft brewers to get busy and help themselves.
"BC's brewers need to work together better than they have," says Williams. "There is a vibrant brewing industry in BC. It is small and its growth is well hampered. I doubt the government in Victoria recognizes brewing as a growing industry. This recognition will only come when the BC Craft Brewing Association develops its own personality, its own voice and markets itself as a real and viable industry in BC with an important role to play."
The BCCBG may point to the substantial OCB funding from the Ontario Provincial Government but I do think there is a direct link to the OCB's commitment to contributing to their local communities by supplying jobs, promoting-developing local small businesses, adding to the local economies and promoting Ontario tourism by highlighting the province as a destination to find great beer. I don't know for sure, but I suspect the OCB lobbied the Ontario government hard to get the support they now enjoy. If their website and the image the OCB is projecting is accurate, the OCB sees the craft beer industry as more than sales for its individual members and sees themselves as playing an important part in their local communities. Yes, it is about selling beers and individual businesses being successful, but there is a bigger picture beyond producing the best IPA and the OCB seems to get that.
I would love to see the BCCBG here commit to cooperating with each other and take steps towards getting to where the OCB are. I would definitely love to see them band together to try to combat inducements and illegal trade practices, although that may be a mute point if the government in this province deregulates and allows inducements to exist in the light of day. Think of the positive economic spin-offs of promoting and increasing beer tourism here in BC. Think of the possibilities, as a consumer, of the breweries and brewpubs banding together to help new breweries start up in this province. The more widespread, organized and vibrant the craft beer industry is, the better it is for all involved. At least this is how I see it.
I would also like to walk down to my local liquor store and buy a mixed pack of BC craft beer...imagine a box containing limited releases from Central City, Driftwood, Phillips, R&B or any of your other favourite local craft breweries.
Now that is something I don't mind promoting.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tied House and Trade Practice Changes: Opening Pandora's Box?
A very important deadline recently came and went, a deadline that may soon have a major impact on the craft beer industry and I wonder how many that will be potentially impacted were aware.
Proposed changes to legislation regarding tied houses and trade practices, by the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch (LCLB), here in British Columbia, have been presented and the deadline for feedback about the proposed changes was February 15, 2011. In June of 2010, legislation was passed here in BC paving the way for amendments to the Liquor Control and Licensing Act in regards to trade practice laws and tied houses. Basically, the government is looking to deregulate the liquor industry in regards to tied houses and trade practices and this scares the Hell out of me!
Let me explain...
In January of this year, the LCLB issued a Consultation Paper, posting it on its website and apparently sending it to a "number of liquor related organizations" outlining the three different options for proposed changes in both areas, asking for feedback. The purpose of the paper was so that the LCLB could hear from those who may be impacted by the changes, consider all arguments, for each option outlined, so they could make an informed decision about how to shape and draft the new legislation before presenting it to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
For those who aren't familiar with the terms tied houses and trade practices, and I have to admit, I really wasn't up to speed until very recently, let me try to explain. According to the LCLB Consultation Paper a "tied house is an establishment that has an association, financial or otherwise, with a liquor manufacturer or its agent that is likely to lead to its products being favoured." In other words tied houses are pubs and restaurants that are linked directly to the producers of the alcohol, who would profit directly from the sale of their alcohol to the public and who could restrict the sale of products produced by their competitors. Examples of a "tied houses" would be Molson House and Heineken House, which were given special exemptions to exist during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Trade practices laws are those that restrict and prohibit "commercial interactions between liquor suppliers and licensed establishments including restrictions on promoting specific manufacturers and their products in exchange for benefits provided by the supplier" (LCLB Consulation Paper, p.2).These trade practice restrictions and prohibitions help stop producers of alcohol from basically bribing licensed establishments by offering freebies to them in exchange for exclusive or preferred sales deals. You have to look no further than Rogers Arena and BC Place where the larger breweries have secured exclusive deals by offering financial inducements.
Now I have purposely oversimplified these concepts as they are complex, convoluted and quite frankly, I have trouble wrapping my wee brain around them completely, especially if I am drinking and blogging (no 0.5 % alcohol limit to content with here!). Tied houses have been outlawed in British Columbia since the 1950s when the Liquor Act was changed to prohibit tied houses and the offering of inducements by liquor producers and distributors to licensees. The changes to the law were originally brought in the protect the consumer and smaller breweries as the larger breweries were buying up pubs and featuring only their products, freezing out the smaller breweries and limiting consumer choices. These laws and regulations attempted to stop those breweries with deep pockets, such as Molson and Labatt from basically cornering the market by controlling what the pubs sold, often at low prices to induce overconsumption. In the 1950s there were far fewer pubs and clubs, approximately 600 according to the LCLB Consultation Paper, and no licensed restaurants in the province, therefore it was much easier to consolidate and dominate the market. Today, the LDLB states there are more than 9000 licensed establishments, therefore it is much more difficult to dominate.
Over the years, some of these laws have been tweaked to allow for establishments like brewpubs and wineries to sell their products at the same sight they are produced. As well, the trade practice regulations have been relaxed so that liquor producers can supply licensees, for free, with such things as umbrellas, t-shirts, coasters, glassware, etc with their logos on them. The proposed changes will further relax, or completely eliminate these restrictions and prohibitions, depending on what option they pass into law.
It has taken years in this province to loosen the grip the major breweries had on the beer market to allow smaller craft breweries to survive and thrive. Despite the laws, the practice of inducements has been alive and well, with breweries having deeper pockets offering kickbacks, i.e. a free keg for every ten kegs (or less) purchased, or offering to pay for improvements to a pub or restaurant in exchange for an "exclusive" or "preferred" sales deal. I have seen this first hand when working in the industry. Local breweries have fought tooth and nail to carve out their place in the market and it took until the past few years for them to gain a a small share of the market even with all these restrictions is place. In the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) December 2010 Quarterly Report, it was reported that breweries that produced less than 150,000 hectolitres of beer had an increase of 7.65% in draft sales and 40.12% in bottled sales compared to the same quarter last year while breweries with production of more than 150,000 had a drop in sales by 7.71% for draft and 8.6% for bottled beers. To me, this indicates that more and more people are being turned on to craft beer here in BC. Despite the fact that craft beer is more expensive, it is gaining in popularity and slowly gaining a larger market share. But if my math is correct - there is more than a good chance it isn't...please see drinking and blogging comment above - despite the reported gains in the BCLDB Quarterly Report, the breweries with less than 150,000 hectolitres still only had approximately 13% of the BC market.
The proposed changes, as I mentioned, have been presented in three options. For tied houses the options are: complete deregulation; permit tied houses but limit the number of tied houses that a person/company can hold; permit tied houses with "public interest restrictions" such as rules that the LCLB would enforce and if breeched by a tied house, their license to be a tied house would be revoked. In relation to trade practices the options are: complete deregulation, anything goes; reduce of eliminate "most" trade practice restrictions; allow sponsorship agreements between licensees and liquor producers, but not allowing complete exclusivity deals to be made. These are simplifications of the proposal and for a more detailed explanation, please see the Consultation Paper by clicking the link above.
The second option in both areas again would allow for the ownership of a limited number of tied houses and allow sponsorship deals to exist again and opens the door for the larger breweries to impose their financial might to buy a bigger share of the market. What is a logical number of tied houses to allow? How will this be enforced as many larger breweries own a number of smaller breweries and there could be room for manipulation and abuse of the regulations by companies setting up complicated and convoluted ownership schemes. This option, along with the third, will require that the LCLB still allocate significant amount of resources to ensure that the laws are being followed. Does this not contradict directly their rationalization for changing and deregulating?
Now, I know that in some cases the tied house rules have hurt the craft beer and wine industry here in BC. A prime example is Lighthouse Brewery when the owner of brewery was not allowed to sell his beer to a restaurant he co-owned with three others due to the tied house rules. Would it not make more sense to look at these case-by-case to see what the relationship is and the intent of the relationship. Surely a local brewery wanting to sell its own beer in a restaurant that has ties to the brewery is not some plot to squeeze out competition and limit consumers in their choices.
If any of this strikes a cord with you and you have any concerns about the proposed tied house changes, please let your voices be heard. If you are not already a member of CAMRA, you should join and help consolidate our voice. This is exactly why groups such as CAMRA BC are meant to exist. Let's actively campaign to fight off the big national breweries and promote and support our local craft breweries so that they can thrive. Let's stop politicians from passing laws that could potentially send us back towards the Dark Age of Beer here in BC when you only had to order "a pint"...didn't matter what you ordered because it all tasted the same. Let's campaign to be given the chance to drink the beers we want, where we want and how we want them to be served.
Proposed changes to legislation regarding tied houses and trade practices, by the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch (LCLB), here in British Columbia, have been presented and the deadline for feedback about the proposed changes was February 15, 2011. In June of 2010, legislation was passed here in BC paving the way for amendments to the Liquor Control and Licensing Act in regards to trade practice laws and tied houses. Basically, the government is looking to deregulate the liquor industry in regards to tied houses and trade practices and this scares the Hell out of me!
Let me explain...
In January of this year, the LCLB issued a Consultation Paper, posting it on its website and apparently sending it to a "number of liquor related organizations" outlining the three different options for proposed changes in both areas, asking for feedback. The purpose of the paper was so that the LCLB could hear from those who may be impacted by the changes, consider all arguments, for each option outlined, so they could make an informed decision about how to shape and draft the new legislation before presenting it to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
For those who aren't familiar with the terms tied houses and trade practices, and I have to admit, I really wasn't up to speed until very recently, let me try to explain. According to the LCLB Consultation Paper a "tied house is an establishment that has an association, financial or otherwise, with a liquor manufacturer or its agent that is likely to lead to its products being favoured." In other words tied houses are pubs and restaurants that are linked directly to the producers of the alcohol, who would profit directly from the sale of their alcohol to the public and who could restrict the sale of products produced by their competitors. Examples of a "tied houses" would be Molson House and Heineken House, which were given special exemptions to exist during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Trade practices laws are those that restrict and prohibit "commercial interactions between liquor suppliers and licensed establishments including restrictions on promoting specific manufacturers and their products in exchange for benefits provided by the supplier" (LCLB Consulation Paper, p.2).These trade practice restrictions and prohibitions help stop producers of alcohol from basically bribing licensed establishments by offering freebies to them in exchange for exclusive or preferred sales deals. You have to look no further than Rogers Arena and BC Place where the larger breweries have secured exclusive deals by offering financial inducements.
Now I have purposely oversimplified these concepts as they are complex, convoluted and quite frankly, I have trouble wrapping my wee brain around them completely, especially if I am drinking and blogging (no 0.5 % alcohol limit to content with here!). Tied houses have been outlawed in British Columbia since the 1950s when the Liquor Act was changed to prohibit tied houses and the offering of inducements by liquor producers and distributors to licensees. The changes to the law were originally brought in the protect the consumer and smaller breweries as the larger breweries were buying up pubs and featuring only their products, freezing out the smaller breweries and limiting consumer choices. These laws and regulations attempted to stop those breweries with deep pockets, such as Molson and Labatt from basically cornering the market by controlling what the pubs sold, often at low prices to induce overconsumption. In the 1950s there were far fewer pubs and clubs, approximately 600 according to the LCLB Consultation Paper, and no licensed restaurants in the province, therefore it was much easier to consolidate and dominate the market. Today, the LDLB states there are more than 9000 licensed establishments, therefore it is much more difficult to dominate.
Over the years, some of these laws have been tweaked to allow for establishments like brewpubs and wineries to sell their products at the same sight they are produced. As well, the trade practice regulations have been relaxed so that liquor producers can supply licensees, for free, with such things as umbrellas, t-shirts, coasters, glassware, etc with their logos on them. The proposed changes will further relax, or completely eliminate these restrictions and prohibitions, depending on what option they pass into law.
It has taken years in this province to loosen the grip the major breweries had on the beer market to allow smaller craft breweries to survive and thrive. Despite the laws, the practice of inducements has been alive and well, with breweries having deeper pockets offering kickbacks, i.e. a free keg for every ten kegs (or less) purchased, or offering to pay for improvements to a pub or restaurant in exchange for an "exclusive" or "preferred" sales deal. I have seen this first hand when working in the industry. Local breweries have fought tooth and nail to carve out their place in the market and it took until the past few years for them to gain a a small share of the market even with all these restrictions is place. In the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) December 2010 Quarterly Report, it was reported that breweries that produced less than 150,000 hectolitres of beer had an increase of 7.65% in draft sales and 40.12% in bottled sales compared to the same quarter last year while breweries with production of more than 150,000 had a drop in sales by 7.71% for draft and 8.6% for bottled beers. To me, this indicates that more and more people are being turned on to craft beer here in BC. Despite the fact that craft beer is more expensive, it is gaining in popularity and slowly gaining a larger market share. But if my math is correct - there is more than a good chance it isn't...please see drinking and blogging comment above - despite the reported gains in the BCLDB Quarterly Report, the breweries with less than 150,000 hectolitres still only had approximately 13% of the BC market.
The proposed changes, as I mentioned, have been presented in three options. For tied houses the options are: complete deregulation; permit tied houses but limit the number of tied houses that a person/company can hold; permit tied houses with "public interest restrictions" such as rules that the LCLB would enforce and if breeched by a tied house, their license to be a tied house would be revoked. In relation to trade practices the options are: complete deregulation, anything goes; reduce of eliminate "most" trade practice restrictions; allow sponsorship agreements between licensees and liquor producers, but not allowing complete exclusivity deals to be made. These are simplifications of the proposal and for a more detailed explanation, please see the Consultation Paper by clicking the link above.
So why the Hell am I rattling on about this, you may be asking yourselves? Well, I am somewhat suspicious about why the government is looking to deregulate and wondering just how such huge proposed changes to the liquor laws have gone basically unreported and unnoticed, even by those who will be impacted. I believe that consumer advocacy groups like CAMRA BC, the press and bloggers like myself have a duty to critically look at these types of changes and question whether they really are in the favour of the consumer and whether they promote the growth of the local craft beer industry. If we get the word out there, make informed decisions about the issues and make our voices heard loud and clear, we can effect positive change.
How often do changes to liquor laws, in this province of over regulation, go unreported? Hardly ever. Who is lobbying for these changes and why? Is it that the big breweries are getting slightly nervous that their complete stranglehold on the beer market has been reduced to just a half-Nelson? The LCLB is claiming that they allocate a "significant" amount of their resources to investigating cases of tied houses and the breaching of trade practice laws and enforcing the existing laws and they claim these resources could be better allocated to protect the "public safety" by monitoring over-serving alcohol, over-crowding licensed establishments and serving alcohol to minors. In my opinion, we are already over-protected and we have too many liquor inspectors running around giving out seemingly arbitrary fines and warnings to establishments, enforcing liquor laws that are ancient and out of date such as the "audience participation" regulations and the ever contentious issue of how much alcohol are you allowed to drink when out for a meal in a restaurant.
When I look at these proposals, especially in regards to the LCLB's rationalization for them, it again has me really wondering what they are trying to accomplish and why. The first proposal in each area could open Pandora's Box and allow, once again, the deep-pocketed, national breweries to squeeze out their smaller competition by buying up chains of pubs and restaurants and exclusively selling their products. It might sound like I am Chicken Little running around screaming, "the sky is falling" but think about what the market was like just 25 years ago! And think about all the progress the craft beer trade has made and look at what a small percentage of the actual beer market they have. In my opinion, we need to fight hard against anything that allows tied houses just to limit the possibility of the bigger breweries throwing their financial weight around more than they already are. They are greedy coproations with a seemingly endless hunger for more money with no regard for the consumer. It happened in the UK and it can happen here. The practice did not completely eradicate the smaller, local breweries there, but it did reduce their ability to survive in some cases, limited greatly their ability to sell their product unless they sold a controlling interest to the larger breweries. And it did greatly limit the consumers choices in regards to what they could drink and where. Do we want to even allow for that possibility to happen here? I would think if you are a craft beer lover and wish existing local breweries thrive and see more local breweries come into existence, you would want more regulations put on in place to encourage the local craft beer scene not the hinder it.The second option in both areas again would allow for the ownership of a limited number of tied houses and allow sponsorship deals to exist again and opens the door for the larger breweries to impose their financial might to buy a bigger share of the market. What is a logical number of tied houses to allow? How will this be enforced as many larger breweries own a number of smaller breweries and there could be room for manipulation and abuse of the regulations by companies setting up complicated and convoluted ownership schemes. This option, along with the third, will require that the LCLB still allocate significant amount of resources to ensure that the laws are being followed. Does this not contradict directly their rationalization for changing and deregulating?
Now, I know that in some cases the tied house rules have hurt the craft beer and wine industry here in BC. A prime example is Lighthouse Brewery when the owner of brewery was not allowed to sell his beer to a restaurant he co-owned with three others due to the tied house rules. Would it not make more sense to look at these case-by-case to see what the relationship is and the intent of the relationship. Surely a local brewery wanting to sell its own beer in a restaurant that has ties to the brewery is not some plot to squeeze out competition and limit consumers in their choices.
If any of this strikes a cord with you and you have any concerns about the proposed tied house changes, please let your voices be heard. If you are not already a member of CAMRA, you should join and help consolidate our voice. This is exactly why groups such as CAMRA BC are meant to exist. Let's actively campaign to fight off the big national breweries and promote and support our local craft breweries so that they can thrive. Let's stop politicians from passing laws that could potentially send us back towards the Dark Age of Beer here in BC when you only had to order "a pint"...didn't matter what you ordered because it all tasted the same. Let's campaign to be given the chance to drink the beers we want, where we want and how we want them to be served.
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