Just got back from England, and had the opportunity to taste this magnificient beer called Old Peculier from Theakston. Anyone know if this stuff is available in BC or if it can be ordered?

Doesn't look like it... I did a search of all the UK-beers sold at the BC LDB and this was the result:

http://tinyurl.com/25nm4d

You could call Fogg n Suds and see what they say...

http://www.foggnsuds.com/index_files/Page317.htm

...note that the site only seems to work in IE, not FF.

You may also want to try the LDB's special orders service.

This might not help you much, because you're in the "wrong" part of Canada, but the HFX and YYZ based Granite microbrewery brew a beer called Peculiar (note the spelling), which is a pretty good imitation of Old Peculier. You can get it at a few places in TO, plus the Granite Pub at Eglington and Mount Pleasant (and at their Halifax locations of course, if for some inexplicable reason you happen to be there).

I believe the LCBO used to sell it in bottles at one time, but in accordance with their policy of refusing to sell any beer worth drinking on an ongoing basis, they've put a stop to that. Plenty of indistinguishable ethnically-named "lagers" available though.

Tried doing a special order, with no luck. However, was just down over the border yesterday and stopped at the local Haggen in Blaine, and found that they do carry it. Go figure.

The joy and benefit of not having a communist liquor distribution/control system.

You don't know any history but rely on your right-wing instincts, don't you?

I know a fair amount of history not as much as I would like though. I do not know any history when it comes to the BC Gov't controlling liquor in our province. I do know that I would the freedom to buy my liquor in a grocery store, or a corner store as well as a designated liquor outlet. I would also like for the store owner to be able to purchase the liquor they re-sell from any distributer they choose, maybe the ones with the best prices and/or selection.

I also know that history is very important, however just because things were done a certain way in the past does not make it best now. I doubt I need to point examples for you.

My pro-business instincts have served me very well, they have also served a great many other people well, people that I have been able to help out. However you just keep on making assumptions on a subject that you know nothing of.

Are you a historian of note?

Please fill us in on the history surrounding our govt controlled liquor board. Given your response to mine, can I assume you think it is a better alternative than a completely free market liquor system? If so, how so?

Exactly - Although I can't imagine the government (or the union) parting with it as it's presumably a HUGE cash cow.

One thing they could do is make liquor items unavailable in BC as a duty-free item when you cross the line. For example, I like this particular bourbon ( http://www.alcoholreviews.com/SPIRIT...-bulleit.shtml ) and this particular scotch ( http://www.thedrinkshop.com/products...hp?prodid=1899 ) both of which are widely available in Bellingham, but unavailable in BC. I should be able to buy a bottle, have them scan it at the border, and then charge no duty because I'm not depriving anyone in Canada any revenue.

Bingo! The creeping evils of privatization, etc... Is it true the Ontario monopoly is the largest wholesale purchaser of liquor in the entire world?

Some Canadians are surprised to learn that 18 or 19 U.S. states also retain liquor monopolies, so-called Control States. Many states (and counties and cities) also have a variety of weird laws, including import restrictions for residents, although AFAIK one can buy at least beer and wine in supermarkets and/or private stores.

I've never entered a Washington State liquor store (we acquire hard liquor at the duty-free while visiting our Canadian relatives) so I have no idea how the prices compare, say, to the B.C. LCB.

As for wine and beer, however, there's no comparison as you undoubtedly know (at least between British Columbia and Washington State) and the new Trader Joe's in Bellingham WA means Two-Buck Chuck is now within your driving range.

Cheers,
Fredd

Ever heard of prohibition?

Yes, it was finished last time I checked.

There's interesting history here on the development of the government liquor monopoly in Canada around the same time as the U.S. enacted Prohibition.

In the U.S., of course, the constitutional amendment ending prohibition gave power to the states to control alcohol sales within their own borders (possibly a consolation prize to the "Drys"), leading to the strange patchwork of laws across the country today, from virtually "anything goes" to "dry counties" within, say, Alabama.

Costco has successfully (to date AFAIK) mounted a legal challenge in Washington State (and I believe some other states) to remove the requirement that all beer and wine for retail sale must be purchased from an in-state wholesaler.

Like the Canadian liquor-clerk unions, the Washington Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association does not approve of this turn of events and is predicting dire consequences for the consumer.

Man, all this research is making me thirsty.

Cheers,
Fredd

Be interesting to try to figure out what the landed cost (after duties and taxes) for a Canadian would be for a bottle of 2-buck Chuck.

I work in the wine trade in Ontario and can give you a breakdown of the costs. Let us assume that a winery's wholesale price for a bottle of wine would be $1 per bottle U.S. For the sake of convenience the U.S. and Canadian dollars will be at par. (Actually this would not be the case because the L.C.B.O. has an "official" exchange rate for a 3 month period to cushion against currency fluctuations.) Add 15% commission for the agent (that's me!), freight, applicable taxes, excise, L.C.B.O. markup of 64% across the board and the retail cost works out to $6.55 per 750ml bottle including $.20 deposit. The licencee cost (what the restaurant pays the L.C.B.O.) is $5.94 including deposit.

By the way, the L.C.B.O. has one of the lower markups in Canada among the provincial liquor control boards.

Now, let us take your 2 buck chuck and put it on a winelist. For the house wine, a 200% markup is relatively common, although it can be 300%. The approximate cost on the winelist would be $17.25 (actually $17.22) before 5% G.S.T. and 12% P.S.T. Hey presto, the total cost would be $20.18.

A few years ago the L.C.B.O. lost the distinction of being the single biggest purchaser of alcoholic beverages in the world. That distinction belongs to one of the U.K. supermarket chains.