Government Liqor pricing etc.

[ddcanz]

I'm an avid wine drinker.
I remember when the BCLDB introduced their new pricing model excluding taxes- saying that there would be little, if any, price difference. Pricing would be adjusted to balance closely.
For awhile I'm noting that that just about all of the shelf prices for wine are higher than they were 2 years ago- before the cashier tax is added on.
What a fucking joke.
For example- J Lohr Cab was 22.99 tax-in two years ago. Now it's 23.99 plus tax. There are hundreds of other examples.
We knew it from day one, despite Government protestations to the contrary, that this would happen.
Now, I'm not a cheap fuck, and I typically enjoy wines in the 20-40 shelf price range for daily drinking as a rule. I also enjoy aged liquors and higher end spirits. My liquor budget is fairly high.
I also travel across the line regularly and enjoy my fair share of US product. In fact, when the CA$ was closer to par I would always bring a case or two back with me- a simple "no" to the Customs Agent at the crossing was sufficient when asked if I had alcohol to declare.
Now, with the CA$ being at about .80 US, and the increased Washington state liquor taxes there is less incentive to stock up and bring back.
What do others in this community do to continue with regular imbibement of their favourite products without breaking the bank?

 

[badbadboy]

Find a BC winery whose wines you enjoy and join their wine club.

I get deliveries from three wineries a couple of times a year. Buy X amount annually gets a few free bottles thrown in. Also since I am a long term client, they will give me access to some of the better vintages and replace the lesser vintages with the better ones.

I am guessing BC wines may not be on your radar if you are buying Lohr etc out of California. Lohr is a pretty good wine but I'd put it up against a couple of BC Cab blends that are pretty damn nice.

 

[sybian]

I know Vodka has gone up drastically over the past 5 or so years....yet some of the high end ones have dropped slightly.
Most likely to compete in the broader markets....there's even some decent ones imported out of places like Virginia, and Georgia, that come from small micro- distilleries, and marketed in small Mason Jars.

Some potato Vodkas are imported from Russia, but most N American Vodka is distilled from grains....making the process cheaper, and supply of material to produce mash more available.

The excuse I've received from the BCLD Board was that...."nobody else advertises their products with taxes included....so why should we, in a competitive market place"
Ironically ....there is very little competition in a market that is governing, enforcing, and policing themselves inside of a 90% monopoly , created by itself.

 

[Burnie]

BC Liquor prices are disgraceful compared to the rest of the world. It's justified as a "sin " tax and the government is addicted to the profits.
I agree that this new pricing model was another opportunity to gouge us some more while making the liquor "appear" cheaper.
I used to pick up wine in Alberta and save 40% over BC prices. I'd buy as much as 8 or ten cases at a time the value was that good. It's been a while though and I don't know if it's still as good.
I lean towards old world wines, Italy in particular with Brunello and Barolo my favorites. BC makes good wine too, a tad overpriced but some of the Syrah's are excellent.

 

[sybian]

I happen to know it costs about 7.80 to 12.00 Can to produce a 60 pounder a vodka including packaging, if grains are used.
I also know a case of beer costs the BCLDB from 6 to 8 bucks a case depending on the brand.
A perfect example is Corona.....made in Mexico, and yes there is the shipping, but....it's produced and sold for peanuts.
It's all the hidden taxes tacked on ,and controlled by the Government, both federal and provincial.
I suppose that's why the popularity of U-brews have grown over the years...perfectly legal, and much cheaper, but even they have hidden taxes, the consumer never is informed about.

 

[Burnie]

We are absolutely taxed to the hilt in every way possible and in some ways I thought weren't possible.
By the time Justin and John are finished it will be far worse but that's a topic for another thread.

 

[yvrvisitor]

I find that BC government lowers price on other thing for general public (toll, etc) and makes up the different by raising tobacco tax, alcohol and gas tax.
Gas is extremely expensive in BC compared to the rest of Canada and US.
Tobacco tax had been raised every single year for as long as I remember.

 

[badbadboy]

Just using the Micro-Distillery model in BC.

If the alcohol is made in BC from BC grown agriculture, they are taxed at a different rate than a distillery purchasing out of Province product to make alcohol.

Wayward Distillery in Comox makes their alcohol from BC grown honey shipped from Northern BC.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-spirits-distilleries-gin-vodka-whiskey-1.3880222

The taxes on distilled spirits are crazy in most provinces. It's quite the eye opener to go into a Liquor Store in Southern California. Prices are a fraction of what we pay for hard liquor.

 

[ddcanz]

Find a BC winery whose wines you enjoy and join their wine club.

I get deliveries from three wineries a couple of times a year. Buy X amount annually gets a few free bottles thrown in. Also since I am a long term client, they will give me access to some of the better vintages and replace the lesser vintages with the better ones.

I am guessing BC wines may not be on your radar if you are buying Lohr etc out of California. Lohr is a pretty good wine but I'd put it up against a couple of BC Cab blends that are pretty damn nice.

Contrary to my Western US wine fetish (I love Eastern Washington as well as Californian) there are MANY wines coming out of Osoyoos, Oliver, OK Falls, Naramata etc. that I enjoy on a regular basis.
This southern region has excelled over the past 5-8 years as the vines mature. We regularly travel to this area to stock up- one of the reasons I shy away from shipping. I'm also not into the wine clubs for several reasons, although several friends are quite happy with the process.
And too many outstanding wineries to mention at the moment.
But I find that most of the wines I'm attracted to are in the 20-40 range as well, so there's not much savings vs. the US offerings I'm partial to.

 

[J-Dogg]

a sin tax it bloody well it....calling it a goddam liquor tax on top of the tax just fills their coffers.

 

[Bridge]

a sin tax it bloody well it....calling it a goddam liquor tax on top of the tax just fills their coffers.

So I am guessing that some Alberta politicians have decided that they are the pure of heart!!

 

[Cowbells]

Hi all ,newbie here. I happened to work for BCLDB and I agree with everything Sybian had mentioned, we are milked every way possible and the "profits" goes to who knows where.
Price increase was most noticeable over the past 3 years.

Little off topic but gas and godamn ICBC

 

[sybian]

Hi all ,newbie here. I happened to work for BCLDB and I agree with everything Sybian had mentioned, we are milked every way possible and the "profits" goes to who knows where.
Price increase was most noticeable over the past 3 years.

Little off topic but gas and godamn ICBC

Welcome to the Zoo Cowbells......and thank you for the endorsement.

 

[storm rider]

I saw a guy at the Costco liquor outlet at the Easthills Costco the other week.He was up from Cranbrook for a shopping trip in Calgary.Shot the moon on groceries which filled 3 shopping carts and he did the same for booze.He had 2 full shopping carts full of vodka/scotch/rum in the Kirkland brand as well as a shitload of wine and beer.He said the cost was less than half of what it would have cost him in BC.For the cost of a tank of gas and a day of driving it was well worth the effort for him.

SR

 

[thodisipagal]

I'm an avid wine drinker.
I remember when the BCLDB introduced their new pricing model excluding taxes- saying that there would be little, if any, price difference. Pricing would be adjusted to balance closely.
For awhile I'm noting that that just about all of the shelf prices for wine are higher than they were 2 years ago- before the cashier tax is added on.
What a fucking joke.
For example- J Lohr Cab was 22.99 tax-in two years ago. Now it's 23.99 plus tax. There are hundreds of other examples.
We knew it from day one, despite Government protestations to the contrary, that this would happen.
Now, I'm not a cheap fuck, and I typically enjoy wines in the 20-40 shelf price range for daily drinking as a rule. I also enjoy aged liquors and higher end spirits. My liquor budget is fairly high.
I also travel across the line regularly and enjoy my fair share of US product. In fact, when the CA$ was closer to par I would always bring a case or two back with me- a simple "no" to the Customs Agent at the crossing was sufficient when asked if I had alcohol to declare.
Now, with the CA$ being at about .80 US, and the increased Washington state liquor taxes there is less incentive to stock up and bring back.
What do others in this community do to continue with regular imbibement of their favourite products without breaking the bank?

J. Lohr Paso Robles Seven Oaks Cab 750ml is $23.99
J. Lohr Paso Robles Hilltop Cab 750ml is $44.99

Plus tax and recling fee.

 

[overdone]

Gas is extremely expensive in BC compared to the rest of Canada and US.

you best hope Kenney doesn't shut off the pipeline

buy bike stocks :yawn:

 

[storm rider]

you best hope Kenney doesn't shut off the pipeline

buy bike stocks :yawn:

I am guessing that YOU are predicting the outcome of the next Alberta election.....and you are part right.....the NDP will get flushed down the toilet they so rightly deserve.

With regards to "shutting down the pipeline" which is the EXISTING Kinder Morgan pipeline that was built 40+ years ago I doubt it will happen.At the same time all of of the Idiocracy with regards to the twinning of the existing pipeline is just plain stupid.How many oil tankers have run aground into the coast of BC?

Truth be told the Kinder Morgan expansion as well as the Northern Gateway pipeline as well as Keystone XL and also the Energy East pipelines should have been proposed 20 years ago and would have been built by 2001 or 2003 at the latest.

In Canada both on the Provincial level as well as the Federal level we now have Foreign special interest groups bankrolling Canadian special interest groups to influence OUR politcal system.

IMO any person that would TAKE money from a Foreign special interest group or have it "washed" via a Canadian organization and then use those funds to act as a professional protester to act against Canada's national interest with regards to the development of natural resources as well as the infrastucture to get them to market is a fucking TRAITOR.....if you take a dime from a Foreign special interest group to work against the development of Canada's GDP or take a dime that is channeled into Canadians NGO's that does the same thing you are a fucking TRAITOR......you are taking money as a hypocrite with the ideal of undermining YOUR own country.

SR

 

[ddcanz]

I am guessing that YOU are predicting the outcome of the next Alberta election.....and you are part right.....the NDP will get flushed down the toilet they so rightly deserve.

With regards to "shutting down the pipeline" which is the EXISTING Kinder Morgan pipeline that was built 40+ years ago I doubt it will happen.At the same time all of of the Idiocracy with regards to the twinning of the existing pipeline is just plain stupid.How many oil tankers have run aground into the coast of BC?

Truth be told the Kinder Morgan expansion as well as the Northern Gateway pipeline as well as Keystone XL and also the Energy East pipelines should have been proposed 20 years ago and would have been built by 2001 or 2003 at the latest.

In Canada both on the Provincial level as well as the Federal level we now have Foreign special interest groups bankrolling Canadian special interest groups to influence OUR politcal system.

IMO any person that would TAKE money from a Foreign special interest group or have it "washed" via a Canadian organization and then use those funds to act as a professional protester to act against Canada's national interest with regards to the development of natural resources as well as the infrastucture to get them to market is a fucking TRAITOR.....if you take a dime from a Foreign special interest group to work against the development of Canada's GDP or take a dime that is channeled into Canadians NGO's that does the same thing you are a fucking TRAITOR......you are taking money as a hypocrite with the ideal of undermining YOUR own country.

SR

OK- nice rant.
But this is a booze price thread- not an oil and gas thread.
Please stay closer to topic- don't want it shutdown because it goes sideways.
Thanks.

 

[ddcanz]

Thanks to those that have contributed some relevant commentary.
I was hoping to get some other views on ways to perhaps achieve some savings on liquor.
There are also many U-Brew wine and beer options.
For me, though, I find with wines that I like more variety, and the quality just isn't there with kits. At least with what I've found. Too many seem like alcoholic Kool-Aid- pretty much just cheap Yellow Tail.
Beer is a bit different- I'm less of a connoisseur and find that many home brews are actually OK for my palette.
Now with spirits, outside of distilling your own (which I presume is very costly to set up?) one is pretty much stuck with retail options.

 

[ddcanz]

I saw a guy at the Costco liquor outlet at the Easthills Costco the other week.He was up from Cranbrook for a shopping trip in Calgary.Shot the moon on groceries which filled 3 shopping carts and he did the same for booze.He had 2 full shopping carts full of vodka/scotch/rum in the Kirkland brand as well as a shitload of wine and beer.He said the cost was less than half of what it would have cost him in BC.For the cost of a tank of gas and a day of driving it was well worth the effort for him.

SR

I've done this many times from the Costco in Bellingham. Couple of cases of wine at a time, less so with spirits.
It only really makes sense if you don't declare and just bring it through- so not for the faint of heart.
Picking up our allotted 2-3 bottles of decent scotch and brandy at the Duty Free usually covers our sprits needs.