Happy hour, grocery store booze coming soon to BC

[sonick]

Just announced today, sorry for Vancity Buzz article but they put it most concisely out of the releases I've read:

Happy Hour coming to B.C. this summer, liquor outlets in grocery stores by early-2015

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/win...032/story.html

Full list of changes and timeline:

Spring/Summer 2014

• Permit B.C. liquor manufacturers to offer products for sample and sale at temporary off-site retail locations (e.g., farmers’ markets), with appropriate conditions. The decision about whether to allow vintners, brewers and distillers to showcase their products at a particular location will be left to the location management (e.g., farmers’ market association) (recommendation 31).
• Allow patrons to buy bottles of liquor to take home that are showcased at festivals or competitions. Consider amending Special Occasion Licences (SOLs) issued to festivals and competitions, or allow BC Liquor or private retail stores to operate a temporary store on site as the means to provide for these sales (recommendation 32).
• Permit licensees to offer time-limited drink specials (e.g., happy hours), provided the price is not below a prescribed minimum consistent with those advocated by health advocates (recommendation 16).
  [li]Allow hosts to serve UBrew/UVin or homemade beer or wine at SOL events (e.g. weddings, family reunions) (recommendation 53).
• Permit licensees to store liquor in secure, off-site locations, subject to notifying the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch (recommendation 60).
• Allow individual establishments that are part of a larger company (e.g., chain outlets) to transfer small amounts of liquor between locations (recommendation 61).
• Permit the owners and family members of UBrews and UVins to own other liquor-related establishments (recommendation 70).

Fall 2014:

• Provide regulatory authority for the LCLB to require social responsibility public education material to be posted in all licensed establishments and liquor stores (recommendation 4).
• Expand and enhance Serving it Right (SIR), the provincial government’s responsible beverage service program (recommendation 7).
• Due to the varying size and focus of licensed establishments, consideration should be given to how different types of penalties (e.g. a suspension vs. a monetary penalty) may impact a licensee and staff (recommendation 12).
• Manufacturers should be able to establish low-risk tasting venues such as a picnic area as part of their existing licence without the need to apply for a specific endorsement. Government should work with industry, local government and First Nations to increase flexibility for tasting options for manufacturers while being sensitive to potential negative impacts, such as noise, on the community (recommendation 27).
• Allow manufacturers to offer patrons liquor that was not produced on site (e.g., a winery could sell a beer to a visitor) (recommendation 28).
• Provide a more streamlined and time-sensitive application process to allow facilities such as ski hills and golf courses to temporarily extend their licensed area to another part of the property (e.g., a patio near a ski-hill gondola lift or a temporary patio near a golf clubhouse) (recommendation 62).

Winter 2015:

• The Province should develop and implement a retail model that meets consumer demands for more convenience by permitting the sale of liquor in grocery stores. Government should continue to restrict the total number of retail outlets and require separation of grocery products and liquor. This reflects the views of health and safety advocates and the acknowledged safety benefits of restricting minors’ access to liquor (recommendation 19).

Fall 2015:

• Permit hobby brewers and vintners to apply for a SOL to host competition events, allowing homemade beers and wines to be sampled by both judges and the public (recommendation 50).

[vafanculo]

Yay...we're moving on up in the world.
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[shawnly1000]

Originally Posted by vafanculo

Yay...we're moving on up in the world.
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meanwhile Drink 'til dawn: Montreal mayor open to idea of bars selling booze until 6 a.m.

[murd0c]

ya a liquor store with in a grocery store so the cost will still be high due to the fees and taxes our government will implement. It sounds like another pathetic tax grab to me.

All I care about is if Costco will have it or not

[punkwax]

Originally Posted by murd0c

All I care about is if Costco will have it or not

This.

[lowda9]

I miss living in the states. Could just walk down the street and buy beer from the convenience store. Literally could buy alcohol everywhere.

[Great68]

UBrew/Vin was not allowed at weddings?

[Great68]

Originally Posted by lowda9

I miss living in the states. Could just walk down the street and buy beer from the convenience store. Literally could buy alcohol everywhere.

When I first heard about the changes I anticipated that's what would be allowed.

Since that's not actually the case, I am indifferent to these changes. Every major shopping center/mall I live by that has a grocery store also has a liquor store in it (whether it be public, private or both). I never had a problem walking two stores over to grab my beer.

So really, it's much ado about nothing

[RRxtar]

I like the sounds of the patio near a ski hill gondola type thing.

What happened to the thing they were talking about where Festivals/Events/Concerts would no longer need fenced off beer gardens?

[Great68]

Originally Posted by RRxtar

I like the sounds of the patio near a ski hill gondola type thing.

They already allow that type of stuff now (I was drinking beer on the deck of the Whistler roundhouse last week), they're just going to make the application process easier.

[Vansterdam]

costco brand Vodka FTW

some say its just a rebranded Grey Goose

[knight604]

Its not rebrand grey goose lol

[Vansterdam]

Originally Posted by knight604

Its not rebrand grey goose lol

Apparently its just made in the same factory.

It is distilled one more time then goose though.

Review: Kirkland Signature Vodka (or, Is It Or Is It Not Grey Goose?) | The Rebel Bartender

There’s just no possible way to write a decently comprehensive piece about Kirkland Signature’s bowling-pin-sized vodka offering without addressing the rumor that swirls around it – is it repackaged Grey Goose? Every Costco representative I’ve talked to about the stuff has at least mentioned the rumor, as have many of the people who have seen one of the bottles near my liquor shelf (usually it’s too tall to go with the rest and demands special display). Google was no help, as there were no substantiated claims either way, just a lot of arguing back and forth. The most likely theory the Bartender found was that KS had bought an old Grey Goose distillery and was using water from the same river in France to produce it, but again, it was presented without any evidence.

While taste tests are always going to be somewhat subjective, it seems likely that comparing two products for objective similarities and differences should be far easier to do with accuracy than simply trying a single spirit and giving it a rating. Additionally, the Bartender cites her above-average depth of experience with vodka-tasting, as well as her lukewarm reaction to Goose from the fancy frosted bottle, as qualifications to make the call.

So, are they the same thing? Drumroll, please…

No. No, they are not. And in the Bartender’s opinion, the Kirkland Signature is superior.

The rumor’s foundation is certainly easy enough to see. Nearly identical on the nose and tongue (slightly vanilla-y, slightly sweet, very smooth) it’s not until the finish where the two really differentiate themselves. As previously noted, Goose just sort of fades off into a very mild burn with no real standout flavors. Kirkland, on the other hand, is far more distinctive: a slightly more noticeable burn and notes of charcoal and olive that might lend themselves well to a martini.

Impressive as the Kirkland vodka is, however, the best thing about it might be its price – assuming you already have the Costco membership, you can get a 1.75 L handle of it for $27, less than a single 750 mL fifth of Goose costs. This makes it only a little more expensive than many mid-shelf vodkas, and it completely lacks the bitter finish of those offerings, which makes it simultaneously a fantastic straight vodka and an excellent mixer. Wrap that up with the fact that the bottle practically doubles as a cricket bat or home-defense weapon, and how can you say no? A++ with cherries on top

[slicrick]

[Hondaracer]

I've got bottle of goose and a bottle of Kirkland in the freezer together

I've drank vodka forever and for me it's pretty hard to tell the difference. Id say for the price you'd be an idiot to buy goose over the Kirkland if you had the option.

As well, many of my scotch drinking friends say the 21 year old Kirkland is excellent for the price as well and it has similar rumors about that it's in fact glenfidich etc
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[meme405]

Originally Posted by knight604

Its not rebrand grey goose lol

Why post if you have no idea what you are talking about?

The reason Grey Goose does this is because the market for High-End vodka is limited, so instead of slowing their product line down, they simply re-bottle some of their product and sell it to costco.

It doesn't affect their product at all because, the person who buys costco brand vodka is not the type to buy lots of grey goose. So it doesn't at all hurt Goose's bottom line.

Costco has struck deals with various other brands as well. I believe they do this same thing with a series of kirkland products, ranging from whiskey and vodka, all the way to mixed nuts...

[sonick]

Grey Goose is high end vodka? all marketing baby! Google Sidney Frank.
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[shawnly1000]

lol liquor is all about marketing; companies love the free endorsement from rappers or product placement (i.e. Heineken and Bond)

[asahai69]

all i know is, you cant be in a club in vegas sitting with bottles of kirkland vodka.... other than that. fuck vodka

[StylinRed]

am i the only one that doesn't approve of alcohol becoming more accessible?
Here we are making tobacco products harder to get with higher prices, warning messages and concealment, which is a positive imo, and on the flip side we have this -_-

[Harvey Specter]

I don't drink but I've heard good things about Kirkland's Vodka from friends who claim it taste identical to grey goose but than again they're pissed out of their minds when they're drinking so they can be drinking piss for all they know.

[Ch28]

Originally Posted by StylinRed

am i the only one that doesn't approve of alcohol becoming more accessible?
Here we are making tobacco products harder to get with higher prices, warning messages and concealment, which is a positive imo, and on the flip side we have this -_-

Alcohol is readily available everywhere else in the world.

[ae101]

wait till they make it like asia where u can buy booze everywhere & drink everywhere
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[shawnly1000]

Originally Posted by ae101

wait till they make it like asia where u can buy booze everywhere & drink everywhere
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Don't hold your breath.

[ae101]

lol its nice that i can do that here in.china but i know it will never happen in canada for sure, that shit will go nuts for sure
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