Question - Crossing the border?

A question for the masses: Has anyone tried crossing the Canada-US border with homebrew? I'm talking legally here, though. SWMBO and I both have jobs that require us to keep things legal.

A friend from Seattle was up in Vancouver last week, and tried my brew for the first time. This weekend, I'm going to be down in his area, and thought I'd bring some down to him. But then, another friend of ours was detained at customs for 4 hours because they had a half-eaten package of beef jerky in her car. So.... I'm a little worried about home made alcohol. I guess if there's no beef in it...

Mark

Phone customs in the US and Canada and ask. it's the only way to find out for sure. Oh and if you find out what the legalities are... please post here!

Well, after calling 4 different departments of US Customs and Border protection, the most official version is "It shouldn't be a problem, you should be okay", as long as I'm not bringing across commercial-level volumes and declare it up front.

Sooooo... I still don't know if I'm going to. Maybe I'll take *A* bottle down, to test the system.

I can only speak to my experience, which is on the US-Mexico border, but you can import alcohol generally up to a limit of so many liters (I don't know the numbers). You have to pay a tax at the border crossing for it. Not sure if this applies to homebrew though honestly. That's really intended for people who cross, buy it, and come back. I'm not sure what the rules are if it originated there and is only crossing for personal consumption during the trip.

I honestly got more hassle going into Canada (as a US Citizen) than ANY other border crossing.

They seemed to be fixated on whether or not I had any firewood that I was planning on taking across the border ( I was backpacking). Who packs firewood?

"Are you packing in any firewood?"
"You have trees in Canada?"
"Yes"
"Then, no."

I don't remember the exact number of liters, but if my memory serves it was either 2 bottles of liqour or 2 cases of beer. Anything more is hit with taxes.

olllllo said:

I honestly got more hassle going into Canada (as a US Citizen) than ANY other border crossing.

They seemed to be fixated on whether or not I had any firewood that I was planning on taking across the border ( I was backpacking). Who packs firewood?

"Are you packing in any firewood?"
"You have trees in Canada?"
"Yes"
"Then, no."

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Actually, it is really common for people to pack their own firewood when camping (to avoid paying outrageous fees for it at campgrounds). Canada is combatting Dutch elm disease, which is caused by a deadly fungus carried by a particularly type of bark beetle. Firewood is believed a leading cause of the spreading the beetle that lives in the bark of dead wood. The disease is quite preventable if the spread of the beetle can be controlled, hence the hassle at the border.

FlyGuy said:

Actually, it is really common for people to pack their own firewood when camping (to avoid paying outrageous fees for it at campgrounds). Canada is combatting Dutch elm disease, which is caused by a deadly fungus carried by a particularly type of bark beetle. Firewood is believed a leading cause of the spreading the beetle that lives in the bark of dead wood. The disease is quite preventable if the spread of the beetle can be controlled, hence the hassle at the border.

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Kudos then.
They're doing a better job then those keeping liquids off planes.

As an ultralight backpacking enthusiast, I seldomly light a campfire, let alone lug wood..

olllllo said:

I honestly got more hassle going into Canada (as a US Citizen) than ANY other border crossing.

They seemed to be fixated on whether or not I had any firewood that I was planning on taking across the border ( I was backpacking). Who packs firewood?

"Are you packing in any firewood?"
"You have trees in Canada?"
"Yes"
"Then, no."

Click to expand...

That's becasue they are mostly wanna be cops and can't carry guns...yet.

Though there was the border goof on the US side that looked at me wierd when he asked me whats in the trunk and I said, "Just our gear." Apparantly "gear" is a junky term.

Then there was the guy who asked if any of us had been finger printed.. I said "yes...". He jumped up all exicted like. As if he hadn't torn apart a car in a few hours and was jonesing for his fix. After a slight pause (or "beat") I added.. "When I was in the military reserves." He said all disapointe dlike, "just go", and quickly waved up on.

I plan on driving from NJ over the Peace Bridge in upstate NY to Canada next week. I brewed a blueberry pale ale that I wanted to share with my grandma and mom but I too was uncomfortable losing a 5 gallon batch to the man. I called the Canadian Border Patrol and they said no. I think I may bring some in bottles to only risk a few and tell my mom to leave it somewhere to carbonate for a month, I don't wanna lose a whole keg. Oh well, more for me when I come home!

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Non-residents entering Canada:[/FONT]

Canadian Border Service guards have been able to carry guns during their normal operations (though not all of them are carrying yet) since 2007. They are still not allowed to carry firearms during joint operations with other departments.

Denny's Evil Concoctions said:

That's becasue they are mostly wanna be cops and can't carry guns...yet.

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GilaMinumBeer said:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Non-residents entering Canada:[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tobacco*...200 cigarettes and 50 cigars and 200g of loose tobacco
  Liquor*...1.14L of spirits, 1.5L of wine,or 24 bottles or cans of beer.(8.5L)
  *Applies only to passsengers over 18 yrs of age
  Perfume....Reasonable amount
  Cameras....No restrictions
  Film.......Reasonable amount
  Gifts......$60 Cad max per gift -excludes tobacco/liquor
  Agricultural items/currency...Refer psgr to consulate[/FONT]

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Hehe, the liquor point is the same for residents trying to get home from a trip. My girlfriend was pissed, on our European trip, because she could only bring home 2 bottles of wine while I brought home 12 beers (they were 500 ml and my baggage was full). I'm not sure why it is so much restricted on wines, but hey...

In fact, as per : http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5056-eng.html#s2x13

up to a maximum of 8.5 litres of beer or ale.

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I've always think that they distinguish between beers and ales...

Erythro73 said:

Hehe, the liquor point is the same for residents trying to get home from a trip. My girlfriend was pissed, on our European trip, because she could only bring home 2 bottles of wine while I brought home 12 beers (they were 500 ml and my baggage was full). I'm not sure why it is so much restricted on wines, but hey...

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The site I quoted actually showed deeper restriction for resident based on the amount of time spent across the border. It said that if the time spent abroad were less than 24 hours, no import was allowed. Duty free at least.

GilaMinumBeer said:

The site I quoted actually showed deeper restriction for resident based on the amount of time spent across the border. It said that if the time spent abroad were less than 24 hours, no import was allowed. Duty free at least.

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Yep, we can't drive through the borders, fill our cars with american craft brews and get home right after.

Erythro73 said:

Yep, we can't drive through the borders, fill our cars with american craft brews and get home right after.

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Sure you can. You just have to pay the appropriate duty and taxes... if the border crossing agent feels energetic enough to do the paperwork.

Even if you are forced to pay, it is still WAY cheaper than buying beer in Canada. Not sure why people think otherwise, but it is a very commonly held belief.

The easiest way to stay ligit is to declare it at the border. They can then either tell you "sweet as, drive on through" or "No sorry I am going to have to conficate that beer". Both ways you stay legal which sounds like your main concern.

I thought there was a difference between carrying across your homebrew as opposed to a commercial beer though. Commercial variety alcohol is restricted for taxation reasons, I believe. It's technically illegal to transport alcohol across provincial borders for similar reasons.

It's the meat, fruit and vegetables they're restrictive about. I had a friend travelling last Summer from Europe with homemade wine and a bunch of cured meats. They left the wine but confiscated the meat.

FlyGuy said:

Even if you are forced to pay, it is still WAY cheaper than buying beer in Canada. Not sure why people think otherwise, but it is a very commonly held belief.

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Yep. The fees to import products from abroad do tend to be rediculously affordable in comparison.

FlyGuy said:

Sure you can. You just have to pay the appropriate duty and taxes... if the border crossing agent feels energetic enough to do the paperwork.

Even if you are forced to pay, it is still WAY cheaper than buying beer in Canada. Not sure why people think otherwise, but it is a very commonly held belief.

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Well, I guess I'll think about it next time I'm crossing the border south . Thanks for the tips!

FlyGuy said:

Sure you can. You just have to pay the appropriate duty and taxes... if the border crossing agent feels energetic enough to do the paperwork.

Even if you are forced to pay, it is still WAY cheaper than buying beer in Canada. Not sure why people think otherwise, but it is a very commonly held belief.

Click to expand...

Not if you come into BC from the US. The insane liquor taxes here work out to around $32 duty for a 24 pack.

brrman said:

Canadian Border Service guards have been able to carry guns during their normal operations (though not all of them are carrying yet) since 2007. They are still not allowed to carry firearms during joint operations with other departments.

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If you look at my post you will see that it was made in 2007.

Denny's Evil Concoctions said:

If you look at my post you will see that it was made in 2007.

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Wow, that *was* four years ago now.

In the time since, I've successfully brought many bottles of beer across the border from BC into Washington, and not once did anyone so much as blink. I did get asked once "Is it any good?" I replied Yes. Yes it is.

One guard did pull out several bottles and held them up to the light, but put them back without further questioning. Looking for something smuggled inside the beer, perhaps.

They seemed more concerned with the 20lbs of beasters than the case of homebrew last time I crossed in the wilderness with a packpack