Canada, BC: Local liquor rules don’t allow the opening of a gluten-free brewery in Delta

Plans to open a gluten-free brewery in Delta, BC have been abandoned due to stringent liquor rules in the province that would have made the business financially non-viable, Canadian Beer News reported on December, 10.

Maynestream Brewing was a long-planned project from Dennis and Peggy Maynes, who intended to launch with Grand Turk Islander Hard Ginger Beer, followed by various other beers brewed with sorghum, rice and other gluten-free grains and fermentables.

B.C. liquor legislation would have classified all of these products as “coolers” due to the lack of barley malt in the recipes, which would have forced mark-ups of 74% on kegs and 98% on bottles – tax rates that are much higher than standard beers.

The Maynes were informed of this rule by the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch this past summer, and after several months of attempting to negotiate an alternative tax structure for their products, they have decided to scrap their plans entirely, and have put the fully built brewery – including all licenses – up for sale.

17 December, 2014