CANBIF Spring 2016

I've been out for a few rounds, so excited for some east coast stuff! Not that I don't get Quebec stuff regularly from Mathieu anyways.

 

"Registration: Email/conversation sent to Phyl21ca with full address (City, Province) before midnight on Sunday April 17, 2016."
What's the official time zone for CANBIF???
I'm a last minute kind of guy

 

Hard to believe we're still 3 weeks away from shipping date. I'm developing new and exciting ways of fitting beer into a 12 shipper.

 

I've picked up a couple, but really waiting to assess my target...

 

Ditto. I have a lot picked out already, but all depends on the target.

 

OK, I am new to this and this will be my first time.
My question is... Do you just grab local craft beers from your area that would be unavailable to someone in another Province or If I'm heading into the U.S. am I suppose to grab some from there as well? Kitchener/Waterloo has really grown in the craft beer area and I would think that I would be able to grab quite a few from here that would be awesome, but I'm not sure if other people are looking for more from far and wide. I am headed to Louisville and Nashville in 2 weeks, that's why I asked.
I just don't want to disappoint anyone on my first try at this.

 

Typically what people have done in the past is send some local stuff that they enjoy (stuff like innocente, great lakes, etc) balanced out with so harder to get stuff (good US stuff, bellwoods maybe...). You can look in past can bif hints and hauls threads for an idea of what has been sent.

 

Yeah, what Taylor said.

I tend to send a 50/50 split of local and BC beer along with harder to get US stuff/lambic. Definitely try to do some research about what your target has had by checking to see if they rate things on BA or RB or untapped. You should also check what your target has available on shelves before sending (no point in sending Sierra Nevada or Deschutes to Vancouver when it is available at any store in BC). It's not always easy to do this, but there are some good stores here with searchable websites like Darby's and Legacy. They aren't comprehensive, but you can get a sense of what sort of stuff makes it around here.

The best thing to do is to look back on past Hints & Hauls threads so you can see what sort of boxes make their way around the country.

 

I think any recipient would appreciate anything interesting you can add from a trip south of the border.

Just try to tailor your box to your target as best you can. If they prefer a certain style, try to add the best things you can get in that style in your area that he/she does not have access too. If your target is a ticker, try your best to fill a box with beers he or she has not had before.

There have been great boxes sent in past CANBIFs that have been 40% local, and there have been great boxes sent that have been 100% local.

In the end, I get the feeling that most people who participate in this get a bigger kick out of sending off the best box they can.

 

Count me in boys and girls!!!
I always regret it when I don’t get in on the CANBIF action!!

 

I'm late to the game here too!
This was a lot of fun last year, so COUNT ME IN!

 

I don't think I've done one since CANBIF5, back it 2009... getting excited!

 

Agreed with other people's comments. We don't have as much access to stuff here in the Maritimes, so most of my box is local stuff. I try to pick up limited releases along with breweries that have limited (or no) distribution outside my area. There will be another thread started for hints and hauls, and most people will post their likes/dislikes there to help their target choose what to send.

 

You just want to make sure you aren't sending them a style that they don't like, and you're not sending them a box full of things they haven't already had. I've seen boxes that had only a few local options in it. You'll see a lot of people on here send crazy boxes with stuff from the US.

 

This is very important. Check out your target's reviews, the styles they like, etc. Check out what's actually available in their province. Impress your date. Karma bro, kaaaarmaaaaa.

 

It's a shame for those outside of Toronto that the deadline for shipping the box is the day before Bellwoods Motley Cru release....