Bringing beer over the border to Canada

Are you planning to drive? Just stick it in your trunk and don’t tell anyone. When I lived in Seattle I kept a second home in Vancouver BC and never had any issues.

 

I’ve taken beer across to Canada several times, never had an issue. I think beer is viewed differently from liquor. Maybe check customs info for both countries to see what’s permitted.

 

Something like 8 liters of beer - you can Google it

 

I can't vouch for the accuracy of this Web site:

http://www.canadiandutycalculator.ca/index.php

But using it for a hypothetical example of 24 bottles that had a total cost of $50 CAD, it calculates the alcohol duty for bringing them into British Columbia as an additional $39.85 CAD.

 

Reminds me of the time back in 2018 I brought a case of Old Style Pilsner from Ontario to back to Minnesota. Those were the last refillable bottles I think I ever bought. And, of course, they never got to be refilled.

 

There is a limit, IIRC, it's about a case. If you live near the border, you can pop across every day. Our local Trader Joes and Costco are packed on the daily by folks from BC.

Plus, you won't get "blacklisted". If you take too much beer into BC, you'll have to pay duties and taxes, and they'll probably flag you for closer inspections. The U.S. won't care about you coming back in. Canada has to let you return.

 

Yeah, the border agents on each side have never even heard of car trunks.

 

Depending on where you cross I wouldn’t worry too much. The border crossing where I cross into Canada involves a high five and a passport.

 

I cross the border every year to go to Minnesota's Northwest Angle for some great fishing. The limit on beer is 8.5l per person, or almost 24 12 oz beers.
When I last went there with two other friends we brought just 2 cases of beer for the 2 days. The border guard said when we told him that "that's not enough", and waved us through without checking. Well, it actually was, because we brought 2 beers back.
It also helps that we're all clean cut middle aged men, without any criminal records.

 

They look at quantity not alcohol content. Each province is different and BC is more expensive then the rest. Your allowed 60 litres total for any trip but their is duty free amounts after 48 hours per adult.

When going up just answer their questions. I've been over more than once for a short trip with the family and sometimes they don't even ask but rather start with a dollar amount or nothing at all with just the standard questions; citizenship, reason for trip, how long, and then hopefully see yeah.

 

When talking about limits, are you folks saying that below this limit there is no duty or charge of any kind, or are you saying you have to pay some kind of duty even if you bring a single can but you absolutely can’t bring more than whatever the limit is?

I think I’ve always brought a few bottles along and have never even been asked. I’ve had more trouble bringing a half-eaten apple across (either into Washington or into BC, I forget which, because of the apple ****** quarantine or whatever) than any amount of beer. And heroin, of course.

 

A lot of it is a crapshoot. What mood is the border guard in? Busy crossing, or slow? Nice car or shitbox? Cross regularly or just occasionally,?

My Dad and I got totally pulled apart going to Point Roberts a few weeks after 9/11.

 

Sure but I’m just trying to understand the meaning of the word “limits” in this context—i.e., what people mean by that term.

According to this site, you can bring up to 8.5 litres (287 fluid ounces) of beer into Canada duty free. So I’m not understanding that some people seem to be saying it’s a lot less than that.

 

People from Canada returning after a short period of time with booze can be hit with huge duties/taxes under a short time period of leaving. They basically are trying to make you pay the sin taxes as if you bought it here because macro beers are half the prices per case in the US. Some craft is cheaper in larger pack sizes and other are quite comparable. Our governments are obcessed with taxation and it's got completely out of hand. Treatment at the border is hit and miss. 80 percent or more I've been with my family with no issue and pulled over only twice with a lot of the time the don't even ask.

 

In my experience, I was just always upfront, my stays in Canada were usually in the 48-72 hour range. When I got to customs, if they even asked, I told them I bought a few bottles of beer home, the agents, just waived me thru. Like some of the above posters have said, some of the border agents can be pricks, but I've found that if you are straight up with them, most of them won't bother you too much and will let you back in the US no problems.