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hat kind of issues am I going to run into crossing from the US into Canada with a lot of beer if my intent is to leave Canada with the beer that I brought in?
I am planning to take a road trip from Philly to MN with stops at Three Floyds, New Glarus and Bell’s along the way. On my way home I was planning to swing up to Toronto for a bit but I imagine I’ll have at least three cases of beer or more in my trunk. Any customs issues that I should be aware of? If so, any way around them? Thx!!
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You can take the equivalent of 24X12 oz bottles without paying any duty. Anything over that, and you’re going to get nailed.
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And from my best recollections, that’s per person. So if you have two traveling companions you should be ok.
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And how.
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If entering Canada flying from Europe, what is the duty free limit? and above the limit, what taxes are due?
Examples in Europe: to Switzerland, just tell the officer you have, say, 7 liters of beer, he will let you go because the duty would be small anyway; to Denmark, at least a couple of years ago, beer is not counted at all (they think Carlsberg at the customs; they didn’t ask me how strong the beers are), they charge you only for wine and liquors...
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A friend traveled from Detroit to New Hampshire through Canada with a full keg and several growlers with no problems or duties. I think if you explain that you are just traveling through and will not be leaving the beer in Canada you should be ok.
Of course when I come back into Canada with a load of beer from Vermont I never tell them how much I have, so far so good.
Pat
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I have entered Canada by myself with as much as 3 cases, and always just say I have less than a case. Haven’t had a problem yet.
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I’m not sure what the answer is but despite what the past few people have said, lying to the border guards really isn’t a great idea.
If Hogtownharry (or someone else from the Toronto crew) doesn’t chime in on this thread w. duty rates send hime a PM - he would know what fees to expect.
-rudy
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We already had this discussion on the Bieropholie forum. Here what came out of it.
The first case is free of taxes (provided you have been in the US for 48 hours). You MAY have to pay taxes on the second case. The amount of taxes is difficult/impossible to predict. It is about 1$ per bottle but it can vary. In the same car, folks reported paying 20% and others 30%.
Most of the guys crossing the border quite often seem to declare all they have (even if they have more than they should). Most of the time (lets say 80% of the time), they don’t have to pay taxes or anything.
If you have more than two cases when entering the Quebec province you MAY have to deal with the SAQ (our equivalent to the ontarian LCBO). I don’t know what is the law regarding this in Ontario.
Hope it helped 
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This is pretty much the way to go. I’ve gone through Canada to get to and from Detroit a few times and didn’t have to pay. Declare everything you have, explain your general situation of passing through and not leaving it in Canada, and play ignorant about knowing about paying duties if that part is brought up. Do the same coming back into the US, but be prepared for US Customs to suck. They’re dicks.
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Speaking as someone that has paid the duty on beer.
As said before, you are allowed so much alcohol per person, it works out to be approx a 24 of beer (roughly 5.5% alcohol) Obviously if you are bringing in higher ABV then it’s less bottles, lower ABV, more bottles. It’s based on the amount of alcohol bringing across not the amount of liquid. It’s also equivalent to approx 1 bottle of hard liquor or a 12 of coolers.
Duty and taxes on anything above depends on where you are crossing. You will have to pay goods and services taxes 5% on the market value of the goods and provincial taxes as well, which vary by province. So if you have a choice bring it across in Alberta which have the lowest provincial taxes.... Ontario is 8% and Quebec is approx 8.5% as they tax the subtotal after you include GST (yes, taxes on taxes).
For example, I was bringing back a case of beer when I had been in the US for under the 48 hour minimum. I had to pay approx $10 on a $20 case. Which basically brought the amount that I had paid for the case at duty free back up to what I would pay in Ontario if I bought it at The Beer Store.
There really isn’t a rule on what you are bringing into the foreign country ie, US citizen coming to Canada. It’s supposed to be for "personal consumption" So if you are bringing a crap load of beer, you might get a secondary look and explanation needed. I was going down to the states for a concert and bought 10 cases at duty free. We had 4 people in the car. We got asked why so much, we replied that we were going to a concert and our friends liked Canadian beer. But that brings another deal into it. If you are "giving’ it to friends that’s "gifting" where there is about a $60 limit on that before duties are implied.
My suggestion is don’t tell the border guards that you have it in the trunk. If Canada stops you (going to Toronto) say it’s for personal consumption), if the US stops you (going home) you can say it was purchased in the US, which you would presumably have the receipts for proof.
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