The U.S. Alcohol Industry Is Reeling From Canada’s Booze Boycott
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If it makes y’all feel any better, it was legally pretty difficult to brew any kind of distilled liquor in the US following Prohibition until, like, 2010. America’s iconic alcohol products tend to be produced in places where there has been a traditional carve-out — at least on the East Coast, blue laws reign supreme.
Y’all have an entire Canada to make cannabis and liquor in. You have a real head start compared to us; you will find a way to replace American Whiskey, rum, gin, or beer in no time flat. Could be time for Canada to enjoy a Renaissance of importing foreign and exotic liquors, like soju or araqi.
There are a bunch of places in BC making gin, I can think of at least 15. Really interesting flavours and techniques. Two of my favourites are Victoria Gin and Sheringham Point. Tofino also has a good distillery. It’s the new craft alcohol scene since people are kinda off beer it seems. (I would add links but my internet is being wonky).
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Can you be more specific on those gins? You have my attention.
No the person you asked, but see my comment above for some Vancouver island gin recommendations if you’re interested.
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Do y’all make good wine? Or do you just import it from Chile instead of California?
The Niagara region in ON and Okanagan region in BC produce some good stuff, or so I’m told. More a beer and whiskey guy myself.
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No the person you asked, but see my comment above for some Vancouver island gin recommendations if you’re interested.
Dunrobin Distillery makes some good gin as well, though the Earl Grey gin is a novelty imo.
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Dunrobin Distillery makes some good gin as well, though the Earl Grey gin is a novelty imo.
Nice! Thanks for the tip!
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and thinking alcohol is bad for you.
I mean there is a strong scientific consensus on that.
I can also recommend everyone to say goodbye to alcohol. Alcohol free beers can be quite good nowadays. The only taste i miss sometimes is a Whiskey where you can taste the smokiness but it isn’t too strong yet. Still not worth the negative health effects.
I am sad that I missed the trend where kombucha was stocked at a bunch of bars (or so I’m lead to believe). Non-alcoholic beer is getting better all the time, but the bar that stocks a good, strong tasting ginger kombucha would get my business. Love that shit.
…makes a note to try and connect his local haunt with the kombucha brewery 15 minutes down the road, as it sort of fits the vibe they are going for these days anyway
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You won’t find “american bourbon taste” exactly… But just like you wont find Scotch taste exactly.
They’re different things, and learning to appreciate the good things in that diversity of style will only help you be happier in life… I love rye, it’s not the same as canadian whiskey, irish whiskey or scotch whisky, but itnhas its place in my cupboard. I’m sure you can find a good Indian or Japanese bourbon-copy whiskey!
But just like you wont find Scotch taste exactly…
Yes, but many japanese whisky is based on scottish methods and has a similar style to scotch. It would be a decent replacement if scotland decided to declare war on canada…
We need whisky distilled from corn and aged in oak… Yes, you cant call it bourbon, but it’s a better start than just trying to shoehorn rye whisky in as a replacement
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Will booze be cheaper for America now?
They need to recover costs so now they’ll have to pump the local population for more. And they can so they will.
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“The Distilled Spirits Council, an industry group, estimated exports of U.S. distilled spirits to Canada at $43.4 million over the first six months of 2025, down about 62% from the same period in 2024. Exports of American wine were about 67% lower, the group said, citing U.S. trade data.”
Good job, Canada! Keep your elbows up!
Boycott us harder Maple Daddy.
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Can you be more specific on those gins? You have my attention.
Specifically, you want to get your hands on their Unfiltered Gin 22. It is, hands down, the best gin I have ever tasted.
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“The Distilled Spirits Council, an industry group, estimated exports of U.S. distilled spirits to Canada at $43.4 million over the first six months of 2025, down about 62% from the same period in 2024. Exports of American wine were about 67% lower, the group said, citing U.S. trade data.”
Good job, Canada! Keep your elbows up!
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Do y’all make good wine? Or do you just import it from Chile instead of California?
Whites are OK but not great. Reds are bleh, not enough sun.
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Will booze be cheaper for America now?
They’ll probably still import Alberta barley which is some of the best malt-quality barley in the world. So they’ll probably be tariffing that.
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Whites are OK but not great. Reds are bleh, not enough sun.
Okanagon wine, lots of sun and desert heat
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Do y’all make good wine? Or do you just import it from Chile instead of California?
The wine drinkers I know already drank Canadian wines before this whole ordeal
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Moosehead is the only fully Canadian major brewery left, to my knowledge.
Everything else is owned by either Molson-Coors, Sapporo or InBev.
“major” breweries make garbage beer anyway
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Canada’s got great local craft brewries and distilleries all over the place. We do not need American stuff, and at least on the beer front the Canadian-brewed stuff’s just plain better tasting.
My local beer place told me that its distributor can’t get any more Unibroue beer now. We don’t deserve their glorious beer given our bullshit, but it still sucks.
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Okanagon wine, lots of sun and desert heat
And most of those wineries will tell you they aren’t great reds. Been doing wine buying trips in the Okanagan for 30 years when there was maybe 6 wineries.
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And most of those wineries will tell you they aren’t great reds. Been doing wine buying trips in the Okanagan for 30 years when there was maybe 6 wineries.
It depends. Kelowna is a bit north for reds so you’ll get your pinot, gamay, zweitgelt, etc and they’re decent. I find the only good merlot, syrah, foch, even tempranillo, fuller body stuff is mostly Similkameen Valley and south near the border. I’d say there’s definitely solid red options but they come at a price. Chilean or even French equivalents for less.
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Specifically, you want to get your hands on their Unfiltered Gin 22. It is, hands down, the best gin I have ever tasted.
Thanks!
I’ll have to see if I can pay a stupid tariff on it, then I’ll save it for when a particular obituary is in the paper.
