Alberta’s Liquor Laws Modernized
Ferment-on-premises AllowedAmongst the updates to Alberta’s liquor laws, ferment-on-premises is now allowed, so Albertans are able to make their own beer or wine at licensed facilities and then take it home. Many retailers are concerned that this will create new competition to liquor stores, particularly those that service a price-conscious market.
Albertans can also now enjoy a drink after a performance at the theatre, and bars and lounges can create infusions giving more creativity to bartenders to mix liquor products with ingredients such as spices, herbs and fruits, as well as create house-aged liquor products.
Additional changes will allow Albertans to take liquor served at a hotel bar to their rooms or other areas within the hotel. Alain Maisonneuve, president & CEO, AGLC says, “We listened to Albertans and implemented new policies to reflect the growing trends among home brewers and bartenders, as well as creating opportunity for small Alberta businesses.”
“Alberta makes some of the best liquor in the country. But some regulations were constraining restaurants and bars from being creative and limiting Albertans’ enjoyment,” says Joe Ceci, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance. “That’s why we are bringing in common-sense changes, like being able to take your wine from the hotel bar back to your room. This is in addition to previous changes that allowed for craft beer and liquor to be sold at farmer’s markets and more open patio policies.”