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From postmaster at lance.colostate.edu Mon May 8 03:49:22 1995
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Date: Mon, 8 May 1995 00:30:23 -0600
From: lambic-request at lance.colostate.edu (subscription requests only - do not post here)
To: lambic at lance.colostate.edu
Subject: Lambic Digest #599 (May 08, 1995)
Lambic Digest #599 Mon 08 May 1995
Forum on Lambic Beers (and other Belgian beer styles)
Mike Sharp, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
Cantillon/World Wide Imports (Michael Sharp)
Shopping for beer-related stuff in Belgium ("Phillip R. Seitz")
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Date: Sun, 7 May 95 11:34:50 PDT
From: Michael Sharp <msharp at Synopsys.COM>
Subject: Cantillon/World Wide Imports
James Caldwell writes:
> Subject: Cantillon Imports
>
> I spoke by phone with Maurice Coja, owner of Wide World Imports and
> Brickskeller, regarding the recent discussions in the Lambic Digest
> regarding the importation of Cantillon (and DeDolle) products. The
> following is a summary of our discussion and a letter he wrote to Jean
> Pierre which has been authorized by Mr. Coja for my posting to the
> Lambic Digest. I will provide him with copies of any response and
> forward his replies as appropriate.
Before commenting, I would like to thank Mr. Coja for his response.
Good communication between all parties, consumers, producers and
importers, is necessary for this specialty market to grow.
> ...
> He said that
> he will continue to import Cantillon, that he would like to import it
> by multi-container loads, and that he wanted to supply as many areas as
> possible with these products, not just Brickskeller.
Certainly I can only find this encouraging. While in Washington I have
visited the Brickskeller and have been impressed by the selection of
beers available there. Making their unique imports available more
widely as well as bringing their enthusiasm for specialty beers to a
wider market can only be a benefit.
> As a general background, he said that Europeans tend to think of the
> U.S. as a single entity, but in reality, it is actually 50 states with
> 50 bureaucracies and 50 sets of rules for importing beers.
Not to debate this issue, but in spending the last three weeks doing nothing
but talking with Belgian brewers I found this to be far from the case. Most
where well aware of the difficulties of distribution in the U.S. Many lamented
ever hearing of the BATF and its state government equivalents.
> Most states
> have brand registration requirements and associated fees. Some are
> one-time fees ranging from $100-500, but others, like Connecticut, for
> example, charge $1000 per year per brand (Cantillon Kriek and Cantillon
> Gueze would be counted as two brands), and Rhode Island, charges
> $1500/label/year! On a specialty product such as Cantillon, it would be
> nearly impossible to supply such states due to purely economic
> considerations.
As much as I'm sure the readership of this digest doesn't like this, I
believe we, collectively, understand this situation. Some creative
importers have managed to make their beers available in these otherwise
economically nonviable markets through mail order distribution. I
cannot speak to how one would set up such an entity, but I do know
that the model is based on the very successful Beers Across America
and similar services.
> Maurice said that it was his experience that it took a considerable
> amount of time for acquired taste products such as lambic to generate
> enough demand to make supplying them viable. He did not, for example,
> think that Alabama was a likely target for future marketing efforts.
> He said he is currently trying to get into California, especially in
> the Los Angeles and SF markets.
The first time I talked to Mr. Coja (its been a few years so he probably
doesn't remember) was when I tried to obtain some Cantillon gueuze in
late 1991 for the lambic tasting Martin Lodahl & I held at the AHA Milwaukee
conference in 1992. At the time Cantillon products where only available
in and around Washington DC so I resorted to having the beer flown in by
a friend who worked for Sabena. In time for my tasting at the '93 conference
in Portland, I was able to obtain some Cantillon by having it flown in from
Boston. At that time Boston was a new market for these products and they
where being snapped up as quickly as they appeared (mainly by a few Wort
Processors -- Hi guys & gals!). My own supplies of Cantillon (now dwindled
down to a few lonely bottles) where shipped in from Boston last year.
Since Cantillon was first available in the Washington area these lambics
have come on to the market and (for most) are being rather widely
distributed:
Belle-Vue (Paulaner) [actually, I don't know if this has been kicked
off yet, but, if not, it will be soon. You read
it here first.]
Boon (Vanberg & DeWulf)
De Troch/Chapeau (All Saints Brands)
Also, Johnny Fincioen of WIN IT TOO importers is in what I hope are the final
stages of bringing in Mort Subite products.
These add to the already previously available Lindemans, Timmermans, and
St. Louis products. I believe this shows that there is a market of
connoisseurs who are very interested in obtaining lambics of all types.
I should comment here that it is not my intent to be inflamatory with
these statements. Its my desire only to express the size potential of
the market for even niche beers like Cantillon. I understand each has
its own marketing problems. Certainly Cantillon products are more extreme
in character than any other lambic currently imported. However, it
is my feeling that there is a large and untapped market for Cantillon's
products.
> Maurice is very positive about promoting Cantillon products...
Certainly he is not alone in this. While even the lambic brewers may
argue among themselves as to what a "real" lambic is, in my mind all of
the products are equally representative of such a diverse style. Only
by tasting them all and appreciating their uniqueness can one develop
an understanding of the breadth and complexity of the style. It
is my desire to work toward improving the availability of the entire spectrum
of lambics. [but then you all knew I was an idealist, did you? 8-) ]
> Maurice promised a list of the states where his products are currently
> available, and asked that those interested in lambic and other
> speciality beers express that interest to their local retailers. I'll
> post that list when it becomes available.
I'm sure we all eagerly await this list. I know that in the past the
Lambic Digest subscribers have helped provided the market 'pull' necessary to
get specialty products such as these on store shelves.
--Mike
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Date: Sun, 07 May 95 20:06:47 -0400
From: "Phillip R. Seitz" <p00644 at psilink.com>
Subject: Shopping for beer-related stuff in Belgium
Ok, by now everybody and their grandmother has plans to visit Belgium
or has already done so this year. However, if you'll be there on May
28 there will be medium-ish event at the Musee de la Biere in Lustin
featuring sales and trading of beer-related paraphernalia. From 8:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m. My guess is that there'll be some great stuff
available and that it won't be cheap. The Musee is just across the
street from the Lustin train station (go to Namur and transfer).
For those more willing to take their chances and save money, try the
daily flea market at the Place aux Jeux de Balles in Bruxelles--pretty
good for collection glasses.
Jeez, it's getting really tough to stay ahead of Mike Sharp these days!
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End of Lambic Digest
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