Questions and Answers

Intro

The SAQ’s private import process lets agents import products that are not commercialized in SAQ stores. Through this channel and thanks to the work of importing agents, a great variety of wine, beer, cider and spirits passes each year from SAQ warehouse to clients like you. To buy those products, you have to go through the import agency who will pass your order to SAQ. The desired cases will then be sent to your nearest preferred SAQ store.

Who can order through the private import channel?

The SAQ private import system is destined to:

• Individuals who high-quality craft products
• License-holding bars and restaurants

Of course you have to be at least 18 years old to get hold of your cases in SAQ.

How are prices determined?

The SAQ determines the final price at which it will sell the product based on the price charged by the supplier (i.e. the brewery). The prices displayed on our “Order” page are the prices determined by the SAQ, to which we add our agency fees and sometimes shipping costs.

How to stay informed of products available through private imports?

To be informed of the availability of the products, you must consult the lists of the various agencies dedicated to private import (like us). The best way to be informed of new arrivals from Agence Vitriol is to subscribe to our newsletter.

Your SAQ store will contact you when your beers are available to be pickup at the store.

If you are a license holder, you can benefit from a delivery service to your establishment. Find out about the conditions from the SAQ.

It all depends on whether the beers are in stock or on reservation:

Beers in stock are delivered to the SAQ store of your choice within approximately 10-14 days.

Reserved beers normally arrive 2-4 months after the order’s closing date.

YES! We always have a superb selection of kegs in stock or on the way to Quebec. As we order relatively few surplus kegs, it’s a good idea to watch our pre-sale announcements to order some! Note that the SAQ limits the volume of private import kegs to 20L.

Our kegs are also available for sale to individuals!

Check out our list of kegs HERE.

For reasons related to warehouse handling and processing, the SAQ requires that private import products be ordered by the case. It’s an inconvenience that can be mitigated by finding friends to split the costs (and beers) of those cases!

Individual: individual who buys for personal consumption

Licensee: holder of a liquor license who buys to resell in a licensed establishment.

If you want to offer our private import beers in your bar/ restaurant/ inn/ pub/ tavern, the bottles must be stamped by the SAQ.

If you want to buy our products for your personal consumption at home, at the cottage, in your mancave, etc., the bottles do not need to be stamped by the SAQ.

“Licensee” and “individual” are the terms used by the SAQ and the agencies to distinguish the two types of customers

Non-alcoholic beers distributed by Bucké:

You will receive your invoice on delivery. The invoice is payable to us within 30 days. Bucké delivers but does not process payments.

For private import orders, you will receive your invoice by email. Several payment options are available:

1. Interac. Follow the instructions on the invoice.
2. Cheque by mail.
3. Direct transfer. Available only to license holders. Contact us for details.
4. Credit card. Follow the link in the billing email.

For orders distributed by Distribution Bucké, your invoice is handed to you upon delivery and is payable within 30 days:

1. Direct transfer. Contact us for details.
2. Cheque by mail.

Neither the SAQ nor the brewery pay for the private importation work. This is why the SAQ allows us to double bill. Our fees are billed separately from the product, but are always included in the listed prices. The total of the two payments is equal to the displayed price. The agency fees are due to the importation agency (that’s us). Sometimes transport fees are added to agency fees when the beer comes from a country or a state where SAQ doesn’t cover transportation. Again, it is always included in the listed price we show our clients. We will send the bill within a week of order confirmation by SAQ. The cost of the products is paid at pickup in the SAQ store.

The non-alcoholic beer market has long been defined by a search for the least-bad non-alcoholic beer. In recent years, the Quebec market has seen the appearance of a handful of beers that have demonstrated brilliantly that a non-alcoholic beer can be positively good. Customers welcomed this new development by quickly making these beers bestsellers. It is no exaggeration to speak of non-alcoholic beer 2.0 to describe this new generation of beers.

Agence Vitriol has worked for a long time with leading international breweries, some of which have opted for non-alcohol by deploying major research and development efforts. In some cases, the quality of the beers is the result of unusual technical advances (e.g. the Mikkellensis yeast from Mikkeller which generates tropical flavors and aromas), in other cases, research has simply made it possible to achieve very high precision in controlling the fermentation process.

Our ambition is simple: to assemble the finest selection of non-alcoholic beers and distribute them throughout the province!

To learn more about our delicious non-alcoholic beers, contact us or see the full selection on our non-alcoholic beer page.

Distribution Bucké is a major distributor of craft beer in Quebec. Bucké distributes products from more than 50 Quebec microbreweries and cider houses to more than 2400 points of sale (craft beer stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, etc.). Distribution Bucké stores and distributes the high-quality non-alcoholic beers imported by Agence Vitriol, whom remains responsible for sales.

To learn more about our delicious non-alcoholic beers, contact us or view the full selection on our non-alcoholic beer page.