Monday 12 December 2016

Craft Beer Benefits - on a ligther note

Craft Beer Benefits - A common question from those new to craft beer will be - ok, but why?  Here are some of the reasons why craft beer drinkers believe we should choose their choice of beer :
  • Craft beer tastes better – Most people will agree that a craft beer taste better than the mass produced varieties.  


  • Choose your alcohol percentage – Most craft beers have an 5% to 10% alcohol by volume (abv), but some offer a higher abv, as much as 40%.
  • Fewer bathroom trips – You will drink fewer craft beers compared to the “lite” specials – appreciating new and delicious flavours will keep you occupied longer = fewer visits to the bathroom!
  • Health benefits – There are a lot of these (read more here)
  • Greater variety – The variety of craft beer seems endless, with literally thousands of varieties being available and unique flavours continually entering the market
  • Cheaper – Surprising? Yes, but if you consider that most craft beers are larger than normal “dumpies”, as well as the fact that craft beer are drunk at a slower pace, you will consume fewer craft beer than the usual commercial varieties. Do the maths!
  • Great times – Craft beer encourages interaction between family and friends due to its interesting flavours, colours, etc.  You’ll often end up passing craft beer around for all in your group to have a taste. Bonding on a big scale!
  • Meet the brewer -  Brewers are a unique breed and definitely worth meeting. They are an enthusiastic bunch who’ll inspire you to tackle that project which you’ve been putting off forever.
  • Good food -  Where you find craft beer you’ll usually find great food – or at least food which is often new and interesting.   

Monday 28 November 2016

Liquor Licence Renewal - Forget and you may lose your business

Liquor Licence Renewal - All liquor licence holders must renew their licences every year – irrespective of the kind of liquor licence. The process is different for each province.  Make sure of and don’t miss your final licence renewal payment date!   Failure to pay on time results in a licence becoming invalid.  This means no selling, manufacturing or distribution of liquor.  
Renewal reminder registration - Register HERE.  Licence holders are encouraged to register for licence renewal reminders with licence specialists – such as The Licence Co. The Licence Co sends reminders to licence holders on their renewal database on a regular basis.
NB - It remains the sole responsibility of a licence holder to renew on time.  It is futile to blame an employee who neglected to make the payment on behalf of the licence holder.

Sunday 6 November 2016

New Eastern Cape Liquor Act Proposed

Eastern Cape Liquor Act -  The Eastern Cape Provincial Government recently gave notice of its intention to introduce  a new Eastern Cape Liquor Act.  Fourteen (14) months ago, extensive amendments to the current Eastern Cape Liquor Act was published.   Why not proceed to implement the amendments?  It seems that the provincial government thinks it will be easier to replace the current Liquor Act in total, instead of implementing the amendments of July 2015. Comment can be submitted on or before 8 November 2016 – allowing only 14 days to comment.

The highlights are summarised below.  Contact Us if you need information or advice on the proposed new Eastern Cape Liquor Act. 

1. There are definite links between National and Provincial Legislation – numerous definitions follow the definitions contained in the National Liquor Act.
2. It provides for a system of delegated powers to allow officials to exercise functions of the CEO
3. Creates 7 categories of licences
4. Creates a threshold above which no liquor may be sold
5. Introduces new licensing criteria
6. New supporting documents required
7. No automatic renewal
8. New fines / prison sentences.


Western Cape Liquor Authority - Guidelines for Special Event & Temporary Licences for 2016/2017 December Holiday Period

Western Cape Liquor Authority ("WCLA") - The Western Cape Liquor Authority (WCLA) has advised the following guidelines for special and temporary liquor licence applications for events and functions for the 2016 Holiday season :

Period of function1 December 2016 to 13 January 2017 
Cut off time for lodgement : 16h00 on 1 December 2016
Late Applications : Considered only after 13 January 2017

NB : Only certain events qualify for a special event licence, the rest must apply for a temporary liquor licence.   Contact Us to ensure you apply for the correct licence. 

Note 1 : All Special Event & Temporary Licence Applications must still be lodged with the WCLA at least 14 days before the first day of the event. 

Note 2: The Liquor Licensing Tribunal will be in recess from 13 December 2016 to 6 January 2017.  

Contact Us for applications for your Special Event & Temporary Licences for this season.

Tuesday 18 October 2016

Liquor on Western Cape School Premises causes uproar

Liquor licence Western Cape - Liquor will be allowed to be sold at functions on school premises if a proposed amendment to the WC Provincial Education Act is approved.   The proposal has been published for public comment and immediately drew strong comment from those in favour, as well as those in opposition to it.   

WC Education MEC, Debbie Schäfer, said that the current definition of “school activity” is so wide, it may include events off school premises.  Naptosa (a Teachers’ Union) warned that schools would not control the sale of liquor properly, though failed to state the basis for his contention.   The proposal flies in the face of the much discussed national draft liquor bill – which proposes a ban on all liquor outlets within a radius of 500m from any school.  However, very little has been published of the fact the liquor is a provincial competency.   This means that Provincial governments, and not the national government, are the sole regulators of the retail sale of liquor.   It will be interesting to see whether the proposed amendment is written into law.   We expect that we haven't heard the last on this matter and will keep you posted.  

Sunday 16 October 2016

Wine Tourism - Boosting Liquor Licensed Businesses

Wine tourism - 1 million bottles of SA wine are sold worldwide on a daily basis – presenting excellent wine tourism opportunities for local licensed and unlicensed businesses.

Liquor licence holders who have seized the opportunities offered by wine tourism, are already  reaping the financial benefits.   The Western Cape, especially, has established itself as a quality wine tourism destination, offering value for money and exceptional hospitality.
  
It is a fact that tourists are increasingly arranging their travels to include destinations in the food, wine and hospitality industries.  This is very good news for both licensed and unlicensed businesses.   Licensed liquor outlets can position themselves accordingly and enjoy the immediate benefit of selling wine and liquor products over the summer season.   Unlicensed business should seriously consider applying for a suitable liquor licence.   The initial, once-off cost will prove to be a small price to pay for the benefit of an additional income stream.   It will allow businesses to tap into this  tourism market which is set to continue to grow for the foreseeable future.    

The upcoming conference at the Spier Estate (see above) is bound to give fresh insights to all interested. Locals are urged to register at HERE as the workshops are very popular.

(Article by The Licence Co – sourced from www.wine.co.za)

Tuesday 11 October 2016

China’s Oktoberfest – 4 million Chinese can't be wrong!

Liquor.  An Authenic Oktoberfest in China – you must be having me on?  Believe it, ‘cause it’s true.   These are the facts :
  • Name : Qingdao International Beer Festival, held in August
  • Started  : German settlers in 1903
  • Where : Qingdao (1,5h flight from Beijing)
  • Size : 100 American size football fields (+- 7100  x  average residences)
  • Beer : Tsingtao – China’s biggest consumer export & 2nd most popular beer worldwide
  • Variety : 300 different kinds of beer to choose from
  • Attendance : +- 4000 million (yes, it’s correct!)
  • Entertainment : Oompah bands / Funfair / Opera / Circus / Walk-in beer barrels
  • What to say : “Ganbei!” = “Cheers!”
(Article by The Licence Co, from original in Daily Mail)

Tuesday 4 October 2016

Proposed New National Liquor Policy causes a stir

Liquor Law - The proposed amendments to the National Liquor Act are contained in the draft National Liquor Policy - published for comment on 20 May 2015.  Anyone can comment up to 14 November 2016.  

The main policy considerations listed in the document are :

1. Restructuring the liquor industry,
2. Giving priority to facilitatio of entry and empowerment of new entrants, and
3. To better reflect on all social an economic costs associated with liquor abuse.

We list the most important amendments and comment in brief on the implications thereof.  

 Licence holders may be held liable for damage caused by their customers

The question is how a court will - legally - contribute the behaviour of a person to the supplier of a legal substance?    As one commentator aptly put it – will Pick ‘n Pay be held liable for a murder committed with a steak knife bought at one of its stores?   One can think of many more absurd examples.  It is bound to scare away, rather than attract new entrants to the industry.

Increasing the legal drinking age from 18 yrs to 21 yrs

The question is how someone can be deemed to have the necessary judgement to exercise his/her vote, but not old enough to choose what to drink?    Studies abroad have shown that raising the legal drinking age does not alter the drinking patterns of heavy drinkers.   In another instance, it only lead to a 6% reduction in the number of university students consuming liquor.

No liquor outlets within 500m from churches & schools

It is illogical and impractical to link any fixed distance between liquor outlets and certain institutions to alcohol abuse.  Why would a school boy, on his way to buy liquor, turn around because the liquor store is situated 600m (and not 500m) from his school or residence?   The answer is simple – he will not.   It is even more ridiculous to suggest that outlets within 500m of these institutions should have their licences cancelled after two years – if they haven’t moved by then.   This column regrettably does not allow for full comment on this proposal, save to say that it will not withstand the test of our constitution and established legal principles.   Members of Liquor Boards have the training and experience - they should be trusted to exercise their judgement in each individual application. 

Limiting liquor trading hours

The trading hours of the majority of liquor outlets coincide with times of the day when the citizenry are economically active.   It is naïve to believe that people will adapt their behaviour to when it conflicts directly with their social and economic interaction.  The e-toll saga is a good example, as are the prohibition era in the US and our own restrictive liquor policies during the apartheid era. The public would rather buy from illegally operated outlets or order more liquor before closing time.    

BBBEE – Codes

Much is made of the enforcement if these codes in the proposal.   It is seen as the main mechanism to drive transformation.  The irony is that these codes were withdrawn within a week of being published earlier this month.  The current codes haven't presented an obstacle to new entrants into the market. We trust the new codes won't have a negative effect when implemented.   

Trust fund

A trust fund to be used to combat alcohol abuse is proposed.  The industry will contribute a percentage to the fund, to be determined by the Minister of Trade and Industry (after consultation).   The state will have direct oversight and control over the fund and activities to be implemented.  It is foreseen that a government agency will be established for this purpose.   Governments in general have poor track records in managing these kind of funds.  This looks like a mechanism to fund the additional staff members required to build the staff capacity referred to in the policy document.    It is no less than another form of tax being added to an already overtaxed industry. 

In conclusion

Licensing is set to become even more expensive and onerous as it will become more difficult to comply to legislation.   It will become more difficult for small business to enter the market due to higher cost and risk. 

The emphasis of all role players should be on influencing positive social norms and values.   This will influence drinking patterns to a much larger extent than legislation requiring a host of new administrative infrastructure. If the energy required to implement the above proposals could be spent on promoting positive social behaviour (which is one of the proposals), chances are that we'll be much closer to reaching the goals set in this policy document.

[Article by The Licence Co (LiquorWise Division)]  


Monday 26 September 2016

Western Cape Government to increase the price of liquor

Liquor Laws Western CapeThe Western Cape Provincial Government (WCPG) plans to reduce alcohol abuse by raising the price of liquor.   Its intention has been published in a green paper (accessible here), which also proposes to clamp down on drinking-and-driving and reduce liquor trading hours.   


A long list of proposals is contained in the green paper, of which the following are amongst the most interesting or alarming (depending on the status of the reader!) :
  • Increasing the price of liquor by -
    • raising taxes (excise duty), or 
    • introducing a minimum price for liquor products
  • Reducing liquor trading hours
  • A national ban on alcohol advertising, promotion and marketing.
  • Reducing the number of liquor outlets in areas where such outlets are considered to be too densely represented
  • Zero-tolerance for drivers - those whose licences aren’t older than 3 years or are under 21 years of age
  • Greater use of breathalyser testing (eg. testing pedestrians at hot spots)
  • Limiting trading hours
  • Reducing the density of alcohol outlets (500m radius - rule).
  • Reducing the actual alcohol content in beverages.
Comment can be forwarded to the WCPG on or before 30 November 2016   

KZN Liquor Store Owners warned of scam

Liquor licence holders -   Liquor store owner in KZN has been warned by the SA Police against a scam used to solicit payment of R250.   Licence holders typically receive a sms requesting payment by pretending that this payment is due to a liquor board for its annual liquor licence renewal fee.   The liquor store owner was assured by the National Liquor Authority ("NLA") that the banking details of the scammer differed from the banking detail of the NLA. 

LiquorWise repeats its warning to all licence holders to be aware of such sms's and to enquire from their provincial liquor board or SA Police before making any payment. not to make any such payment.  


Wednesday 7 September 2016

Liquor Store break in - Watch it

Liquor stores - The OK Grocer in Meyer Street, Middelburg, Mpumalanga suffered a break-in on 2 September.  Robbers broke into the store, grabbed liquor and fled in a vehicle.  Liquor store licence holders should take note of the seemingly increasing number of liquor store robberies.  Watch the break-in Here.



(Reported on SouthAfricatoday.net / Read full article Here)

Monday 29 August 2016

Western Cape Liquor Authority warns liquor licence holders

Western Cape Liquor Authority - The WCLA has issued a warning to all liquor licence holders.   Licence holders have reportedly been receiving text messages requesting payment of a once-off administration fee of R250-00.   Licence holders are also informed that they will face suspension of their liquor licences or payment of penalties if this "fee" wasn't paid before 1 September 2016. 

The WCLA has emphasized that liquor licence holders should ignore this text message as it wasn't issued by it. 

Sunday 28 August 2016

Craft beer a day keeps the doctor away

Craft Beer -  Does a craft beer a day really keep the doctor away?  A recent industry – sponsored survey seems to point in that direction.   
It found that craft beer drinkers drank less often, exercised more than non-drinkers and they considered themselves more health conscious.   Craft beer breweries also help to keep the doctor away by increasingly offering outdoor facilities such as biking trails.  A decreased risk of Alzheimer's, diabetes, osteoporosis, and hypertension are some of the known benefits of craft beer.  As far as “research” – non surveyed – is concerned, enjoying a craft beer with family or friends can only be good for you!  Want a list of craft beer health benefits? – click here.
If you agree – or not, we’d like hear what your opinion is.

Wednesday 17 August 2016

New Northern Cape Liquor Board - at last

Liquor Board - The long awaited new Northern Cape Liquor Board has been announced.    The Northern Cape has been without a Liquor Board since March 2016, when the previous Liquor Board's term expired.   Due to the expected amalgamation of the Liquor Board and the Northern Cape Gambling Board, the 7 member Liquor Board has only been appointed for 6 months,  followed by a month-to-month contract.   The new chairman of the Liquor Board is Andrew Sia, currently a manager at the post office in Kimberley.  
The new chairman committed himself and his new Board to tackle the current backlog of liquor licence applications with vigour.   However commendable this may be, one cannot help but wonder why the posts weren't advertised sooner to allow for members of the new Board to be appointed much sooner.  

Monday 15 August 2016

Western Cape Liquor Store robbed

Liquor stores - Liquor store owners in the Western Cape will take note of the reported armed robbery of a liquor store in Gordon’s Bay on 14 August by a police officer and 3 civilians.   The suspects were arrested and expected to appear in the Strand Magistrate Court.  Two firearms, including the police officer’s firearm, were confiscated, according to News24.  

Managers trained by Western Cape Liquor Authority

Liquor Licence Training - Managers of liquor licensed businesses in the Southern Cape successfully attended a training course presented by the Western Cape Liquor Authority.   The training session was recently presented by Education officer, Ms Liezl Cameron - Kolala,  at the Oceans Hotel(Mossel Bay).   Managers of licensed premises, as well as new licence holders, are obliged to attend such a training course as a condition for a new liquor licence to be issued or transferred. 

Any current manager or licence holder in the Western Cape who would like to make a booking for a training session, can contact us HERE.  The next training session has been scheduled for 30 September 2016.

Monday 1 August 2016

Gauteng Liquor Licence Fees Drastically Increased

Liquor licence fees  -  Gauteng liquor licence fees are set to increase by up to 100%.   This follows the publication by a notice in the Provincial Gazette on 28 July 2016, calling for comments on the new, proposed liquor licence fees.   The proposed increase will be accross the board and includes - application fees, new licence fees and licence renewal fees.  

To receive a fee table showing the proposed, new application fees - send your request to - [email protected]

Comments can be submitted by forwarding an email to Ms Atlegan Morare at [email protected].  Comments can also be forwarded to [email protected] and will be included in Liquorwise's own comments to the MEC.



Craft Beer Health Benefits - on a Serious Note

Craft BeerDoes it seem to you that everyone selling anything is trying to convince you of its health benefits?   Craft beer isn’t any different, but can back it up.   Some of the health benefits associated with moderate consumption of craft beer are the following :
·         Lowers cholesterol (by increasing HDL levels).
·         Increases awareness
·         Reduces the chance of weight gain among women who drink moderately, compared to those who don’t drink.
·         Decreases the risk of Alzheimers
·         Lower risk of being anxious (hypertension).
·         Reduces the chances of cardiovascular disease.
·         Craft Beer is rich in silicon – which helps to make you bones stronger (may prevent osteoporosis).
·         Lessens your chances of heart attack.
·         Lowers the chances of arthritis and reduces severity of rheumatoid arthritis
·         Reduces your chances of diabetes 
·         Hops contain an ingredient which has anti-cancer activity in liver cancer cells;
·         Improves the absorption of fiber


 (Information sourced from www.craftbeer.com)

Monday 4 July 2016

Liquor Act for North West Province?

Liquor Law -  The new, proposed Liquor Act for the North West Province, which was published for comment on 26 August 2015, was withdrawn on 1 September 2015.   No new North West province Liquor Act has since been published.  

Friday 17 June 2016

Southern Cape - Managers of liquor licensed business to be trained

Liquor Law Training -  The Western Cape Liquor Authority will be conducting a training session in Mossel Bay at 11h00 on Thursday, 30 June 2016, to train managers of liquor licensed premises, as well as directors of companies who have or intend to apply for new liquor licences.   Attendance is obligatory for managers and directors - no new licences will be issued or current licences transferred without proof by way of an Attendance Certificate.  

Any person who wishes to attend, can make a booking with The Licence Co by clicking Here.   There will be a limited number of seats available and booking is advisable.   Past training sessions were fully booked. 

New Rules for Western Cape Liquor Licence Applications

Liquor Licence Applications - The Western Cape Liquor Authority has issued new guidelines on how liquor licence applications will be dealt with in future.   As from 01 July 2016, liquor licence applicants will only have one chance to correct any defect in licence applications.  Defects must be corrected within 30 days from being requested to do so.   Examples of defects can be - lacking motivation, outstanding information, missing document, incorrect floor plan, etc. Failure to comply within 30 days will probably mean refusal of the licence application as the Liquor Licence Tribunal ("Liquor Board")  cannot approve a defective application.  

Applicants should therefore ensure that they use suitably qualified, experienced and reputable professional assistance to prevent applications being refused. Contact The Licence Co (LiquorWise) for a free assessment and quote.

Beer Law – 500 Years of the Reinheitsgebot

Beer licence law – Many beer drinkers would ask what on earth the Reinheitsgebot is?   Well, it is a beer law made more than 500 years ago (23 April 1516 to be precise) which limited the ingredients of all German beer to hops, water, yeast and malted barely.  By implication, it forbid the use of wheat  (saving wheat for food production) and sugar (preventing cheaper, less tasteful beer).
At 130 words long, it is probably the shortest law with the greatest global impact ever  - read the full Reinheitsgebot  text.   Not even the European Court’s 1987 decision which lifted the ban has dampened the enthusiasm with which many beer brewers voluntarily follow this “gebot”.   However, not all beer brewers agree that the Reinheitsgebot did Germany a favour.  Read why – here

Friday 3 June 2016

Craft Beer - Profit Margins to Dictate Future Focus on SA Local Markets

Liquor - Craft Beer.   Lagging 10 – 15 years behind the US, microbrewers often look to the European and USA markets to predict growth paths of business sectors in South Africa – especially when assessing niche markets such as craft beer.   The current trend in overseas microbrewery markets has been branded -  “hyperlocal”.  In short, this refers to a renewed focus on one’s local market.   You would be right in asking why this is considered a “new” trend – wasn’t microbreweries conceived by enthusiastic brewers who wanted to share their unique brews with locals?   Well, craft beer’s life cycle is back where it began, this time driven by profit margins. 
How did this come about?   The rapid growth in the number of microbreweries (US = 2 new breweries per day!) has resulted in increased competition for shelf space.   The number of microbreweries in SA is set to double in the next two years.   Stores will be squeezing microbrewers for reduced profit margins.   Larger brewers will buy smaller breweries, making it more difficult for the latter to compete effectively.   The fight for space on the beer lists of local bars will intensify. (Contact us for more statistics)
How should SA microbrewers react?  Small to medium – sized microbrewers in South Africa have a choice to either follow the same gradual growth path or to “fast forward” and focus on becoming “hyperlocal”.   Hyperlocal simply means focusing on selling in-house.  Selling R35 beers in your own taproom will generate R1400  from a small keg for which a distributor or pub will pay you R800.  They should evaluate statistics such as that 52 percent of craft beer drinkers indicated that locality was an important consideration when buying (2015 Nielsen study).  Wineries have experienced this first hand and many have adapted smartly.    In the Stellenbosch region, for example,  one will often pay more for the same bottle of wine at the wine farm’s tasting room than in the local supermarket.  
Options?   The benefit of the growth of the craft beer market is that it will increase the options available to microbrewers.    One obvious, but capital intensive route,  is to establish a “franchise brewery” - giving each franchise a unique local flavour.  However, the idea of commercialising craft beer in this way may have many microbrewers “frothing”!   South Africans are an intrepid bunch and we have no doubt that we will yet see many new, unique and successful  business models arising from our turf.
Contact Us for specialist assistance to help amateur microbrewers to become licensed.   We share your passion!

(Article by The Licence Co for all South African microbrewers, adapted from an article in The Globe)

Sunday 22 May 2016

21 – The new legal Drinking Age? (Part 2)

Liquor Laws Will Cabinet consent to the DTI's proposal of 21 as the legal drinking age? One cannot but lean towards Leon Louw of the Free Market Foundation's comment – “Being drunk with power is more dangerous than drunk driving”.   Government seems set on  "conveniently" ignoring the glaring contradiction – lowering the age of majority  to 18 yrs, but then increasing the legal drinking age to 21yrs.  Approval will almost guarantee an increase in illegal liquor trading, which will no doubt have the greatest negative impact on the poor.   
We support the view that culture and context,  rather than alcohol,  are the reasons for the violence for which alcohol consumption is being blamed.   We welcome your views on this important topic, the outcome of which is set to have a major influence, not only on consumers, but on all retail and wholesale liquor licence holders.

[Article by The Licence Co (LiquorWise Division)]

Liquor Auctions – Surprising All

Liquor – Every now and then one reads about a fantastic price paid at a liquor auction for a very old bottle of liquor.  The question which comes to mind is – Are these auctions for show, or for the “dough”?   We suggest it’s for a bit of both.  Barneby’s reported that the global turnover of wine auctions alone topped $346 million in 2015!   Sotheby’s recently sold a case of Richebourg 1978 for £211 500 – a record and three times the amount it was expected to fetch.
One of our clients recently mentioned she still has a bottle of 1939 KWV Tawny Port from varsity days.  On enquiry, we learnt that it is valued at       about R10 000.00.    The client is now considering selling it and booking a Mauritius island holiday!   
Do you have a bottle of any kind of liquor of which you would like the approximate value?  Click HERE to send us your bottle’s details – and we’ll oblige.  You may just find yourself pleasantly surprised!
Click HERE to receive part 2 of this interesting article.
[Written by The Licence Co (LiquorWise Division).  Source : Die Burger]

Thursday 19 May 2016

Drinking Age Finally Raised to 21? (Part 1)

Liquor Laws - The proposal to hike the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 was again in the spotlight this week.  The DTI handed the new (revised) edition of the National Liquor Policy to the cabinet for their consideration later this month.    

The majority of role players slammed the proposal, using phrases such as :
  • “… see us going back to the past, back to the apartheid era of draconian controls and lack of respect for South African civilians” – Free Market Association
  • “Where are we going with economic freedom in our lifetime” – Nafcoc
  • “'only breed a whole new underworld of bootleggers” – Matric Rage
  • “We are having more and more laws.  How are they going to make it effective and police it properly?” – Fedhasa

Support for the acceptance of the increased age, came from the following parties :
  • “..the country has lost billions as a result of alcohol abuse” – SA Medical Research Council
  •  “We think it’s a very good idea. It could save thousands of lives a year.” – SA Against Drunk Driving
Part 2 of this article - CLICK HERE to receive it
Let's have your comments on this topic!
[Article by The Licence Co (LiquorWise Division) – Sources : Independent Newspapers, Business Day]

Tuesday 10 May 2016

2016 World Beer Cup - Why should you care?

Beer – The bi-annual 2016 World Beer Cup was hosted by the Brewers Association (BA) in Philadelphia (USA) on 6 May.   More than 6000 beers were entered by 1907 breweries from 55 countries and judged by an international panel of 253 judges.   The organisors have branded the competition as the “Olympics of Beer”.   
Some of the categories may have sounded strange to a newcomer to “craft beer”.  However, to a growing number of beer lovers around the world get excited when hearing about categories such as pumpkin, chocolate, chilli, coffee and smoke.   288 beers received a gold, silver or bronze award.   No South African beer was entered.  For more information, have a look at the Fact Sheet of the competition.
The founder of the BA, Charlie Papazian, commented that “Brewing has no boundaries or borders”.   This may be true, but the value of such competitions to the beer lover around the world is in doubt, by organisations such as the European Beer Consumers Union.  Why? Click hereTo read about an alternative view on beer competitions in your follow-up article on this controversial topic. 
(Article by The Licence Co - sourced from http://www.worldbeercup.org/)

Thursday 5 May 2016

Coke & SABMiller create opportunity for small liquor licensed outlets

Liquor Licensed Traders – The merger of the soft drink businesses of Coca-Cola and SABMiller may bring some good news for current and prospective small traders.   In an effort to gain official approval for the merger, the companies have endeavoured to develop entrepeneurs by creating a R400m fund.   As many as 20 000 black-owned retail businesses are expected to be created.  This will focus on developing distribution opportunities and increasing skill levels, which would assist enterprise development.  An interesting development has been Coke’s undertaking to allow outlets smaller than 20sqm to provide 10% of space in Coke fridges to competitor products.

This development creates an opportunity for liquor licensed retail outlets to expand their existing businesses to grow more substantial businesses and enjoy the economy of scale benefits.
[Article by Bizcommunity, edited by The Licence Co (LiquorWiseDivision)]

Sunday 24 April 2016

Red Wine Please - Not Red Tape!

Liquor Licensing – Most business owners in the hospitality industry would march on parliament tomorrow if they believed it would reduce the red tape with which they have to deal with on a daily basis.    The liquor licence application process in particular has been burdened with a myriad of new documents and prescribed procedures since the implementation of new liquor acts in 7 of our 9 provinces (Limpopo & North West still uses the old, 1989 Act). 
The bad news - it isn’t likely to improve soon – legislation takes at least 2-3 years from start to finish.   Add to this the fact that politicians are trying to use legislation to curb alcohol abuse and one can expect red tape to increase rather than to diminish.   
The good news - The Licence Co is continuously developing ways to make it easier for licence holders to apply and manage their licences.   Their new, online application will be launched soon.   This promises to reduce the cost to the consumer and save time by assisting the applicant (client) to manage and track each application.   
If we cannot reduce the red tape, we will at least try to make it as easy as possible for licence holders to manage it!

Wednesday 23 March 2016

Managers of licensed businesses trained in Southern Cape

Western Cape Liquor Act - The Western Cape Liquor Authority has agreed to host regular training sessions for current and prospective managers in the Southern Cape.   Section 45 of the Western Cape Liquor Act states that the Liquor Licensing Tribunal can determine training and education requirements for licence holders.

The latest session was hosted at the Oceans Hotel on 12 February 2016 and was attended by approximately 40 managers and owners of licensed businesses.

Host, Liezl Cameron-Kolala (WCLA), Louise Nel (Ruiterbosch Lodge), Riaan Jordaan (Gannet Restaurant)

Licensed businesses in the Southern Cape can contact LiquorWise to reserve a booking for the next training session.   The Western Cape Liquor Authority is expected to release the training dates for the remainder of 2016 soon.

Western Cape Liquor Act - Amendments Implemented

Liquor Act - Amendments to the Western Cape Liquor Act will be implemented in stages during 2016.   The first sections to be implemented are the following  - Sections 1(d), (f), (h) and (k); 2(b); 6(a), (d) and (g); 9(b) and (d); 15; 19; 30; 31; 32; 33; 37(c), (d) and (e); 39(c) and (d); and 40.

These amendments came into operation on 15 March 2016. 

Please contact LiquorWise for more information or subscribe to the LiquorWise Newsletter for monthly updates.