OVHA Chat

How do these laws relate to brewing beer? Or do they?

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2014/a ... artner=RSS

I saw that on the news last night!

These laws do not relate to homebrewing.

On October 14, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed H.R. 1337, which contained an amendment sponsored by Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA) creating an exemption from taxation of beer brewed at home for personal or family use. This exemption went into effect on February 1, 1979, making homebrewing legal on a federal level in the U.S

Homebrewing is perfectly legal in all 50 states. Individual states remain free to restrict or prohibit the manufacture of beer, mead, hard cider, wine and other fermented alcoholic beverages at home. Until 2013, Alabama and Mississippi were the only states with laws prohibiting the homebrewing of beer. Alabama and Mississippi both legalized home brewing in their respective 2013 legislative sessions. Although all state governments have legalized homebrewing, some states retain local options that permit local governments to make homebrewing illegal under municipal law. Alaska in one such state where the local option is currently exercised.
Most states permit allow homebrewing of 100 gallons of beer per adult (of 18 years or older) per year and up to a maximum of 200 gallons per household annually when there are two or more adults residing in the household. Because alcohol is taxed by the federal government via excise taxes, homebrewers are restricted from selling any beer they brew.

However, it is illegal to distill beverage alcohol without a license anywhere in the US. In some jurisdictions, it is also illegal to sell a still without a license.

Good information to know! That was pretty cruddy though for someone to rat on this guy.

Land of the free...

IS IT OK TO MAKE HOOCH FOR YOURSELF [SELF CONSUMED]?

Yes, it is illegal to distill alcohol. However, if you just do it for yourself and don't post pictures of your still and prices on Facebook, it's unlikely ATF will ever get interested.

Given that lack of obvious analytical tools, I wouldn't buy anything from that guy anyway, I have no desire to die from formaldehyde poisoning.

Peter

Yup, what Peter said. It is completely illegal to make hooch, even for yourself.

Ind. Code § 7.1-5-6-1 : Indiana Code - Section 7.1-5-6-1: Making alcoholic beverages without permit prohibited

Making Alcoholic Beverages Without Permit Prohibited. It is a Class C misdemeanor for a person to knowingly own, have in his possession or under his control, or use a still or distilling apparatus for the manufacture of liquor

Ind. Code § 7.1-2-5-1 : Indiana Code - Section 7.1-2-5-1: Issuance of warrant

A judge of any court may issue a warrant to search a house or other place for alcohol, an alcoholic liquid or substance, a still, a distilling apparatus, a tobacco product, or another article that is being possessed, kept, sold, bartered, given away, used, or transported in violation of this title

You can apply for a farm liscense to make fuel.