Selling homebrew at frat parties
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Calling it donations is still selling and illegal should a person be caught. Tipping the bar tender might be different. I'm not a lawyer. The only "donation" that would be okay would be if someone gave you ingredients, as far as I know.
treacheroustexan
Well-Known Member
My .002. It's not legal at all but what is at a frat party? Take a keg and have everyone slip you a few bucks. (Don't, actually)
I lived in a frat building two years ago while my girlfriend finished up college, and we lived on the 3rd floor. Every day after work, I had to play at least one game of beer pong on every single floor just to get to my apartment after work lol.
That being said (my opinion) $11 for a 30 of natty ice is a lot better than paying a guy for homebrew + probably a little extra charge for labor. I know I wouldn't want to sell my beer to a bunch of already wasted college kids when it already takes so much of my time and money to make.
I lived in a frat building two years ago while my girlfriend finished up college, and we lived on the 3rd floor. Every day after work, I had to play at least one game of beer pong on every single floor just to get to my apartment after work lol.
That being said (my opinion) $11 for a 30 of natty ice is a lot better than paying a guy for homebrew + probably a little extra charge for labor. I know I wouldn't want to sell my beer to a bunch of already wasted college kids when it already takes so much of my time and money to make.
In my view it depends who you are. If you are 40 years old and want to sell homebrew to college kids, that is kinda seedy and the cops won't be impressed if they catch you. Especially if someone gets hurt while boozed on your booze, that is just a really bad situation to get involved with.
But if you are one of the kids, an enterprising 18 year old, selling beer is probably on par with selling weed or any of the other illegal activities that happen and if you are prepared to take the risks...
IANAL, but I think either way you should be safe to play the ingredients card. You can "share" a batch of beer with someone where they pay for ingredients/consumables, you brew it and provide the equipment, and you both share the result (in whatever proportion is deemed fair). If you can involve them in the brewing process in some token way then you can say you brewed it together and I think you would have a plausible defence.
But if you are one of the kids, an enterprising 18 year old, selling beer is probably on par with selling weed or any of the other illegal activities that happen and if you are prepared to take the risks...
IANAL, but I think either way you should be safe to play the ingredients card. You can "share" a batch of beer with someone where they pay for ingredients/consumables, you brew it and provide the equipment, and you both share the result (in whatever proportion is deemed fair). If you can involve them in the brewing process in some token way then you can say you brewed it together and I think you would have a plausible defence.
bucketnative
Well-Known Member
Back in the day, we had a couple of enterprising brothers. They each had their own room (really a 10' x 10' cinder block), so they decided to bunk together in one room and turn the other one into a bar. They would go buy a couple of cases of Bud Light for about $12 each, then sell them in their bar for $2/bottle. Wash, rinse, repeat... they were probably making $100 a week, each. Paid for their beer exploits and some text books.
It was sort of like Roger's Place on American Dad.
It was sort of like Roger's Place on American Dad.
Selling homebrew is simply illegal. Selling beer at a frat party might also bring about charges of selling to underaged kids. Someone will be responsible for letting underaged kids into the party, and supplying the alcohol. Don't be the person who brought homebrew to the party. They WILL charge you if caught selling it and there are underaged kids at the party.
canehdianman
Well-Known Member
there are easier ways to go to jail.
Auger
Well-Known Member
Realistically, buying a keg at the liquor store then reselling the beer at a party is probably also illegal. But how often do parties get broken up for that? Noise and underage drinking, sure, but I've never heard of the host getting charged for illegal resale of alcoholic beverages.
I might be making some generalizations there, but I would not be bringing the homebrew I put hours of work and care into, and giving it to a bunch of drunk Bros to chug and play beer pong with alongside keystone and natty.
I might be making some generalizations there, but I would not be bringing the homebrew I put hours of work and care into, and giving it to a bunch of drunk Bros to chug and play beer pong with alongside keystone and natty.
Geneticjim
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Have them buy you gift cards so u can buy more ingredients
Where I live (college town) that's very common. Selling cups, everybody tossing in $10 as their "share" of the cost--I've seen parties busted for this with my own eyes. But usually it's the fault of the partiers that they're busted. Loud, public urination--it's as if they're saying "Hey, over here--look at us!"
The police do, and that's that.
I have exactly the same sentiment. Back in my college days, nobody was much concerned with taste--price was the determining factor. I remember the rule of the day: buy a six-pack of decent beer, then $2.99 for a case of whatever was cheap. After the six-pack, nobody cared what the rest tasted like.
Beer is good
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Frat party? Are you going to brew a Natural Ice clone?
Thanks for all the replies. I understand that it is illegal. As for donations I was thinking about accepting "tips" or just splitting the cost per serving and not making any actual money. I go to Oregon State University and while cheap light beers are popular at parties craft beer is very popular and I thought It would be something that would make the party more popular. How many frats do you know that have their own brews on lineup? I'm sure its been done before but its not really something you see around. I also want to one day start my own brewery in my home city where craft beer is really starting to pick up. I should also say I am at OSU to study Fermentation Science. If anyone has any other ideas about how to serve homebrew at frat parties please post. I know that OSU has their own brewing facility and I'm going to check out if they have some permit to brew or how hard it would be to legally brew and sell our own beer at frat parties.
Come on now, you know legally your never gonna pull it off.
If your a student how much could you actually brew?
How are you going to ferment anything on a party scale?
Let us know what scale your contemplating?
Just keep in mind, legally your on your own.
If your a student how much could you actually brew?
How are you going to ferment anything on a party scale?
Let us know what scale your contemplating?
Just keep in mind, legally your on your own.
Making good homebrew for a bunch of drunk 19-year-old fratboys?
Pearls before swine.
Pearls before swine.
Yes, it is illegal. There is nothing in the regulations about making a profit, or about being a good business man. Even if you GIVE it away you will be afoul of that pesky "personal consumption" restriction. If you want to do it anyway that is your decision - just don't try to deceive yourself or others that it is somehow "legal" because it is you, or because you are standing on one leg, closing one eye, and holding your mouth just right. Just do it with your eyes open, or don't.
People in Oregon do enjoy craft beers, apparently even kids.
OP, as soon as you speak with someone from the fermentation science program you'll get the same story in person rather than on the interwebs. They know national and Oregon law. They are also extremely aware of the perils of underage drinking and selling anything to underage drinkers.x
Campus and Corvallis police may not spend their entire shifts looking for parties to break up and underage drinking, but they'll eventually catch up to you. Less hassle over buying beer and sharing than making beer and selling or sharing.
I should also say I am at OSU to study Fermentation Science. If anyone has any other ideas about how to serve homebrew at frat parties please post. I know that OSU has their own brewing facility and I'm going to check out if they have some permit to brew or how hard it would be to legally brew and sell our own beer at frat parties.
I'm kind of surprised you don't know more about the program you plan on entering.
OP, as soon as you speak with someone from the fermentation science program you'll get the same story in person rather than on the interwebs. They know national and Oregon law. They are also extremely aware of the perils of underage drinking and selling anything to underage drinkers.x
Campus and Corvallis police may not spend their entire shifts looking for parties to break up and underage drinking, but they'll eventually catch up to you. Less hassle over buying beer and sharing than making beer and selling or sharing.
I should also say I am at OSU to study Fermentation Science. If anyone has any other ideas about how to serve homebrew at frat parties please post. I know that OSU has their own brewing facility and I'm going to check out if they have some permit to brew or how hard it would be to legally brew and sell our own beer at frat parties.
I'm kind of surprised you don't know more about the program you plan on entering.
I'm don't know alcohol Oregon laws, but I imagine selling ANY alcohol at frat parties is illegal. If Oregon is anything like Wisconsin, you need a permit and license to sell beer or other alcoholic beverages. I can't think of any community in my state that would consider licensing a frat to serve alcohol. That's not even mentioning that they'd never get permitted by the state because a frat house is usually also a residence where people live. There has to be a separation between the two.
Totally illegal. But...as with many alcohol laws there is little enforcement. I recently poured my beer at my neighborhood block party. I think we had 6 kegs. My neighbors put out a tip jar for the beer. I don't think anyone thought twice about throwing a few bucks in the jar or that the hosts were trying to make money off the beer.
beergolf
Well-Known Member
If you sell beer at the frat party and for some reason you get caught, guess what happens to your dream of starting your own brewery? It will never happen because you will never get a license with that kind of arrest on your record.
IMO totally not worth it.
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