Homebrew limit

[IXIboneheadIXI]

So from what i can tell the law atleast in the US is 200 gallons of homebrew per year per person. so is this even enforceable? can they enforce this. or can they even prove oh all these 205 gallons were made this calender year?

i would assume if you make more then that just for you and your friends and family and competitions and parties, and you dont sell it then no one would care. even if oyu got arrested and charged for it, i highly doubt any judge or attorney would take on the case cause of how hard it would be to prove and how stupid and wasteful it is unless you were selling it.

but hats my opinion, anyone have any facts on this? cause i could easily see myself going over 200 gallons in a year.

 

[Bigjack68]

Well I don't see it as being too enforceable for someone brewing 5 or 10 gallons at a time, but if the neighbors call the law because you have a still like Popcorn Sutton's sitting in your garage then you might have a few things to explain. ...

 

[IXIboneheadIXI]

Well I don't see it as being too enforceable for someone brewing 5 or 10 gallons at a time, but if the neighbors call the law because you have a still like Popcorn Sutton's sitting in your garage then you might have a few things to explain. ...

ha yeah i know having a still is illegal, even for making distilled water you need an ATF license and can only have like a 5 gallon still or something and you give them permission to raid your house whenever they choose. but making distilled liquor is illegal no matter what even for personal consumption. i think thats dumb but im assuming its an old law back in the prohibition days that theres just never been enough demand for to change

 

[bennie1986]

I'm don't even keep track of how many gallons of booze I brew. If the law is paying more attention to how much I brew more then I am then they got way to much time one their hands!

 

[IXIboneheadIXI]

I'm don't even keep track of how many gallons of booze I brew. If the law is paying more attention to how much I brew more then I am then they got way to much time one their hands!

yeah kinda what i figured here, i doubt theres been one case of someone brewing too much home brew to go to court unless they started selling it.

 

[seigex]

It's one of those laws that make an action illegal but will only be enforced when it needs to be.

I'm don't even keep track of how many gallons of booze I brew. If the law is paying more attention to how much I brew more then I am then they got way to much time one their hands!

duh!

 

[Phunhog]

It's not enforceable but they have to put a "number" on the allowable amount. It is just there so people aren't brewing thousands of gallons without paying taxes. It's impossible to track...you would have to over 200 gallons in possession AND they would have to prove that it was all brewed within the same calendar year.

 

[Braufessor]

i suppose with programs like ibrewmaster, beersmith, etc....... many of us keep pretty good records of exactly how much we brew.

although, i agree, i don't think anyone is out there waiting to knock your door down if you happen to hit 210 gallons in december.

 

[biochemedic]

Many of us (assuming a SWMBO, or SHMBO given you gal brewers out there!) could do 400 legally...Regardless, I'm very lucky if I can get in 10 gal in a month, and there's definitely months that go by where I don't brew at all. The most I *ever* brewed in 1 month was 22 gallons (2 batches beer, 2 batches mead) but that was a definite outlier!

 

[beergolf]

Many of us (assuming a SWMBO, or SHMBO given you gal brewers out there!) could do 400 legally...

That is not true. The limit is 100 gal per person, up to 200 per household with two adults. The federal limit is 200 per year.

 

[kombat]

making distilled liquor is illegal no matter what even for personal consumption. i think thats dumb but im assuming its an old law back in the prohibition days that theres just never been enough demand for to change

As I understand it, it's because distilling is much more dangerous than simple beer/wine fermentation. When you move into distilling, you're dealing with a flammable liquid, and its attendant vapours, in sealed vessels, with open flames. A small mistake could easily result in a fire, or even a minor explosion.

 

[phoenixs4r]

As I understand it, it's because distilling is much more dangerous than simple beer/wine fermentation. When you move into distilling, you're dealing with a flammable liquid, and its attendant vapours, in sealed vessels, with open flames. A small mistake could easily result in a fire, or even a minor explosion.

So can filling up your car with gasoline.

All about the taxes.

 

[Krovitz]

I was having a conversation with a police officer about homebrew laws. Not only did he have no idea that there were homebrew limits, he asked who enforces them. We both ended up assuming the laws are in place for people trying to sell huge quantities of homebrew without paying uncle Sam. I can't imagine cops going after homebrewers; it seems like a big waste of time and resources (outside of Alabama of course,ha).

 

[kombat]

So can filling up your car with gasoline.

Last I checked, there's no "open flame" involved in filling your car with gasoline. I'm pretty sure it's actually discouraged.

All about the taxes.

Do you think the government collects more taxes from beer or from liquor?

Beer, of course.

Second place is wine (also legal to make yourself).

Liquor is a distant third.

So why would the make it legal to make your own beer and wine (the cash cows, from the taxman's perspective), but not the spirits, which comprise a fraction of the tax revenue of beer and wine?

 

[Gameface]

I figure to have any sort of case against a homebrewer they'd have to find over 200g in various stages of production at one time. sure, with records they might be able to make a case, but why would they be looking in the first place? If they did go after a homebrewer it wouldn't be because they thought maybe they brewed 210g that year. It'd probably be based on a complaint from a nosey neighbor or something. If you've got 60g or so on you at the time they'll probably just tell you to have good day and be done with it.

 

[Yooper]

This topic has been covered often enough around here, and we encourage discussion of all topics. However, this started as a negative topic and seems to be leading into a discussion of breaking the law and ranting about taxes.

Let's have thoughtful and meaningful discussions of the laws that govern homebrewing, which vary from state to state. Let's not start up a rant that is not following our forum rules.

Thanks.