Giving homebrew to a bar?

So, I currently brew 15 gallon batches and am wondering if anyone has 'gifted' beer to a bar/pub for their distribution?

I know it would be illegal to sell the beer to a bar, but does anyone know the legality of a bar selling or giving away home brew? I really just wanted to get some real feedback on my beer and was curious of the legality of doing it this way.

It's just as illegal whether you do it or a bar does it for you.....And iirc a bar could get into trouble for it. It's un licensed/un taxed/un-regulated alcohol.

You want feedback, find a club in your area, look for bjcp judges or enter contests.

Someone who tends bar isn't a trained bjcp beer judge, and doesn't necessarily know how to give you any better critique of your beer beyond "I like it."

Revvy said:

It's just as illegal whether you do it or a bar does it for you.....And iirc a bar could get into trouble for it. It's un licensed/un taxed alcohol.

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Agreed. IMO, the bigger problem of the two is the untaxed aspect of homebrew (You could argue that licensing portion also lines the coffers of the govt as well).

Also, giving it to a bar and having them hand it out would probably be a pretty good way of exposing yourself quickly for doing this, especially if your beer is rocking good and people want more of it.

Ok, so if I got a bar to agree to distribute the beer free to patrons, would it still fall under the same regulations?

Sorry for what may seem to some, stupid questions. Thanks for all the input!

I do believe that in Ca, you can spend about 120 bucks and get a small brewers license, which allows you to sell up to a certain amount per year (I want to say 100 gallons, but I dont know). Look it up.

Plus unless it's a microbrewery my understanding about liquor licenses is that any alcohol distributed by the bar has to come from licensed distributors. They can't if they're out of bud for instance run down to the corner store and stock up-it's got to come through their distribution chain. Even for public clubs with liquor licenses. My BIL is part of a "yacht" club and they have a bar in their club house and there's a whole lot of stuff involved in that, including where they get their booze. They won't want to put their liquor license in jeopardy.

mcarb said:

I do believe that in Ca, you can spend about 120 bucks and get a small brewers license, which allows you to sell up to a certain amount per year (I want to say 100 gallons, but I dont know). Look it up.

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The company I work for owns a small winery, and were required to get a Federal, a state, and a local license just to sell their wine. I was trying to avoid the investment at this point, but it may be unavoidable.

My father and I have talked about starting a brewpub in the near future, and at this point was looking for honest feedback. I've read through a lot of the ABC's laws and such and just never found any info on something like this.

Why don't you just call here or send them an email.....I'm pretty sure you won't like the answer. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

Revvy said:

Why don't you just call here or send them an email.....I'm pretty sure you won't like the answer. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

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lol, I don't want an answer I won't like. :fro:

Thanks for all the input, I was just hoping I had missed some kind of loophole.

openthewell said:

lol, I don't want an answer I won't like. :fro:

Thanks for all the input, I was just hoping I had missed some kind of loophole.

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If you understand the history of our hobby- like the fact that homebrewing was not re-legalized after prohibition ended and wasn't re-instated til 1978, you should understand that where homebrew is concerned there are NO loopholes.

There's some links and other info pertaining to that here.

It's simple if you realize that this is a HOBBY....you can't sell or exchange your HOMEBREW, but if you want you can sell your beer- That is IF you become licensed to do so...then you're no longer a homebrewer, you're a pro.

Yeah, the beer has to go through the three tier system (brewery to distributor to vendor). But maybe this won't apply if they have this "government shutdown" they've been talking about.

openthewell said:

So, I currently brew 15 gallon batches and am wondering if anyone has 'gifted' beer to a bar/pub for their distribution?

I know it would be illegal to sell the beer to a bar, but does anyone know the legality of a bar selling or giving away home brew? I really just wanted to get some real feedback on my beer and was curious of the legality of doing it this way.

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Since you're from Cali:
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/government-affairs/statutes/california

Selling in CA? Clearly no.
Giving away at a bar in CA? Also no since that's not for personal use, competition, or "homemaker's tasting".

Take a bottle to your LHBS. They'll crack it open and give you some input.

Sorry folks for bringing up an old thread but I am in a similar situation. A local bar/restaurant wants to give out samples of my homebrew. The restaurant sponsors a homebrew class and they will be giving out samples of their homebrew as well. This is a one time deal. I talked to the owner and made sure she knew she can't sell homebrew. She was well aware of that but said that it IS legal for them to give away samples. I figure worse case scenario we can have people sample our beers and vote for their favorite....thus it's a competition.

Be very careful. I would have them double/triple check with their liquor control commision, there was a bar last year that had their license suspended because they had a contest where the winner got to have their beer on tap, I don't know if they were selling it or just giving it out free, Or they were just serving the homebrew that was entered in the comp, but iirc their own distributor ratted on them for having untaxed alcohol in their bar (that of course didn't come through the distributor, that's why he ratted,) and on their tap system. They really need to call and make sure for sure before they do it. It could hurt them a lot more than you.

The laws are ever really only about taxes, and going through the teir system of distribution.

I've quad my beer in a brewpub but as a community brewer. I had to brew it on site. There are all sort of tax regulations and health issues that have to be jumped through.

(Zombiefying from the grave- Happy October/Halloween)


I have heard that in some states you can apply for a special license at local farmers markets (here in IL I believe its $25 per event) that allows you to sell homebrew. I haven't dug deep into the provisions of the law or it only pertains to wine, beer, or both.

Can anyone else confirm/debunk this?

Revvy said:

Why don't you just call here or send them an email.....I'm pretty sure you won't like the answer. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

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Already covered necromancer.

Wineomatic said:

(Zombiefying from the grave- Happy October/Halloween)


I have heard that in some states you can apply for a special license at local farmers markets (here in IL I believe its $25 per event) that allows you to sell homebrew. I haven't dug deep into the provisions of the law or it only pertains to wine, beer, or both.

Can anyone else confirm/debunk this?

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That may be true, but you still need the Federal license, $$$.

An even simpler question is "What bar would give away your beer instead of selling their own??????" That would be bad business!!

ChuckO said:

That may be true, but you still need the Federal license, $$$.

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Actually a federal license is free except for your surety bond.