Homebrewing Supplies Confiscated By The MAN...

You might want to open a cold one before reaing this.
I recently moved to Utah and saw that not long ago(couple years) hombrewing was illegal. I moved from Colorado so this kind of blew my mind. I thought "wonder if there are other states still against it" and I stumbled upon this article. I can't believe it. This is from 2012! Now before some says anything negative about the state or it's citizens, it is not the state or it's citizens but the one's making the laws that allow this to happen...

Armed personel raid a hombrewing shop and take $7000+ worth of hombrewing BOOKS, Grain, carboys... I don't know if anyone @ BN has shined light on this but it affects ALL homebrewers and news like this should be spread around. We need to free our fellow homebrewers in Alabama. Here is the article:

http://beerstreetjournal.com/alabama-ag ... gun-point/

What would be the best way, we as fellow homebrewers could help in a situation like this?

Join the AHA? http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/

That business is open now, sans homebrewing supplies. They were the one that made the mistake of trying to mix a package store with home brew supplies. While it is illegal to homebrew in Alabama it isn't illegal to operate a home brew store. Go figure.
We have a good homebrew legalization bill that is ready for this legislative session. It was signed off on by any real opposition we had, the ABC board and the beer distributors.
Alabama and Mississippi are the only states left where homebrewing is illegal.

thats why you have to go out in the woods and make Shine in those states; instead of beer in the garage. don't want those bastards rolling up on you in any case.
LEGALIZE FREEDOM!!!

Thanks Aubie. I just read there was another state but didn't know it was Mississippi. Sounds like this company has a big store in Georgia (HopCity) that has supplies with a package store. It makes sense as they promote a wide variety of brews which appeals to who? Homebrewers mostly Do you know if they got their goods back? How long before this goes up for voting again?

aubiecat said:

That business is open now, sans homebrewing supplies. They were the one that made the mistake of trying to mix a package store with home brew supplies. While it is illegal to homebrew in Alabama it isn't illegal to operate a home brew store. Go figure.
We have a good homebrew legalization bill that is ready for this legislative session. It was signed off on by any real opposition we had, the ABC board and the beer distributors.
Alabama and Mississippi are the only states left where homebrewing is illegal.

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Alabama has a good chance to move up from "worst state in the union" to "second worst" on my big rankings board if they get this done before MS legalizes.

slowbie said:

Alabama has a good chance to move up from "worst state in the union" to "second worst" on my big rankings board if they get this done before MS legalizes.

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I lived in NC for a year and a half and I couldn't wait to move back Alabama.

Harvestsmiles said:

Thanks Aubie. I just read there was another state but didn't know it was Mississippi. Sounds like this company has a big store in Georgia (HopCity) that has supplies with a package store. It makes sense as they promote a wide variety of brews which appeals to who? Homebrewers mostly Do you know if they got their goods back? How long before this goes up for voting again?

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The new session starts Tuesday, February 5, 2013.
Our bill HB9, so it should get a vote pretty soon.

Hey Aubie, Anyone worth contacting to voice some support? I found this website and sent a respectable, supporting email about homebrewing:

http://www.abcboard.state.al.us/(S(5wdubbd1b2rp3rjl3one3jqw))/enforcement.aspx

Kind of ironic, they have a link for cocktails recipes. They show you how to make a 20% abv "Grown-Up Hot Chocolate" but confiscate your grain and plastic buckets

aubiecat said:

That business is open now, sans homebrewing supplies. They were the one that made the mistake of trying to mix a package store with home brew supplies. While it is illegal to homebrew in Alabama it isn't illegal to operate a home brew store. Go figure.
We have a good homebrew legalization bill that is ready for this legislative session. It was signed off on by any real opposition we had, the ABC board and the beer distributors.
Alabama and Mississippi are the only states left where homebrewing is illegal.

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Kind of like fireworks. When I lived in NY, I'd drive to PA to buy fireworks. It was illegal to purchase fireworks in PA (if you live in PA), but it was perfectly legal to sell them. So they had to check my ID to ensure I was from out of state (nevermind the fact that they were illegal in NY too lol).

I'm glad I live in Atlanta, GA. Tons of great home brew stores that are also growlers and a package store at the same time. No hassle from the man.

Fireworks in densely populated areas SHOULD be illegal. But homebrewing? It's just insane that legislators still believe they should have that much say over our lives (well over those of the people in AL and MS at least).

Home brewing was illegal but tolerated in Utah for quite some time. The Beer Nut and Art's openly sold brewing supplies for years...but it is now legal.

I would suggest reading the law...it is very specific on how much can be taken outside of the home. I should also note: officially it is still illegal to keg home brew in Utah..

dannylerch said:

I'm glad I live in Atlanta, GA. Tons of great home brew stores that are also growlers and a package store at the same time. No hassle from the man.

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That article is talking about the same guy. Kraig I think is how you spell it. He is the one that owns the store Hop City in Atlanta and wanted to expand into Alabama...

pwkblue : I would suggest reading the law...it is very specific on how much can be taken outside of the home. I should also note: officially it is still illegal to keg home brew in Utah..

I did not know that either... What's up with all these whacky laws? Do you know where I can find that law? I would like to print it out for our next brew club meeting.

most of the laws related to alcohol are linked on the UTAH abc website:

http://abc.utah.gov/laws/index.html

It looks like they updated the site...but I'm sure the home brew code is in there somewhere.

The Kegging restriction is not written in to Home Brew code, but is in the general code. It is actually illegal for anyone to posses or serve from a Keg except ligit holders of Utah Liquor licenses.....the code also define that only commercial 3.2% beer can be served from Kegs.

One other rule to be aware of is the private party exception. With club type events or parties...make sure to keep the invitations specific...avoid posting open invites. You want to avoid making a gathering "public" which kicks in permits and additional laws....and homebrew could never be served at a "public" event...as all alcohol served must be legally purchased in Utah. The other key to keeping an event "private" and legal...the host MUST provide alcohol free of charge...without compensation....or the guests can simply BYO...but either way...there can be no compensation made for alcohol.

Hop City was raided because they sell alcohol in the same shop. That's a no go in Alabama. The brew shop I frequented when I lived there didn't sell the yeast with the kits. As long as both are sold separate, nothing in there is illegal otherwise. Every state has it's own quirks. Alabama breweries can sell pints out of their tap rooms, and being as most are fairly small, make most of their money that way. Right next door in Georgia, breweries can't sell beer in their tap rooms. It comes in limited quantities "with the tour". If I had the funds, I'd rather open a brewery in Bama than Georgia.

aubiecat said:

I lived in NC for a year and a half and I couldn't wait to move back Alabama.

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Why? I'm in NC now. It's great.

obama may be a home brewer...LOL

BUT BIG BROTHER & the police state are alive and ever growing bigger.

hopefully enough bad press will prevent other hair brained states to follow alabama's example with establishing archaic laws concerning alcohol & home brewing.

i wonder if the deep south bible belt might have influence.

my friend lives in kentucky and there are dry counties up that way.
i think their may be some in georgia and bama too.

also some counties with the blue law. no alcohol sale on sundays or saturday after 12pm......each county having it's own set rules and guide lines.

sorry to hear about this incident...hopefully the owner can recover from it.

my experience,.. lawyers are are nothing but high priced negotiators.

Forest saaz, "stupid is, as stupid does. that's what mama always saaz.")
GD

No dry counties, Legal brewing I am happy.

aubiecat said:

The new session starts Tuesday, February 5, 2013.
Our bill HB9, so it should get a vote pretty soon.

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I listened to last years session. All I have to say is that I have NEVER heard a older man be so concerned for the welfare of children. It was literally all he could talk about for what seemed like an eternity. It weirded me out to the point where I thought there should have been an investigation...

I wish you the best of luck this time!

Geez, the Alabama lawmakers in the NB video were so stupid and ignorant that it was downright offensive to me as a homebrewer and an American. The thought that these people are actually involved in making big public decisions...wow. "And I think it's a sin".

EDIT: links usually help..found this in the article's comments: http://www.youtube.com/v/BVqnUf8NH6g&hl=en_US&fs=1&

gizmodog51 said:

hopefully enough bad press will prevent other hair brained states to follow alabama's example with establishing archaic laws concerning alcohol & home brewing.

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The MS and Alabama laws banning home brewing are not new. They are left overs from prohibition.

In MS the home brew laws are not enforced and there have been multiple news stories quoting the authorities stating they knowingly do not enforce them because try have more important matters to deal with.

Also, in MS the states attorney just declared that home brew is not illegal but just requires a permit. Unfortunately the permit is $1000 and the ABC will not sell them to home brewers (they still claim they can't). This legislative session one legislator plans to change tactics and propose a law which reduces the permit for home brewers to $0. Hopefully this will go over better than previous bills to legalize home brewing.

Edit: MS has a home brew store which also sells commercial beer including growlers to go (similar to the original Hop City business model). The authorities have told the store owner they are on safe legal ground.

aubiecat said:

I lived in NC for a year and a half and I couldn't wait to move back Alabama.

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There are certainly some good reasons to dislike NC. And you are certainly entitled to your opinion. But as long as homebrewing is illegal, I will never move to AL or MS. I don't care how easy it is to get away with. They are the only two I would absolutely not move to.

Same here, it doesn't matter how "easy" it is to get away with. All it take is one power hungry politician wanting to make a statement and BAM, your house is raided. Mary Jane is supposed to be legal under medicinal use in California but last year a bunch of those shops were raided too. And being there is always another politician in line to make his/her name known...It would be in the homebrewer's best interest to have the laws changed.

kehaar said:

The MS and Alabama laws banning home brewing are not new. They are left overs from prohibition.

In MS the home brew laws are not enforced and there have been multiple news stories quoting the authorities stating they knowingly do not enforce them because try have more important matters to deal with.

Also, in MS the states attorney just declared that home brew is not illegal but just requires a permit. Unfortunately the permit is $1000 and the ABC will not sell them to home brewers (they still claim they can't). This legislative session one legislator plans to change tactics and propose a law which reduces the permit for home brewers to $0. Hopefully this will go over better than previous bills to legalize home brewing.

Edit: MS has a home brew store which also sells commercial beer including growlers to go (similar to the original Hop City business model). The authorities have told the store owner they are on safe legal ground.

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Cool to here this. From MS originally, so pulling for it to change. The raise in ABV was a big step for the state. My hometown also passes a law allowing restaurants to have beer last year. Great seeing some progress.

Airborneguy said:

Fireworks in densely populated areas SHOULD be illegal. But homebrewing? It's just insane that legislators still believe they should have that much say over our lives (well over those of the people in AL and MS at least).

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In rural areas, deadly force against people with fireworks and no regard for their neighbors should be legal.