Alabama Homebrewer Arrested

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If you read further into the thread you will see this guy was distilling whiskey as well. I'm lucky enough to live in a state where homebrew is legal, but you can bet your ass if I lived in a state where homebrew was illegal I #1) wouldn't post about my activities on the internet (including photos of his entire setup) and #2) wouldn't take it a step further by running a still, which is a felony in every state as far as I know.
 
After seeing the picture of the raid i wonder if they are confusing brewing gear for a still. I mean my wort chiller could be confused for something its not.
 
It seems there are legitimate questions about whether he was running a still. 8 gallons of whiskey is very odd to have on hand, but it wouldn't be the first time standard brewing equipment was mistaken as a still.

On the other hand, this guy had to piss somebody off or raise a lot of red flags for them to put an investigation together.
 
Wow, how lame. Everything that's fun is illegal in Alabama. I'll take note of this though. I think if this guy trys he can get a judge to overturn it, citing federal laws.

EDIT: ok sorry, didnt see the note about the still. so yea, shame on him.
 
Read the whole thread.

First - Wow i am glad this forum is a lot more civil then that forum. All the name calling was making it a hard read.

Two - I agree looking at the pictures nothing there looked like a still that i saw so maybe they are mistaking HB gear for a still, but yeah its a little odd to have 8 gallons of whiskey on hand.

Three - They need to lighten up down there. Jeez even the mormons let me brew behind the Zion curtain.
 
Here is the Sheriff with the contraband.

031p1.jpg


The stuff in the bottle is supposed to be the 'shine. My starsan bottle looks a lot like that.
 
Too bad for that guy. Looks like people want to help him but wont because of the distilling factor. I didn't notice any distilling equipment in the picture the sheriff posted in the paper. If his beer equipment is that nice one would think his distilling equipment would match. Also they only show 1 mason jar of supposed moonshine. I've seen an episode of cops where police mistook an immersion chiller for a still. Will be interesting to see what comes of this.
 
Too bad for that guy. Looks like people want to help him but wont because of the distilling factor. I didn't notice any distilling equipment in the picture the sheriff posted in the paper. If his beer equipment is that nice one would think his distilling equipment would match. Also they only show 1 mason jar of supposed moonshine. I've seen an episode of cops where police mistook an immersion chiller for a still. Will be interesting to see what comes of this.

I don't give a **** whether he was distilling or not. The government shouldn't be wasting time and money on such trifling matters. Just last saturday I was minding my own business watching a UFC fight at a local bar when a 350 pound tub of lard started talking **** to me for absolutely no reason. I told him to **** off, turned around, and the next thing I know he suckerpunched me so hard I flew off my stool to the ground. He fled past the 5 or so bouncers and dozens of onlookers who did nothing. He paid in cash and no one knew his name, although he was a regular. He is, however, on video assaulting me. Fortunately I suffered only minor bruises.

If the local PD put half the amount of effort into getting this guy that this Alabama sheriff's department put into nailing this poor bastard, they'd catch him for sure. Of course, I didn't even bother reporting him because I knew it was pointless. And my opinion wouldn't change if this happened to someone else--protecting citizens against violent individuals is worth our ****ing money, not prosecuting people who have done ABSOLUTELY NO HARM, except maybe jeopardize the legal monopoly our government maintains.

/end rant
 
I don't give a **** whether he was distilling or not. The government shouldn't be wasting time and money on such trifling matters. Just last saturday I was minding my own business watching a UFC fight at a local bar when a 350 pound tub of lard started talking **** to me for absolutely no reason. I told him to **** off, turned around, and the next thing I know he suckerpunched me so hard I flew off my stool to the ground. He fled past the 5 or so bouncers and dozens of onlookers who did nothing. He paid in cash and no one knew his name, although he was a regular. He is, however, on video assaulting me. Fortunately I suffered only minor bruises.

If the local PD put half the amount of effort into getting this guy that this Alabama sheriff's department put into nailing this poor bastard, they'd catch him for sure. Of course, I didn't even bother reporting him because I knew it was pointless. And my opinion wouldn't change if this happened to someone else--protecting citizens against violent individuals is worth our ****ing money, not prosecuting people who have done ABSOLUTELY NO HARM, except maybe jeopardize the legal monopoly our government maintains.

/end rant

More than likely the police are trying to save face. They went there to raid a meth lab and came across a home brewery. Would look pretty bad to raid a house and find nothing. So they are latching on to this, making it sound worse than it is so they sound good.
 
Soooo, how do I bid on the contraband conical?

BTW, I'd like to sink my knuckles into that *****es face. I don't care if he's old. He's holding that jar like he found a smoking gun. It's just alcohol, for god's sake (I bet he goes right home and mixes a gimlet for himself after that pic is taken). Don't get this libertarian started.
 
Here is the Sheriff with the contraband.

031p1.jpg


The stuff in the bottle is supposed to be the 'shine. My starsan bottle looks a lot like that.

Something looks 'wrong' with that picture. Meaning Photoshop.
Is that supposed to be METH in the jar? My StarSan is liquid.
Edit: I am mistaking that white appearance in the jar for powder. I see it is just the refraction. Still, look at the shadow around the Sheriff. Looks funny.
Everything in Alabama that is fun is illegal, unless you count sex with your sister.
Sorry. Georgia joke. Bama fans, feel free to hit me back.
 
Soooo, how do I bid on the contraband conical?

BTW, I'd like to sink my knuckles into that *****es face. I don't care if he's old. He's holding that jar like he found a smoking gun. It's just alcohol, for god's sake (I bet he goes right home and mixes a gimlet for himself after that pic is taken). Don't get this libertarian started.

LOL, and it looks like somebody could use a little bran in their diet, if you know what I mean.
 
Nothing there looks like it would be distilled. to people that know nothing about brewing, the vessels with airlocks look like something wrong, but really as a home brewer all I see is an ******* surrounded by brewing equipment.
 
my 2c on the report is first, homebrewing in Alabama is illegal. So he, was breaking the law. Suppose he was not distilling, then where did the 8 gallons of moonshine come from? The conical would make a great pot still by simply adding some elements. The sheriff must know something about moonshine because the report mentioned the "bead". I respect the brewer for being a Vet but even so, the law is the last word when it comes to what we can and cannot do. Firearm found at an illegal site, even though legal, always adds to the alleged crime. I think he'll be learnig how to do stuff worse that making beer at home for the next few months, if he doesn't get probation.
 
Im sorry if Im wrong but ( I know i dont I all the facts)or even ( strait ) Didnt President Jimmy Carter(1977ish) make It legal to home brew for personal use .
Isn't Alabama part of the deal?
 
This country is getting bad. There is no seperation between criminal and non criminal activities other than what some dumb *ss polititian who wants to be important pushes through.

Have an open container in your car - go to jail.
Have a couple of grams of pot - go to jail.
Drive 15 mph over the limit - loose your license for 30 days. MANDITORY! in NC unless you get a lawyer.
Drive with suspended license - go to jail.
18 yo have sex with a 17 year old = sexual predator. 18 yo goes to a park after going to prison - back to prison.
Have 2 beers at a bar and drive home.....

And worse yet, the cop that pulls you over is 19, dumb as a head of cabbage and has an attitude. Respect the uniform?? not me. This is not the norm in other developed countries.

No law enforcement officer in this country should ever be elected. Sherriff should be an appointed position.
 
my 2c on the report is first, homebrewing in Alabama is illegal. So he, was breaking the law. Suppose he was not distilling, then where did the 8 gallons of moonshine come from? The conical would make a great pot still by simply adding some elements. The sheriff must know something about moonshine because the report mentioned the "bead". I respect the brewer for being a Vet but even so, the law is the last word when it comes to what we can and cannot do. Firearm found at an illegal site, even though legal, always adds to the alleged crime. I think he'll be learnig how to do stuff worse that making beer at home for the next few months, if he doesn't get probation.

It's not that hard to get moonshine in the south if you know the right people.
 
I live on 122 acres in the arse end of nowhere, but i don't break the law.

Is it un American to not break the law?

No. It may be un-natural, but not un-American. What is un-American is a belief that any law that is passed by my elected political body is something I am going to abide by regardless of its lack of sensability, rationality, or morality.
 
That is the lamest statement I have ever heard! It is the most Un-American thing I have heard in a while.

Agreed. It's a good thing our founding fathers weren't legalists or authoritarians.

I also agree with all your other points. We need to focus on violent criminals and leave everyone else alone. Until real crime (i.e. the kind where there is a victim) drops to zero, I don't think we should be going out of our way to arrest and prosecute harmless individuals. That being said, if you openly disobey the law then expect consequences.

I can't even walk back from a bar anymore. I almost got arrested last semester for stumbling home by myself. Yeah, I was drunk, but I am a responsible individual and I was doing the right thing--not driving. Since I can't drive, I can't bike (so dumb) and apparently I can't even walk home, what am I supposed to do?
 
I absolutely disagree with the belief that any law on the books is a legitimate law. Which state is it that outlaws carrying ice cream in your back pocket? However, if you are doing something that is illegal in your state, you're at risk of getting **** from the cops. I don't know the details of the arrest, but could the alleged "moonshine" just be homebrewed beer?

On a side note, that dude had some really nice brewing equipment! It's a damn shame that it will be sitting in the evidence room (or maybe in Sheriff ****-head's garage)...
 
I'm one that feels there are laws that are so bad that they can't help but be broken. But at the same time if I'm breaking them and get caught then I have the sense not to be surprised and appaled that they would dare to enforce a law that was on the books and I knew was in effect when I was breaking it.

If I get pulled over driving 50 on a road that is safe to drive at 50 and SHOULD be driven at 50, but has a 40 mph speed limit, then I just grit my teeth and take it.

Like said, if a law is wrong and unjust, then fight to have it repealed.
 
i dont obey the law. if i think a law is wrong i just ignore it, discretley of course. i am mature enough and have strong enough morals to choose what is right and wrong for myself. and homebrewing is right. there is nothing wrong about it no matter what state you live in. homebrewing is american. america is homebrewing.
 
I'm one that feels there are laws that are so bad that they can't help but be broken. But at the same time if I'm breaking them and get caught then I have the sense not to be surprised and appaled that they would dare to enforce a law that was on the books and I knew was in effect when I was breaking it.

If I get pulled over driving 50 on a road that is safe to drive at 50 and SHOULD be driven at 50, but has a 40 mph speed limit, then I just grit my teeth and take it.

Like said, if a law is wrong and unjust, then fight to have it repealed.

+1 Exactly. In the mean time, obey or pay the consequences. That's what's so great about America,there is a legal way to appeal a law we feel unjust, but suppose the majority feels other wise,that does not excuse breaking the law.
 
Not to meniton that I wouldn't publish pictures of myself violating the law unless I was wanting to get busted so I could try to challange the law in court or something.
 
A perfect symptom of what's wrong with our society.

Whether you're left, right, or whatever, you can probably name a laundry list of things the government should be doing instead of busting homebrewers.
 
Let me offer some clarification on this subject. Those of us in the homebrewing circles in Alabama have been following this closely for a while. We've been hesitant to say much until we found out more facts about the case. First, homebrewing of beer is a felony in the state of Alabama. In some ways, the fact that it is a felony is a protection since law enforcement is going to be somewhat reticent in sending an otherwise upstanding citizen to jail for a relatively harmless crime. So, we (the group behind the homebrew legalization effort) have been trying to decide what position to take on this situation:
1) If distillation is really involved, it poses a major problem to our legalization efforts since some of our opponents are trying to associate homebrewing with moonshining. In this case, we would need (at an organizational level) to distance ourselves from this guy and assure the powers that be that he is in no way representative of the rest of us. (I am speaking only of the organizational level and not of our personal feelings about the guy and the individual desire to support him.)
2) If there is no distillation involved, he could potentially serve as a cause celebre in our legalization efforts. After all, what elected representative wants to see a guy who has faithfully served our country in two tours in Iraq thrown in jail just for enjoying a hobby that is legal in 48 of the 50 states?

Now, some additional facts: (These should be considered hearsay for legal purposes. I have them from someone who has spoken directly to Kade, the person in question.)
1) Kade has rightly been advised by his lawyer to keep quiet since the prosecution has a right to use anything he says. As such, you won't see any direct statements from him showing up in public forums. This is the major reason that there is little clarity on the issue.
2) Kade has been a longtime resident of Blount County, and there are longstanding feuds between some of the families there. It has been alleged that one of his neighbors that had a grudge against him reported to the cops that he was manufacturing meth. In the course of visiting his property, the cops supposedly spotted his brewing equipment through the window and got a warrant to raid his house.
3) There was a small still on his property along with a quantity of ethanol. Kade said that he has not distilled any liquor and the ethanol they found was given to him by someone else. In fact, he was intending to experiment with converting his farm equipment over to run off of ethanol.
 
Something looks 'wrong' with that picture. Meaning Photoshop.
Is that supposed to be METH in the jar? My StarSan is liquid.
Edit: I am mistaking that white appearance in the jar for powder. I see it is just the refraction. Still, look at the shadow around the Sheriff. Looks funny.
Everything in Alabama that is fun is illegal, unless you count sex with your sister.
Sorry. Georgia joke. Bama fans, feel free to hit me back.

They busted some local law enforcement around here, Youngstown, Ohio for 'embellishing' what the found in raids. These (fill in the blank) kept bags of flour on hand to take in to let the press photograph. Can you say "evidence tampering and fair trial"?

Damned. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness may not be in the constitution, but they are in the declaration of independence and our 'reason to be' as a nation.
 
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