Would you still brew if it became illegal

Would you still brew, me personally hell ya. I would probably get more of a kick out of it. Like drinking beer when I was in the teens the fun days.

Where would I get the supplies then?

From the homebrew shop, it would only be illegal to brew, not to sell ingredients.

Probably depends on the penalties, likelihood of getting caught and availability/access to quality ingredients. If penalties were significant or if you could really only end up making alcoholic swill..... no. If it was a little enforced law and premium ingredients were still readily available, I probably would.

Without a doubt, yes.

I live in Alabama, where is *IS* illegal. I brew.

Yeah, I'm hardcore. You guys talk about how you MIGHT break the law, but I DO it.

no, i would stop

Is brewing illegal or drinking illegal in this situation?

If it were brewing then I would likely continue because I doubt the punishment could be super harsh, or that they would even try seeking you out.

If it were drinking I'd be more than likely not too because I would imagine that distributing an illegal substance would be a pretty stiff penalty. Like growing weed, or I guess bootlegging liquor in the 20s.

Now what if beer was outlawed completely.

The only way to drink a beer was to homebrew it? I bet you in that case most of us would risk prison to homebrew! I know I would...I would just brew out in the woods on my in-laws 500 acre farm!

Yep, I would. There are speed limits too, and I rarely go below them.

I think it would be fun to try and make beer with what I can find, or grow. I'm too cheap to try that now but I can only imagine.

Malting barley/wheat is very doable and I've grown wheat before....

Nope. I live in a neighboorhood with at least 4 police officers in it. Seeing as at least one of them drives by everytime I brew, I would surely be cited very quickly.

Plus, as much money as I save making beer, I easily spend that amount right back in by upgrading. I would just go back to buying beer at the liquor store.

Yes, I brewed beer in 1975 and it was illegal then so It wouldn't make a difference to me. Ya just can't brag as much.

I would be more cautious with who got to share it with me but I would continue by taking it more indoors or backyard instead of front yard or open garage.

Blue laws such as this have no place in civilized societies and only serve to make prisons overfilled with petty criminals.

It wasn't exactly legal when I got started at it.

If its a felony with some crazy mandatory sentencing, no.
If its a misdemeanor with a likely fine but very unlikely jail time, probably.
If its a violation with no chance of jail time, yes absolutely.

I definitely would still do it! I enjoy it way to much. I might decrease he amount I brew though..

"Family tradition since prohibition." - Poverty Knob Brewing, home of Billy Klubb's Horehound Strong.

If I could still get ingredients then ya I would. Even if alcohol were banned I still would. The law doesn't get to tell me what goes into my body, I'm the only one that does that.

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My angle on all this is whether home brewing would be investigated & prosecuted by the ATF, the DEA, etc. (hardcore federal agency). They would have the power to take away my home, car, possessions, and freedom during the course of a mere investigation, let alone a conviction. I think that would be enough to scare me away from it, I'm afraid to say. I've watched enough crime dramas to know you don't mess around with those guys, ha ha.

But if it were just a city ordinance that involved a fine or something, bring it on. I got cash money to throw in your theoretical face, San Jose. Home brewing 4evah!

If I couldn't get the ingredients I'd grow them. Probably get into yeast ranching while I'm at it.

Home distillation is basically illegal except NZ and people still find a way.

These kinds of questions make me all edgy and grumpy. I know it's just hypothetical and in good fun, but I can't help but rev up my general dismay at government and regulations when I ponder this type of thing. There are probably plenty of people in America right now that want to stop or heavily regulate this type of activity. They want to control our activity "for our own good". Damnit! I'm mad now.

Depends on the penalty. I wouldn't risk going to jail for it. At that point, I'd just start making moonshine and selling it too. If I'm going to chance jail time, might as well make money doing it.

It's a felony offense here in Alabama. Seldom enforced, but seldom != never. It's looking promising to legalize the hobby this year, but until it's done I brew indoors.

-Rich

I'd stop brewing if it were illegal.

Both sides of my parents families brewed and distilled when it was illegal. I would continue the tradition.

Echoloc8 said:

It's a felony offense here in Alabama. Seldom enforced, but seldom != never. It's looking promising to legalize the hobby this year, but until it's done I brew indoors.

-Rich

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That's ridiculous. Is Bama the only state in the union with that law?

A felony would end my income, so I'm guessing I wouldn't do it if it were a felony.

It's illegal in both Alabama and Mississippi, but I don't know for certain whether it's a felony or misdemeanor offense in MS.

-Rich

Of course I would....as long as the ingredients were still somewhat easily accessible. Lets face it....nobody really gives a damn about homebrew laws. Or at least enough to enforce them.

What kind of question is this? Hey Haus, stop posing as a home brewer and get back to work in the white house.

First it's my guns that you are trying to take away and now my beer?

i've brewed in a state where it's illegal, and i've drank in countries where drinking can get you life in prison. stop? they stop taxing my check and everything i buy ( double-taxation ), i'll follow their rules. i'll get right on it

Unless history has a habit of repeating itself, that's never gonna happen

BBL_Brewer said:

Unless history has a habit of repeating itself, that's never gonna happen

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Phew.. thanks for the reassurance. Glad that never happens.

First they crack down on smoking "for your own protection"

Now they're working on the guns "for your own protection"

Only one letter left in ATF they haven't started working on "for your own Protection"

Do i think it will happen anytime soon....no.
Do I think they'll try it at some point.....yes.

I know some of you don't like smoking, or don't like guns, so you say "so what"....sooner or later they will get to something you like, and you'll say "what makes them think they can do that"

Who would have thought a limit would be put on the size of soda you could buy? Ask New York.

whitehause said:

First they crack down on smoking "for your own protection"

Now they're working on the guns "for your own protection"

Only one letter left in ATF they haven't started working on "for your own Protection"

Do i think it will happen anytime soon....no.
Do I think they'll try it at some point.....yes.

I know some of you don't like smoking, or don't like guns, so you say "so what"....sooner or later they will get to something you like, and you'll say "what makes them think they can do that"

Who would have thought a limit would be put on the size of soda you could buy? Ask New York.

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Unfortunately, we sacrifice our freedom in the name of "safety".

You my friend are correct. Changes in the laws that govern alcohol production will not change anytime soon.

People are less likely to notice or care about slow change.

Corporations exercise this strategy successfully all the time. A cut here, cut there, and then the A-bomb is dropped.

So.....if you would still brew if it was illegal why wouldn't you do other stuff with homebrew that is currently illegal?

I definitely would just my little way of sticking to the man.

i would leave the country.