OP was planning an event in Wisconsin. Does anyone have any ideas how the event can happen with the statutes in Wisconsin as they are?
There was supposed to be a huge homebrew event in Milwaukee last fall, at the Lakefront Brewery.
It was cancelled, due to the laws in the Wisconsin being very strict on homebrew and where it can be served, and the "no charge" thing. It has not been rescheduled.
They just passed a law last year that allowed homebrew competitions to be legal.
A portion of the law on this:
125.06  License and permit exceptions. No license or permit is required under this chapter for:
(3) The making of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages.
(a) The making of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages, and the possession, transportation, or storage of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages, by any person if all of the following apply:
1. The person who makes the wine or fermented malt beverages receives no compensation.
2. The wine or fermented malt beverages are not sold or offered for sale.
3. The total quantity of wine or fermented malt beverages made, in a calendar year, by the person and any other person living in the same household does not exceed 100 gallons if the household has only one person of legal drinking age or 200 gallons if the household has 2 or more persons of legal drinking age.
(b) A person who makes, possesses, transports, or stores homemade wine or fermented malt beverages in compliance with the limitations specified in par. (a) is not a brewer or a manufacturer of wine for purposes of this chapter.
(c)
Homemade wine or fermented malt beverages made in compliance with the limitations specified in par. (a) may be consumed by the person who made it and his or her family, neighbors, and friends at any private residence or other private location where the possession and consumption of alcohol is permissible under this chapter, local ordinances, and other applicable law.
more:
(3m) The use of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages for competitions or exhibitions or similar purposes.
(a) The use of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages made in compliance with the limitations specified in sub.
(3) (a) for purposes of exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, or sampling or as part of a contest or competition, if the exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, sampling, contest, or competition is held at a private residence or on a licensed premises. Homemade wine or fermented malt beverages used for purposes described in this paragraph, including the submission or consumption of such wine or fermented malt beverages, are not considered sold or offered for sale under sub. (3) (a) 2. and any prize awarded at a contest or competition or as a result of an exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, or sampling is not considered compensation under sub. (
3) (a) 1., but no fee may be charged for consumption of the homemade wine or fermented malt beverages at the exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, sampling, contest, or competition.
There is a lot more in the law- it's very specific!