Transporting yeast starter considered open container?

I've always wondered this when transporting my starters from my apartment to my parents where I brew. Obviously its up to the discretion of the police officer. Is there any alcohol in a starter? It smells like beer, sorta.

Tell them its your pet... it is alive after all.

Open Container Laws
In Illinois:
All previously opened containers of alcohol must be transported in a car’s trunk to comply with open container laws prohibiting drinking in a vehicle by the passengers or driver.

In MN:
The open bottle law includes the following provisions:
Refers to both drivers and passengers (expect of those primarily used for the transportation of people such as buses, taxi cabs and limousines). This means that even if you are not found with an open bottle, if someone in your vehicle is, you could be arrested under the open bottle law.
Refers to any area in the vehicle including unlocked glove compartments and any other areas of the vehicle that are readily accessible to the drivers or passengers while in their seats.
Refers to any alcoholic beverage including beer, wine and spirits that contain .5% or more alcohol by volume.
Applies to all vehicles on a public highway or the right-of-way of a public highway.

So put it in the trunk.

mrrshotshot said:

Tell them its your pet... it is alive after all.

Click to expand...

I do take care of it as if it were my pet! I even wrap it up in a towel and make sure its secure every time I put it in my car

i think in court you can argue that it is not a beverage any more than a sourdough starter is.

Lemon said:

Open Container Laws
In Illinois:
All previously opened containers of alcohol must be transported in a car’s trunk to comply with open container laws prohibiting drinking in a vehicle by the passengers or driver.

In MN:
The open bottle law includes the following provisions:
Refers to both drivers and passengers (expect of those primarily used for the transportation of people such as buses, taxi cabs and limousines). This means that even if you are not found with an open bottle, if someone in your vehicle is, you could be arrested under the open bottle law.
Refers to any area in the vehicle including unlocked glove compartments and any other areas of the vehicle that are readily accessible to the drivers or passengers while in their seats.
Refers to any alcoholic beverage including beer, wine and spirits that contain .5% or more alcohol by volume.
Applies to all vehicles on a public highway or the right-of-way of a public highway.

So put it in the trunk.

Click to expand...

.5% alcohol by volume... Ya, I may have been breaking the law. Thanks for the clarification! Cheers!

"refers to any alcoholic beverage" - it's not a beverage. It's probably nigh undrinkable.

Lemon said:

Open Container Laws
In Illinois:
All previously opened containers of alcohol must be transported in a car’s trunk to comply with open container laws prohibiting drinking in a vehicle by the passengers or driver.

In MN:
The open bottle law includes the following provisions:
Refers to both drivers and passengers (expect of those primarily used for the transportation of people such as buses, taxi cabs and limousines). This means that even if you are not found with an open bottle, if someone in your vehicle is, you could be arrested under the open bottle law.
Refers to any area in the vehicle including unlocked glove compartments and any other areas of the vehicle that are readily accessible to the drivers or passengers while in their seats.
Refers to any alcoholic beverage including beer, wine and spirits that contain .5% or more alcohol by volume.
Applies to all vehicles on a public highway or the right-of-way of a public highway.

So put it in the trunk.

Click to expand...

Yeah right. Must be kidding. If you transport your starter in your trunk in fear, you forfeit all your points and your HBT membership gets transferred to the Pudding Forum.

Wow. So, I go to a lot of beer tastings and often take dregs home with me from sour beers and it's usually a bottle of Cantillon with a foil wrapper over it. I stick it in my passenger door in the cup holder. I did get pulled over once with two bottles each with an ounce of beer left.


He let me go. So, I'd imagine your starter is fine but really it depends on the cop. My town has a "peacekeeper" since our population is so small. As long as you're not an ass, they'll let you go.