International HB Legality (?)

Would anyone happen to know where I could find information regarding the legality of homebrewing around the world? (specifically Costa Rica) I realize that this sort of information may not be consolidated, but if not online, where might I look or who might I contact to find out that sort of thing? I've been told by one person that it's illegal, but I'd like to look further into it to be sure...

After getting into homebrewing about 12 months ago, I recently starting working for a company in Costa Rica. I split up my equipment among family members after getting them into homebrewing, but now I have the itch again. I don't doubt that I could figure out how to get equipment and ingredients...does anybody have experience or knowledge regarding legal rammifications of illegal homebrewing? ( plenty of hb goes on in alabama, right?) For now, I'll be drinking Bavaria, Pilsen, or the occasional Warsteiner (if I look hard enough...)!

Prost!

-biber

I googled a few different things and couldn't find a decent answer. This is the best I can find and it doesn't answer a damn thing. I would say that it's probably one of those situations where you are fine if you don't get caught.

The parts of San Jose that I've been in pretty much anything goes and if you get caught I'm sure its nothing a little home brew wouldn't take care of.

jcarson83 said:

The parts of San Jose that I've been in pretty much anything goes and if you get caught I'm sure its nothing a little home brew wouldn't take care of.

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Or good old fashion cash. Just don't make it obvious and believe me, the local police have more important things to do.
I would say if your not selling it, or serving it in public, (including your front yard, or back yard with a$hole neighbours) you should be OK.
You could always walk into the local police department and ask them.

Thanks for the input; I doubt I'll be making enough of a ruckus to even attract the neighbors' attention...I guess scarce supplies will be my biggest obstacle.

I'm sure there isn't a LHBS in the country, but there used to be a brewpub just outside San José in Curridabat(K&S Cervecería) that closed down roughly a year ago. If there was a brewpub (with around 6 or 7 year-round brews), wouldn't it be logical to assume there's some sort of supplier around? I find it hard to believe that a brewpub in the outskirts would be shelling out money to import from far away, but then again, they did go out of business...thoughts?

This has me really curious about worldwide views on homebrewing.

I found this site with breweries of the world. Link

Here is a list in San Jose:

Cabeza Grande
San José
Costa Rica
[Map] [Update]

Cervecería Costa Rica
Calles 12 y 14, Avenidas 4 y 6
San José 10021-1000
Costa Rica
Telephone: +506 5226700
[Contact] [Map] [Update]

I wonder if they would sell some of their supplies if they are still open.

Nice, thanks for looking into that! I hadn't even thought about looking to see if there were any other brewpubs in the country. I looked around, but it seems as though that brewpub has gone down the drain as well. However, beeradvocate has new brewpub in its directory outside San Jose, and its website claims that it will start serving in late August 2008, so I hope they're not out of business yet! I'll definitely be paying them a few visits.

Kauai_Kahuna said:

Just don't make it obvious and believe me, the local police have more important things to do.

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I would go this route, considering what my good friend told me he bought down there for $80, I am sure a little homebrew won't be a big deal...

I am sure a call to your local SAT office could sort this out - In Guatemala it works like this, if I buy strawberries and make liquados and sell them on site or drink them in my house I do not need any paperwork, same with Sugar cane and Cusha, grain and beer, however if I take my fresh liquados and bottle them and sell them to stores to sell to other people then revenue needs to be paid and sanitary permits and stuff need to exist, if you are selling direct then your tax is simply the standard IVA.

Again however its latin america, I ran into a police car drunk and it only cost me 400 dollars (all me an 2 friends had on us) and that included the tow truck to haul my car back to my house.

Best bet for ingredients is to ask around for a frieght consolidator and send your stuff there, that or grab an 8 dollar ticket on Spirit Air and load up your suitcases. I have a guy down in Guatemala that is something like 8 dollar a cube and it takes 3-7 days from Miami to me.

Good luck!