Label Requirement Questions

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nicobrews

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Good afternoon guys and gals!

My questions is simple: Are there any legal requirements for a homebrewer to add to his or her beer label if they're not selling it? I'm finishing up my labels but it crossed my mind that I may get in trouble. I plan on legitamately passing my beer out to all of my friends but I don't want to leave something out such as the government warning or have my font too small, etc and somehow be legally responsible for something stupid.

I'll have the essentials such as ingredients, ABV, SRM, etc but please let me know if there's anything I legally NEED on my label.

Thanks guys/gals! Cheers!
 
Good afternoon guys and gals!

My questions is simple: Are there any legal requirements for a homebrewer to add to his or her beer label if they're not selling it? I'm finishing up my labels but it crossed my mind that I may get in trouble. I plan on legitamately passing my beer out to all of my friends but I don't want to leave something out such as the government warning or have my font too small, etc and somehow be legally responsible for something stupid.

I'll have the essentials such as ingredients, ABV, SRM, etc but please let me know if there's anything I legally NEED on my label.

Thanks guys/gals! Cheers!

I would be shocked if there was any legal requirements for a free gift that you made yourself. It's the brewers personal touch to a grassroots socially free traded consumable. I mean I'm only getting 23 - 25 twenty two oz. bottles out of a 5 gallon brew, and giving away less than that. It's not like you are blanketing a part of your state with thousands of bottles.

Are you ? ;)
 
Probably no requirements for labeling home brew. Check your state laws though to see if your home brew can be consumed in any place other than your house. Some states restrict consumption of home brew to the place they were brewed in. Sometimes there are exceptions for charity events and competitions.
 
Good afternoon guys and gals!

My questions is simple: Are there any legal requirements for a homebrewer to add to his or her beer label if they're not selling it? I'm finishing up my labels but it crossed my mind that I may get in trouble. I plan on legitamately passing my beer out to all of my friends but I don't want to leave something out such as the government warning or have my font too small, etc and somehow be legally responsible for something stupid.

I'll have the essentials such as ingredients, ABV, SRM, etc but please let me know if there's anything I legally NEED on my label.

Thanks guys/gals! Cheers!

In the US there is no requirement for homebrewers to label their product at all, so no label requirements. It is ILLEGAL for homebrewers to sell their products though, so if you're in the USA, don't try to sell your homebrew.
Regards, GF.
 
I have no idea about bringing homebrew across international borders. You should be able to find out if you can find the right agency to ask. Once in the states there is no regulation that says it needs any label.

If you bring a few bottles to a case or so there probably wouldn't be a question. 10-20 gallons might arouse suspicion.
 
nicobrew,

As a couple others having already mentioned, as long as night 'trying to sell at a profit' there should be no legal requirements. Also ,of course it is ILLEGAL to try and sell beer in any state without a license.

Something worth thinking VERY much on is who you give your brews to , to 'taste test' . Even people/friends you consider are close friends. Know a few couples here that each are VERY protective of their spouses and are these types 'that get sick on something they eat at a resturant' about every time they stop to eat while traveling on the road.These are the same people that if they get sick within the next three months after consuming one of your beers ,it'll be your FREE beer that made them sick.

Kinda got off topic, but is something worth thinking about for certain.
 
I have seen where people gt messages from companies for taking there trade marked names. Legally u cant gt in trouble so long as you dont try to profit from it. But i dont recommend going around giving out beer with corona or shock top on the label lol.
 
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