100 Gallons!??!

[jjasghar]

Ok when i first started that seemed like a lot.

Now i'm officially about to hit 50, 45 to be exact and well that's seems to close for comfort.

My question is, the law says 100, i'm a 24 year old batchlor, i got a girl but she doesnt live with me...

Will the feds come after me if i break that 100 mark?!?! What to do as an aspiring brewer!!!!

btw, had my first afpelwein tonight...i think i'm buzzed.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

The first step to not getting caught is to stop putting information like that on the internet...

Seriously, though...no one is out to actively enforce that law. If you were brewing well above and beyond 100 gallons per year, you'd probably be selling/distributing it...and that's what can get you in trouble.

 

[Fingers]

Can we suppose that you've disposed of the evidence of the earlier batches in some fashion?

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

We're already at 60 gallons and it's only May....

I doubt anyone will come knocking on your door as the 105th gallon hits the mash/pot/fermenter...
Unless
1. Every cop and federal agent knows that 100 is the legal limit
2. You tell them that you've gone past 100
3. they find some kind of evidence to support the idea you've brewed 100 gallons

If you're worried about it have your girlfriend move in, then the legal limit moves up to 200 gallons

 

[kb9vzh]

I think you will be fine. The only way they will know if you have brewed over 100 gallons, is if you have 101 gallons stored at your house. I don't know anyone that has this much. If you do have this much, you need to have one he?? of a party. I have never heard of anyone being raided by ATF for brewing too much.

 

[Fingers]

If you're worried about it have your girlfriend move in, then the legal limit moves up to 200 gallons

And your girlfriend gets prettier too!:rockin:

 

[dibby33]

100 of your US gallons is 666 UK pints. Thats funny!

 

[BarleyWater]

I am at 50 and bumping up to the 60 gallon mark within the next two weeks.

Good thing I have disposed of all the evidence

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

I am at 50 and bumping up to the 60 gallon mark within the next two weeks.

Good thing I have disposed of all the evidence

Hmm it's interesting you say that, you got me to thinking how much we have bottled and conditioning now compared to how much we have brewing... Right now, out of the 60 gallons we've brewed, we have 20 gallons bottled and 15 clearing/fermenting.... Damn we need to up it so we can reach our 200 limit... lol...

 

[pfranco81]

Well to actually answer your question, I believe that the 100 gallon mark was set so that you can homebrew for your own consumption without paying taxes. It works out to 3 beers a night every night of the year. As long as you aren't selling your beer, I dont think the ATF cares whether you're brewing a million gallons or not.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

Unless you have some sort of moral problem with it, just make sure you never have more than 100 gals at one time and you will be fine. You'd probably be fine if you had more than 100 gals, as long as you weren't selling it.

 

[DraconianHand]

The ATF no longer cares how much beer you brew, unless your name is Osama Bin Laden.

Taken from the ATF Mission Statement:

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is a principal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice dedicated to preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime, and protecting our Nation.

Now, the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau...acronym seems to be missing some letters) might care:

As of the 1/1/03 the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), is responsible for all inquiries in regards to regulating the alcohol and tobacco industries and Special Occupational Tax and for the collection of Firearms and Ammunition Excise Taxes imposed on manufacturers and importers of these products.

 

[Yooper]

I have no idea how much beer/wine I've made this year- I'd have to go back through my notes and try to guess. Sometimes I brew every other week so that's only 10-15 gallons some months. I have three wines (soon to be 4 or 5) in secondary and almost always beer in primary and secondary. I would still bet that I'm way under 200 gallons per year and I drink a LOT of beer. I guess I never thought about it before- I don't sell it and I share some of it with friends. But most of it is still consumed by me and my beer loving spouse. If the ATF comes after me, I'll let you guys know!

 

[Melana]

I agree, just don't try to sell it.

 

[homebrewer_99]

In your case I wouldn't save more than 100 gals at a time...

 

[Todd]

100 of your US gallons is 666 UK pints. Thats funny!

That's because alcohol is the Devil!..

 

[Catfish]

Would they make you drink all 100 gallons in one sitting to teach you a lesson?

 

[pfranco81]

Would they make you drink all 100 gallons in one sitting to teach you a lesson?

God I hope so!

 

[kenmc]

Why don't you bottle some in bottles with the commercial labels still on - then you can just say "I bought all that in a shop"

 

[homebrewer_99]

Why don't you bottle some in bottles with the commercial labels still on - then you can just say "I bought all that in a shop"

Good idea, but the caps would give you away...

 

[jjasghar]

Awesome, thanks guys! I was really paranoid for some odd reason last night.

What about this though, say some one purchases the supplies for you to brew, but doesnt have the equipment, does that count against your brewing? ....and would that technically be selling your brew?
It's a very gray area from what i can tell.

 

[rmullins]

As long as you are not profiting you are not selling your brew.

 

[EdWort]

Lucky for me, I'm married and don't have 40 cornie kegs laying around, 20 maybe. My goal is to fill my big chest freezer (65 gallon capacity), beer fridge (30 gallon) and kegerator (15 gallon) at one time for a total of 110 gallons, then take a long break from brewing and have a few parties.

I wonder how long a keg of brew will keep if kept at 39 degrees?

 

[joshpooh]

Everyone says how will they know unless you have more than 100 gallons in your house at one time, but most of us as brewers keep good enough notes that if we were breaking the law and they really wanted to get us and found the notes they could prove it. Not that I ever see this happening, but its something to think about.

 

[Whelk]

Everyone says how will they know unless you have more than 100 gallons in your house at one time, but most of us as brewers keep good enough notes that if we were breaking the law and they really wanted to get us and found the notes they could prove it. Not that I ever see this happening, but its something to think about.

Yeah, to be honest, they probably could bust you. But seriously, they have much more serious stuff to worry about. I somehow doubt the ATF is going to kick down your door, slap your wife, and arrest you if you have a few extra gallons of IPA sitting around. Unless it's really bad IPA, then I could understand it...

 

[the_bird]

The only way I could see anyone getting in serious trouble is if someone narced on them - you piss off a neighbor, or an ex-wife, or something like that. Even so, it seems like they would have such a hard time proving anything (hell, you could have brewed most of your stash in previous years) that no one's going to bother you. I suspect that the law is written in such a way to give the authorities one more avenue to prosecute individuals whom they suspect of producing brew for sale, but where the actual exchange of money is difficult to prove. 200 gallons is just where they drew the line between quantities that are for personal consumption and when it is likely a commerical operation.

I would, however, advice AGAINST having a two-hundred gallon setup sitting in your driveway, just to err on the side of caution.

 

[Fingers]

Yeah, those drug war guys are so gentle, caring and understanding, I can't seem them throwing people into jail for possessing a small bit of intoxicant solely for personal use. After all, in a free country, who can tell you what you can and can not ingest? As long as you're not harming anyone else, it's your body right?

 

[BierMuncher]

I won't get in trouble for brewing over 200 gallons this year, but if they find out how much of that I'm drinking, I'll be committed.

 

[pfranco81]

Yeah, those drug war guys are so gentle, caring and understanding, I can't seem them throwing people into jail for possessing a small bit of intoxicant solely for personal use. After all, in a free country, who can tell you what you can and can not ingest? As long as you're not harming anyone else, it's your body right?

right...... as long as it's not pot. That stuff makes your kids do heroin and see dancing bannas and what not!


:fro:

 

[david_42]

I've got 15 cornies, but they'll never find my house!

[five empties, I need to do some brewing]

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

I won't get in trouble for brewing over 200 gallons this year, but if they find out how much of that I'm drinking, I'll be committed.

If you keep brewing like you've got you signature you're only 4 more brews till i call the ATF, BierMuncher i think you have a problem... I'm worried about you, i heard you calling out beer names in your sleep last night, and you... you... you don't look at me anymore....

Sorry i meant 14 more brew sessions....

 

[olllllo]

Most of us will run afoul of this law (or something like it coming soon to your state).

http://blog.wired.com/music/2007/05/used_cd_sales_l.html

In Florida, the new legislation requires all stores buying second-hand merchandise for resale to apply for a permit and file security in the form of a $10,000 bond with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In addition, stores would be required to thumb-print customers selling used CDs, and acquire a copy of state-issued identity documents such as a driver's license. Furthermore, stores could issue only store credit -- not cash -- in exchange for traded CDs, and would be required to hold discs for 30 days before reselling them.

 

[olllllo]

Oh... back on target.

No way you would ever get clipped for this...
There'd be 1000's of friend of the court briefs.
Unless they surveiled you for a year, they would have no way of knowing who's beer it was. I'm sure that you could claim that each member here sent you a bottle.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

You think they are actually going to waste their time hunting homebrewers that have violated the 100g mark? They're more concerned about the meth lab in your basement than the beer.

 

[dantodd]

yeah, this is WAY down on my list of life concerns.....

However; I will admit that I wonder sometimes if Jamil or someone like him entering tons of contests every year will get popped.

 

[EdWort]

Yeah, once you have 100 gallons in bottles, just start labeling thing Barley Wine. You can make 100 gallons of wine too!

 

[Monster Mash]

I have a 25 gallon system which means I can only brew 8 months out of the year if I brewed full batches every time. It actually works out because I only have the time to brew once a month and during the holidays I don't have any time.

Most of my neighbors are cops and they all have asked if what I was doing was legal, most cops don't know the laws of homebrewing.

 

[kenmc]

Good idea, but the caps would give you away...

Well what do you think are the chances of each and every bottle popping it's top on the way from the store and needing to be recapped.... maybe you should buy a lottery ticket too!

 

[Yuri_Rage]

If you have a big house, start calling it a duplex, and have some imaginary tenants that live in "the other half." You're up to 400 gallons/year!

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

If you have a big house, start calling it a duplex, and have some imaginary tenants that live in "the other half." You're up to 400 gallons/year!

Better yet if you're really devoted, buy an apartment building.... Store 100-200 gallons in each of the apartments, they are technically different residences.