Charity Brew

[RedGuitar]

So, I bought a bottle of Chimay to drink tonight while watching "It's A Wonderful Life" and was thinking about the claim that money from the sale of their beer goes towards charitable work that the monks do. I have done a lot of mission work over the last few years, and support an orphanage in Santa Cruz, Bolivia where I lived and worked right after college. So now I'm wondering; how can I combine my love of brewing with my love of mission work? I've seen a few articles about a church selling beer as a fund raiser and I'm not too sure how great that would go at my church (half would be in favor, half would be horrified, I think).

Ideas? Thoughts? Suggestions? Recommendations? Links?

 

[Revvy]

Any medium of exchange for homebrew is illegal, even for charity....If you want to do something like that you have to go pro.....

A church can sell LICENSED COMMERCIAL BEER, with certain licences and permits, but not homebrew....

If you wanna go pro...start here.....

 

[azscoob]

I am honestly considering going pro, I have a couple chefs, great menu ideas, beer recipes, and financal backer, I think having a beer that the procedes go to a cause or charity is a fantastic idea, it could be a year round thing.

Thanks for the idea!!

 

[user 51917]

What ive been considering is hooking up with a local military families group and providing my beer and jockey box services free of charge for homecoming parties etc. for returning troops. If no money, or anything of value is exchanged, would that be kosher?

 

[Phunhog]

Yes it is probably illegal but honestly the authorities don't have the time, money, or to be honest willingness to deal with it. They care much more, rightfully so, about underage drinking and DUI. I know of a group of homebrewers who have tasting parties with a suggested donation. All proceeds go to a designated charity. At the last party they raised over 2K!! Look up Bay City Brewers on FB. I have brought beer to church potlucks many times. I guess technically I am in violation of the law since I exchanged my homebrew for some potato salad.

 

[OldWorld]

License, bond, insurance...go for it.

 

[RedGuitar]

Yes it is probably illegal but honestly the authorities don't have the time, money, or to be honest willingness to deal with it. They care much more, rightfully so, about underage drinking and DUI. I know of a group of homebrewers who have tasting parties with a suggested donation. All proceeds go to a designated charity. At the last party they raised over 2K!! Look up Bay City Brewers on FB. I have brought beer to church potlucks many times. I guess technically I am in violation of the law since I exchanged my homebrew for some potato salad.

This is the sort of thing I was thinking. My friend at church and fellow homebrewer hosts a 5K with his wife and the money goes to a charity for wounded soldiers. He's providing 9 1/2 gallons of homebrew for it (was originally 10 gallons). Would it be possible to do a homebrew tasting for charity if the attendees donate and are not charged for the event?

 

[BGates14]

Although I have no idea behind the legalities, our homebrew club just had a thanksgiving food drive. Basically whoever brought food and donated got free samples of homebrew. I think we had 7-9 kegs and a 7 tap jockey box.

 

[Revvy]

This is the sort of thing I was thinking. My friend at church and fellow homebrewer hosts a 5K with his wife and the money goes to a charity for wounded soldiers. He's providing 9 1/2 gallons of homebrew for it (was originally 10 gallons). Would it be possible to do a homebrew tasting for charity if the attendees donate and are not charged for the event?

You're not thinking...I know you don't seem to get it, but if you are going to do ANY type of public event, you have to secure the necessary permits....

there are no loopholes to this. Any form of EXCHANGE for homebrew is considered illegal under the 1978 repeal of the ban on homebrewing, H.R. 1337...unless of course you become licensed to do so, and pay taxes.

That's the bottom line, folks.

Whenever a thread like this, or someone trying to make money off homebrew for whatever reason, charity or otherwise, all these "armchair lawyers," come up with all the ways they think could be "get arounds" the law. Sorry kids, you can hypothesize all you want, but do you notice ever any actually attorneys with knowledge of the law ever coming up with some of this stuff? No.

Whether we agree with the laws or not. You can't loophole your way through this. The laws are pretty specific in regards to homebrewing- any medium of exchange, be it money or barter involving homebrew is illegal. EVEN FOR A CHARITY.

Remember homebrewing wasn't re-legalized after the Volstead act was repealed in 1933, it wasn't legalized until 1978, and it took a lot of work in those 45 years to get it to happen....and despite it's federal legalization, it is STILL on a State by State basis.

It was legalized in Utah JUST a couple of years ago.

Do a little reading on the history of prohibition and the legalizing of homebrewing, and maybe you'll quit the idiotic hypothisizing about trying to get around the law, and realize what a fine razors edge this hobby sits on to many folks.

Read this for some enlightenment...It was one of our members trying to do a non-profit event, https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f19/ohio-university-homebrew-festival-shut-down-140105/

This thread has all of the links covering the bill that legalized Homebrewing...it is a good resource and a very good read.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/history-home-brewing-legalization-u-s-seeking-info-194974/

If you want to do this, contact the local liquor control commission, find out the laws, and follow the legal process and do it. Get all the insurance and permits required if it is even legal to do.....You're dealing with liability and tax issues....

The argument as to whether or not the cops will or will not enforce it is kinda moot, because it WAS enforced in the Ohio University incident....

 

[davefleck]

Many non profits do an auction. Donate a couple brewing sessions. Set up a tasting so winners can pick a style to make, you buy ingredients, teach them on brew day and they pitch the yeast

 

[tv187u]

We have a great brewery that sends proceeds from beers sold (you do have to send them your caps, but that issue to UT laws) to charities. Their brew Chasing Tail PA goes to No More Homeless Pets. I think they have a few others not sure.

 

[Revvy]

Many non profits do an auction. Donate a couple brewing sessions. Set up a tasting so winners can pick a style to make, you buy ingredients, teach them on brew day and they pitch the yeast

That's a cool idea. Probably as long as the winner pitched his own yeast that would be safe legally.

 

[tv187u]

Sorry, I hit send before I was done.

What I am getting at is that it's an awesome idea. But their is only the legal way. A charity wouldn't be able to take funds from such an event without it being legal.

Good luck on this epic adventure.

 

[bottlebomber]

Our homebrew contributed to a charity for our local Humane Society which was about to go under. You can't sell the beer, but we were able to get a one day permit to sell tickets to a charity event in which beer was poured for free. It was a great success and will probably happen again.

 

[Mongrel]

I have done a lot of mission work over the last few years, and support an orphanage in Santa Cruz, Bolivia where I lived and worked right after college.

Very cool. Which one? My aunt has been in Santa Cruz since she moved there in '84 and does a lot of work with an orphanage there. I spent 11 years in La Paz, and would love to get back to Bolivia at some point.

 

[Mongrel]

Any medium of exchange for homebrew is illegal, even for charity....If you want to do something like that you have to go pro.....

A church can sell LICENSED COMMERCIAL BEER, with certain licences and permits, but not homebrew....

If you wanna go pro...start here.....

The OLCC came to one of our recent club meetings, and the charity thing came up. We wouldn't be able to charge by the pint, but the charity could have a cover charge at the door, and we would be able to give away our homebrew to anyone of legal age at the event.

 

[Phunhog]

You're not thinking...I know you don't seem to get it, but if you are going to do ANY type of public event, you have to secure the necessary permits....

there are no loopholes to this. Any form of EXCHANGE for homebrew is considered illegal under the 1978 repeal of the ban on homebrewing, H.R. 1337...unless of course you become licensed to do so, and pay taxes.

That's the bottom line, folks.

Whenever a thread like this, or someone trying to make money off homebrew for whatever reason, charity or otherwise, all these "armchair lawyers," come up with all the ways they think could be "get arounds" the law. Sorry kids, you can hypothesize all you want, but do you notice ever any actually attorneys with knowledge of the law ever coming up with some of this stuff? No.

Whether we agree with the laws or not. You can't loophole your way through this. The laws are pretty specific in regards to homebrewing- any medium of exchange, be it money or barter involving homebrew is illegal. EVEN FOR A CHARITY.

Remember homebrewing wasn't re-legalized after the Volstead act was repealed in 1933, it wasn't legalized until 1978, and it took a lot of work in those 45 years to get it to happen....and despite it's federal legalization, it is STILL on a State by State basis.

It was legalized in Utah JUST a couple of years ago.

Do a little reading on the history of prohibition and the legalizing of homebrewing, and maybe you'll quit the idiotic hypothisizing about trying to get around the law, and realize what a fine razors edge this hobby sits on to many folks.

Read this for some enlightenment...It was one of our members trying to do a non-profit event, https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f19/ohio-university-homebrew-festival-shut-down-140105/

This thread has all of the links covering the bill that legalized Homebrewing...it is a good resource and a very good read.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/history-home-brewing-legalization-u-s-seeking-info-194974/

If you want to do this, contact the local liquor control commission, find out the laws, and follow the legal process and do it. Get all the insurance and permits required if it is even legal to do.....You're dealing with liability and tax issues....

The argument as to whether or not the cops will or will not enforce it is kinda moot, because it WAS enforced in the Ohio University incident....

With all due respect I have to laugh a little if the "enforcement" of homebrewing laws amounts to one incident where they confiscated the beer and kegs for six months. The article certainly doesn't make mention of any fines, jail time, or even community service for breaking the law. Is that the worse that is going to happen? I have searched and searched and other than the OSU case I can't find any other case ANYWHERE where a homebrewer was fined/cited/arrested for selling/trading/bartering/donating homebrew. Now I am NOT saying it is OK to do this but what I am saying is don't use the "boogeyman" to scare people needlessly.

 

[Revvy]

With all due respect I have to laugh a little if the "enforcement" of homebrewing laws amounts to one incident where they confiscated the beer and kegs for six months. The article certainly doesn't make mention of any fines, jail time, or even community service for breaking the law. Is that the worse that is going to happen? I have searched and searched and other than the OSU case I can't find any other case ANYWHERE where a homebrewer was fined/cited/arrested for selling/trading/bartering/donating homebrew. Now I am NOT saying it is OK to do this but what I am saying is don't use the "boogeyman" to scare people needlessly.

Well, how would YOU like to be the one who's event get's raided? How would you have felt if you were the kids putting THAT event on and the cops and the press showed up? The event was ruined, beer was poured out, gear was comlicated.

With all due respect wouldn't you even feel slightly embarrassed that you, out of the goodness of your heart a putting on an event and suddenly the cops showed up...and not only YOU but the charity is humiliated and given negative publicity, all because YOU never bothered to make a few phone calls and get all the necessaary permits and permissions??

With all due respect, if I were trying to do something, and knowing that there are some legal hurdles I would make sure my event didn't end up raided, but maybe I care about stuff like that.

As Mongrel has stated, and evidently bottlebomber did, they made sure they understood the legalities of doing something before it got off the ground. That's all I was suggesting.

You may think the cops wouldn't bother, but evidently in at least ONE case they did bother.....would you want to be the next one?????

Or are you one of those that subscribes to "it can't happen to me syndrome?" I sure don't like to play Russian Roulette like that where other people, especially charities are concerned. If I'm going to put time and effort into an event for charity, I'm going to make sure I don't let them down. And having my event raided would definitely be letting them down...especially if I could avoid that by simply making some calls to my area's liquor control commission.

With all due respect, as someone who has run charities and non-profits, most of us frown on doing illegal things to raise money...and whether it would be enforced or not, selling homebrew IS illegal....

 

[RedGuitar]

Wow, I had no idea this was going to be such a hot button issue. But I understand the concerns about the legality of it all, and am in no way trying to bend the rules or jump any loopholes. Just wondering what ideas are out there, what has been done, what has failed miserably, etc.

I'm planning on participating in Lonerider Brewing's Brew It Forward this Spring. This is a homebrew contest where the winner's beer is brewed by Lonerider and profits are split between the winner and charities. Do other breweries do anything similar to this?

 

[Airborneguy]

Contact your local authorities to get their opinion on the matter. They are the only ones who would ever have a hand in the enforcement of your event, so they would be the best resource.

We just held a large beer/food event, with a 25 person homebrewer section where tickets were sold to all attendees but no money was exchanged per beer. At least 200 gallons of homebrew were poured that day. Directly across the street from the venue is an NYPD precinct, and cops were assigned to a detail because of the expected crowd. My friend, the homebrew section organizer, was obviously busy so I poured his beers, and I'm an NYPD cop .

Revvy is correct, it is "illegal", and usually I stand 100% with him on this, but I can vouch that certain localities will allow homebrew events to sell entrance tickets and the Feds will NEVER conduct enforcement in a case like yours, so that's a non-issue. It is up to the locality whether to allow this sort of event because the Feds have made no criminal laws against it. In NY, homebrewing is legal "by omission", ie, we don't have a law regarding homebrewing at all. Because of this, events are fairly easy to set up and there's no legal issues involved as long as the normal alcohol-related rules are followed.

Check with your local authorities. More than likely, they will hear the word charity and immediately clear you to set something up.

 

[Revvy]

Check with your local authorities. More than likely, they will hear there word charity and immediately clear you to set something up.

That's all I was trying to get at....check with the locals and get it legal.

 

[usfmikeb]

Many non profits do an auction. Donate a couple brewing sessions. Set up a tasting so winners can pick a style to make, you buy ingredients, teach them on brew day and they pitch the yeast

That's a really good idea, I might do something like that around here.

 

[Revvy]

That's a really good idea, I might do something like that around here.

Another cool thing that one could donate, that would be legal is if you hosted a beer tasting party/or beer and food tasting class. Either Homebrew or Craft Beers. Maybe for a dozen people. So someone would host a party and you'd come in and do a tasting of several beers, with you explaining things.

 

[Phunhog]

I poured my homebrew at a "real" beer festival a few months ago. I talked about the experience here...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/pinnacle-my-homebrewing-experience-269499/ People paid 40 dollars a ticket to taste beers including mine as well as my homebrew club's. Money was exchanged between the event organizers and the festival attendees. It was a benefit for two charities. Since then I have been asked to pour at two more smaller charity beer festivals that some other homebrewers pour at. I know the authorities are there watching what is going on and they seem to be fine with it.

 

[RedGuitar]

Here's the idea I had while in the deer stand this morning: what about a homebrew contest, but instead of a panel of judges the winners could be voted on by the attendees. Votes are done by ticket; you put your tickets into a jar for whoever you want to win. Tickets are $1 a piece, so you can buy as many votes as you want.

This is just a thought and no way a plan of anything I'm currently involved in. Thoughts?

 

[Phunhog]

I think that could work depending on your local laws. In CA it says that homebrew can only be removed for "tastings, competitions, and exhibitions". It doesn't say what constitutes a "competition" and it seems to be left rather open ended. That is one of the reasons why I was able to pour my homebrew at a beer festival....there was a competition element thus it met the letter of the law. I won the "People's Choice" award. I like your idea, assuming it's legal.