How legal is underage homebrew?

[schneemann]

If I knew then what I know now...

I'd have played a lot less "Hey Mister" in my teenage years!

 

[DD2000GT]

When I was 18 back in 1983, it was legal to brew alcohol at 18 IF you did it in your own home and IF you only consumed it there. This is why me and my room mate built a still in our kitchen. That first batch was horrible to drink, but you could light it on fire - it was powerful strong and did the job.

Not sure of the laws now, might want to just check up on it.

 

[TexLaw]

It's purely a matter of state law, and it should not be to difficult to find. Most states have "alcholic beverage code" or something along those lines. You may have to do some digging, but you can find it, and probably find it online.

Do not just trust what you hear, though, no matter who you hear it from. If there is one constant in the universe, it's that people believe a lot of things about alcohol laws that are not true. Go read the law for yourself.


TL

 

[Punx Clever]

I was brewing before 21... and got banned from the forums because of it!

So, i don't know about legality in Colorado... but definitely illegal here.

 

[Slappy White]

you can get banned for not being 21?

 

[BrewBrain]

you can get banned for not being 21?

I believe it's HBT rule #1 - you must be of legal drinking age in your location to participate. Or something like that.

edit: Here's the actual rule

 

[JoePerri]

It's sad that Uncle Sam was fine with sending you to war, but beer? That's unacceptable! You're too young!

As usual, the government astounds me.

It is a little more complex than that. Federal law mandates that the minimum drinking age on base may be the same as that of the State/Country in which it is located. There is a "50 mile" rule that allows installation commanders to lower the age to that of a nearby country so long as it is within 50 miles. This used to mean if your base was near Mexico or Canada (Pendleton for example) you could drink at 18. The rule still exists but has been countered by directives from the Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Army & Secretary of the Air Force. The Marine Corps, being a hard fighting, hard drinking institution, does it a bit differently. The Commandant of the Marine Corps has issued several standing orders that lower the drinking age to 18 in foreign ports so long as local law allows it and allows 18+ drinking on base in the states for special occasions such as the Marine Corps birthday, the Commandant's Ball or your unit returning from deployment. There is a serious movement to lower the drinking age back down to 18 on base only for all branches. It looks like it will probably happen as there is significant public support for it and research that show that it lowers binge drinking and drunk driving.

 

[dyetube]

I remember that here in Texas as long as you were in your own house WITH your parents and they servered you alcohol, that was o.k... Your parents were the only ones who could server you alcohol, though. But then again I could be wrong.

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

When I was 18 back in 1983, it was legal to brew alcohol at 18 IF you did it in your own home and IF you only consumed it there.

When I was 18 in '83 it was legal for me to buy it. At least in Kansas or Oklahoma. If I recall, there may have been a period before I turned 21 when I couldn't buy it as the law had changed. I was young, poor and raising a family then so I couldn't have afforded it no matter what the legal age was.

I remember watching a show on The History Channel, during prohibition companies that once made malted barley started selling malt extract. Also according to that show, there where instructions that said "don't boil this extract with hops and don't add yeast to it".

 

[Anbrew]

When I was 18 in '83 it was legal for me to buy it. At least in Kansas or Oklahoma. If I recall, there may have been a period before I turned 21 when I couldn't buy it as the law had changed. I was young, poor and raising a family then so I couldn't have afforded it no matter what the legal age was.

I remember watching a show on The History Channel, during prohibition companies that once made malted barley started selling malt extract. Also according to that show, there where instructions that said "don't boil this extract with hops and don't add yeast to it".

Hahaha, that's hilarious! Whatever you do, do NOT then allow this unholy mixture to sit at a stable temperature for 7 to 10 days.

 

[Saccharomyces]

I remember watching a show on The History Channel, during prohibition companies that once made malted barley started selling malt extract. Also according to that show, there where instructions that said "don't boil this extract with hops and don't add yeast to it".

Hmmm.. wonder if it read something like

"Don't add xyz hops and boil for 60 minutes, then don't add more hops after boiling 45 minutes ... and certainly don't add saccharomyces cerevesiae and wait 10 days" just to make sure everybody knew the recipe.

 

[JoePerri]

I have a really old homebrew recipe around here somewhere. I'll have to dig it out and scan it in. I don't know how old it is but it reads something like that.

Joe

 

[yashicamat]

I find it quite interesting reading this thread. In the UK, the age for buying alcohol in a bar/pub is 18 years (much like the US of the past), but in the private home a child may consume alcohol from the age of five!!! I'm not sure where the line should be drawn . . . I myself was drinking real ale from an age way before 18 and to be honest, if I hadn't, there's every possibility that I would never have become an enthusiast like I have. By allowing me to drink in private instead of a strict cut-off at which point I am allowed to drink in public, maybe I have been "weaned" onto ale before the chance to become a "lager lout" with many of my kin?

A slightly off-topic thought, but I thought I'd share it.

 

[Kungpaodog]

Yashicamat: I think it's a good idea to expose kids to alcohol early. If I ever screw up and have kids of my own, I plan on introducing them to alcohol early to remove some of the mystery and "I wanna drink cuz it's rebelious" aspect from booze. Of the friends I have that were raised this way, they are by far the most responsible drinkers I know and they are also more likely to have a delicious drink for flavor rather than a lot of cheap crap for effect. Apparently you learned to appreciate a good brew early!

As for the prohibition recipes, it seems that a few extra ingredients could make them far better, but if you want a cheap beer it sounds like a good way to make one. Then you can drink a little bit of history.

 

[ifishsum]

I truly believe that exposing my kids to responsible adult drinking gives them a better perspective than hiding it from them or telling them not to do it at all. Our alcohol restrictions here in the US practically ensure that most 21 year olds are going to go out and drink themselves silly as soon as they legally can, and makes them want to sneak alcohol while underage.

 

[schneemann]

Its an interesting principle: teach kids responsibility early rather than out-and-out prohibiting them.

There are exceptions to every rule though. I had a really good friend who's parents used to let him drink. They used to buy kegs of beer for our parties and everything. That friend ended up being a junkie.

 

[bottle-o-jeff]

Its an interesting principle: teach kids responsibility early rather than out-and-out prohibiting them.

There are exceptions to every rule though. I had a really good friend who's parents used to let him drink. They used to buy kegs of beer for our parties and everything. That friend ended up being a junkie.

I think the problem there wasn't so much that they let him drink early, but that they encouraged the binge drinking (buying kegs) early.

 

[ifishsum]

There are exceptions to every rule though. I had a really good friend who's parents used to let him drink. They used to buy kegs of beer for our parties and everything. That friend ended up being a junkie.

In my mind that's not an exception...it's demonstrating and encouraging irresponsible drinking. I don't have a problem giving my kids a beer occasionally (usually while we're camping or fishing), and at home I drink beer often but not in large quantities. My oldest (19) will turn down a beer if he has to drive anywhere, when I was 19 I would have drank any offered alcohol on the spot. My parents were teetotalers, and I partied pretty hard when I had the chance. It took me a few years to learn any moderation at all.

 

[Shonuff]

When I was living in Oregon my friend and I were 19 and went to the LHBS a few times a week to get supplies. One time we walked in and the owner said "Hey, how old are you guys?" We gasped and my friend said "When did you start carding to by ingrediants?" he laughed and said "No, I just kegged a batch and wanted to see what you guys thought."

We brewed a lot of beer before we ever turned 21.

 

[jtbarclay]

As a 20 year old... I know that the laws in Minnesota are very vague relating to minors. They say that it's alright for our parents to buy us alcohol with the intention for us to consume it in their household. Therefore, if you get pulled over with alcohol in your car, it is assumed that you intended to consume it somewhere other than your parents household, blah blah blah, etc. So it's not illegal for me to possess it, but if I get caught then the assumption comes into play. There is nothing related to brewing at the state level, does anyone know if there are any federal laws about this?

I blame any speeling errors on my cider that I'm drinking

 

[Kungpaodog]

I don't know the federal law, but I would bet that if you attracted the attention of a federal officer you would be screwed. And federal law does supercede state law, so technically: no booze for you. As for how the local law enforcement enforces it is anyone's guess, but keep a low profile for the next year, will ya?

 

[GunnerMan]

Yeah, here in New Mexico the latest law I found which was the case for most states was that it is legal to consume alcohol on private property, with parental concent, with parental supervision, or for religious activities. It is however a felony to purchase alcohol for a minor and every once in a while you see parents busted for hosting underage parties.
I wrote the office of the governor last year for clarification on the law, the office said they were glad to hear from me concerning drinking laws and they would get back to me with answeres...last I ever heard from them. Here in new mexico we have serious dwi problems and our governor has big issues with drinking so I think I got no responce because he, like many other states, do not want the real letter of the law to get out, they just want everyone to assume 21 means 21.

With that said I think as NM law stands parents can serve alcohol to their child under their supervision, not sure where the "parental concent" stands though. Also no cop is going to haul anyone off because they gave their kid a beer, if they did the judge would dismiss it.

If alcohol wasint such a "ooo ahhhh" think like the 21 age limit has made it that would reduce DWI etc, look at europe. Teach responsible drinking from early on.

 

[crazyboy]

I am 15 I don't know why my profile says I'm a twenty something woman but I'm not. It started when we had a lot of plums my mom wanted to get rid of the plums so we made wine. Then I had an empty fermenter so we made beer. I get the recipes and pay for half the ingredients but if a cop asks I don't brew it my mom does.

The people at my LHBS don't care at all and they are fully aware of what goes on.

 

[dontman]

In my mind that's not an exception...it's demonstrating and encouraging irresponsible drinking. I don't have a problem giving my kids a beer occasionally (usually while we're camping or fishing), and at home I drink beer often but not in large quantities. My oldest (19) will turn down a beer if he has to drive anywhere, when I was 19 I would have drank any offered alcohol on the spot. My parents were teetotalers, and I partied pretty hard when I had the chance. It took me a few years to learn any moderation at all.

From the time I turned 17 my father kept our garage fridge stocked with Heineken for me whenever I wanted a beer. I drank about a six per week. Plus I would take a six with me to the weekend party. Alcohol had no mystique for me and did not seem at all taboo. When I went off to college my consumption actually fell off because I was always the designated driver and my idiot friends were constantly binge drinking. Seeing them out of control and throwing up on the sidewalks actually made me an advocate for increasing the age limit. It just seemed that most kids that young could not handle the responsibility.

Then I spent a lot of time in Europe with kids who had been drinking from very early on and none of them were binge drinking and embarrassing themselves in public. That became the 'aha' moment and I understood that the responsible exposure to alcohol early on demystifies it and encourages responsible drinking later in life.

 

[Yooper]

The fact is that if you are in the US, it is illegal for anyone under 21 to possess or consume alcohol. So, if you are under 21, and in the US, come back when you are over 21. No minors are allowed on the forum.