Legal Purchasing Age

[Appler]

Does anyone know if there is an age restriction on buying beer/wine making ingredients?
I wanted to just buy a packet of Montrachet yeast. I figured this would be the same as buying any other yeast at say a grocery store. This is my first time attempt at brewing and I figured the most important step is acquiring the ingredients. I would also love to save myself the embarassment of walking into the store and being turned down at the cash register.

 

[Rynosthe1]

You could always buy it online if you're that worried. I don't think ur Lbhs would toss you out over yeast. The grocery store wouldn't not sell you red star and grape juice...you can still make booze with that.

 

[samc]

As I recall you technically can't participate on this forum if under legal drinking age where you live. FWIW

 

[Appler]

I'm not under legal drinking age where I live.

 

[Cascadegan]

beer making supplies are food supplies, all the ingredients that go into beer could be going into a bread or whatever so legally any age is fine, of course its up to the cashier/owners of the store to decide who they sell to

actually making the beer is illegal if you are underage, although what part of the process is illegal im not really sure (ie does wort become beer when you add yeast? or when the yeast is fermenting?)

when i was underage i had no trouble going to the homebrew shop and buying supplies

 

[DannPM]

I had the great idea to make alcohol when I was 16, right after I got my car. I drove up there, nervous as sh*t, told the clerk that I wanted to make my parents wine for their anniversary. She tried to sell me some other ingredients, I decided to use fruit juice at some.

Fermented in bottles, sealed, old IBC root beer bottles. Needless to say, the 90F temps in my tree fort outside were not suitable to contain that swill I bottled and it exploded all over the place. I've never seen so many ants in my life, it was literally like wallpaper, of living ants. Good memories.

Regardless, you could be 9 and buy yeast at a LHBS.....

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

I'm not under legal drinking age where I live.

Then why would you be turned down...and why did you ask? I call B.S

 

[Appler]

Ok, wow, that's a pretty good story Dan! I'm here for a few weeks from Germany and nobody has ever heard of Ebbelwoi and so I making EdWorts recipe to show some friends. I'll let it ferment until October when I come back. It seems simple enough.

 

[Haputanlas]

It's legal at any age to purchase these ingredients.

Once you've pitched the yeast into the wort, then you start getting into the gray area.

 

[emjay]

Only thing is that store can refuse to sell it to you at their own discretion. And at an LHBS, they know there's really only one reason you'd be buying wine yeast at that particular store.

However, I'd be very surprised if you were turned down like that. It's very unlikely to be a problem.