Obama is a homebrewer

[govner1]

The most important issue that has been overlooked in this discussion is that IF the Whitehouse staff is on the clock while brewing then they are in fact violating current statutes since it is illegal to pay anyone to brew your beer.
Also, I wonder if they are exceeding the 250 gallons per household limit on the amount brewed??

 

[Phunhog]

The most important issue that has been overlooked in this discussion is that IF the Whitehouse staff is on the clock while brewing then they are in fact violating current statutes since it is illegal to pay anyone to brew your beer.
Also, I wonder if they are exceeding the 250 gallons per household limit on the amount brewed??

Exactly!! It shows that really no one pays attention, from a legal standpoint, to homebrewing laws.
IMO the way to change homebrewing laws is to cautiously push the limits. If you wait for legislation it will never happen. Most of our laws/legislation are reactionary meaning they are made to address a current problem/issue. It seems like lately most homebrewing laws have become more permissive rather than strict, with the notable exception of Alabama. What would happen if homebrewers from around the country started serving their beers at beer festivals as a start?

 

[befus]

If Obama is a fan, then it would cause me pause and make me want to quit.........think I'll forget I read this thread.

 

[Schmutzie]

If Obama is a fan, then it would cause me pause and make me want to quit.........think I'll forget I read this thread.

Exactly what is wrong with this country today...

 

[Wolfhound180]

Exactly what is wrong with this country today...

Exactly. Nobody hate. Unless you are hating the majority. And make sure to be pc about it as well. Unless it is against the majority.

 

[Schmutzie]

Hate is fine - I don't care who hates who. But to question what you enjoy doing because someone you don't like enjoys it too is f'ing stupid!

"I like X, but if Wolfhound180 likes X, then I must hate X!"

PC/majority has nothing to do with it (and neither does politics)... have a brain of your own.

 

[Wolfhound180]

Hate is fine - I don't care who hates who. But to question what you enjoy doing because someone you don't like enjoys it too is f'ing stupid!

"I like X, but if Wolfhound180 likes X, then I must hate X!"

PC/majority has nothing to do with it (and neither does politics)... have a brain of your own.

Haha good one. I do and that's why I always vote against big government. But that's beside the point.

I agree with you that if I enjoy something, I'm not changing it because some ******* that I loath enjoys it as well. It is what it is.

But having an opinion is not what is wrong with this country. Having a choice is a great thing.

 

[CBXBob]

Please keep your f**ing politic's out of my beer forum! Thank You!

 

[Jayhem]

Exactly. Nobody hate. Unless you are hating the majority. And make sure to be pc about it as well. Unless it is against the majority.

Please keep your f**ing politic's out of my beer forum! Thank You!

Thread title "Obama and Homebrewing".

Let's go for a ride in my car but don't sit on the seats!

 

[Slipgate]

Or....it brings to light a growing market for a hobby that can one day be taxed to death...just like everything else. I'm all for keeping government out of our hobby...they already have the ABC industry by the balls.

+1,000,000 This is the ONLY outcome that could ever come out of the POTUS furthering the hobby. I'd rather it get no mention at all.

 

[aubiecat]

+1,000,000 This is the ONLY outcome that could ever come out of the POTUS furthering the hobby. I'd rather it get no mention at all.

Homebrewing legislation isn't perfect but the best way to destroy the hobby is for government to get involved in any way shape or form, other than pass legalization laws.
Politicians and bureaucrats have an innate desire to try and fix something that isn't broken. History has proven over and over and over that any government involvement in ANYTHING is a huge disaster.
I don't want Democrat or Republican or liberal or conservative hand prints on anything to do with homebrewing. I just want to able to do this and bet left the hell alone.
In the words of the Beatles "Let it be".

 

[Jayhem]

Homebrewing legislation isn't perfect but the best way to destroy the hobby is for government to get involved in any way shape or form, other than pass legalization laws.
Politicians and bureaucrats have an innate desire to try and fix something that isn't broken. History has proven over and over and over that any government involvement in ANYTHING is a huge disaster.
I don't want Democrat or Republican or liberal or conservative hand prints on anything to do with homebrewing. I just want to able to do this and bet left the hell alone.
In the words of the Beatles "Let it be".

Amen to this! This begins the "Leave my beer alone" movement.

 

[rexbanner]

Our Republican governor recently signed legislation that makes it possible for me to open my nano. I definitely think having a prez who likes beer and a first lady who likes fresh vegetables can't hurt the beer and local produce businesses.

Oh and guys...you can't tax a hobby to death.

 

[Spartangreen]

I remember reading that George Washington brewed beer.

http://www.geekosystem.com/george-washington-beer/

Maybe because GW never actually lived at the WH?
Per the Blog...
""We have no record of beer brewing at the White House," Allman said.

William Ushong, historian for the White House Historical Association, concurs.

"I haven't heard of any beer brewing going on at the White House itself," Ushong said. "President Jefferson would be your likely candidate, given his epicurean taste."

 

[Spartangreen]

Update- Read the bottom of the story. I'm a Hop Head

UPDATE, March 2: For all the serious Hop Heads who've e-mailed: Yes, President George Washington was a well-known homebrewer. President Washington is also the only president who never lived in the White House. He oversaw construction, which began when the first cornerstone was laid in October of 1792. But it was not until 1800, when the White House was almost completed, that its First residents, President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, moved in.

 

[Jayhem]

Oh and guys...you can't tax a hobby to death.

No? You don't think the government has the power to levy a tax on any and all malted grains or other "fermentables" or our precious hops sold to the general public? Think again.

 

[aubiecat]

Oh and guys...you can't tax a hobby to death.

Nuts

 

[Denny]

You bring up some excellent points BUT it will never happen. At least through the normal legislative process. It might a big issue to some of us but it certainly isn't a big issue to most Americans or even Congress. As Denny pointed out the AHA has no plans to tackle this issue. I can see why since the AHA is part of the Brewers Association which represents commercial breweries. How are they going to explain to their BA members that they support legislation that could financially hurt the BA members?

Well, it's not quite the way you see it. The BA are BIG supporters of homebrewers. That's where a lot of commercial brewers, not to mention consumers, come from. I can pretty much guarantee you that the BA and commercial breweries in general, do not see homebrewers as competition. AAMOF, the same lobbyists that the BA uses also are fighting for homebrewers. I'm not at liberty to say exactly what's going on (other than it has nothing to do with selling homebrew) but the BA is solidily on the side of homebrewers.

 

[Phunhog]

Thanks for your response Denny! I have to wonder what kind of legal issues the AHA is going after, aside from the Alabama issue? I know many homebrewers would love to be able to sell a small amount of homebrew via a farmers' market or something similar. As an AHA member I would LOVE for them to support some sort of law/bill either on a state/federal level that would allow us to do this on a limited basis. It would be a great way for a potential new brewery to test the waters.
My feeling with a lot of homebrewing laws is that since they are rarely enforced nobody really has a big incentive to change them. It is only when they are actually enforced, like what happened in Oregon a few years ago, do people "wake up" and realize the absurdity and antiquity of these laws. Denny...I know you were instrumental in this change in the law. Thank you!! I was wondering though....previous to the new law was the Oregon Brewers Fest just plain ignorant of the law, or was it a case of "don't ask, don't tell, or just that it never was enforced so nobody really cared.

 

[Denny]

There was no homebrew served at OBF (AFAIK), so it was not an issue. There were several homebrew contests, like the State Fair, that had run for many years before someone looked at the law and realized that transporting homebrew outside of the home wasn't legal.

 

[rexbanner]

No? You don't think the government has the power to levy a tax on any and all malted grains or other "fermentables" or our precious hops sold to the general public? Think again.

Ha, yeah I guess they do but I just think it's kind of unlikely. The only way I could ever see that happening is if homebrewing became something every beer-drinking household did, which would be really cool I think.

 

[badbrew]

That beer probably cost $1000/ bottle to make.

 

[Phunhog]

No? You don't think the government has the power to levy a tax on any and all malted grains or other "fermentables" or our precious hops sold to the general public? Think again.

I don't think so....a tax on honey, sugar, potatoes, rice, and any other fermentables would be DOA especially in this anti tax environment we live in today. A tax on hops would only make people grow their own and sell any excess on the black market.

 

[Yooper]

Please keep your f**ing politic's out of my beer forum! Thank You!

Yes, that's a nice reminder.

Let's remember that facts are good, but we're to keep political remarks and comments out of our beer forum. The rules of our forum are clear on that.

For example, you can give a fact:

"The President of the US is Obama and a Democrat."

You CANNOT comment or say "I think all Democrats are bad" or whatever.

So for those who cannot talk facts without dragging political opinions into this discussion, please refrain from posting. Thanks!

 

[Denny]

Thank YOU, Yoop!

 

[Phunhog]

Thank YOU, Yoop!

+1...lets keep politics out of this.
Getting back to homebrewing laws...I agree it is better to have less rather than more.

 

[bob1852]

+1...lets keep politics out of this.
Getting back to homebrewing laws...I agree it is better to have less rather than more.

But don't politicians make laws?

 

[Waynep005]

The bottle somone put a picture of is kind of cool I would not mind having one of them. I hope whoever our next President is keeps the brewing at the whitehouse going.

 

[Phunhog]

But don't politicians make laws?

True ...but what if the people just ignored the homebrewing laws? What is the point in making laws if no one follows them and nobody enforces them?

 

[aubiecat]

Yes, that's a nice reminder.

Let's remember that facts are good, but we're to keep political remarks and comments out of our beer forum. The rules of our forum are clear on that.

For example, you can give a fact:

"The President of the US is Obama and a Democrat."

You CANNOT comment or say "I think all Democrats are bad" or whatever.

So for those who cannot talk facts without dragging political opinions into this discussion, please refrain from posting. Thanks!

This thread was started with political opinion.