Questions about homebrewing laws

[jal2196]

Hi, my name is Jon, and I'm a Columbia University journalism student working on a story about home brewing laws in different states.

If you know anything about this or have any experience with this, please send me an email at ****@*****.***. Thanks.

[Mod Edit] - No solicitations via email. You want to engage in a conversation, this is what the forum is for.

 

[schweaty]

The #1 homebrewing law seems to be
RDWHAHB

 

[lapaglia]

So are we helping you with your homework ?

 

[Parker36]

Pretty sure its illegal in Utah

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Google. It has what you are looking for.

 

[McKBrew]

Check out the American Homebrew Association Website. It has up to date information on all laws.

 

[billtzk]

People mostly ignore laws related to homebrewing, except perhaps the injunction against selling their brews. Not many brewers will forego brewing simply because they live in a state that forbids homebrewing. I've never heard of a home brewer who stopped brewing for the year because he reached the statutory volume limitation (usually 200 gallons).

 

[seanhagerty]

The #1 homebrewing law seems to be
RDWHAHB

The # 2 Law is if you walk away from your boil kettle, or even look away for a tenth of a second, it will boil over.

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

The # 2 Law is if you walk away from your boil kettle, or even look away for a tenth of a second, it will boil over.

You are seriously not kidding!

 

[67coupe390]

And don't apply hand lotion and expect to safely carry a full carboy to the basement!!!!

 

[blacklab]

Fixed it.............

Hi, my name is Jon, and I'm a Columbia University journalism student working on grabbing your email for some spam lists.

If you know anything about this or have any experience with this, please send me an email at [email protected]. Thanks.

 

[homebrewer_99]

People mostly ignore laws related to homebrewing, except perhaps the injunction against selling their brews. Not many brewers will forego brewing simply because they live in a state that forbids homebrewing. I've never heard of a home brewer who stopped brewing for the year because he reached the statutory volume limitation (usually 200 gallons).

Actually, there are several states where HBing is illegal, but they have HB stores there...what's that all about???

 

[bob1852]

You are seriously not kidding!

I almost had a boil-over on a 2 1/2 gallon batch in a 8 gallon pot!

 

[jpuf]

New stove + high intensity burner = heluva mess

 

[GroovePuppy]

I started my first batch two weeks ago on the stove top, took over 45 minutes to come to the boil, got close so I added the malt. I grabbed a sieve to drain the grains and realized it had some crud on it. In the 30 seconds I turned away to clean it the wort decided to come to boil. The extract sticks nicely to the stovetop.

I suppose if a watched pot never boils an unwatched pot boils instantaneously!

 

[Saccharomyces]

Actually, there are several states where HBing is illegal, but they have HB stores there...what's that all about???

It's like around here where we have roadside fireworks stands in the summer when setting off fireworks are not only illegal, they will net you a multi-hundred dollar fine on the first offense because it's been so dry the last few summers.

 

[schweaty]

Homebrewing Is Illegal - Homebrewing - Zimbio

I thought this was a pretty interesting article about the legalities of home brewing. I didn't realize there were so many states where it was illegal and you could only make certain types of beer with restricted alcohol content. I'm glad Michigan isn't one of them

 

[GolgiApparatus]

You are seriously not kidding!

Happened to me saturday night. Turned for 2 seconds to talk to a friend, and then heard that horrible sound....spent two days scrubbing the stovetop

 

[BarleyWater]

Originally Posted by jal2196
Hi, my name is Jon, and I'm a Columbia University journalism student working on grabbing your email for some spam lists.

Ya, anyone else notice that he hasn'e responded at all to the thread, and wanted us to e-mail him any info. I call bull-**** on this post.

 

[batches_brew]

I'd love to see the how they would enforce the 200 gallon law.

 

[TexLaw]

I'd love to see the how they would enforce the 200 gallon law.

Really, I don't think you would! That doesn't sound like any fun at all. I prefer they go about not enforcing it just like always.


TL

 

[jds]

Google. It has what you are looking for.

Once, I gave my wife an unabridged dictionary. I told her every book she ever wanted is in it.

 

[Oakwoodforge]

I have used "teh Google " have you Jon ?

 

[TexLaw]

Once, I gave my wife an unabridged dictionary. I told her every book she ever wanted is in it.

What if she wanted War and Peace in the original Russian?


TL

 

[EdWort]

Actually, there are several states where HBing is illegal, but they have HB stores there...what's that all about???

I've lived in Utah & Alabama where it's illegal to brew beer, but it's not illegal to buy supplies. HB supplies are basically food items and are totally legal.

The process of homebrewing is legal too, right up to pitching the yeast.

 

[batches_brew]

Really, I don't think you would! That doesn't sound like any fun at all. I prefer they go about not enforcing it just like always.


TL

That's my pint. The notion is ridiculous.


edit: hahaha, Freudian slip. I meant point, not pint, but I'll take it.

 

[batches_brew]

I've lived in Utah & Alabama where it's illegal to brew beer, but it's not illegal to buy supplies. HB supplies are basically food items and are totally legal.

The process of homebrewing is legal too, right up to pitching the yeast.

I thought they made it legal in Utah recently. Maybe I'm wrong, but I know there's a big push.

 

[McKBrew]

The process of homebrewing is legal too, right up to pitching the yeast.

Which brings up even more questions? Would a spontaneous fermentation (wild yeast AKA "The Landhoney Experiment") be a crime? What if a person uses brewer's yeast as a health supplement, and inadvertantly knocks said yeast into a wort brewed as a sweet refreshing drink? Not wanting to waste a food product, you decide to drink the resulting beverage.

 

[Edcculus]

Just read the article schweaty posted in post #17. Having lived in SC all of my brewing life, I haven't had to deal with homebrewing laws. I just had an interview with a company located in Louisville, KY where homebrewing happens to be illegal. I was always under the assumption these laws merely never stated that homebrewing was legal.

For those of you who live in KY: Are there HBS's? Have you ever had trouble?

 

[jal2196]

Hi, it's Jon again. Thanks for pointing me to the article, schweaty, and to all of you for the other replies.

I have found several other articles online, I just wanted to know if anyone had experiences with laws prohibiting home brewing. As several of you mentioned, it seems that even where it's illegal it's not regulated.