Selling beer cheese?

[markhagan]

I have come to grips with the fact that I will probably not be able to sell my homebrew delights.

I have created the most fantastical beer cheese using my brew. Am I legally allowed to sell it?

 

[Teacher]

In most municipalities, the sale of prepared food items is limited to those who have special food vendors'/producers' licenses. These must be obtained through the city, and they include inspections by the health inspector.

 

[markhagan]

I have a friend who makes her own Kettle popcorn at farmers markets. She lives in my city and had to get licensed to produce food. She was told that she could use her garage to house her operation. I wonder if I would be better off going to markets with her and selling my cheese there? She already has her food prep license.

 

[Revvy]

Hate to break it to you, but more than likely you will have to jump through as many hurdles trying to sell your cheeses as trying to sell your beer.

In many municipalities selling artisanal (unpasturized) cheese is illegal. There's been debates for many years about this. In fact the FDA bans many cheeses from entering the US, and also limits/prevents the selling of home made cheese as well.

There's tons of articles online. Look under Raw or artisanal cheese on google for the various discussions.

But in a nutshell....

The Food and Drug Administration believes that unpasteurized cheeses are unsafe, and has undertaken regulation of milk and dairy products to prevent the risk of infectious disease outbreak. Some bacterial infections can kill, especially in the case of immunodeficient individuals. For this reason, the Administration believes that it is better to be safe than sorry, restricting access to potentially unsafe food products.

Many individual states have followed suit, banning or restricting the sale of raw dairy products within the state, and sometimes prosecuting violators quite heavily. Unauthorized sale of dairy products can result in the loss of the family farm, if farmers happen to meet with a particularly unsympathetic court. A rigorous inspection program carried out by the Food and Drug Administration is aimed at preventing bacterial contamination at any step of the milk producing process, with all dairies in the United States experiencing regular plant inspections.

http://www.wisegeek.com/is-raw-milk-cheese-really-illegal-in-the-united-states.htm

Nicholas Stein questions the FDA's investigation into whether unpasteurized cheese poses a health threat. Rebecca Ascher-Walsh / Fortune 2apr01

http://www.marlerblog.com/2009/03/a...teria-suspected-in-baby-deaths-in-washington/

Whether or not the furor over raw/artesinal is warranted or not is not really the issue, the fact that the FDA believes it is an issue, is. And that, just like trying to sell your beer makes it difficult for all but a few passionate (and possibly rich) people to do it.

But if you think you got a viable product and are ready to dump a ton of money and time jumping through all the legal hoops in terms of health codes and tax laws, then by all means go for it.

Though you might also come to realize, like many of us, if you try to make money from your hobby, then you may find that it is no longer "fun."

Like I tell my friends who love my beer and my cooking and wonder why I don't open a brewery or a restaurant, "I love my hobbies too much to ever want to struggle to make money from it."

 

[ChshreCat]

There's some folks out near where I live that started a small cheese business. They actually contract out with a cheesemaker in Wisconsin to make the actual product, using the recipe.

HeraldNet: Stanwood specialty: smoked-salmon cheddar

 

[Revvy]

There's some folks out near where I live that started a small cheese business. They actually contract out with a cheesemaker in Wisconsin to make the actual product, using the recipe.

HeraldNet: Stanwood specialty: smoked-salmon cheddar

*Drools on Keyboard*

God, that sounds amazing.

 

[ChshreCat]

*Drools on Keyboard*

God, that sounds amazing.

It is. I pick up a block of it now and then. It's fantastic.

 

[irasnyd]

I have come to grips with the fact that I will probably not be able to sell my homebrew delights.

I have created the most fantastical beer cheese using my brew. Am I legally allowed to sell it?

I'd love to see the recipe for making beer cheese. Is it pretty easy?

 

[markhagan]

I was not planning on creating the cheese myself. I would buy the cheese I need and then mix my ingredients. I wonder if that helps me avoid the strict cheese-making laws?

 

[markhagan]

irasnyd: it is simple and incredible. use this as your base recipe:

2 lbs sharp cheddar cheese, grated (the bags of cheese work just fine)
16 oz cream cheese
12 oz of your darkest homebrew
1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp crushed red pepper (i use 1.5 Tbsp)
1 1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 Tbsp ground black pepper

Throw the sharp cheddar and cream cheese in a crockpot until they melt. Stir often (wooden spoon is where its at) to avoid burns.

Once melted, add the rest of the ingredients, stir, serve warm or refrigerate for eating later.

I purchased 3 x 12 breadstick from pillsburry (in the can, by the biscuits) and had 15-16 friends over: we cleared the sticks and put a hurt on some chips thanks to the cheese.

 

[Yooper]

I was not planning on creating the cheese myself. I would buy the cheese I need and then mix my ingredients. I wonder if that helps me avoid the strict cheese-making laws?

Well, there would still be the licensing and probably the commercial kitchen requirement, depending on how you make it. If you're making anything for sale, the health department and the treasury department (licensing, taxes, etc) are involved.

 

[Revvy]

Well, there would still be the licensing and probably the commercial kitchen requirement, depending on how you make it. If you're making anything for sale, the health department and the treasury department (licensing, taxes, etc) are involved.

+1 to this....Really rather than us speculating, just call the local health department and inquire...or even google food handling/selling liscensing for your city or county or state. It's probably right on their municipal website. I know most of the brewing license requirements, including the rules for homebrewing are right there on my State's website.

 

[samc]

Sounds like you would be doing nothing more than operating the same way as a deli or restaurant. You are taking already prepared commercially available food and mixing it up for resale.

I used to own a retail food establishment and the paperwork, etc. was not that big a deal. For what I did not file for I just played the innocent nice guy and the inspector appreciated my attitude. He helped me fast track all the remaining stuff. On his follow up inspection he was more than pleased that I did what I said I would. Case closed - btw it was the worst year of my life - retail food business sucks!