I had someone tell me they thought that distilling spirits was just made legal as long as it was in small amounts. I didn’t think so so I did a little internet research but all the info I found was outdated. I’m gonna guess it’s still illegal ;D
Still… illegal
but you ARE allowed to remove water from an alcohol/water matrix as long as you don’t remove the alcohol. This means that freeze concentration is a-ok.
Yes, home distilling of beverages is illegal in the United States. But then again, so was home brewing beer, until enough people got together and lobbied (and got a US President on their side) to have it legalized. You would be surprised how many are out there doing it on the down-low.
I think owning a small still is fine (like a few gallons) but you can’t use it for alcohol.
Yea, you can distill water, vinegar, just not alcohol.
I wonder about biofuel still? Saw one for sale in a lhbs. Strange place to sell fuel makers
The really amusing thing is how much bad information there is out there about distilling. People say the darnest things! :
While we were working on getting the Missouri homebrew law updated last year to allow us to pour homebrew at festivals, we noticed that it is actually legal to distill in Missouri! AFAIK, MO is the only state where distillation of “spirits” for human consumption is legal. Of course it is still prohibited under federal law. So I guess that puts us in the same situation as Washington State and Colorado where marijuana is legal in the state but illegal federally.
Distillation of spirits is legal in all states (there are no “dry” states). To do it legally you need a DSP (distilled spirits plant) permit.
Unfortunately, in most cases federal laws supersede state laws with respect to ethanol distillation.
Dang revenoors want their taxes!
This reminds me of the story of the first commercial distillery in Washington State, Dry Fly. When trying to get permitted at the state level they were running into all kinds of resistance. Almost at their wits end they finally thought “Oh, its about the tax money!” They answered the state with respect to how the taxes would be paid at the distillery and poof! Licensed.
Seems like that is all government is concerned about. Answer that and doors open.
Yes this is true but that is on the commercial side. What I was trying to convey is that in Missouri we are allowed to include distilled spirits in the 200 gallon per 2 person household for personal and family use without having to have a license. So we can legally do homemade spirits in MO without having the tax collectors knocking at our door. AFAIK, we are the only state with that exemption.
This from the AHA website for MO: 311.020. Definition of intoxicating liquor
The term “intoxicating liquor” as used in this chapter shall mean and include alcohol for beverage purposes, alcoholic, spirituous, vinous, fermented, malt, or other liquors, or combination of liquors, a part of which is spirituous, vinous, or fermented…No person at least twenty-one years of age shall be required to obtain a license to manufacture intoxicating liquor, as defined in section 311.020, for personal or family use.
i have two friends who shine regularly. they make damn fine hootch and have never been troubled by the law, if that’s what you are wondering. if one doesn’t blow up their garage, who really cares?
High praise!
From your lips to the TTB’s ears! Would that it could be that easy.
I am all for states’ rights. Unfortunately, unlike pot laws, selective enforcement of the CFR does not seem to extend to home distillation, despite what Tim and Tickle would have you believe.
Not so sure about that.
Here in NJ someone recently got busted with a still.
The newspaper said he was arrested for having an “unregistered still”. Not for manufacturing or possessing illegal licquor.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/01/police_medford_man_making_moon.html