absinthe distillation legality question

[verte]

A question:

If I'm using store bought grain alcohol, steeping herbs in it, and distilling it to make absinthe, is this still considered illegal distillation? because I'm not -creating- distilled spirits from a mash, I'm simply flavoring legally purchased distilled spirits, and not even getting back quite all that I put in. Anyone know?

[loneswinger]

Definitely illegal, sorry.

If you just steeped the herbs and consumed, legal, as soon as you charge it in a still and collect a drop of distillate, illegal, even though it is already taxed liquor. I am not going to post a link because I am too lazy to look it up, but I am 100% sure it is illegal. At least in the U.S. that is.

-Loneswinger

[rad14701]

Yes, you are correct, loneswinger... Re-distilling is illegal...

Turning alcohol into a vapor... Strike One...
Condensing the vapor back into spirits... Strike Two...
Not paying tax on the resulting spirit... Strike Three...

[loneswinger]

Turning alcohol into a vapor... Strike One...

I wonder if this is illegal. Is it illegal to boil wine? Probably not. As soon as you collect the condensed droplets on the ceiling of your kitchen then BAM!! Illegal!!. Makes me realize how stupid these laws are. Imagine the TTB busting a chef who was cooking with wine and cleaned up the condensation with a sponge. "There's distillate in that there sponge chef" Handcuffs...Ride downtown.

-Loneswinger

[rubber duck]

If you want to get technical about it every chef that uses wine in a recipe and then cooks it is a felon. You don't have to condense it, all you need to do is vaporize it.

Your going to need a rectifiers license to reprocess alcohol into absinthe legally.

[rad14701]

If you want to get technical about it every chef that uses wine in a recipe and then cooks it is a felon.

It's alcohol abuse, I tell ya... Alcohol abuse...

[Dnderhead]

when your cooking you need a cover with a lyn arm and condenser,then you can collect
after diner drinks.

[rubber duck]

Don't give me any ideas.

[blanikdog]

Nice try, verte. Pity about the cigar.

[sluggo]

Fairly sure there's an exemption for cooking. Extracts contain a non-trivial amount of alcohol, but there's no initiative to bust people making cookies. Criminal intent has to be present, which is just an intent to break the law, even while doing something otherwise harmless, like making your own anise based spirits.