Making Distilling Legal?

[possum]

I don't think my congressman would give a damn about a petition signed by "possum"

or "bootlegbandit"
or even "theholymackerel"

I personally think to have any effect, the petitioning of government reps
should be done by non-anonamous citizens for any credance to be given to thier requests.

just my 2 cents($US)


I would sign...but I'm under no illusions as to the power of the (my) libertarian party in my state and the nation.

[Spiritmaker]

Humph! I 'spect JD, Jim Beam and the rest of th "In Crowd" that already have a corner on th distilling market would choke any such effort with their high powered political lobbiest's in a heart beat! Naw, we're not a real threat to them but, you can bet they don't want just anybody making their own hootch when they think we hafta BUY it from THEM! In any case, I don't recall any kind of test or examination being required to make wine or beer legally so why spirits? Oh yeah. you could hurt yerself, an mebbie a simple test sorta like th written part of th drivers liscence exam would suffice. Remember though, when they repealed the 14th Amandment the goverenment didn't do that without a LOT of pressure on em and even then it was with strict controls. And now that a "select few" have a monopoly on distilling, ya don't really think they're gonna let us do it too do ya? Naw it's like ya said, they are too GREEDY to risk losing a coupla thousand bucks a year, even if it is industry wide! While I would love to see this happen, I think it's gonna take a whole lot of money to beat the rich man at his own game! Meanwhile, th moon keeps a shining over my neck of th woods and thanks to what I've learned here, I'm "still" (pun intended) a happy camper. Heh heh!
Spiritmaker

[Uncle Remus]

You guys are forgetting an important point here. Our hobby wouldn't be as much fun if it was legal. Everyone would do it if it was legalized. In this day and age when authorities overlook small grow op's ( at least in Canada they do) They ain't gonna bother the guy who got his own li'l still in his garage as long as he's not selling it. I really get a charge out of putting my product in a whiskey or rum bottle and feed it to people and they don't know the difference. Good friends who I tell, that I actually made this, are amazed at the quality.

Legailize it??? No!..... not as far as I'm concerned anyway.
....just MHO.

[Guest]

I agree with the fact that here in Canada the authorities won't bother you as long as you are not selling. I think it is a stupid law and I do believe it should be changes. I look at at as sort of discrimination to some degree. If I liked wine and wanted to make my own I can legally make it and store up to 230 liters in my home. If I wanted to make beer I could do the same but since I like spirits, for some reason they do not feel I should be able to make my own although they are pretty content just looking the other way. Few weeks back I visited a legal retail shop near me called "moonshiner unlimited". It has been in operation since 1984 but I had never gone down to see him before. I finally paid him a visit, had a nice long talk with him. In the shop there where lots of beer and wine making supplies. I asked him if he sold turbo yeast and he said yes and handed me a pack. He started to tell me about this particular yeast (I had never used this brand before) and then he starts off "then when you charge your still with your wash" and I kind of smiled, he didn't even smile it was normal to him. I asked if he had a still and he quickly responded "of course" at which point he walked to a fridge he had in the center of the show room, opened it and pulled out a bottle of triple sec moonshine and poured me a shot. My wife asked him if he sold stills and he said "of course I do, usually have a whole warehouse full but sold out at Christmas". I asked him how he got away with it form a legal stand point. He said "same way Sears and Canadian Tire do" He told me I need not ever worry as long as I didn't sell. My wife laughed and said "so I take it you will not call the cops on my husband then" and he said "don't need to call them, they come in here all the time to buy supplies cause two of them bought stills form me" Very interesting visit that's for sure.
I disagree with you UR that if it where legal everyone would do it. It is a hell of a lot of work and you have to really love doing it to keep it up. It is a hobby and just because someone likes to drink doesn't mean they will want to make it themselves.

[Watershed]

I think it's more or less ignored in this country - as long as you're not selling it's a civil offence ( a minor fine, no criminal record - sell it and you'll get sent away. ). There are a fair few countries that do allow home distillation - Italy allows the personal production of up to three litres a year and even has laws controling the quality of grape pomace that can be sold for home distillation.
New Zealand allows similar. My prof is from Hungary - it's illegal there but a standard 18th birthday present is a pot still, usualy used on apricots.

I wouldn't sign a petition as putting my name and address on there would be tantamount to signing a confession.

[Hillbilly Rebel]

I too am hesitant to put my real name and address on an on line petition. Also, I believe that a letter to your elected rep stating your views is more powerful than a petition signed by many people that do not even vote in his/her district. They measure interest by the number of contacts on a given subject, first and foremost from their constituents. It seems that with the renewed interest in ethanol as a fuel, it might be a good time to send that letter.

[Watershed]

I must do some digging around and find out what lead to the legalisation of home beer brewing in the uk (1970's - home wine making has always been legal.) - it's the nearest equivalent I can think of. I doubt in the uk at least that there would be much opposition if you could persuade an m.p. to table it as a private members bill.
It would remove a lot of the mystique though - the select few who know I do it take a great thrill in being let in on the secret as I do in making the stuff in the first place. It's a bit like going out at night scrumping for rabbits 'n a fish or two.

[WhiteLightning]

yeah sounds like a good idea but there would have to be laws so its safe to do it i.e must read a book and pass a test to be legaly allowed to brew and distill alcohol at home do you think its possible to change the laws?

People is some states can legally make there own moonshine if they apply for a Liquor license, I know in Oregon if i pay $100 I can make and I loosly believe distribute my liquor. Check it out on
http://www.coppermoonshinestills.com/id8.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.coppermoonshinestills.com/id3.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[dye99]

So long as its still cheaper to buy a bottle of alcohol of higher quality then to go to the troble to make it yourself then I dont think congress should have a problem. The normal home distiller will never be able to match the volume that the big boys can and there will always be those who either dont have the will or ability to make it themselfs. If the passed the law under the same premise that you can make it for personal consumption but cant sell it why not try to get it passed. The alcohol industry shouldnt take too big of a hit but if the law did pass then I think this site would get a little more well known.

[OldStormy]

Hi All,
My 5c worth. Why poke a sleeping bear with a pointed stick. It may be illegal right now in many places but is the law actually being exercised. For mine they ( the revenoors or whoever) appear to leave the home brewer well alone providing he doesn't start selling his product. Make too much noise about legalising it and all you are doing is waving a red flag in the face of the riteous right who will then feel obliged to smack your bum. I would rather stay out of sight down in the weeds than stand tall and be seen as a target over this particular issue.
With regard to this site becoming more well known, I think anyone who has the slightest idea of how to surf the net and is considering building a still would find it. For interest sake, does anyone know how many hits this site takes per day/week/ month?
Cheers,
OldStormy