Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Minnesota Homebrew Law - can this be right?  (Read 2135 times)

Offline Hokerer

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2654
  • Manassas, VA
Minnesota Homebrew Law - can this be right?
« on: February 24, 2010, 05:15:32 pm »
I didn't see it in the "statutes" section of the AHA website but this article...

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/152064/group/home

...seems to imply that it's illegal in MN to brew in a basement (below grade).
For the home of Northern Brewer, Midwest, et al along with some kicka@@
homebrew clubs, this seems hilarious to me.
Joe

Offline dbeechum

  • Global Moderator
  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • *****
  • Posts: 2914
  • Pasadena, CA
    • Experimental Brewing
Re: Minnesota Homebrew Law - can this be right?
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2010, 05:24:35 pm »
Gary and company are currently getting some more information on this, but from the reading done by the staff the law doesn't touch homebrewing, its all about commercial bottling. (Of course, Gary fell free to correct me if I got it wrong)
Drew Beechum - Maltosefalcons.com
- Vote in the AHA GC Election! - http://bit.ly/1aV9GVd  -
-----
Burbling:
Gnome is in the Details
*Experimental Brewing - The Book*
Tap:
Peanut Butter Jelly Time
Tupelo Mead
Farmhouse Brett Saison

Offline Gary Glass

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 482
Re: Minnesota Homebrew Law - can this be right?
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2010, 05:36:57 pm »
It's amusing, I've been contacted by two separate reporters regarding this bill.  I checked it out after seeing that same article posted above, and as I suspected, the bill has nothing to do with homebrewing.  It has to do with changing Agriculture Dept. regulations on food/beverage production, specifically beer and fruit juice. 

I did note that the regulations require that commercially produced beer be bottled/canned on automated equipment.  So small brewers doing specialty brews can't legally hand fill bottles, like a lot of brewers do with 750 ml bottles and such for their specialty beers.

Cheers!
Gary
Gary Glass
Longmont, Colorado