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Author Topic: CA AB-2609 Signed! - Homebrew Festivals Legal Again (on Jan 1)  (Read 6870 times)

Offline dbeechum

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Re: CA AB-2609 Signed! - Homebrew Festivals Legal Again (on Jan 1)
« Reply #45 on: September 02, 2014, 11:23:43 pm »
I really think the ABC is over reaching here. Obviously wort doesn't contain alcohol until the introduction of yeast but I seriously wonder if the ABC even knows this.  Can somebody explain to me how they can regulate a product/activity that doesn't even contain alcohol?  I hope a LHBS stands up to them!!

No one has ever said the ABC will be fining/arresting folks for making wort, but for making beer. To me that means the shop can't do any fermentation on site since it's not home based. There are probably regulatory angles to consider given that most regulatory agencies take a dim view of trying to play semantics games.

Regardless of whatever we feel about the rhetoric or lines of interpretation being offered, the best course of action is to get things codified into the law so everyone has a clear picture of things that are less subject to the varying whims of all the involved parties.
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Offline phunhog

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Re: CA AB-2609 Signed! - Homebrew Festivals Legal Again (on Jan 1)
« Reply #46 on: September 02, 2014, 11:49:36 pm »
I really think the ABC is over reaching here. Obviously wort doesn't contain alcohol until the introduction of yeast but I seriously wonder if the ABC even knows this.  Can somebody explain to me how they can regulate a product/activity that doesn't even contain alcohol?  I hope a LHBS stands up to them!!

No one has ever said the ABC will be fining/arresting folks for making wort, but for making beer. To me that means the shop can't do any fermentation on site since it's not home based. There are probably regulatory angles to consider given that most regulatory agencies take a dim view of trying to play semantics games.

Regardless of whatever we feel about the rhetoric or lines of interpretation being offered, the best course of action is to get things codified into the law so everyone has a clear picture of things that are less subject to the varying whims of all the involved parties.
I have heard through the grapevine that they won't even allow "brewing demonstrations" at businesses??  I can totally see why they won't allow fermentations/sampling to take place.  If the LHBS can give out free samples why can't the barber, music shop, or hardware store?   I don't know how we are going to win that one.... :-[

Offline dbeechum

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Re: CA AB-2609 Signed! - Homebrew Festivals Legal Again (on Jan 1)
« Reply #47 on: September 02, 2014, 11:57:49 pm »
I have heard through the grapevine that they won't even allow "brewing demonstrations" at businesses??  I can totally see why they won't allow fermentations/sampling to take place.  If the LHBS can give out free samples why can't the barber, music shop, or hardware store?   I don't know how we are going to win that one.... :-[

The grape vine is frustratingly unclear in this case. Personally, I don't see any great benefit in fighting for sampling. I think it confuses the issue and puts what we really want in a very bad space by combining it with a service scenario that would really make a regulator's hair stand on in.

What I want to see clarified and allowed:
- homebrew club events at permanent licensees with reasonable restrictions
- homebrew demonstrations and lessons
Drew Beechum - Maltosefalcons.com
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Offline Jimmy K

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Re: CA AB-2609 Signed! - Homebrew Festivals Legal Again (on Jan 1)
« Reply #48 on: September 03, 2014, 09:45:57 am »
Two points - A) Don't pretend that intent is not meaningless. Skirting around the edges of a new law is sure to draw extra interest from ABC, especially if you're doing something they told you not to do. Otherwise I'd agree that wort production is not regulated. If it were, malt extract companies would need to be licensed.
 
B) I wouldn't want my business on the receiving end of 'extra interest' from ABC.
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Offline phunhog

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Re: CA AB-2609 Signed! - Homebrew Festivals Legal Again (on Jan 1)
« Reply #49 on: September 03, 2014, 11:17:45 am »
I have heard through the grapevine that they won't even allow "brewing demonstrations" at businesses??  I can totally see why they won't allow fermentations/sampling to take place.  If the LHBS can give out free samples why can't the barber, music shop, or hardware store?   I don't know how we are going to win that one.... :-[

The grape vine is frustratingly unclear in this case. Personally, I don't see any great benefit in fighting for sampling. I think it confuses the issue and puts what we really want in a very bad space by combining it with a service scenario that would really make a regulator's hair stand on in.

What I want to see clarified and allowed:
- homebrew club events at permanent licensees with reasonable restrictions
- homebrew demonstrations and lessons

Absolutely agree!!  The frustrating part for me is all the time,effort, and MONEY spent on this.  Just think that our legislators are spending precious resources on something as unimportant (in the big picture)as to whether or not to allow homebrew demonstrations/homebrew club events.  Or on the other side that the ABC is spending resources to investigate homebrew activities.  The truly scary part is that I am sure this is magnified 1000x when you consider all the other "special interests" that want some small law change.