[dhacker]

Then an almost impossible law to enforce . . 

[Pawtucket Patriot]

Then an almost impossible law to enforce . . 

True, but without it, we'd all face the same plight as moonshiners. Even if it's not really enforceable (absent a really egregious violation), I'm glad it's there.

[dhacker]

Actually, from my standpoint, it would be tough to eclipse the limit in a year. If from no other angle than brewing time! 

[tubercle]

  The way law enforcement works is if you brought enough attention to yourself, say by getting caught selling some, your bank/debit/credit transactions would be subpoenaed along with the records of the suppliers you were found to be doing business with. You don't have to be caught with over 200 gals on hand, they just have to prove you bought enough ingredients to produce that much.

  So, you bought 5000 lbs of malt and 50 lbs of hops to make 200 gals?

 

[BrewArk]

  The way law enforcement works is if you brought enough attention to yourself, say by getting caught selling some, your bank/debit/credit transactions would be subpoenaed along with the records of the suppliers you were found to be doing business with. You don't have to be caught with over 200 gals on hand, they just have to prove you bought enough ingredients to produce that much.

  So, you bought 5000 lbs of malt and 50 lbs of hops to make 200 gals?

 

Works for me!  Which yeast goes with that?

[tschmidlin]

So, you bought 5000 lbs of malt and 50 lbs of hops to make 200 gals?

Yes I did, Your Honor.  But it was too much, and I didn't have a place to store it so I put it all in my compost pile.  I'm sure if they checked the police can verify that.

[blatz]

Actually, from my standpoint, it would be tough to eclipse the limit in a year. If from no other angle than brewing time! 

not really man - I get very close every year. if you brew 10 gal batches it adds up quick.  I don't drink anywhere near that - but about 25% of what i brew is for club events, parties, etc.

just saying - its not as difficult as you think.

[weithman5]

this now ties in with another active thread "what i like most about brewing"  Not giving the government tax revenue on all the beer i don't buy because i am brewing it myself.

[bobburchler]

I've already brewed  17, 10 gallon batches. You're correct, at 10 gallons a batch it adds up fast.

[tubercle]

So, you bought 5000 lbs of malt and 50 lbs of hops to make 200 gals?

Yes I did, Your Honor.  But it was too much, and I didn't have a place to store it so I put it all in my compost pile.  I'm sure if they checked the police can verify that.

  Not to mention how much I love malt barley soup and hop tea

[Pawtucket Patriot]

  The way law enforcement works is if you brought enough attention to yourself, say by getting caught selling some, your bank/debit/credit transactions would be subpoenaed along with the records of the suppliers you were found to be doing business with. You don't have to be caught with over 200 gals on hand, they just have to prove you bought enough ingredients to produce that much.

That may indeed be how law enforcement would go about it, tubercle, but I think the authorities would be up a creek if that's all they had to go on.  The statute specifically says "any adult may . . . produce beer" up to the prescribed limits.  So, I think they'd actually have to prove that you produced beer in a quantity that exceeded the prescribed limit within a single calendar year.  A purchase of 5000 lbs of malt and 50 lbs of hops could just be stocking up before our future Chinese overlords artificially spike our commodities prices!  

[bluesman]

For the benefit of inquiring minds...

26 U.S.C. section 5053(e)
(e) Beer for personal or family use
Subject to regulation prescribed by the Secretary, any adult may,
without payment of tax, produce beer for personal or family use and
not for sale. The aggregate amount of beer exempt from tax under
this subsection with respect to any household shall not exceed -
(1) 200 gallons per calendar year if there are 2 or more adults
in such household, or
(2) 100 gallons per calendar year if there is only 1 adult in
such household.
For purposes of this subsection, the term "adult" means an
individual who has attained 18 years of age, or the minimum age (if
any) established by law applicable in the locality in which the
household is situated at which beer may be sold to individuals,
whichever is greater.

Thanks Matt!

I vote for you to be our in house legal council.

Make that law degree earn some respect.   

[marty]

dog house in the yard counts as a separate household right?


I love how the law implies it's legal for 18 year olds to homebrew and drink homebrew

[gordonstrong]

dog house in the yard counts as a separate household right?

Depends on how you answered the question, "do these jeans make my butt look big?"

[blatz]

dog house in the yard counts as a separate household right?

so long as the dog is over 3 years old