[colinlikesbeer]

When I share my brews with friends, family or fans, can I legally accept a cash tip without having a license? Haven't been able to find anything on the topic of tipping yet. Thanks in advance!

[dmtaylor]

In the USA?  No.  Tips are still income.

If they directly gifted you a few pounds of grain or hops, it would still be technically illegal but a little more disguised at least.  Still I would not be an advocate of that.  Would hate to see anybody get into trouble.  Everybody wants to make a buck, especially the government.  If you're homebrewing for money, you're doing it for entirely the wrong reasons IMO.  If that's your motivation, seek employment at a real brewery or get licensed.

My 2 cents.

[Village Taphouse]

Maybe it's just me but my friends, family or neighbors don't offer me money when they drink my beer.  There isn't anything wrong with it necessarily but I would find it odd, personally. 

[majorvices]

If you are setting up a bar at your house with a "tip jar" you could get in serious trouble. If your buddy slides you $10 for chips and cigars then it's all good. Have a homebrew.

[Slowbrew]

A few weeks after our first Oktoberfest I found a $20 in an antique cigar box I use for a decoration on the kegerator.  I didn't ask for it, whoever left it didn't tell me about it.  Technically was an illegal sale but no one involved intentionally broke the law. 

I donated it to my wife so as to avoid any appearance of illegality.   

Paul

[Iliff Ave]

I wouldn’t worry about it either way unless you get the impression the fuzz is onto you.

[colinlikesbeer]

If you are setting up a bar at your house with a "tip jar" you could get in serious trouble. If your buddy slides you $10 for chips and cigars then it's all good. Have a homebrew.

This is inline with what I was thinking. Not seeking tips at all, but not sure where the lines are about accepting them. Family and friends get a free pass, but if someone who follows me on instagram wants to swing by for a beer and tries to hand me a $5, I assume it's going to be fine.

[pete b]

This started out a little strange and gets weirder. Trying to imagine telling my wife some rando who follows me on instagram is coming to the house for a beer...
Also, the fact that its someone who is aware of you from social media makes it more likely to be illegal and more likely to get caught. I was thinking a buddy drinks a lot of your beer and offered to reimburse or something.
Stating all this on a public forum wouldn't be the route I would take either.

[Village Taphouse]

Rando Brewing Company.  We accept tips.   

Honestly, I understand all of the caveats but I think you would have to do something pretty big to get anyone's attention.  If a friend asked you to make beer for his wedding and then wanted to give you money for it, the ATF is not going to be there waiting for some underground cash transaction to take place.  Yes, it's illegal for that money to change hands but this is not something you hear happening very often. 

[Cliffs]

Im sure whoever would get you in trouble for this has much bigger things to worry about

[pete b]

I agree that actual trouble is unlikely.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

[ynotbrusum]

No tips, just to be safe.  Instead, no cash payments and simply accepting a gift of the ingredients to use for the brewing should work ok, as I see it, especially if all of the homebrew is going to be a gratis token consumed at a wedding, house party or other similar gathering where no admission charges are made.

[Village Taphouse]

It's similar to people admitting that they brewed more than the 100 gallons a year (or 200 for a couple) you're allowed to brew.  Some people say that they brewed EXACTLY 200 gallons... but who is coming to your house to verify that or look for trouble? 

[chinaski]

This started out a little strange and gets weirder. Trying to imagine telling my wife some rando who follows me on instagram is coming to the house for a beer...
Also, the fact that its someone who is aware of you from social media makes it more likely to be illegal and more likely to get caught. I was thinking a buddy drinks a lot of your beer and offered to reimburse or something.
Stating all this on a public forum wouldn't be the route I would take either.

I agree- a bit weird for normal times; not good practice during a world-wide pandemic!  That said, not everyone accepts every instagram follower who comes along, do they? 

[pete b]

This started out a little strange and gets weirder. Trying to imagine telling my wife some rando who follows me on instagram is coming to the house for a beer...
Also, the fact that its someone who is aware of you from social media makes it more likely to be illegal and more likely to get caught. I was thinking a buddy drinks a lot of your beer and offered to reimburse or something.
Stating all this on a public forum wouldn't be the route I would take either.

I agree- a bit weird for normal times; not good practice during a world-wide pandemic!  That said, not everyone accepts every instagram follower who comes along, do they?

I confess that I don’t really know what Instagram is other than sharing pictures. But being a “follower” sounds creepy. Borderline Luddite here.