Can i make whiskey legally

To do so, apply for the Federal Fuel Alcohol Permit , which is inexpensive and easy to obtain. One of the most obvious, and popular, reasons for owning a moonshine or whiskey still is to distill some type of alcohol - be it bourbon, vodka, whiskey, grappas, or moonshine. If you want to distill spirits at home to consume yourself or share with others, you must first apply for a Federal Distilled Spirits Permit.

The permit requires a hefty fee, in addition to regulated inspections of your distillation equipment and facility. If you want to bottle, sell, and market your spirits, you should make sure to read all the preparations you need to consider about your consumer product. Each state has its own legislation about at-home distillation. Some states like Missouri allow citizens over age 21 to distill alcohol at home without any permits or licenses at all, and other states like Florida do not even allow citizens to own distilling equipment unless they have obtained the proper state permit.

Federal law takes precedence and overrides any state law that does not agree with it. For example, Missouri citizens still need to obtain a federal permit in order to distill spirits, but they do not need to obtain additional permits from the state. On the other hand, a Florida citizen who wants to own a still for decoration but not to distill any alcohol does not need to obtain a federal permit, but would need to obtain the proper license from the state of Florida.

You can also use USA. There are no size restrictions either — just as its not ok to brew whiskey in small batches with a still below 1 gallon in size an urban legend, as we pointed out , there is no upper limit a 13 gallon limit is another urban legend as to the size of the still you buy — as long as you do not use it to manufacture whiskey or other spirits.

If you want to move one step further, you can manufacture alcohol ethanol based fuel for home use by obtaining a Federal Fuel Alcohol permit — which is inexpensive, easy to obtain and maintain. However, you cannot distill, distribute, consume and sell any alcoholic products made from your copper still, unless you have a Federal Distilled Spirits Permit. There are some state level exceptions. They are not hard to get, but something that will fetch a fine if the law is violated.

State laws about distilling whiskey vary in two regards — legality and enforcement. In general, most of the states hold distillation of whiskey and other spirits to be illegal, but there are some definite exceptions. Missouri, for example, allows residents to distill up to gallons of spirits a year. One way to interpret the State laws is to say that if Federal laws allowed one to distill and produce whiskey at home, a resident of Missouri would be free to do so without additional licensing, whereas a resident of Illinois, say, or Colorado still could not distill whisky without a state license.

However, a second way has emerged as craft brewing of moonshine has taken on a renewed life in recent times — and that is local enforcement of Federal or state statutes. Since it is often unlikely that TTB agents would move against a small home brewery, it is often the states who will be in charge of enforcement. Here there is a certain bit of leeway. For example, some believe that if you get charged with home brewing whiskey in Colorado, you will be let off with a small fine and a cease and desist warning.

Unfortunately or maybe fortunately, depending on your viewpoint , the US position regarding home brewing alcohol is consistent with laws over most of the developed world, with very few exceptions — such as South Africa, Peru and parts of Russia. Interviews with sellers of stills and barrels, such as Moonshine Still Pro , in Missouri, and Hillbilly Stills , in Barlow, Kentucky, have reported how interest in buying ethanol stills have spiked up over the past years.

Some of it may be attributed to popularization of the craft through TV shows e. Similarly, the sales of Sherry and Bourbon kegs tend to go up. There is no hard evidence that the stills and kegs are being used to make moonshine, but anecdotal evidence seems to point towards a rejuvenation of such trends. Laws regulating the distillation of alcohol exist at the Federal, State and sometimes local level in the US. Federal Law prohibits the making of moonshine without a proper license and that trumps regulations at the state level.

If you decide to make moonshine without a permit, do so at your own risk. An avid fan of all things digital and a webmaster building a site around a new passion - the wonderful world of whisky. When I'm not online, I'll be out in the country walking, visiting an old English pub or travelling through Scotland as I try to visit and blog about as many distilleries as I can.

Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The bad news? Once finished, the still can be used to distill spirits like vodka, gin or whiskey , distilled water, essential oils, disinfectant and even fuel alcohol. Legally, you have two options. Option 1 You can obtain a Federal Distilled Spirits Permit, which is the same permit that industry giants like Jack Daniels and Makers Mark possess, which makes it legal for them to distill and distribute to the public.

The ingredients, the process, and even the final product is the same when making high proof distilled spirits and fuel alcohol. Brown himself is a hobbyist, a DIYer, and home brewer.