Legal Limits (was Re: [Sca-cooks] Mead & Wix)

[Jeff Gedney]

>
>    Please be sure to check with your local, county, state
>    regulations where
>    you live.  The Official Code of Ga. Annotated (OCGA) references home
>    wine production in 3-6-3 (actually 3-6-1 thru 71) and malt beverages in
>    3-5-4 (3-5-1 thru 90).
>
>    In Georgia, a head of household may produce 200 gallons of wine and 50
>    gallons of malt beverages per year for household consumption (see
>    Official Code of Georgia Annotated for definitions).  You may, however,
>    be able to obtain selling permits in your area.


Please note that the Federal code limits that amount to 100 gallons of wine,
unless the household you are "Head" of has TWO OR MORE adults in it.

Always Remember that the states cannot loosen a federal restriction, only
add further restrictions. So the 200 gallon wine limit is the Federal limit,
and I suspect that the only "real" law is the one that limits the Malt
beverages.

Let me emphasize that getting a permit to manufacture and sell any alcohol
product is not as simple as going to the town hall and filling out a few
forms.
I suspect that the "selling Permit" you are referenceing is not a
munufacture permit.

Extensive rules regarding Taxes, Escrow accounts, book keeping, maintenance
of Penal Bonds, storage facilities for ingredients, and finished products,
and the registration and testing of recipes and processes, as well as
regular and surprise inspection of both books and site facilities are all
part of the code for alcoholic beverage manufacturing.
For Distilled spirits plants the requirements are even more restrictive.

Manufacturing to sell is not something that the average homebrewer just
"does".

Failing to follow these rules and selling your goods, or even trading them
for value, is Federal tax evasion, and the law requires mandatory
prosecution, and forfeitures and seizures are not uncommon, these days.

Your particular state may add other restrictions as well.
( Of course, If you are in some other country than the US, Other rules will
apply )
Just a fair warning from someone who has actually looked into this.

Brandu