[Sca-cooks] Minimum alcohol limits in GA

[Christine Seelye-King]

Niccolo and I have been continuing the conversation about alcohol limits and
what constitutes 'alcohol-free' based on the Georgia state laws (where we
both reside).  Aside from debunking the previous post about the drinking age
being raised to 25 (it isn't), here is what we've discussed.
Christianna

On checking the GA General Assembly website at
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/leg/03sumdocnet.htm for
enacted legislation, I find nothing pertaining to age and alcohol
whatsoever from production to purchase to consumption.

Two Senate bills are active - one about returning defective products
(352) and one regarding Sunday sales in local municipalities(SB
300).

House bills active include HB378 re Excise tax increase, HB 493 re
Consumption on premises times, HB645 redefining Malt Beverage: 'Malt
beverage' means any alcoholic beverage obtained by the fermentation
of any infusion or decoction of barley, malt, hops, or any other
similar product, or any combination of such products in water,
containing not more than 6 14 percent alcohol by volume and including
ale, porter, brown, stout, lager beer, small beer, and strong beer.
The term does not include sake, known as Japanese rice wine."
(hallelujah!), HB716 re verification of purchaser age as TWENTY ONE.

niccolo difrancesco
(A stickler for shutting down rumor about alcohol legislation without
bill reference or enacting date . . . too d at mned many hand wringers
as it is)

Nic,
    Regarding this same topic from the cook's list, does it state anywhere
in the law a minimum percentage of alcohol something has to be to be
determined alcoholic?  We have been working with the figure that less than
.5% (one half of one percent) is considered non-alcoholic, products such as
O'Douls would qualify.  Does the law stipulate this anywhere?
Christianna

Well, it depends on what your frame of reference (see 'period').

40-5-142. has to do with Motor Vehicle Safety.  Same with 40-6-253,
which reads the same

As used in this article, the term:

(1) 'Alcohol' means:

(A) Beer, ale, port, or stout and other similar fermented beverages,
including sake or similar products, of any name or description
containing one-half of 1 percent or more of alcohol by volume, brewed
or produced from malt, wholly or in part, or from any substitute
therefor;

(B) Wine of not less than one-half of 1 percent of alcohol by volume;

(C) Distilled spirits which means that substance known as ethyl
alcohol, ethanol, or spirits of wine in any form, including all
dilutions and mixtures thereof from whatever source or by whatever
process produced; or

(D) Any substance containing any form of alcohol, including, but not
limited to, ethanol, methanol, propanol, and isopropanol.


These are the only two references I can find that stipulate the
actual lower limits.  there are additional cites in the O.C.G.A. 2002
for definitions and alcohol contents of the rest of the terms like
cider, malt liquor, fortified wine, wine, etc.

niccolo difrancesco

So it has to be .4% or lower to be non-alcoholic according to GA laws.  Is
it possible to measure to that exactness?  If one were making a small beer
for a feast, or wanted to serve a watered-down wine, can they be measured to
assure that they contain less than one half of one percent alcohol?
Christianna

Yes, and sort of.

You can use a hydrometer to get a ballpark estimate of alcohol
content.  If you made it youself, it is easy by taking readings
before pitching yeast and after fermentaion.  If you know the measure
from a label, you can do the math to find out how much to dilute it
down.

I would guess that there are certainly test strips on the market
somewhere to measure ethyl alcohol like they do chlorine
concentration.  I don't know where to get them, but should be
locatable online.

niccolo