(When this post was originally written Homebrewing was illegal. It was made legal in 2009)In Utah home brewing beer is technically against the law. Even though home brewing has been recognized as a legal activity by the Federal Government since 1978. Yesterday Rep. Christine Johnson, D-Salt Lake City, carves out an exemption in Utah law which currently requires any person who manufactures an alcoholic beverage to obtain a license to do so from the state, including a requisite $10,000 bond.
Johnson's bill will allow the home manufacture of "fermented beverages" up to a limit of 100 gallons a year per person, with a 200 gallons a year limit, per household.
Mark Alston, owner of the Salt Lake City home brewing store, The Beer Nut, testified on behalf of HB425.
"People who are doing it are an amazing cross-section of Utah culture," Alston said.
Alston also noted that home brewed beer is not a "binge drinking product" since brewers devote too much time, energy and care to brewing a batch, which is typically about five gallons.
HB425 was passed out favorably by the committee and now moves to the House for further action.
Johnson's bill will allow the home manufacture of "fermented beverages" up to a limit of 100 gallons a year per person, with a 200 gallons a year limit, per household.
Mark Alston, owner of the Salt Lake City home brewing store, The Beer Nut, testified on behalf of HB425.
"People who are doing it are an amazing cross-section of Utah culture," Alston said.
Alston also noted that home brewed beer is not a "binge drinking product" since brewers devote too much time, energy and care to brewing a batch, which is typically about five gallons.
HB425 was passed out favorably by the committee and now moves to the House for further action.
Contact your local representative and let him or her know it time to join the 20th Century.
Hopefully, socially bigoted, State Senator Chris Butters (R) will be busy drowning kittens when the vote goes to the floor. For the record... I like kittens.
8 comments:
I'm glad to see that this bill passed the House. My representative voted against the bill even after asking them to support it. I wrote and asked why they voted against the bill and this was their reply:
"I voted against the bill because I oppose expanding the production, distribution, or use of alcoholic beverages. As I studied the bill I felt that any kind of alcohol beverage production should be licensed, and that 100 gallons of production is too much to exempt from licensing."
So much for free agency. Welcome to the nanny state we call Utah. I also expect SB211 (that will ban flavored malt beverages being sold in grocery stores) will pass, but I'm not sure the HB425 will pass the Senate.
Good luck, Utah.
At least your representative wrote you a response. Mine apparently didn't have the time. I think I'll keep on brewing regardless of the outcome of this law.
Utah needs to enter 21st century.
Hopefully Rep. Johnson will re-introduce the bill again this comming session.
Home brewing is no different than cooking soup in your kitchen. Only my home brew soup gives me a scense of well being, when I sample my well crafted art.
Home brewed beer does not create alcoholics; it is big corporations that create alcoholics and cash in on their addictions.
During the American Revoluton it was recognized that home brewing is an American right. During a boycotting of English beer Americans were chanting "Home brewed is best." George Washington brewed beer in his back yard and Thomas Jefferson gave brewing lessons to his friends at his home of Monticello.
It is our American right to not have to rely on big corporation beer-barrons and it is our American right to make the miracle of turnig water into beer. Let us not forget a famous person in history that made water into wine and he tuned out to be a pretty popular guy.
Is it only legal to brew beer if your 21 or older?
Yes. You must be 21.
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