Is it legal to make moonshine?

[Speedgoat]

Not for sell, but for personal consumption. Is there a limit on how much you can have on your person? Watching the show "Moonshiners" and just wanted to know.

[kyle1974]

hillbilly!

[TX_bowhunter37]

from what i read its illegal to make period

[BigTex.308]

You can make wine. Which I have done. But distalation is illegal last time I checked. And I may or may not have done this


Ike

[Mayhem]

i have no idea, but its legal to make beer so why not wine or shine. As long as your not selling it i dont think its illegal.

[TX_bowhunter37]

Sec. 109.21. HOME PRODUCTION OF WINE, ALE, MALT LIQUOR, OR BEER.
(a) The head of a family or an unmarried adult may produce for the use of his family or himself not more than 200 gallons of wine, ale, malt liquor, or beer, per year. No license or permit is required.

However, there is no clear exemption for hard alcohol. Your question will ultimately require interpretation by someone well versed with the alcohol beverage code because your answer will depend on several variables, such as amount you intend to produce, where you are (county and/or municipality), what ingredients you intend to use, etc.

I would suggest you not rely on ANY answer here when an incorrect one can lead to severe consequences (including, but not limited to, seizure of equipment and property used in the manufacture, transport and consumption of an illicit beverage). If you are serious about starting a small distillery, you should consult an attorney and acquire any and all necessary permits to avoid legal repercussions.
Source(s):

http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/laws/alcohol…

[01txag]

A friends grandad makes it in Arkansas. I tried it once. Never again. The burn was unbelievable

[Javelin]

From what I know its perfectly legal, I used to know a guy that made it all the time. Maybe he was breaking the law, but I dont think he was

[Speedgoat]

I was thinking about a strawberry banana brandy

[Tango_51]

some of the best moonshine i had was from TN ... a nice apple moonshine yum

[Redneck Archer]

I wondered the same thing.

why can you make your own beer and whine without a license, but not shine...

my grandparents did it, and ran it from north eastern tennessee (where my dads side is from) to michigan/canada... my grandpa and his brother got caught in michigan. and my grandpa met my grandmother up there and stayed up there. that is why I am from michigan.

I still have plenty of family and cousins spread throughout tennessee and kentucky

[Tuffbroadhead]

some of the best moonshine i had was from TN ... a nice apple moonshine yum

Apple pie is not distilled it is mixed.....

[metalmangeorge]

Distillation of alcohol without a permit is a federal crime.


Distillation is federally regulated. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms (BATF), you can legally own a still no larger than one gallon and you have to use it for water purification or to extract essential oils from plants. If you do buy a still, the shop that sold it to you has to surrender your contact information to the BATF if they request it, and no warrant is required for them to get it either. You have to pay excise tax, get bonded, and on and on and on.


You may use a distillery to make alcohol for fuel, but those federal and state permits can cost more than $3,000 annually.

[Bill]

It's funny you posted the question. My daughter is getting into home brewing beer and wanted to know how to build a still to make shine. I said I didn't know- she said, "well Dad, post it up on that Texas bowhunting web site you're always on".

[12RingKing]

It's only a crime if you get caught!