Why is it illegal to distill your own Whiskey
I am a huge whiskey fan. I'd love to be able to try distilling my own. Any reason why it is banned? I assume there is a fire risk with a distiller and raw alcohol.
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TAXES
You can thank the Whisky Rebellion for it.0 -
I don't think the ATF wants people selling grain spirits. 0 -
Ted Kennedy wont get his cut. [:(!] 
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The say it's for health reasons, potential fires, and poisoned whiskey if prepared incorrectly.
The real reason................
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After we won our independence from the British, the 1st thing our new Government did was tax whiskey! 0 -
quote:Originally posted by cubslover
I am a huge whiskey fan. I'd love to be able to try distilling my own. Any reason why it is banned? I assume there is a fire risk with a distiller and raw alcohol.
The reason is simply the predatory federal government and taxes. Nothing more, nothing less. BATFE is the arm of that predatory government in this area.
Sad to realize that in this "free" country, we are regulated so much that if we realized it in one big picture, we may well rebel.
Actually there was a "Whiskey rebellion" over this in the early days. The people lost and the predatory Fed won.
We lost our individual liberties in many areas long, long ago and don't even realize it.[V]0 -
Shows how much I know.....
I've been told you can distill your own liquor, so long as it was for your own consumption.
Good thing I've never really considered trying it.....0 -
quote:Originally posted by Rack Ops
Shows how much I know.....
I've been told you can distill your own liquor, so long as it was for your own consumption.
Good thing I've never really considered trying it.....
That's what this would be for.
Maybe I'll email the ATF.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Rack Ops
Shows how much I know.....
I've been told you can distill your own liquor, so long as it was for your own consumption.
Good thing I've never really considered trying it.....
You may be able to in small quantities. Try to run off a large batch, or make enough to start stockpiling...Let us know what happens.0 -
Weren't there people going blind from making their own liquor at some time.....at least I remember hearing something about that. I think it has a lot more to do with the safety issues than the taxes. A bottle is just too easy to buy when you compare the work it would take to make your own. I think most people would pass on all the work and pay the taxes...even if there weren't any risk involved. 0 -
I just found the info.
You can apply for license, but there is $13.50 a proof gallon tax.
I assume for every gallon of 100% alcohol (200 proof) you must pay $13.50
So, a gallon of 80 proof whiskey would cost...
It would take 2.5 gallons of 40%(80 proof) liquor to equal one gallon.
$5.40/gallon.0 -
Thanks Mike,
That's basically what I found on the ATF Website. Apparently you are able to distil, but you must open up for inspections and all that happy horse crap.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Locust Fork
Weren't there people going blind from making their own liquor at some time.....at least I remember hearing something about that. I think it has a lot more to do with the safety issues than the taxes. A bottle is just too easy to buy when you compare the work it would take to make your own. I think most people would pass on all the work and pay the taxes...even if there weren't any risk involved.
Having grown up in the Appalachians, with hillbilly roots, I disagree. My disagreement isn't based on "I remember hearing something" about the issue.
The issue of "bathtub gin" and such crap which sometimes caused blindness, cropped up after prohibition, primarily due to unskilled, opportunistic and crooked profiteers, trying to make a quick buck in the illicit spirits trade.
Folks back where I am from have been distilling excellent corn squeezins and other grain alcohol for many a generation. Scots/Irish ancestry is a fine thing.[;)]
The fed would like you to believe that it is merely concerned with your safety. Do YOU believe them?0 -
Now just get yourself a new charred oak barrel, fill it with your hooch, store the cask out in your garage for at least two years and in 2010 you'll have bourbon! 0 -
quote:Originally posted by cubslover
I am a huge whiskey fan. I'd love to be able to try distilling my own. Any reason why it is banned? I assume there is a fire risk with a distiller and raw alcohol.
There is also the risk of blindness.0 -
quote:Originally posted by lt496
Having grown up in the Appalachians, with hillbilly roots, I disagree. My disagreement isn't based on "I remember hearing something" about the issue.
The issue of "bathtub gin" and such crap which sometimes caused blindness, cropped up after prohibition, primarily due to unskilled, opportunistic and crooked profiteers, trying to make a quick buck in the illicit spirits trade.
Folks back where I am from have been distilling excellent corn squeezins and other grain alcohol for many a generation. Scots/Irish ancestry is a fine thing.[;)]
The fed would like you to believe that it is merely concerned with your safety. Do YOU believe them?
Blindness occurs from consumption of the methanol (an optic nerve posion) that is produced in the still. The first part of a batch will be methanol, anyone who knows what they are doing will discard that portion.0 -
quote:Originally posted by sav99
quote:Originally posted by cubslover
I am a huge whiskey fan. I'd love to be able to try distilling my own. Any reason why it is banned? I assume there is a fire risk with a distiller and raw alcohol.
There is also the risk of blindness.
There is risk in driving, there is risk in getting an operation, there is risk in smoking, there is risk in playing with knives, there is risk in hiking, there is risk in skiing....So what?
Personal liberty and free choice should trump risk everyday and I don't need, or accept the need for, a Nanny State to look out for me.0 -
In thin country, you can't make it to drink.
But you can make it as a fuel.0 -
I'm not making Moonshine....I'm making Ethanol [:)] 0 -
lt496 nailed it. It's taxes, and the government taking care of us. It's for our own good.
It's been a while since you could make any quantity for your own use. The law now is if you make a thimble full, you're going to prison. You can make home brew (beer), but no distilling.0 -
quote:Originally posted by sav99
quote:Originally posted by cubslover
I am a huge whiskey fan. I'd love to be able to try distilling my own. Any reason why it is banned? I assume there is a fire risk with a distiller and raw alcohol.
There is also the risk of blindness.
THEIR IS NO RISK OF BLINDNESS.Unless WOOD-ALCOHOL is used to fortify the proof.
GRAIN or ETHANOL is harmless, in moderation.Wood Alcohol, or ISOPROPYL will cause blindness.0 -
quote:Originally posted by lt496
quote:Originally posted by sav99
quote:Originally posted by cubslover
I am a huge whiskey fan. I'd love to be able to try distilling my own. Any reason why it is banned? I assume there is a fire risk with a distiller and raw alcohol.
There is also the risk of blindness.
There is risk in driving, there is risk in getting an operation, there is risk in smoking, there is risk in playing with knives, there is risk in hiking, there is risk in skiing....So what?
Personal liberty and free choice should trump risk everyday and I don't need, or accept the need for, a Nanny State to look out for me.
Yes, I am aware that there are dangers present here on Earth. All I was saying is that there is a hazard in cooking up your own booze. I didn't say that it should be illegal or legal. Personally I don't care. I only said that there is a danger of blindness involved.0 -
Thank George Washington 0 -
quote:Originally posted by fishkiller41
quote:Originally posted by sav99
quote:Originally posted by cubslover
I am a huge whiskey fan. I'd love to be able to try distilling my own. Any reason why it is banned? I assume there is a fire risk with a distiller and raw alcohol.
There is also the risk of blindness.
THEIR IS NO RISK OF BLINDNESS.Unless WOOD-ALCOHOL is used to fortify the proof.
GRAIN or ETHANOL is harmless, in moderation.Wood Alcohol, or ISOPROPYL will cause blindness.
I was misinformed then, I stand corrected, thanks. [:)]0 -
quote:Why is it illegal to distill your own Whiskey
Cause I think it's against the law.0 -
quote:Sloppily-produced moonshine can be contaminated with toxins, mainly from materials used in construction of the still. Despite the well-known hazards, it is claimed that stills constructed using car radiators for a condenser are still used. The lead used in soldering these radiators often contaminates the moonshine, and in some cases, glycol products from antifreeze used in the radiator can appear as well. Both are poisonous and potentially deadly.
Although the total amont of methanol does not normally increase due to distillation,[3] its concentration can still potentially rise to dangerous levels in amateur conditions, especially when the distillation is performed for a large batch.
Any alcohol over 100 US proof (i.e. 50% ABV) is very flammable and easily ignitable. This is especially true during the distilling process in which vaporized alcohol can accumulate in the air if there is not enough ventilation.
Mixtures
Occasionally moonshine is deliberately mixed with industrial alcohol-containing products, including methanol and other substances to produce denatured alcohol. Results are toxic, with methanol easily capable of causing blindness and death.
In the past moonshine has been mixed with beading oil or lye, to fool people into believing that it is of a higher proof. This is due to the fact that when shaken, bubbles form on the surface relative to the alcoholic strength (known as "the bead"). Large bubbles with a short duration indicate higher proof.
tests
A common "folk" quality test for moonshine was to pour a small quantity of it into a metal spoon and set it alight, the theory being that safe distillate burns with a blue flame, but tainted distillate burns with a yellow flame. Practitioners of this simple test sometimes held that if a radiator coil had been used as a condenser there would be lead in the alcohol, which would give a reddish flame. This led to the phrase: "Lead burns red and makes you dead."[citation needed]and "what burns blue will make your blues go away" Of course, these tests should not be relied upon to test the purity of moonshine or any other distilled alcohol, especially since the flame color test, while able to catch fuel oils, does not catch methanol.
Another test used for moonshine is to "proof" what you are buying. They would pour a small amount of gun powder in a dish with the moonshine. You put a match or lighter to it and if the mixture starts to flame it is "proofed." In other words if it lights then it contains a good amount of alcohol for you to but if it does not flame then the supposed moonshine has been watered down.0 -
There was also the risk of lead poisoning from some of the things that people used for condensers like automobile radiators. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by gruntled
There was also the risk of lead poisoning from some of the things that people used for condensers like automobile radiators.
That is not an issue. I would be buying new distillation equipment.
That is, til I read it was illegal.0 -
It used to be that the head of a household could make up to 200 gal a year "for their own consumption". But that was several years ago. Could have changed.
Best reason not to drink it is that in most cases you don't know how it's made!
Some will use commercial hogfeed to start the mash! (Who knows whats in that stuff.)
Maybe run it through a radiator. (with lead solder,and antifreeze residue.)
And/or add "things" to make weak whiskey seem stronger. ( Isopropyl alcohol,denatured Ethanol,Lye,lysol,Poke root or may apple to give it a "bite",soap to make the bead look better,spit tobacco juice in the mash to "color" it.) This stuff can blind you or even kill you. Or at the least make you sick as a dog!
(alcohol is poison anyway it don't need any help)
However if distilled correctly and carefully it can be very good.
DON'T drink the mash! (don't ask)
Allen0 -
you can still make your own wine and beer, it is fermented and not distilled.Now with that said you can find mini still's all over the net for under 100 bucks just google making your own wiskey,,dumb law where you can make any liquor for your own use as long as it is not distilled.. 0
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