The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to consider whether Congress had the constitutional authority to impose a ban on distilling spirits in private homes more than 150 years ago.
Plaintiffs challenging the prohibition on home distilling claim the 1868 law is an antiquated relic of Reconstruction-era politics. They argue that Congress overstepped its taxation powers when it enacted the home distilling ban as part of a tax reform measure designed to curb fraud by commercial distillers.
Government attorneys counter that Congress properly restricted where spirits can be distilled to prevent producers from evading federal excise taxes. They warn that lifting the ban would violate Supreme Court precedent and erode congressional powers.
Long time hobbyist home brewer here. Nobody is stopping you from home distilling. The required gear has long been publicly available. With either boozy category, one doesn’t take up this hobby to save money. There’s a large investment in gear and time to get it done.
It’s taken me close to 10 years of home brew experience, and probably over to $20k in supplies and equipment over that time to make beer that’s on par with craft breweries… 5 gallons of beer at a time.
The conversation ratio on mash to beer is mostly beer. The conversation ratio on mash to finished drinkable liquor is a joke in comparison. Multiple distillations if you want something that’s at best bottom shelf. Forget about aging.