State Overview state laws In the state of Georgia it is legal to own a still as long as the still is not used to distill spirits or to manufacture moonshine. A still can be owned and operated to distill water, essential oils, vinegar, etc. As long as the end product is not ethanol.
Why is moonshine illegal in Georgia?
After the Civil War laws were passed making moonshine illegal and setting tax rates for legal liquor. The war-worn people of Georgia saw it as a way out of poverty since Georgia’s resources were severely depleted by the war.
Is it illegal to sell moonshine in Georgia?
However, distilling alcohol at home, even for personal use, is illegal under federal law. In 2010, legal moonshine stills opened in some parts of the south, including South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, and Alabama. These produced legal moonshine for sale and distribution.
Can you make moonshine for your own consumption?
But federal law trumps state law, and to the feds, distilling at home for personal consumption is illegal, period. “If you distill without permits, you’re looking at roughly a dozen felonies,” says Tom Hogue, spokesman for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. “It’s not something you want to be doing.”
Is it legal to own a still in Georgia?
Is it legal to distill alcohol without possession of a commercial distiller’s permit or a fuel alcohol permit? No. 2010 Georgia Statutes Section 3-3-27(a)(1) provides that “a) No person knowingly and intentionally shall: (1) Distill, manufacture, or make any distilled spirits, except as permitted by this title…”
How do I start a distillery in Georgia?
Required Documents
- Liquor Manufacturer/Distillery Bond.
- Citizenship Affidavit along with secure and verifiable documents, i.e. government issued photo ID (requires notarization)
- Scanned copy of current annual registration from the GA Secretary of State.
- Scanned copy of Federal Basic Permit.
- Scanned copy of Local License.
How much is a gallon of illegal moonshine?
The selling price is around $25 a gallon if sold in bulk, or $40 for retail price. “They can make as much as $10,000 a month,” the task force said.
Why is moonshine illegal?
So why is moonshine still illegal? Because the liquor is worth more to the government than beer or wine. Uncle Sam takes an excise tax of $2.14 for each 750-milliliter bottle of 80-proof spirits, compared with 21 cents for a bottle of wine (of 14 percent alcohol or less) and 5 cents for a can of beer.
Where is moonshine legal?
In contrast to Florida, some state’s home distilling laws allow “legal” moonshining, even though it’s considered illegal federally. Those states include Alaska, Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Rhode Island.
Is it legal to make alcohol at home?
YES, it is completely Legal to make wine or brew beer at home in India for personal use except in states where it is banned like Bihar, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Manipur, and Nagaland. No law states in India that you cannot brew beer or make wine at home but this is only for personal use and not for commercial purpose.
How much moonshine can you make personally?
According to federal law, It is legal to own a still larger than 1 gallon so long as it is not being used to distill alcohol or it is permitted to be used for distilling fuel alcohol or spirits.
Can you distill alcohol at home?
Home made spirits and liqueurs are as easy to produce as any other home brewed drink. Using similar equipment to wine making you can produce high quality, high alcohol drinks which are almost indistinguishable from their commercial counterparts and at a fraction of the price.
Is cursing illegal in Georgia?
Under Georgia law, it is illegal to use “obscene and vulgar or profane language in the presence of a female or of a male under the age of 14.” No mere remnant of the past, the law was enacted in 1968; now, by a 6-1 vote, the Georgia Supreme Court has upheld its constitutionality.
What percent alcohol is moonshine?
40%
Moonshine usually has an ABV of 40% but can sometimes be as high as 60%-80% ABV. Alcohol content can be converted to proof by multiplying it by two. So, 40% ABV is 80-proof. The distilling process is the key to a spirit’s alcohol content.
How many times can you distill alcohol?
And while not all column-distilled spirits are repeatedly distilled, some claim to have been distilled as many as 34 times. Again, however you are distilling, alcohol never evaporates alone. Congeners (tannins, esters, fusel alcohols, and even methanol) can evaporate with it.
Can you distill alcohol in GA?
In the United States, it is illegal to distill alcohol at home, even for personal use. There are legal moonshine stills in some southern states such as Alabama, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Georgia. It is legal to sell and distribute moonshine.
Is owning a distillery profitable?
How much profit can a distillery make? There is great potential for profit. As an industry, small (“craft”) distilleries have now become a $450 million market, and the amount of craft distilleries has increased by 300% from 2011 to 2014.
What do I need to make moonshine?
Base Moonshine Ingredients and Materials:
- 5 Gallons of Water.
- 8.5 Pounds of Flaked Corn Maize.
- 1.5 Pounds of Crushed Malted Barley.
- Yeast.
- Mash Pot.
- Fermentation Bucket.
- Heat Source.
- Thermometer.
How much moonshine do you get from 5 gallons of mash?
1-2 gallons
For the instant gratification seekers in the crowd, here’s the short answer: A 1 gallon run will yield 3-6 cups of alcohol. A 5 gallon run will yield 1-2 gallons of alcohol.
What is the highest proof moonshine you can buy?
Legal Alcohol Proof Levels
In most regions, the strongest legal moonshine has proof of 197. In other regions, 130 proof is the legal limit for alcoholic beverages.
Is store bought moonshine the same?
No real moonshiner accepts store-bought as the real thing.” Sarah LeRoy, of Piedmont Distillery in Madison, North Carolina, is familiar with the argument. “I’ve heard people say our products are not real moonshine,” she says. “But that’s based on a technical definition of illegality.
