A U.S. appeals court on Friday declared unconstitutional a nearly 158-year-old federal ban on home distilling, calling it an unnecessary and improper means for Congress to exercise its power to tax.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled in favor of the nonprofit Hobby Distillers Association and four of its 1,300 members.
They argued that people should be free to distill spirits at home, whether as a hobby or for personal consumption including, in one instance, to create an apple-pie-vodka recipe.
The ban was part of a law passed during Reconstruction in July 1868, in part to thwart liquor tax evasion, and subjected violators to up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Acting like most of the people doing this aren’t the biggest rednecks on the planet… Meth labs don’t need to be dangerous either, and yet… (not comparing alcohol to meth before the angry replies come).
When you can go on amazon and buy an 8 gallon electric still you plug in to the wall for under $200, there ain’t much sense in redneck engineering a still.
It’s kind of like brewing beer, you could floor malt your barley, but ain’t nobody doing that at home.