My hubby bought a book called How to make a junkyard still. Has anyone ever make a still or their own wine? Need tips Thanks,Lisa

-- Lisa (magpie@fsi.net), October 29, 2001

Answers

I made a small still once, just to try it,, it worked pretty good. It was better at concentrating store bought

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), October 29, 2001.

Lisa,

Wine making for personal or family consumption is OK but the Federal Government has NO sense of humor about home brewed distilled spirits. They won't allow you to distill so much as a drop of your own without getting their tax stamps and all that. This isn't to say that folks don't set up their own stills but if you do it's best not to talk about it publically.

........Alan.

-- Live Oak (oneliveoak@yahoo.com), October 29, 2001.

sorry,, thats incorrect,, as olong as its for personnel use,, and not for sale,, you CAN make it. Its the same for firearms,, you CAN make them,, as long as you dont sell them

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), October 29, 2001.

Stan,

Here's the URL for the relevant page from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms - straight from the horse's mouth so to speak.

htt p://www.atf.treas.gov/alcohol/info/faq/genalcohol.htm#g1

Revised 8/29/00 GENERAL ALCOHOL

G1: Can I produce beer, wine or spirits for my personal or family use without paying Federal excise tax and filing Federal paperwork?

{snip of non-relevant material}

Spirits You cannot produce spirits for beverage purposes without paying taxes and without prior approval of paperwork to operate a distilled spirits plant. [See 26 U.S.C. 5601 & 5602 for some of the criminal penalties.] There are numerous requirements that must be met that make it impractical to produce spirits for personal or beverage use. Some of these requirements are paying special tax, filing an extensive application, filing a bond, providing adequate equipment to measure spirits, providing suitable tanks and pipelines, providing a separate building (other than a dwelling) and maintaining detailed records, and filing reports. All of these requirements are listed in 27 CFR Part 19. Spirits may be produced for nonbeverage purposes for fuel use only without payment of tax, but you also must file an application, receive ATF's approval, and follow requirements, such as construction, use, records and reports.

There's a great deal more on that page of interest to anyone wanting to make their own alcohol for those who are interested. Personally, I think the government is full of it but I wouldn't want anyone to unwittingly run afoul of the law. What a person knowingly chooses to do is their own business.

={(Oak)-

-- Live Oak (oneliveoak@yahoo.com), October 29, 2001.

You can't distill your own alcohol but you can brew beer and wine. (up to 100 gallons of each--per person-- I believe) You can also make hard cider...my personal favorite and mead (honey wine). All in all you can legally make enough alcoholic beverages to destroy your liver!!! none of which need to be distilled.

-- Mary R. (cntryfolk@ime.net), October 29, 2001.

In Croatia, just about every place I visited I was offered homemade brandy. A cousin showed me their equipment - which had been commercially manufactured.

-- KenS. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), October 30, 2001.

Not too many years ago....you were allowed to make distilled spirits and no taxes were applied. I think it was something like 30 gallons a year. Beer and wine was much higher. Funny how laws change so quickly and silently!

(walks away mumbling to self...gonna make it if I want too! no one is gonna tell me that I can't make my own liquor for my own use ..pay taxes? how much more do they want anyway! taxes for this taxes for that! hummmmm been wondering what to do with all that old corn stored away for y2k)

-- westbrook (westbrookl_farms@yahoo.com), October 30, 2001.

I maken my own wine . Elderberry , devil's walking stick ,blackberry, grape, sumac, etc. I'll share with you - no need to buy anything.

-- Elizabeth Quintana (rockshelter@webtv.com), November 04, 2001.