Can I buy a still in the UK?
Small kettle like stills are available to purchase in the UK but the law surrounding them is a little complex so pay attention! Depending on the quantity and strength of alcohol you produce, stock, distribute, sell or use, you may need to be authorised or licensed by HMRC and pay tax on your produce.
Can you make moonshine legally in the UK?
Home brewing of beer and wine is legal in the UK, but distilling of spirits is illegal without a licence.
Is it illegal to make spirits at home UK?
Home made spirits and liqueurs are as easy to produce as any other home brewed drink. In the UK it is not legal to distil alcohol without a licence from Revenue and Customs and this includes alcohol for your own consumption.
Can moonshine make you go blind?
If you’re drinking moonshine, yes. Today the most common cause of blindness from drinking is methanol. Methanol, otherwise known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol, can damage the optic nerve and even kill you in high concentrations.
Can I make whiskey at home UK?
Legal point: It is illegal to manufacture spirits in the UK without a distiller’s licence which is required under the provisions of section 12 of the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979 and this includes manufacture for “own/domestic use”.
Is it legal to make your own gin?
“The technical name for this is compound gin but it’s also sometimes called ‘bathtub gin’, in reference to the vessel in which batches were illegally made during American Prohibition in the 1920s. “There’s nothing illegal about whipping up a bit of your own homemade gin – and it can be great fun.
Why is moonshine illegal to distill at home?
Moonshine can become tainted with toxic liquids, especially methanol, the form of alcohol reputed to cause blindness and death. Making moonshine also poses obvious risks of fire or explosion . Laws against moonshine may place those who wish to make their own line of commercial brandy or other spirit in a tricky situation.
Is moonshine still sold?
Moonshine Is Growing in the U.S., and Big Whiskey Wants a Taste. Moonshine, the outlaw hooch made famous in backwoods Appalachia , is now regulated by the government and is sold at Walmart. Eastern Tennessee is now home to several moonshine distilleries, including Ole Smoky.
Is making moonshine legal?
Owning a still to make your own moonshine is completely legal in the state IF you possess the required permits and license. Understand, it is against federal law to produce beer, wine or spirits for personal consumption if you don’t have prior approval (a permit). When making your own alcohol,…
Is moonshine still made?
Since the prohibition ended in 1933 moonshine is not as widely consumed since buying alcohol is easy. However moonshine is still made and sold illicitly. Moonshining is illegal today because the government cannot tax it.