Editing Homebrewing (section)

==Legality==
{{More citations needed section|date=July 2009}}
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
! scope="col" |Country
! scope="col" style="width:40%;"|Homebrewing
! scope="col" style="width:40%;"|Home distillation
|- valign="top"
| Australia
| '''Legal''' for individuals to produce beer and wine for personal use.
| '''Illegal''' to distil alcohol (e.g. spirits) without an excise manufacturer licence. Permission is also required from the [[Australian Taxation Office]] to own, possess, dispose of, buy, sell, import or manufacture a still of over 5 litres capacity, whether it is being used to produce alcohol or not.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ato.gov.au/stills|title = Excise on spirits and other excisable beverages}}</ref>
|-
|Austria
|'''Legal''' for personal use only, not for sale.
|'''Legal''' to distill alcohol with a permission or license.
|- valign="top"
| Canada
| '''Legal''' in most Canadian provinces. Liquor laws are regulated provincially, while the federal government has laws about taxation and importation of beer, wine and other liquors.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}}
| '''Legal''' with a license to distill granted by the (provincial) government.
|- valign="top"
| Czech Republic
| '''Legal.''' 2000 Litres per household per year of beer for personal use, including notification of the customs office. 2000 litres of wine per household per year.
| '''Not permitted''' although every household can distill fermented fruit only, up to 30 litres per year in a local distillery, for personal use only.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}}
|- valign="top"
| Denmark
| '''Legal.''' No limit per household per year of beer, given that it is for personal consumption.
| '''Not permitted''' - Distillation licenses not available for persons.<ref>[https://www.retsinformation.dk/forms/r0710.aspx?id=17221 spiritusafgiftsloven]</ref>
|- valign="top"
| Eritrea
| '''Legal.'''
| 
|- valign="top"
| Estonia
| '''Legal.'''
| '''Illegal. Distillation licenses not available for persons.'''
|- valign="top"
| Ethiopia
| '''Legal.'''
| 
|- valign="top"
| Faroe Islands
| '''Illegal.'''
| '''Illegal.'''
|- valign="top"
| Finland
| '''Legal''' for personal use only.<ref name=fin19941344>[https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/1994/1344 Law of Alcoholic drinks in Finland] (in finnish)</ref>
| '''Illegal'''. Only a commercial manufacturer can apply for a manufacturing permit.<ref name=fin2741997>[https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/1997/274 274/1997 A decision by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on the prerequisites for granting a permit to manufacture, import and to carry out wholesale alcoholic beverages and distilled beverages, and on the requirements on the credibility of the applicant. (in Finnish)]</ref>
|- valign="top"
| Germany
| '''Legal'''. 200 litres of beer per household per year may be produced without taxation, but notification of the local customs office is necessary. Larger quantities are taxed according to law.<ref name="Biersteuer Haus- und Hobbybrauer">{{cite web|url=http://www.zoll.de/DE/Privatpersonen/Alkohol-Kaffee-Kraftstoffe-Strom-im-Haushalt/Brauen-Brennen-Roesten/Bier/bier.html|title=Bier|publisher=Bundesministerium der Finanzen/Zoll/Germany|access-date=11 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029195054/http://www.zoll.de/DE/Privatpersonen/Alkohol-Kaffee-Kraftstoffe-Strom-im-Haushalt/Brauen-Brennen-Roesten/Bier/bier.html|archive-date=29 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> From 2025, the German government wants to allow 500 liters tax-free; the obligation to register is to be abolished.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 June 2024 |title=Entwurf eines Jahressteuergesetzes 2024 (Jahressteuergesetz 2024 – JStG 2024) |url=https://www.der-paritaetische.de/fileadmin/user_upload/20240605_Kabinettvorlage_Jahressteuergesetz_2024.pdf |access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref>
| '''Illegal'''. Distillation licenses not available for persons.<ref>{{Cite web| title = Herstellung von Branntwein in Deutschland | url=http://www.zoll.de/DE/Privatpersonen/Alkohol-Kaffee-Kraftstoffe-Strom-im-Haushalt/Brauen-Brennen-Roesten/Branntwein/Herstellung-Branntwein/herstellung-branntwein_node.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708102020/http://www.zoll.de/DE/Privatpersonen/Alkohol-Kaffee-Kraftstoffe-Strom-im-Haushalt/Brauen-Brennen-Roesten/Branntwein/Herstellung-Branntwein/herstellung-branntwein_node.html|archive-date=2017-07-08 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|- valign="top"
|Hong Kong
| '''Legal'''.<ref name="Cap 109 s 58">{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_ind.nsf/d2769881999f47b3482564840019d2f9/ed23b6f371be9700c82564800040ff3d?OpenDocument|access-date=1 October 2015 |title=Cap 109 s 58}}</ref><ref name="Cap 109 s 64A">{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_ind.nsf/D2769881999F47B3482564840019D2F9/86C92ED4F95BC9AA4825693100333C4C?OpenDocument|access-date=29 January 2016|title=Cap 109 s 64A}}</ref>
| '''Legal''' with a license, otherwise punishable by fine and/ or forfeiture.<ref name="Cap 109 s 58"/>
|- valign="top"
| Hungary
| '''Legal'''. 1000 litres of beer per person per year may be produced without taxation, but notification of the local customs office is necessary. Larger quantities are taxed according to law.
| '''Legal'''. 50 litres of palinka per person per year may be produced without taxation, but notification of the local customs office is necessary. Larger quantities are taxed according to law.
|- valign="top"
| Iceland
| '''Legal''' up to 2.25% alcohol by volume only.<ref name=afengislog>{{cite web |title=Áfengislög (in icelandic)|url=http://www.althingi.is/lagas/nuna/1998075.html|publisher=Althingi (Icelandic Government)}}</ref>
| '''Illegal''' except for officially licensed and regulated distilleries.<ref name="afengislog"/>
|- valign="top"
| India
| '''Legal''' for personal use in certain states. No national law exists that specifically prevents brewing. Some states ban alcohol completely.<ref name=ipleaders.in>{{cite web |title=ipleaders.in|date =18 October 2017|url =https://blog.ipleaders.in/brew-beer-or-wine|publisher=Legal help portal. Retrieved 19 November 2018}}</ref>
| '''Illegal.'''
|- valign="top"
| Iran
| '''Illegal'''<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.euromonitor.com/alcoholic-drinks-in-iran/report
|title=Alcoholic Drinks in Iran
|work=Euromonitor Online
|publisher=EuroMonitor
|access-date=11 November 2013
|archive-date=6 September 2017
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906005509/http://www.euromonitor.com/alcoholic-drinks-in-iran/report
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>
| '''Illegal.'''
|- valign="top"
| Ireland
| '''Legal''' for personal use. '''Illegal''' with intent to sell or if sold for profit.<ref name=fa92>{{cite web |title=Finance Act 1992|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1992/en/act/pub/0009/sec0091.html#sec91|publisher=Government of Ireland}}</ref>
| '''Illegal''' except for officially licensed and regulated distilleries.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}}
|- valign="top"
| Italy
| '''Legal''' only for personal use.<ref>{{cite web |title=Art. 34, DECRETO LEGISLATIVO 26 ottobre 1995, n. 504.|url=http://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:1995-10-26;504!vig=2016-08-08|publisher=Normattiva. Il portale della legge vigente, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato}}</ref>
| '''Illegal'''
|- valign="top"
| Japan
| '''Legal''' up to 1% alcohol by volume only; suppliers sell homebrewing equipment and kits, leaving it up to the customer to brew within the law.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fg19991111a2.html
|title=Homebrewing for fun, taste and profit
|work=The Japan Times Online
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714150340/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fg19991111a2.html%23.UAGKPKgo9Rw
|archive-date=14 July 2012
|access-date=24 April 2017}}
</ref>
| '''Illegal.'''
|- valign="top"
| Malaysia
| '''Illegal.''' Exemption is given to natives in Sabah and Sarawak for their own consumption.
| '''Illegal.'''
|- valign="top"
| New Zealand
| '''Legal''' for personal use, not for selling without a license.<ref>{{cite web|title=Is home brewing legal? |url=http://www.alcohol.org.nz/faq/home-brewing-legal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301040532/http://www.alcohol.org.nz/faq/home-brewing-legal |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 March 2014 |work=Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=Health Promotion Agency |access-date=12 June 2013}}</ref>
| '''Legal''' since 1996 to [[distill]] spirits for personal consumption, not for selling without a license.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}}
|- valign="top"
| Netherlands
| '''Legal''' for personal use only.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mag ik zelf bier brouwen?|url=http://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/bldcontentnl/belastingdienst/prive/aangifte_doen/andere_belastingen/accijnsgoederen_of_verbruiksbelastinggoederen_maken_in_nederland_2/zelf_accijnsgoederen_maken}}</ref>
|'''Illegal''' except for officially licensed and regulated distilleries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Zelf accijnsgoederen maken|url=https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/bldcontentnl/belastingdienst/prive/aangifte_doen/andere_belastingen/accijnsgoederen_of_verbruiksbelastinggoederen_maken_in_nederland_2/zelf_accijnsgoederen_maken}}</ref>
|- valign="top"
| Norway
| '''Legal''' for personal use only.
| '''Illegal. Owning a still or important parts of one illegal.'''
|- valign="top"
| Poland
| '''Legal''' for personal use only, not for sale.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}}
| '''Illegal'''{{citation needed|date=March 2011}}
|- valign="top"
| Russian Federation
| '''Legal''' for personal use only.
| '''Legal''' for personal use.
|- valign="top"
| Romania
| '''Legal''' for personal use only.
| '''Legal''' with payment of [[excise tax]], up to 50 liters per year.<ref name="june 2018 report">{{cite report |url=https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/system/files/2018-06/study-on-dir83-vol-1.pdf |title=Study on Council Directive 92/83/EEC on the structures of excise duty on alcohol and alcoholic beverages |via=europa.eu |date=June 2018 |access-date=November 28, 2021 |work=[[Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union]] |publisher=[[European Commission]] |page=150 }}</ref>
|- valign="top"
| Singapore
| '''Legal''' up to 30 litres per household per month. Brewers must be 18 years of age or older, and the brewing process must not "degrade the environment". The product must not be sold.<ref name="SP">{{cite web
 |url=http://www.customs.gov.sg/topNav/faq/FAQs+on+Home-Brewing+of+Beer+and+Other+Fermented+Liquors.htm
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414170231/http://www.customs.gov.sg/topNav/faq/FAQs+on+Home-Brewing+of+Beer+and+Other+Fermented+Liquors.htm
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-date=14 April 2008
 |title=FAQs on Home-Brewing of Beer and Other Fermented Liquors 
 |publisher=www.customs.gov.sg 
 |access-date=9 September 2010
}} 
</ref>
| '''Illegal'''  without a license.<ref name="SP" /> License fees are only practical for commercial distilleries.<ref name="SP2">{{cite web
 |url=https://www.customs.gov.sg/businesses/customs-schemes-licences-framework/excise-factory-scheme
 |title=Excise Factory Scheme 
 |publisher=www.customs.gov.sg 
 |access-date=18 October 2020
}} 
</ref>
|- valign="top"
| South Africa
| '''Legal''' for home brewed beers in unlimited quantities for personal use only, not for sale or barter, without any required permits or licenses. Registration as a "manufacturer not for commercial use" at the [[South African Revenue Service]] (SARS) is required to produce wine at home.
| Registration and a permit are required to own, operate, or have a still in one's possession. Producing distilled spirits at home is limited "for own use" only and products may not be sold, or used for [[barter]]ing.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}}

As of 2010 "agricultural distilling" permits are no longer available.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}} Commercial operations require a micro-manufacturing license (for quantities up to 2 million litres of spirits per year), and various other permits are required. For larger quantities, a full manufacturing license and various permits are required.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}}
|- valign="top"
| Spain
| '''Legal'''{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}} 
|
|- valign="top"
| Sudan
| '''Legal'''
| 
|- valign="top"
| Sweden
| '''Legal''' for personal use only, not for sale.<ref name=svenskforfattningssamling>{{cite web |title=Svensk författningssamling (in swedish)|url=http://www.riksdagen.se/webbnav/index.aspx?nid=3911&bet=2010:1622#K2|publisher=Government of Sweden}}</ref>
| '''Illegal. Owning a still or important parts of it illegal.'''<ref name="svenskforfattningssamling"/>
|- valign="top"
| Taiwan
| '''Legal''' for personal use only, not for sale.<ref>{{cite news |title=Small brewers beat odds in search of perfect beer|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/07/08/2003368596|newspaper=Taipei Times}}</ref>
|
|- valign="top"
| Turkey
| '''Legal''' up to 350 litres for personal use.<ref>{{cite web |title=Article 8 of 4733rd act of legislation regulating tobacco and alcohol markets|url=http://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/MevzuatMetin/1.5.4733.pdf}}</ref>
| '''Illegal'''
|-
|Ukraine
|'''Illegal'''
|'''Illegal'''
|- valign="top"
| United Kingdom
| '''Legal''' in unlimited quantity for domestic consumption only. Fermented products for sale must include payment of alcohol duty and registration with [[HM Revenue and Customs]].
| '''Legal''' with a license to distill granted by the government.
|- valign="top"
| United States
| '''Legal''' in all states. Individual states remain free to restrict or prohibit the manufacture of beer, mead, hard cider, wine and other fermented alcoholic beverages at home.<ref name="aha_laws">
{{cite web
|url=https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrewing-rights/statutes/
|title=Government Affairs
|publisher=American Homebrewers Association
|access-date=24 April 2017}}
</ref> Until 2013, Alabama and Mississippi were the only states with laws prohibiting the homebrewing of beer. Alabama and Mississippi both legalized home brewing in their respective 2013 legislative sessions.<ref>{{cite web |author=Kim Chandler |url=http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/05/gov_robert_bentley_signs_home.html |title=Gov. Robert Bentley signs home brew bill |publisher=al.com |date=9 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2013/pdf/history/SB/SB2183.xml |title=Mississippi Legislature 2013 Regular Session Senate Bill 2183 |date=18 March 2013 |access-date=22 May 2013}}</ref> Although all state governments have legalized homebrewing, some states retain local options that permit local governments to make homebrewing illegal under municipal law. Alaska is one such state where the local option is currently exercised.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/government-affairs/statutes/alaska |title=Alaska |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131122023718/http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/government-affairs/statutes/alaska |archive-date=22 November 2013 |access-date=24 April 2017}}</ref>

Most states permit homebrewing of {{convert|100|USgal|L}} of beer per adult (of 21 years or older) per year and up to a maximum of {{convert|200|USgal|L}} per household annually when there are two or more adults residing in the household.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/27/25/205|title = 27 CFR § 25.205 - Production}}</ref> Because alcohol is taxed by the federal government via [[excise|excise taxes]], homebrewers are restricted from selling any beer they brew. This similarly applies in most Western countries. In 1978, President [[Jimmy Carter]] signed into law a bill allowing home beers, which had not been permitted unless the excise taxes were paid as a holdover from the [[prohibition]] of alcoholic beverages, which had been repealed in 1933.<ref name="aha_laws"/><ref name="donaldjsmith">Donald J. Smith, [http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-commentary/2012/05/other_views_life_liberty_and_t.html Life, liberty and the pursuit of homebrewing], ''[[The Birmingham News]]'', 21 May 2012.</ref> This change also exempted home brewers from posting a "[[License and permit bond|penal bond]]" (which currently ranges from a minimum of $1000.00 to a maximum of $500,000<ref>{{Citation |year=2014 |title=Brewer's Bond |publisher=Department of Treasury |url=http://www.ttb.gov/forms/f513022.pdf |access-date=21 May 2014}}</ref>) which had the prohibitive effect of economically preventing brewers of small quantities from pursuing their hobby.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}}
| Regulated at the National level under USC Title 26 subtitle E Ch51. Production of distilled alcohols for consumption carries an excise tax and numerous requirements must be met to legally produce.<ref name="ttb_gov">{{cite web
|url=https://www.ttb.gov/faqs/genalcohol.shtml
|title=TTBGov General Alcohol FAQ
|publisher=Alcohol and Tobacco Trade Bureau
|access-date=24 April 2017
|archive-date=26 November 2017
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171126154520/https://www.ttb.gov/faqs/genalcohol.shtml
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>
Owning or operating a distillation apparatus without filing the proper paperwork and paying the taxes carries federal criminal penalties.<ref name="cornell_law">
{{cite web
|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/5601
|title=United States Code: Title 26,5601. Criminal penalties
|publisher= Legal Information Institute
|access-date=24 April 2017}}</ref>
|}