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THE LATEST ON LEGALIZATION

Click here to learn about the progress we've made
towards the legalization of home distilling.

Updates From the HDA

   
This is a collection of updates regarding HDA news and events that we have shared with the public since we founded the Hobby Distiller's Association in Spring of 2014.

   

  
If you have any news that you'd like to share with the HDA, feel free to let us know by contacting us below.

#LegalizeDistilling#LegalizeDistilling

   
CONTACT THE HDA
   

GOALS

Our goals for legalization of hobby distilling are quite simple: Allow hobby distillers to enjoy the same legal standing as hobby brewers and wine makers.
In order to garner support on Capitol Hill we must ensure that our members of Congress do not see this as an opportunity for expansion of illicit moonshining. The hobbyist does not generally want to be held in the same category as the for-profit illegal distilling operations, and we must assure our legislators that we neither support nor endorse such activity.
So, our goal is simple: afford hobby distillers the same legal rights as hobby brewers and winemakers. It is, after all, just an extension of those hobbies.

Details about our legalization goals

  • What exactly do we mean by ‘hobby distiller’?

    We consider the hobby distiller to be one that distills for enjoyment and not profit- an enthusiast. They distill in their own home for personal consumption only, not for sale. That is not to say that they may not grow their hobby into a commercial operation, but that means a legal commercial distillery, and not an illicit moonshine operation. Hobby means hobby. The Hobby Distiller’s Association does not support for-profit distilling other than by legal operations.

  • What do we propose the maximum allowed boiler size should be under legal hobby distilling?

    Consensus has been 15.5 gallons. This may sound like a strange number, but it was suggested because that is the size of a standard beer keg, which many hobbyists use as a boiler. It is not so large as to be reasonably used to produce spirits for sale, but certainly large enough to make a reasonable batch size. In fact, it is just the right size to fit a “double-batch” from standard homebrew batches.

  • What do we propose the maximum volume per year should be?

    We feel that the current maximum volume for home beer and winemaking is quite acceptable, and therefore does not require expansion. For a household with 2 adults you are legally allowed to make up to 200 gallons of beer or wine. Assuming wine at 14%abv, this equals approximately 350 x 750ml bottles of spirits at 40%abv, or roughly a bottle a day! We see no reason that this needs to increased.