Has the law changed on distilling?

[Chippy_Tea]

CB radio is mentioned above, a licence is no longer required AFAIK, it comes under general licence.

Are CB radios legal in the UK?
CB is now legal in UK but users must abide by the regulations for frequencies, mode, power and equipment.
Since 2006 CB Radio, using FM mode was legal without a licence being required.
This Licence "Exemption" was increased to include use of AM and DSB/SSB signals in 2014.

https://www.red-radio.co.uk/CB-Frequencies#:~:text=CB is now legal in,DSB/SSB signals in 2014.

 

[Stu]

Without wishing to get this thread shut down, the modern stills that TMM are selling are very different to the home made ones that people blow up their garage with.

The technology behind the Still Spirits equipment (Air Still and T500) is not unlike an all-grain boiler utilising electric elements. In fact, there is a still adapter if I remember for the Grainfather!

The bigger, more dangerous stuff that moonshiners use is gas and flame based. Something that's not great when you're playing with highly flammable liquids.

Sadly, in many of the distilling Facebook groups and forums, there are those doing "alternative" sugar washes don't fully understand what to keep and what to throw away. The foreshots and heads, in particular, can have high traces of Methanol. 10ml of this could make you blind!

 

[aolcot]

Yeah I saw that email a few days ago and I actually got in contact with TMM to actually ask if the law had changed because the way they presented the newsletter, it really make it sound like it was fine to distill legally.

I get that it is absolutely fine to sell the equipment and ingredients etc, but there really should have been a better caveat/smallprint on that newsletter to clarify the position of using it to distill spirits/alcohol etc in this country

 

[Graz]

They might be on dodgy ground by marketing it as a way to make spirits. As has been mentioned there's no law against selling distillation equipment but it is illegal to distil alcohol. Most of the other vendors tend to suggest the stills are for making distilled water, not anything else.

Personally given the fact that you can get a bottle of whisky/rum/vodka/gin/etc. in Lidl for around £10 that is probably going to taste better than anything illicit and won't cause blindness I don't see that it's worth the hassle.

 

[MashBag]

QRZ G6Y**

 

[Chippy_Tea]

There should be a warning on the kit that it is illegal to make spirits without a licence and that if done wrong it can cause serious health issues, we have warnings on peanuts this takes it to another level.

 

[MashBag]

... - .- .-. ... ¦ ..-. --- .-. ¦ ... . -.-. ..- .-. .. - -.--

 

[MashBag]

Bugger that was hard work.

 

[MashBag]

There should be a warning on the kit that it is illegal to make spirits without a licence and that if done wrong it can cause serious health issues, we have warnings on peanuts this takes it to another level.

Begs the question, should discussion be permitted to raise awareness and keep people safe?

 

[Rodcx500z]

The government are to blame and should make it illegal to sell stills, having said that i could buy a light air craft but i can't fly it unless i do training

 

[Stu]

QRZ G6Y**

Was this the right thread?

De M0M**

 

[Rwilts]

I it's his ham radio call sign. Or it was !

 

[Sadfield]

 

[old dog new tricks]

They might be on dodgy ground by marketing it as a way to make spirits. As has been mentioned there's no law against selling distillation equipment but it is illegal to distil alcohol. Most of the other vendors tend to suggest the stills are for making distilled water, not anything else.

Personally given the fact that you can get a bottle of whisky/rum/vodka/gin/etc. in Lidl for around £10 that is probably going to taste better than anything illicit and won't cause blindness I don't see that it's worth the hassle.

can get a bottle of whisky/rum/vodka/gin/etc. in Lidl for around £10 not in Scotland you will not with the already high minimum unit pricing in place set to rise by 30% to adjust for inflation spirits up here will cost double that

 

[Stu]

I it's his ham radio call sign. Or it was !

Oh I absolutely got that. Sorry, realised it was referring to the "Can you buy Amateur equipment without a licence" and the answer is yes.
No-one has ever asked me.

Slightly off-topic, you can legally buy 2kw amps too (and bigger). Until earlier this year, the legal limit was 400w. It's suggested that you buy an amplifier that is twice the maximum and run it at 50% of its capacity.

Do you think people only run a 2kw amp at 20% of its capacity?

 

[Rodcx500z]

What is the penalty for using ham radio without a licence £25-00 and told don't be a naughty boy, distilling invovles non payment of tax and vat a whole bigger ball game, the vat boys are the only law enforcement who can and will enter your property without a warrant

 

[Stu]

What is the penalty for using ham radio without a licence £25-00 and told don't be a naughty boy, distilling invovles non payment of tax and vat a whole bigger ball game, the vat boys are the only law enforcement who can and will enter your property without a warrant

I doubt they'd be interested in someone with an air still.
The most you can do at once is maybe a bottle's worth and it's a proper PITA.
A T500 can make perhaps 2 litres at once.

A 20 litre wash will produce 2.5 litres at most.

This isn't a 25 gallon still in someone's garage with 300 litre FVs we're talking about like the New Zealanders do

 

[Sandimas]

QRZ G6Y**

TU de G0Hxx

More hams on here than I would have thought / expected

 

[Clint]

Suppose it's like crowbars. I have one in my shed. If I get caught prowling round the houses at night with it up my coat I'm in trouble.

 

[aolcot]

There are loads of things we can buy and if used in a particular way, is against the law...

What got this thread started was the wording and very pro-making spirits content in the newsletter in the first place. Specifically saying to make our best spirits using their equipment and ingredients. We all respect TMM as a leading supplier of homebrew in the UK and really supporting the homebrew community, hence I think a lot of us raising an eyebrow to this sort content and no caveats whatsoever.

I think at the end of the day, this thread wouldn't have started if at the bottom of the marketing email it had a little warning indicating the current law on distilling and health risks of drinking spirits made at home incorrectly..