Legality of free beer at weddings?

[Stunned Monkey]

So I'm posting on this bit of the forum because it's what I'm already doing... but we're planning on trying some wine in the near future.

What're the legal issues (if any) with regards giving away free beer/wine at a private function? (I know I may have to tip the venue a few quid for the beer they're not otherwise making).

Getting hitched in the next year and would like everyone to have a really great time :drunk:

(I'm the one on the right)

 

[dennisking]

Think this is a grey area. I`ve made beer for christenings, party's, even a firms Christmas party, they just bought the ingredients, a couple of yeas running. But sure I`ve read recently this may be wrong. If any of the nice people from the revenue are reading this it was all a lot of years ago and done in complete ignorance honest.

 

[Aleman]

If any of the nice people from the revenue are reading this it was all a lot of years ago and done in complete ignorance honest.

That's fine then . . . They'll take your house anyway :twisted: Ignorance is no excuse :nono: :nono: :nono:

 

[dennisking]

If any of the nice people from the revenue are reading this it was all a lot of years ago and done in complete ignorance honest.

That's fine then . . . They'll take your house anyway :twisted: Ignorance is no excuse :nono: :nono: :nono:

Its a fair cop guv, can I pay you in beer. :thumb:

 

[hedgerow pete]

as far as i am aware and i have been knocking out wine for 25 years now the law stands that you can not sell for money any alcohol you produce. directly for cash or in directly as per via a charity raffle. It is only free from excise because it stays free, i way always told

I have brewed for several very large gatherings for other people. The way it works is that the said host pays me the money to buy the kits or ingreadiants and no more. I produce the beer and or wine and then deliver it to the said party, where apon everyone then suddenly has a massive out break of wobbly leg syndrome. my time and effort is my part of the hosts gift. as long as no one is charging enterence fees or such like then it is fine.


its a very cheap way of suppling a large amount of booze for very little money , we used to knock out any where from 10 to 20 kits for a party of 100 people. i used to run on an average of 4 pints perperson and with the non drinkers and the idiots and the wine drinkers it seams to balance out.

the most exspensive part was the soft drinks for the kids

 

[doodles]

If any of the nice people from the revenue are reading this it was all a lot of years ago and done in complete ignorance honest.

You forgot to mention it was brewed and consumed in international waters :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:

 

[evanvine]

As I understand it, you are allowed to produce alcoholic beveragers for your OWN consumption, you may NOT distill!!
I don't know if "own consumption" includes immediate family.
Giving it away, never mind selling it for the cost of the ingredients, is a big NO NO.
Mr HMRC & Mr VAT get very interested.

If I'm wrong JB UP, please correct me!

 

[oldbloke]

Wandering through the HMR&C pages, it looks like you can brew for "domestic" use only. Theer's one bit that specifically states you can't even give it away - and you certainly can't sell it.
So it looks like a question of how far one can stretch the definition of "domestic", and how much money you can get back before it technically becomes "selling".
I imagine somewhere in the huge body of case law there's something that solidifies all the vagueness in HMR&C's documents, but I suggest that /if/ they wanted to, they could do you for any supped outside your own home and any that you took /any/ money for, if they wanted to. I don't think they care all that much, though, really, unless you're actually clearly a microbrewery supplying a bar or bars.

 

[evanvine]

OB, would you mind telling more about Gluten free beer.
I have a distant family member who has a gluten problem.

 

[Davebispham81]

Rule no. 1.....Dont get caught
So long as everyone involved keeps their mouth shut the authorities will never know :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
loose lips sink ships

 

[Moley]

So long as everyone involved keeps their mouth shut the authorities will never know

.... except that they've probably already read this.

 

[Stunned Monkey]

Thanks guys, lots of info there!

This will be a private function at a private venue and the beer will be 100% free, made by and paid for by yours truly. I will probably have to pay the venue to dispense it (in other words to offset what they'd normally make), plus I'd make sure there's a breast cancer care collection bucket next to the pumps :mrgreen: (My fiancee was treated for it last year).

I guess it all comes down to the venue.

4 pints per person eh :hmm:

 

[oldbloke]

OB, would you mind telling more about Gluten free beer.
I have a distant family member who has a gluten problem.

1. Husband of friend of my wife is a Master Brewer, claims no gluten left by the time the chemical magic has completed. So the non-GF beers are just ones that haven't bothered with the certification procedure? Maybe... OTOH, some people _do_ react to beer. My wife prefers not to risk it. Maybe the gluten is gone but there are by-products that some people still are sensitive to.
2. The recipes I've used are by Duncan Incapable over on JimsBeerKit.co.uk. Uses maltodextrin and hops and a wide (and wild) range of other ingredients like prune juice, 3 kinds of teabag, marmite, tamari... But they taste great. They look like beer, smell like beer, taste like beer: good beer.
3. Sometime in the future I intend to experiment with millet. But don't hold your breath!
4. The Bosk GF kit is no longer on the market
5. You won't find sorghum extract in amateur quantities in this country, and anyway people say it tastes just not quite right.

 

[MikeB]

I think you would find that the Revenue, may they burn in hell, have much bigger fish to fry than following up on a few home-brewed pints. I really wouldn't worry about it...

 

[bobsbeer]

On a slightly technical note, I would have thought that the purchase of kits/ingredients by another person or them paying you to purchase is not selling the end result. The kits/ingredients are not alcoholic until you and the yeast gods do their stuff. So it is only at that point and subsequently would the HMRC be interested. HB shops do not need a licence, and apart from VAT, if registered, they do not pay duty. So go ahead and enjoy :

 

[philip5660]

So someone else buys some grains/malt/sugar/yeast and gives them to you and you turn it into beer and hand it back to them ? That's pretty much what's going on here.
As long as you're not taking money off people then you've nothing to worry about. Inland Revenue or only interested in things that generate an income, then they'll want to tax your profit.
Noone's going to be interested in this.

Think of it another way, if it was flour etc and you baked a few buns to hand out you wouldn't be worrying.

as long as you're not doing the other sort of brewing that we can't talk about here then you're cool.

Oh and I also think it's a great idea!! Good luck with it!

 

[dennisking]

Can I come out from under the bed now.

 

[philip5660]

Can I come out from under the bed now.

yeah I'll vouch for you!

 

[evanvine]

Many thanks your reply OB.
I shall peruse JBK and have a chat with aforesaid mentioned family member.

 

[Aleman]

So someone else buys some grains/malt/sugar/yeast and gives them to you and you turn it into beer and hand it back to them ? That's pretty much what's going on here.
As long as you're not taking money off people then you've nothing to worry about. Inland Revenue or only interested in things that generate an income, then they'll want to tax your profit.

The wording of the 1967 Maudling (bless his soul) Act legalising homebrewing without the requirement of a licence specifically states that no duty is payable as long as the beer is produced for 'Domestic' Consumption . . .

Agreed unless you get a jobsworth they are not going to make too much fuss.