License for tasting beer

[Rafaj Ondrej]

I am building a homebrewing school with about 10 systems where people can take the unfermented beer home after the session. As I will be talking a lot about history of craft beer, i would like to give the students tiny samples of iconic beers like steam anchor, sierra nevada and possibly other that represent different styles to help them choose the style they’d like to brew. The question is, do I need a full pub license for that?

 

[London]

AFAIK you only need a license if you're selling alcohol not giving it away which cover the samples and unfermented wort isn't alcohol.

 

[Leon103]

Yes

 

[Dutto]

I agree with Leon.

"Yes" because no matter how you word the Course description, you will be "selling" alcohol if you include it in the price of a Course; and even more so if you charge extra for it.

PS The wort is okay.

 

[An Ankoù]

You could give them a list of the beers you want them to try and a style description of each one. You could even make it a pre-course research project.

 

[simon12]

Hoping the clarify further, no license is needed for giving away alcohol but if its included in a paid for course it is (non fermented wort isn't alcohol so no issue there just the samples). If none of the course advertising or description mention the samples then you could be OK as it is then free and not included. What I suggest is to contact the licensing authority and tell them what you want to do and if there happy you don't need a license get that in writing.

 

[Rafaj Ondrej]

@simon12 thanks, just got a meeting with the local licensing authority next week, will post an update after. Thanks a lot everyone :)

 

[Rafaj Ondrej]

@An Ankoù brilliant idea

 

[An Ankoù]

@simon12 thanks, just got a meeting with the local licensing authority next week, will post an update after. Thanks a lot everyone :)

I'd be very interested to hear what they say.

 

[Clint]

I thought even as home brewers we are not allowed to give beer away as it's for" personal consumption only."

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I thought even as home brewers we are not allowed to give beer away as it's for" personal consumption only."

I am sure this has been mentioned here before Clint and you are right.

 

[Clint]

Yes and being a law abiding citizen I give none of mine away. Even the Mrs doesn't get any.

 

[divrack]

I would give them a link to a shopping list with the beers you want them to bring, or work out a deal with a good local shop where they can buy them themselves and you can "collect them" and bring them in.

Save you the headache, support a decent shop, and still ensure you have something to quaff and opine about as you do the other stuff.

I've actually thought about doing something similar myself, but now I live in the middle of nowhere so it never went anywhere

 

[nige]

If I can give you jam or a cake I can make a gift of beer. If it isn't included in the price of the course then it's free, mabe a list leader. I doubt anyone making beer sits alone and doesn't offer one or two too visiting friends or I hope not.

 

[Spinningwoman]

If I can give you jam or a cake I can make a gift of beer. If it isn't included in the price of the course then it's free, mabe a list leader. I doubt anyone making beer sits alone and doesn't offer one or two too visiting friends or I hope not.

It’s definitely not that simple unfortunately. As someone says above, if it’s included in a paid for event, the assumption is that part of the payment is for the beer. And beer isn’t like cakes etc because the making of cakes isn’t subject to licence. The issue is that the permission to homebrew is a limited exemption to a larger law which states that othereise than in certain circumstances, duty is payable. Obviously if you are talking about taking some beer to a neighbour’s BBQ, nobody is bothered. But if you are running a commercial enterprise, they might well be.

 

[RichardM]

I thought even as home brewers we are not allowed to give beer away as it's for" personal consumption only."

Even the Mrs doesn't get any.

I thought it was for "domestic consumption". So your mrs can have some.

 

[Clint]

I think this is right...perhaps a trip down the pub before hand night be in order?
As for my Mrs getting my beer...it's my beer...not a free for all! Plus...she don't like beer...

 

[nige]

It’s definitely not that simple unfortunately. As someone says above, if it’s included in a paid for event, the assumption is that part of the payment is for the beer. And beer isn’t like cakes etc because the making of cakes isn’t subject to licence. The issue is that the permission to homebrew is a limited exemption to a larger law which states that othereise than in certain circumstances, duty is payable. Obviously if you are talking about taking some beer to a neighbour’s BBQ, nobody is bothered. But if you are running a commercial enterprise, they might well be.

Not if you're breakdown shows otherwise, a gift is a gift, I was once gifted a shotgun surely a token gift for someone who has paid for the course in full and the breakdown does not include the free gift isn't illegal.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

You cannot sell beer without a licence and you cannot give home brew away as its for personal use, there is no grey area.
Edit to add - it wouldn't be the first time I am wrong.

 

[foxy]

I'm not a legal professional, or Bar room barrister, one thing I have learnt in life is don't prod the tax and excise man. Find a loophole they won't thank you, they will close it immediately and you will be forever on their radar.
What if you charged the students for the beer you provide, itemise it in their costs of enrollment, if its only small amounts say a 350 mm stubby between three students not going to be outlandish. I can't see how that could be illegal.