selling homemade cider

[lmc015]

Hi
I have been making cider at home for the last year, and have made some really nice stuff, I have given some to friends and family and they all agree it tastes better than supermarket cider, that it's fresher and nicer

I work in a off license and I was talking to a colleague and I said it would be great if one day I could put my cider in a shop to sell, not for financial reasons, just as a challenge.

Has anyone tried to do this? Is it quite easy?


I have had a quick dig around and read that you can produce a certain amount of cider which isn't taxed???
(I live in Scotland maybe the laws are a bit different)

 

[Brewtrog]

as far as I'm aware you'd need the right licences yourself, as well as all the health and safety ****, but then I'm not a pro, so you'd need verification of this.

 

[Gayle]

For cider specifically I think you can produce it for sale (around 7000l maybe), as long as you're not selling to the public, but the off license you work in could sell it as they have a license to do so). The Food Hygeine people will also want to make sure your brewing area is suitable, clean, well maintained with all the records kept (do a food hygeine course if you haven't already.)

I can't find the relevant legislation, but there was a thread about this on here recently so perhaps someone else will have the link handy.

I wouldn't want to sell cider that wasn't decently aged - do you have the space to keep a large quantity of cider in storage for 6-12months or to do MLF? And environmental health people will insist that any area used is scrupulously clean. (I wanted to run my own bakery stall at the local market, but current requirments for food hygeine registration are ridiculous and I couldn't afford to equip my kitchen in such a way!)

 

[tonyhibbett]

It's a legal minefield in theory, but in practice very simple. HMRC don't have the resources to organise a pissup in a brewery. The tax and duty system is so convoluted, even their employees struggle to understand it and when challenged, give out misleading information. They can't hit the big boys and can't waste time on small fry. Basically, if you want to sell cider on a small scale to friends who are happy to pay cash to cover your costs, you are very small fry in their eyes. You may even be dealing with HMRC agents! Best bet is to join the Masons!

 

[boozy_shoes]

A mate of mine set up to start making and selling ale with a half barrel plant. When he came to hygiene regulations he said that when the person from the council came to look round his set up they were more relaxed than with other food areas as if a brewing operation has poor hygiene then everything you make becomes infected and noticeably unsellable anyway.

 

[graysalchemy]

I have a feeling that the 7000L rule only applies if the cider is from your orchard and that it was brought in to try and help farmers produce an income from small cider orchards which otherwise would have been grubbed out, and also to diversify farms activities after foot and mouth etc. I may be wrong but it does seem to ring a bell in my head.

:thumb:

 

[scott78]

HMRC only require you to fill in a simple form telling them you intend to make cider for sale at a level less than 7000L. as yet they have never asked if i grow the apples i use myself.

 

[calumscott]

You need:

The Alcoholic Liquor Duties (Definition of Cider) Order 2010
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010 ... tents/made

and

The Cider and Perry (Exemption from Registration) Order 1976 and it's amendment
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1976 ... tents/made
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1979 ... tents/made

Pay careful attention to the regulatory requirements as this:

HMRC only require you to fill in a simple form telling them you intend to make cider for sale at a level less than 7000L

is not true, you have a duty to record everything you make and sell.

A person exempt under Article 2 of this Order shall furnish to the Commissioners on request such records of or information about his production of cider as may be necessary to establish that the conditions of Article 2 of this Order are or have been complied with.

 

[scott78]

the two points raised in this thread were, is it simple to register to sell cider. and is there a 7000l duty exemption, if so do you have to grow your own apples. based on these two points, my reply was correct.
I didnt go into the record keeping, in the same way i didnt go into what can and cannot be used in cider, or any other areas of production. Anyone wanting to sell cider needs to read HMRC notice 162. This will tell you all you need to know regarding producing cider. You will not need a personal alcohol licence, but you could only sell from/to licenced premesis.