Would it be legal to trade wine for ingredients?

[Mikes1992]

It's just something I'm curious about... Would it be illegal if you posted an ingredients list on your social media and brewed wine for other people?

 

[MashBag]

I looked into this ages ago.
From memory, you can of course sell ingredients and services. Separately.

But the alcohol is the issue. And I seem to recall the customer must pitch.

Some HBS used to operate on a similar fashion. Arguing that it was a training course.

But it's very very fine line. A local HBS did get into trouble and had to close.

 

[The Baron]

This the way I read it
There’s no limit to the amount of beer or wine that you can make, provided that it’s only for your personal consumption.
In other words you technically should not even give bottles away as it for your consumption only but who polices it that we swap bottles-nobody in real terms but get much bigger and you may get a knock at the door

 

[MashBag]

Yup. That is finished booze. Spot on.

 

[DocAnna]

…. And for home brew it may only be consumed on the premises it is made in. So no picnics .

Clearly this sort of level isn’t enforced however any transaction that you benefit from that involves the alcohol you have brewed, is liable to more scrutiny.

 

[Mikes1992]

…. And for home brew it may only be consumed on the premises it is made in. So no picnics .

Clearly this sort of level isn’t enforced however any transaction that you benefit from that involves the alcohol you have brewed, is liable to more scrutiny.

So when me and my partner moved houses and carted 70 bottles of hand labelled wine into the new house we could've got in trouble? God knows what the neighbours thought .

 

[jambop]

This the way I read it
There’s no limit to the amount of beer or wine that you can make, provided that it’s only for your personal consumption.
In other words you technically should not even give bottles away as it for your consumption only but who polices it that we swap bottles-nobody in real terms but get much bigger and you may get a knock at the door

I have no idea if the same applies in France and it is only relatively recently that the possiblity of tax being levied on home made beer being lifted. However the personal consumption bit of your satement is interesting. When I stayed in the UK and brewed beer all my mates supped it too, so I was actually breaking the law?

 

[MashBag]

I am sure you were somehow

Think everytime you pack some in the 'van, take a bottle to your mates or on holiday you are tempting the knock.

 

[dad_of_jon]

…. And for home brew it may only be consumed on the premises it is made in. So no picnics .

Clearly this sort of level isn’t enforced however any transaction that you benefit from that involves the alcohol you have brewed, is liable to more scrutiny.

hmm, would brewing in a motorhome or towed caravan be ok? I've had the odd HB on a TFW train trip before now. I'll have to use best quality labelling when taking mine out.

 

[Clint]

I like the "law" coz it explains to those that would "like a few bottles" or general freeloaders that you "simply cant" give them any beer. It more polite than telling then to xxxxoff.

 

[DocAnna]

I have no idea if the same applies in France and it is only relatively recently that the possiblity of tax being levied on home made beer being lifted. However the personal consumption bit of your satement is interesting. When I stayed in the UK and brewed beer all my mates supped it too, so I was actually breaking the law?

I think your mates can legally drink as much as they like provided it’s on your premises and there’s no value transaction.
It’s all a bit moot really as the common sense rule applies. My knowledge of this is that there’s a low threshold for action against those distilling but brewing is much less a concern at home brew scale.

 

[Clint]

What the Doc said...Best practice is don't invite cheeky people.

 

[foxy]

It's fine to brew the wine for other people, as long as it isn't you who adds the yeast. Filter your wine, boil it, and put it in a cube, the same as fresh wort kits.
If you want to add the yeast and bottle it then weigh up would it be risky and is it worth the risk? Plenty of people evade tax and get away with it. But the gains are greater than a few quid's worth of ingredients.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

And for home brew it may only be consumed on the premises it is made in. So no picnics

I did know you are only allowed to consume it yourself i didn't know it had to be consumed where its made.

 

[Clint]

I've taken homebrew all over the country.

 

[DuncR]

I’m with Clint on this one. If the law says I’m not aloud to give beer to freeloading gannets (even if they are related) then I must sadly tell them take a hike.
Sad, but so be it.

 

[Sadfield]

I did know you are only allowed to consume it yourself i didn't know it had to be consumed where its made.

I see it as, there's three ways HMRC could deal with homebrewing.

1) A simple rule, applied with discretion.

2) A complicated rule with a huge list of exceptions, applied to the letter.

3) Make it illegal without a licence.

Any deviation, going on a picnic, entering comps, etc. is fair and reasonable under personal consumption. Anything that facilitates the avoidance of someone paying Alcohol Duty and VAT, isn't. Regularly making alcohol for someone else as an alternative to them purchasing Duty Paid goods, is something I wouldn't want to be caught doing.

 

[Clint]

Hence the reason for not regularly supplying freeloaders who come to your house.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Regularly making alcohol for someone else as an alternative to them purchasing Duty Paid goods, is something I wouldn't want to be caught doing.

I wouldn't want to do it and certainly wouldn't want to get caught, if the lazy sods cannot be bothered to try making a simple kit themselves sod em

The subject of competitions is interesting some are big events how do they get around the rules, has anyone ever been prosecuted?

@Alastair70

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

It's just something I'm curious about... Would it be illegal if you posted an ingredients list on your social media and brewed wine for other people?

I’m pretty sure HMRC would insist you are still selling alcohol even if the “currency” is unorthodox

Publishing your activities on social media might also be poking the bear!