Is brewing beer legal? I imagine it's probably a local thing, but if you can't make moonshine because of taxes I would assume there's kinda the same thing with beer.

However, I'd love to do it regardless.

My understanding is you can't sell it, right?

I actually just had this conversation. Could a bunch of random guys have a beer brewing competition if they wanted?

@ Ivictus- In the Us you are allowed to brew beer at home for personal consumption. up to 100 gallons per year per person. Max 200 gallons per household...
Stupid law but that's what it says.
@ Spell ofWheels- LOL I have heard that story more than once. I have never had that experience though.

@ Cent- you are right you may not sell it.
Yes you can have a competition. I have been to a few. Never competed personally but makes for good conversation.

@ Invictus_ what part of the country are you in?

My dad and I like home-brew beer, we're pommys in Australia so we prefer the home-brew stuff to the VB/4x/Heineken beers.
To be honest though we use a company that takes some of the fun out of it (but also the risk and learning curve). They give you the ingredients, recipe for the sort of beer you want, walk you through it to get you started, and let you brew it at their factory (they'll even do it for you, though they're not supposed to). So the sort of "home-brew" we deal with some might call a tax-dodge (though it actually is for the variety and quality, the price is just a bonus).

"factory" is the wrong word isn't it? :-P brewery

We have homebrew supply stores in the bigger cities here in Texas. I had to go to San Antonio to get the supplies....but it is perfectly legal. Also...the process is fermentation....not distillation....therefore, no "moonshine"

I'm at the University of Illinois right now. I'm sure it's a state or local thing, like dry counties and how some liquor stores have to be closed on Sundays or whatever.

I know my uncle left a vat of apple juice sit in my grandparents basement for a few months when he was 15 or so. I suppose he thought that's all you had to do to ferment things. My mom (the little sister) ratted on him before he drank it and went blind, thank goodness.

lke kestas we home brew with the kits....have done for a decade or more....soo cheap but the taste is great....my wife won champion stout at the local show [fair]
I started on stout in an effort to put on weight....still skinny tho

Sweet. I started brewing kits. Used extracts I ordered and several are quite good. I am in Georgia and order all of my stuff from Austin, TX. I love it. It is SOOO much better than the crap I have so fondly dubbed buttwiper. Now I start with grain. I started all grain about 6 years ago. I have developed my own scratch recipe which resembles a traditional German black. Stouts are good too. I have acquired a pretty good palate and can tell by taste now with fair accuracy what grains, hops, and sometimes yeast was used.

I make beer and wine.

I've been doing a bit of research, but I don't think Canada has the same limits that the States do on home-brew. Additionally, I'm able to avoid paying any taxes on the kits and other raw-materials to make the stuff, which is quite nice. Taxes on a bottle of wine in Alberta are about $5.

I've been using pre-hopped kits for beer, mostly because I don't have the time (or the equipment) to do an all-grain, but I suspect I'll eventually move to that.

I've also been using kits for my wine, but I did make a cider from store-bought apple juice.

Its a fun little hobby and the price per unit can't be beat.

My sister and here boyfreind tried to brew a few times

I've been brewing beer for about 15 years now. Third generation of home brewer! Started with kits but I've moved on to experimenting with grains. My brother and I make up a couple of batches every year. My parents have been growing hops for the last couple of years so we'll always get a bunch to use. I'll sometimes make krupnik around Christmastime, but that's a whole different beast.

lol. alcohol is so much fun isn't it.

to be honest i don't think i've ever had "good" beer. I wouldn't know where to start.

Best beer I've had to date was a South African beer called Eku but I can't find it outside Africa. Oh well not like I could buy it anyway...

Beer has a lot to do with your personality. Rich full flavor, aroma, and lingering taste or dry and taste it only when you take a swallow? There are lots of choices and you can always start in the middle and work your way in any direction.