Moving to Australia - no taxes on homebrew?

[yankinoz]

Never understood why people would be afraid of drop bears when we have funnel webs, mouse spiders, white tails, redbacks, great white shark, bull shark, hammerhead, grey nurse, sting ray, stonefish, cone fish, salt and fresh water crocs, blue ringed octopus, scorpion fish and Ivan Milat.

Male platypi are even poisonous. I'm not even sure I trust those koalas.

I'm not sure Ivan Milat gets the prize. The US had the late Jeffrey Dahmer. Too bad they never met.

In general you'll find home brewing is more attractive on cost in Australia than in the US, when compared with buying beer. That's because beer in bottle shops costs at lleast twice as much as in the US, more like 2 1/2 times compared with US prices where state taxes are low.

The biggest difference in home brew supplies is in yeast and some types of equipment; there's good advice on this thread). The yeast won't matter too much if you recycle sometimes. You're bringing some of your own gear. You can order hops (pellets, not flowers) from the US. The shipping costs aren't bad if you order a lot at a time; whether that pays depends on how much and how often you brew.

Malt prices here aren't bad even on imports if you shop around. Take into account that imports may rise for a while because of a declining Aussie dollar. And do try Australian malts and NZ malts.

As you probably know, Townsville is hot. As you may not know, the cost of electricity is higher in Australia than in the US. How much so depends on where you are. So think high efficiency or else in the hottest season (that's relative) switch to brewing saisons with the Dupont strain. Personally, I like it in coastal Victoria and would be in Tasmania if I had my druthers, but then again I'm fond of Iceland and Alaska.

 

[Camo6]

Ivan Milat and a Swedish backpacker were walking through the Belanglo at dusk.

The backpacker turned to Ivan and said "I'm a little scared, it's getting dark."

"You're scared?" answered Ivan. "How do ya think I feel? I've gotta walk back alone."



Welcome hirschb, to Australia and the forum. While our HBing scene is definitely growing we still don't have the range like you do in the States. Over here it's easy enough to buy from the US but the postage and conversion rate is an absolute killer.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

FFS, stop scaring the **** out of people who want to move here.
Ivan Milat is locked up,
hirschb, it's safe here now,all the other things Manticle mentioned are just an annoyance......so long as you stay out of their way

Have to agree. Ivan is in Supermax at Goulburn

Bloody snakes still scare me...When I worked out west NSW we had to look out for king browns, then I moved to the Hunter and the bloody Tiger snakes and Death Adders where scary...then I moved up the coast and had to live with Red Bellies

Even the native marsupials where flesh hungry. I had https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phascogale and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antechinus living in the bloody house.

I caught a Phascogale one night, and trust me, it was NOT easy. Little fuckers have sharp claws and can nearly climb walls ( you should see them on brick work ). But the fun really started when I had it in my hands. Imagine this, here is me holding a rat like creature with the temperament of a feral cat that had been pocked with a long sharp stick. This thing was pissed off big time. If it wasnt for the towel it would have shredded my hands with its claws....but it was when it bit me on the index finger that it really got interesting. They dont have very big teeth, in fact they are very short...but sharper than you mother-in-laws tongue. It bit and hung on, clamping its jaws around my finger. It hurt, it really did. Not only did it latch on but it then decided to thrash its head around nearly tearing a chunk out of my finger. It hurt. It hurt a lot

Fckn things used to kill ckooks as well, they would, and I **** you not, bite them on the neck and they would bleed to death. Then they would eat the heads

I only know this cause not long after I bought chooks I would see them dead with mutilated heads the next morning. I asked the bloke next door and he just said " Bloody Phascogales....keep getting my chooks as well."

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

This is a picture of the Brush Tailed Phascogale I had around my place..Awsome creatures, and I feel blessed that I was able to get to see them...in person..in the flesh....

 

[spog]

Have to agree. Ivan is in Supermax at Goulburn

Bloody snakes still scare me...When I worked out west NSW we had to look out for king browns, then I moved to the Hunter and the bloody Tiger snakes and Death Adders where scary...then I moved up the coast and had to live with Red Bellies

Even the native marsupials where flesh hungry. I had https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phascogale and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antechinus living in the bloody house.

I caught a Phascogale one night, and trust me, it was NOT easy. Little fuckers have sharp claws and can nearly climb walls ( you should see them on brick work ). But the fun really started when I had it in my hands. Imagine this, here is me holding a rat like creature with the temperament of a feral cat that had been pocked with a long sharp stick. This thing was pissed off big time. If it wasnt for the towel it would have shredded my hands with its claws....but it was when it bit me on the index finger that it really got interesting. They dont have very big teeth, in fact they are very short...but sharper than you mother-in-laws tongue. It bit and hung on, clamping its jaws around my finger. It hurt, it really did. Not only did it latch on but it then decided to thrash its head around nearly tearing a chunk out of my finger. It hurt. It hurt a lot

Fckn things used to kill ckooks as well, they would, and I **** you not, bite them on the neck and they would bleed to death. Then they would eat the heads

I only know this cause not long after I bought chooks I would see them dead with mutilated heads the next morning. I asked the bloke next door and he just said " Bloody Phascogales....keep getting my chooks as well."

Don't get the little mongrels around my area thank f#%k.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Got to admit....

The house was on 30acres that backed onto coastal timber.

The back yard was just big trees

Had Sugar Gliders....amazing....so small, but you could watch them glide around when the trees where in flower...

Resident possum

And a Wedge Tail Eagle....lived in an old tree by the creek just down the road...only ever saw him once or twice on the ground in 5ys...and he was attacking a dead roo both times on the same road as his tree.....but I would always see him hovering around the place...they would circle all day some times . Was great to watch. You could watch them searching and getting closer then shoot down and grab their prey....seen them picking up snakes out of the grass in one swoop...

They are a big bird close up....there claws would be as big as your hand.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Oh...and the 2m shed python...

I had no mice

 

[hirschb]

Thanks for all the tips and info. I'll probably print off the information from the Australian tax/import site and include that in my import paperwork.
I will not pass along the info on Ivan Milat and dangerous animals to my wife!
I actually am a bit intimidated by the number of dangerous animals. I'm a field biologist, so I fully expect to run into some of these dangerous critters at one time or another. I've run into aggressive venomous snakes in Latin America, and have had close calls with lions and hippos in Africa, but the sheer number of poisonous critters in Australia is pretty impressive.
It sounds like I can get most everything I need for brewing in Australia. I'm not too worried if the grains are more expensive, as I mostly brew low-mid ABV beers. I'll need to start getting serious about banking yeast (I may have access to an autoclave, which would be helpful).

 

[dicko]

Welcome to the forum, I hope these blokes haven't put you off Australia

Back on topic, if the kegs you are bringing in are cornies then our C02 bottles are different to your US bottles so you will need an Aussie regulator to fit the Aussie C02 bottles.

Oh! And if you have small children and are camping north of the dog fence then be very wary of dingos, particularly during the night.

Enjoy Australia mate.

 

[spog]

Be wary of people who tow caravans and Japanese tourist as well .

 

[yankinoz]

On Celsius to Fahrenheit, a shortcut that works for me, instead of the multiply by 1.8 and add 32, is to use multiple reference points. as in the following C to F

0 - 32, 10 - 50, 20 - 68, 30 - 86. Adding 5 C is the same as adding 9 F. Then you do the 1.8 thing.

In Australia you won't have much use for -40, where the scales meet, but in Townsville you might need 40 - 104. Take up mining in the outback and 50 - 122 might occasionally be of use.

 

[hirschb]

Welcome to the forum, I hope these blokes haven't put you off Australia

Back on topic, if the kegs you are bringing in are cornies then our C02 bottles are different to your US bottles so you will need an Aussie regulator to fit the Aussie C02 bottles.

Oh! And if you have small children and are camping north of the dog fence then be very wary of dingos, particularly during the night.

Enjoy Australia mate.

Crap, I just bought a new regulator last week! I wonder if I could get an adapter to connect to an Australian CO2 tank, or find someone to refill my current CO2 tank.
We don't have kids, so there is no risk of a dingo eating our baby.

 

[Danwood]

I caught a Phascogale one night, and trust me, it was NOT easy. Little fuckers have sharp claws and can nearly climb walls ( you should see them on brick work ). But the fun really started when I had it in my hands. Imagine this, here is me holding a rat like creature with the temperament of a feral cat that had been pocked with a long sharp stick. This thing was pissed off big time. If it wasnt for the towel it would have shredded my hands with its claws....but it was when it bit me on the index finger that it really got interesting. They dont have very big teeth, in fact they are very short...but sharper than you mother-in-laws tongue. It bit and hung on, clamping its jaws around my finger. It hurt, it really did. Not only did it latch on but it then decided to thrash its head around nearly tearing a chunk out of my finger. It hurt. It hurt a lot.

This lady appears to be having no problem, Stu.

You must've had a really big, angry one though, yeah ?

 

[mfeighan]

Watch this before you go fishing in murky water



just out of curiosity does you 20l kegs still have pepsi or rootbeer stickers on them? You may be able to just bring your beer in them?

 

[dicko]

Crap, I just bought a new regulator last week! I wonder if I could get an adapter to connect to an Australian CO2 tank, or find someone to refill my current CO2 tank.
We don't have kids, so there is no risk of a dingo eating our baby.

Probably easier to sell it in the US and buy one when you get here. ......the regulator of course. :lol:

 

[dicko]

Be wary of people who tow caravans and Japanese tourist as well .

Bloody caravanners :lol:

 

[seamad]

I think you might have some problems getting the CO2 bottle filled here, you are probably better off selling the reg and bottle before leaving.

 

[Blind Dog]

Welcome to the forum.

You'll love the Far North if you're into a tropical lifestyle. There's a growing community of brewers up there with an active home brew club.

Supplies won't be hard, the fishing is excellent and the lifestyle relaxed. an hr north is the start of some magnificent rainforest areas and 30 minutes to the south is, well, not much really. h34r:

Bit of info from the relevant departments:
Excise equivalent goods
Excise equivalent goods (EEGs) are imported alcohol, tobacco and fuel that, if produced or manufactured in Australia, would be subject to excise duty.
From 1 July 2010, responsibility for the administration of EEGs that are warehoused moved from Customs and Border Protection to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
There has been no change to legislation and the ATO has responsibility for the administration of EEGs under delegation from Customs and Border Protection.
A quick reference guide is available to help you work out which agency to contact in relation to EEGs. Refer to this link:

• 
  http://www.ato.gov.au/content/00244471.htm
  

Taken from here

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:cwupaRgoSqkJ:www.customs.gov.au/site/ExciseEquivalentGoods.asp+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au

Based on that, you won't have to worry about paying excise on your home brewed beer.

Enjoy the rest of your time in the states and look forward to a new adventure down under.

Martin

[SIZE=11pt]Not sure any of the links specifically cover the import of homebrew (ironically, I’m blocked from reading the links at work), although if they do I’ll shortly look like an idiot…[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Excise Equivalent Goods is effectively a short hand for imported goods which, if produced in Australia, would be subject to excise and the policy intent of the relevant legislation is to ensure consistency between excise duty on goods produced locally and customs duty on imported goods of the same type.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The exclusion of homebrew from excise is contained in the preamble to the Schedule to the Excise Tariffs Act 1921 (Items 1 to 3 of this Schedule do not include any liquor that has been produced for non-commercial purposes, using non-commercial facilities and equipment, other than a liquor that is, or that contains, any spirit obtained by distillation). Item 1 of the Schedule is beer. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]As far as I am aware, relevant customs legislation does not import the homebrew exclusion as it refers to part so thr Schedule rather than the whole.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The information I received last year when I specifically asked about the importation of homebrew from the UK would suggest that Customs are of the view that it would be subject to duty. I did get passed around a fair bit and simply put it into the too hard basket. If I was going to bring 100+ litres of homebrew into the country, I’d want something specific in writing from the relevant authority. The risk is not just that duty might be imposed, but that the goods might be forfeit and destroyed. [/SIZE]

 

[HBHB]

[SIZE=11pt]Not sure any of the links specifically cover the import of homebrew (ironically, I’m blocked from reading the links at work), although if they do I’ll shortly look like an idiot…[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Excise Equivalent Goods is effectively a short hand for imported goods which, if produced in Australia, would be subject to excise and the policy intent of the relevant legislation is to ensure consistency between excise duty on goods produced locally and customs duty on imported goods of the same type.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The exclusion of homebrew from excise is contained in the preamble to the Schedule to the Excise Tariffs Act 1921 (Items 1 to 3 of this Schedule do not include any liquor that has been produced for non-commercial purposes, using non-commercial facilities and equipment, other than a liquor that is, or that contains, any spirit obtained by distillation). Item 1 of the Schedule is beer. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]As far as I am aware, relevant customs legislation does not import the homebrew exclusion as it refers to part so thr Schedule rather than the whole.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The information I received last year when I specifically asked about the importation of homebrew from the UK would suggest that Customs are of the view that it would be subject to duty. I did get passed around a fair bit and simply put it into the too hard basket. If I was going to bring 100+ litres of homebrew into the country, I’d want something specific in writing from the relevant authority. The risk is not just that duty might be imposed, but that the goods might be forfeit and destroyed. [/SIZE]

Easy enough to get an answer in writing from the ATO.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

This lady appears to be having no problem, Stu.

You must've had a really big, angry one though, yeah ?

Look more like an Antichenus than a Phascogale....

Even them little fuckers will bite you