Stainless Bling

[redbeard]

watching the news a few nights ago & had the drug bust in northen nsw of a crystal meth factory. they had about 10 sec of video showing a shed, then inside, 2 floor standing stainless conicals (guessing 50l+) and what looked like a keg in a cement mixer !

might have to keep an eye on the police auctions

 

[mika]

Hmmm... might want to watch yourself Redbeard <_<
The Police might and come raid your place next.

"But HONESTLY I was only brewing beer"
:lol:

 

[MHD]

hahaha.. I saw the same story and thought the same thing!

 

[Doc]

hahah, yeh me too. Saw all the kit and was thinking bugger the other picutres, show more of their kit

Doc

 

[warrenlw63]

Betcha you've all been up all night pondering it too. :lol:

Warren -

 

[mikem108]

Jeez homebrewers all think alike..see a bit of stainless and start drooling.

I also turned to the misus after that story and said I wonder when the police will be flogging that ss equipment off

 

[Jim_Levet]

It was an awesome set up. I wonder if any of the cops making the bust ever say" Hey how good would this be as a kettle or mash tun!"
When you see those 2nd hand places, like Falldell or Flemings, that sell tablet presses, you know the cops will be following home the guy that buys one!

That raises the question in my mind. Where do the cops draw the line in terms of "illegal alcohol manufacture" ? I make a S#$% Load of beer for mates but they help me out with the costs involved, is that not being paid to make it? I make no profit at all though. MMM got me a thinkin.

[post="119356"][/post]​

Doesn't look like you were thinking too hard seeing that you blabbed about it on the net!!

James

 

[big d]

An old but wise saying.
Loose lips sink ships.
And cash sales leave no trails.

Think about it chippy.

Cheers
Big D

 

[Wortgames]

Regarding Chippy's point, I spoke with a legal student friend about this a while back, and he did some research for me. The bottom line is it would be a very tricky thing to try and defend, and it depends on how keen the prosecutor is and how badly they want to put you out of action as to what sort of charges you would face. According to the letter of the law, 'helping out with costs' means you are running an unlawful alcohol production business, the fact that it isn't very profitable is neither here nor there. Even if your mates just bring you ingredients a keen prosecutor could argue that you are selling your product 'for reward'.

Even using homebrew to 'thank' someone for providing goods or services could land you in trouble if someone wants to make life hard for you.

Unfortunately all those technical arguments you think you can use just sound very weak in a courtroom, particularly as the law has generally got there first and specifically addressed all the 'loopholes'.

Technically the only way you could defend it as a communal hobby is for it to be just that - you would all need to be contributing an equal amount of ingredients, time and labour, and you would all need to end up with the same amount of beer. Also, you would need to be careful that people are only getting the actual beer they helped to make - contributing to the next batch in exchange for some of this batch could probably be argued to be trading.

The point is not to get yourself in that position in the first place!

 

[kirem]

I work at a winery and have an engineering department as large as all the other departments put together.

We have SS everywhere and I have scored so much now that I have to start leaving it at work, opening it up for some else to 'use'.

I went from searching around for kegs a few years ago, to now asking what grade the SS is before taking it.

I got given two 150L conicals today as long as I took them then and there. I took them to the welders and explained to them what I wanted and like magic it was done. I also got a 1000L conical two weeks ago, currently full of 1 degree C Sangiovese.

Seriously I find it hard to concentrate on my job at them moment.

K

 

[big d]

Are you not my bestest ever long lost friend kirem

 

[johnno]

Are you not my bestest ever long lost friend kirem

[post="119551"][/post]​

er..you have to get in line big d

 

[big d]

Thats me just in front of you johnno in case you hadnt noticed.
Nice try btw

 

[DJR]

I got given two 150L conicals today as long as I took them then and there.... I also got a 1000L conical two weeks ago, currently full of 1 degree C Sangiovese.

Seriously I find it hard to concentrate on my job at them moment.

[post="119494"][/post]​

Damn right - i'm finding it hard not to be insanely jealous