Utah Votes To Legalise Home Brewing

[Fatgodzilla]

From the AHA blog site, I came across an interesting couple of posts which when read are fairly self explanatary. I submit them here for interest sake. It wasn't that many years ago really that homebrewing as we know it now in Australia was illegal. It's just interesting to know its legal to own automatic assault rifles in Utah and I think still legal for Mormons to have more than one wife, but it's illegal to brew a beer. Strange place Utah !

From: Gary Glass [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 5:16 PM
Subject: Utah HB51 Passes Committee

Hi All,
Just wanted to pass on an update on the battle to legalize homebrewing in Utah.

Monday evening, the House Bill 51, the bill to legalize homebrewing, was scheduled for a public hearing of the House Business and Labor Committee at 2:00 PM Tuesday - less than 24 hours notice.

The scheduling for a committee hearing was an unusual move for this bill since it was already passed by an interim committee this past November. Most bills that are passed by a House interim committee go straight to a vote by the full House.

AHA Member Douglas Wawrzynski, who has been involved in promoting this bill since 2007, contacted me to let me know of the situation. We were able to get an Action Alert off Tuesday morning to Utah AHA and Brewers Association members, letting them know of the situation. Douglas and Jamie Burnham from The Beer Nut also got out the word, as did I'm sure many other homebrewers that I'm not aware of.

Several homebrewers showed up at the hearing and many more contacted the committee members in support of the bill. As a result of the strong turn out at the meeting and all the contacts made, the bill was passed by the committee on to the full House with a favorable rating.

It's inspiring to see that despite having such short notice so many homebrewers took action to champion this bill through committee.

We should have much more lead time before the bill goes to a vote before the full House. We'll let the Utah members know when to start contacting their Representatives to urge their support of the bill.

Cheers to Utah's Homebrewers!

Gary Glass
Director
American Homebrewers Association
888-U-CAN-BREW
303-447-0816 x 121
[email protected]
www.beertown.org

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From: Gary Glass [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 2:48 PM
Subject: Utah HB51 Passes House

In another surprising development on the Utah Homebrew Bill, I just learned that HB51 was sent on to the full House today (it wasn't even scheduled for a vote when I checked its status this morning!) and passed by a vote of 66 to 7. That's one more big step towards legalization!

The bill now moves on to the Senate. Assuming we have some lead time, we'll notify Utah members when they should start contacting their Senators.

If you'd like to track the Bill's progress or listen to audio of yesterday's committee hearing, follow this link to the Utah legislature website for the bill: http://le.utah.gov/~2009/htmdoc/hbillhtm/HB0051.htm

Cheers!

Gary Glass
Director
American Homebrewers Association
888-U-CAN-BREW
303-447-0816 x 121
[email protected]

 

[caleb]

Even stranger is the case of Japan, where it is still illegal to brew anything stronger than 1% ABV. However, it seems to be one of the few cases where the normally law abiding Japanese turn a blind eye. Home brew kits and equipment are everywhere (including kits from Coopers and Morgans). However, all instructions include odd final instructions like telling you to make sure to dilute the resulting brew down 1:5 with water, to ensure it meets the legal requirement. (nudge nudge, wink wink) Of course, everyone knows to leave out that final step.

 

[danbeer]

Of course, everyone knows to leave out that final step.

..along with the instruction to brew at 25 deg, I hope...

 

[Screwtop]

Great news I say, imagine if we were still bound by draconian laws and could be dragged off by the constabulary for making grog. Hope the bill passes through the senate as easily. Utah home brewers can sleep a little easier tonignt :icon_cheers:

 

[mwd]

Sounds and feels exactly like Yemen with regard to guns and wives. + all the alcohol is freely available on the black market if the price is right.

Just need a good old ancient Muslim Country to show the Americans how to do a restrictive community properly.

 

[katzke]

It's just interesting to know its legal to own automatic assault rifles in Utah and I think still legal for Mormons to have more than one wife, but it's illegal to brew a beer. Strange place Utah !

I object to the use of the term Assault in reference to any gun. It just plays to peoples phobias. If a thug can not get a gun and uses a bat, is that bat then an "assault bat"? Seems I recall Japan had a problem with that and tried to figure out how to ban bats for any use but baseball.

 

[FreemanDC]

Great news I say, imagine if we were still bound by draconian laws and could be dragged off by the constabulary for making grog.

Yet Distilling is still illegal in Australia ?

 

[Effect]

Yet Distilling is still illegal in Australia ?

Could you imagine what would happen when all those west end drinking - 30 degree HB fermenting - idoits are let loose on making wood alcohol in their backyard?

Imagine the hospital bills!


Just trying to say that it would be good if we could distill - but just look how coopers does home brew (ferments up to 30 degrees) - I would hate to see a company taking advantage of the idiots out there and let them drink the first runnings from the still...

 

[Gerard_M]

It's just interesting to know its legal to own automatic assault rifles in Utah and I think still legal for Mormons to have more than one wife, but it's illegal to brew a beer. Strange place Utah !

So you have multiple wives nagging you, multiple mother-in-laws coming to visit, & no home brew!!!!! This is why they let you have all the guns.
Cheers
Gerard

 

[MarkBastard]

Could you imagine what would happen when all those west end drinking - 30 degree HB fermenting - idoits are let loose on making wood alcohol in their backyard?

Imagine the hospital bills!


Just trying to say that it would be good if we could distill - but just look how coopers does home brew (ferments up to 30 degrees) - I would hate to see a company taking advantage of the idiots out there and let them drink the first runnings from the still...

Legalising doesn't make this stuff happen. If it's going to happen it'd be happening now anyway. Legalising it allows it to be more controlled and more likely to be done the right way.

 

[phonos]

Legalising doesn't make this stuff happen. If it's going to happen it'd be happening now anyway. Legalising it allows it to be more controlled and more likely to be done the right way.

Cool, We should legalise murder. That we we could control it and do it the right way. Genocide anyone?

Sorry, I have a pet hate for that argument.

More on topic, from what I understand, there are different laws for homebrewing in each state in the USA. In some states it legal to make, but you can't consume it outside your house and other places you can't brew at all. Image if it were like that here! If NSW banned homebrewing, think of the exodus there would be to carbrook...

 

[Trent]

I object to the use of the term “Assault” in reference to any gun. It just plays to people’s phobias. If a thug can not get a gun and uses a bat, is that bat then an "assault bat"? Seems I recall Japan had a problem with that and tried to figure out how to ban bats for any use but baseball.

I have a funny feeling that the word "assault" is in relation to the type of weapon, rather than the fact you can assault somebody with it. I assume it comes from "military assault". You dont expect the americans (or us for that matter) to lead a military assault on heavily fortified tunnels in a hostile place using single shot rifles and low calibre pistols? In this situation, they use "assault weapons" which are of high calibre, fire repeatedly in really quick succession (automatic) and probably hold a bloody lot of bullets in their magazines. And possibly the odd grenade launcher or something like that tacked on top - just like in Commando
When I hear that people have access to, or have used, an "assault gun", I dont think of an air rifle or .22 - though if the term "assault" is being used in the context you seem to think, then everything would be called an "assault xxxx", like knees, knuckles, feet, foreheads, rocks, sticks, etc....
I could be wrong, I often am, but in this case I think I have a reasonably strong argument . Finally.
All the best
Trent

EDIT - And Phonos, I believe that we HAVE legalised murder, it is just that the government or army leaders get to say who, when, where and how (to an extent) - it just isnt legal for civilians to do it. I am again fairly sure the "legalise it so it can be controlled better" argument only stretches as far as products that can be bought and sold, like drugs, prostitution and fireworks, not acts that are performed (like murder is performed on somebody - if that is the right word?) or things that can be just "done".
T.

 

[buttersd70]

The US Army defines assault rifles as "short, compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between submachinegun and rifle cartridges".
link

 

[mika]

The AR15 is generally considered as an 'assault rifle' and it uses a .223 calibre bullet that's quite common in hunting rifles, so not sure that analogy holds up.
In fact pretty much every cartridge out there has been used in both hunting and warfare applications. But we are starting to get a little off topic now aren't we ?

 

[rclemmett]

"assault xxxx"

Freudian slip? I think not

 

[Daniel.lear]

:icon_offtopic:

Trent,

I believe that we HAVE legalised murder, it is just that the government or army leaders get to say who, when, where and how (to an extent) - it just isnt legal for civilians to do it.

As an ADF member I, and im sure many other persons on this forum will take offence to that statement.

I am not a murderer.

You can have any opinion or political view you like, just go do it appropriately. (local menber, lobby group etc)

Lets get back to beer and brewing, and taking the piss out of the septics and thier atiquated brewing laws :icon_cheers:

Leary

 

[Aaron]

I thought this was a brewing forum. Let us not get caught up about something that is not related to brewing. I think it would be wise to avoid "religious" debates on this forum.

 

[Snowdog]

It's just interesting to know its legal to own automatic assault rifles in Utah and I think still legal for Mormons to have more than one wife, but it's illegal to brew a beer. Strange place Utah !

Both are wive's tales as far as legality (automatic weapons of any kind, and more than one wife of any kind are illegal in all states.), but that never stopped those crazy Utahans in trying.

Glad to see them make an attempt to get homebrew legalized there finally. This will play havoc with their current state law on beer sales.

 

[tcraig20]

Could you imagine what would happen when all those west end drinking - 30 degree HB fermenting - idoits are let loose on making wood alcohol in their backyard?

Imagine the hospital bills!


Just trying to say that it would be good if we could distill - but just look how coopers does home brew (ferments up to 30 degrees) - I would hate to see a company taking advantage of the idiots out there and let them drink the first runnings from the still...

Are NZ hospitals overrun with fusel-drinking bogans?

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Both are wive's tales as far as legality (automatic weapons of any kind, and more than one wife of any kind are illegal in all states.), but that never stopped those crazy Utahans in trying.

Glad to see them make an attempt to get homebrew legalized there finally. This will play havoc with their current state law on beer sales.

I'll score your comments at 50%.SD. Polygamy is illegal in Utah, apparently its just a little bit rife but the law turns a blind eye providing no underage sex or rape is provable. Re assault rifles .. different answer per Google .. ah, who can we trust but Google ....

ASSAULT WEAPONS
Are there limitations on assault weapons? No

Utah - No state restriction on the sale or possession of military-style semiautomatic assault weapons. Assault weapons are as easy to buy as hunting rifles. Congress and President Bush allowed the federal assault weapons ban to sunset in 2004. See also: Large Capacity Ammunition Magazines

That said, the point I raised had nothing to do with passing judgement or offending the Oregan gun lobby - just thought I'd like all us Aussies to know compared to many, we have pretty good home brew beer laws. And remember, these laws are fairly recent and remember, what has been given can be taken away. Remain vigilant.