Was interested in trying to make my own moonshine. First of all, is it legal to make for personal consumption? Second, I see stills for sale online but how do you know if it’s a good one and not made out of thin copper? Hope it’s alright to talk about this stuff. If not, mods feel free to delete.

Not legal.

If you do it in small batches for personal consumption and don’t tell the world what you are doing they how would anyone find out....

Not illegal to own a still....illegal to make liquor...

Can't you make it if you pay the tax???

Lots of hoops to go thru and very expensive....not like a tax stamp for a silencer or machine gun

Stick to beer and wine. Cheaper and safer, not a lot of hoops to jump through.

Nice try Cop

Well, never mind then. I was hoping it was legal in small batches or something. I’m not about to do anything illegal like that. I enjoy my clean record and freedoms. Don’t need any unnecessary hassles.

Not legal in Texas to even posses the still.

http://www.distillate.org/laws/Texas

Personally I would like to make my own rum....I think it would be a neat hobby...

Very small custom batches like microbrewery’s

Even though I'm a cop, I don't agree with the Texas Legislation's stance on it. I think people should be able to make small batch liquor without a license as long as they don't sell it.

I think a lot would have to do with safety. Its a science and if you get some jackwagons out there doing the wrong thing they could blow up the neighborhood, creating gaseous fumes , or poison themselves.

I know a few people that have really nice stills (hidden of course and kept on the down low), they make some excellent shine. They don't sell, they just pass a few jars out every once in a while. My favorite is what we call hootch (corn liquor). They don't care about the stupid liquor law. One still hidden away on the ranch has been running for close to 25 yrs now.

There’s plenty of people doing it, even talking about it in brew clubs. Yes it’s illegal but those laws are dated. If you’re a regular average law abiding citizen, the police have a lot more pressing matters than to come search for your personal still and arrest you. Just don’t be selling any or giving large quantities away.

There’s not a danger from explosions or gases any more than operating a gas grill. You have to be almost deliberate and/or really stupid to make poisonous alcohol.

The smaller stills are more of a novelty item, like a home brew kit. Read the reviews.

you make it sound like the tax stamp is easy and doesn't have hoops!

Both are difficult and should be legal without the BS tax and hoops....

I'm about to vacate Floyd County, Virginia, right next to Franklin County, the moonshine capital of the world. Some of the best corn whisky ever made came from a still in a deep bottom not ten miles from my place. I've been through that bottom on Shooting Creek Road and smelled corn bread cooking. That ain't corn bread.

Found a still while squirrel hunting when I was in high school. Took a quart of sour mash to school. The chemistry teacher distiller it. A couple of hot teachers tried it with soft drinks.. ................

Well, that explains everything...

It’s OK to disagree with laws, even if you’re a cop. There are a lot of unnecessary, outdated, nonsensical, etc laws, and you have to enforce them.

The problem is most rookie distillers don't know to toss out the first 10% that comes out of the spout. The head is extremely poisonous. I buy a quart every so often from my local bootlegger. With the show Moonshiners, his side hustle has really started to pay off. Seems everyone wants a jar of unbonded liquor to show off to their friends.

Something to try..I've been flavoring mine using Jolly Ranchers...sour apple and watermelon. Its delicious.

The TV show 'Moonshiners', like 'Swamp People', 'Mountain Monsters' and 'Axe Men', are about as real as three dollar bills.

"...most rookie distillers don't know to toss out the first 10% that comes out of the spout." I assume you're talking about the quantity of the wash in the still. If you're throwing out 10%, you're wasting 8% of your product.

You think if someone knows how to build a still, make mash, and distill liquor they’re not smart enough to throw out the methanol? It’s not 10%, it’s a small amount. you can tell when it’s done boiling off by the temperature change.

I know a fellow in Atlanta that makes regular trips up to Kentucky to buy shine. He buys in bulk , then adds sugar and
flavors and sells by the quart. He calls it " Georgia panty dropper. "

Good luck

MO

There used to a group of organized home distillers that had a writing campaign to the state legislature to change this law. There wasa posted notice in a brew store about them, but no clue f they are still active or not.