Also, you refer throughout to the Excise Act of Canada, but the citations to “R.S.O. However, it is quite popular in some regions and has been traditional for hundreds of years. Learn all about moonshine on PEI! I told him that I was homebrewing and was interested in distilling. While it is not legal to brew beer and wine at home-based one the regulations of the federal government, the provincial boards have the responsibility of regulating this process. On one hand some say that as long as you don’t get caught distilling alcohol in the still you can’t be charged. In Colombia moonshine is called "Tapetusa" or "Chirrinchi" and is illegal. These days, legal and illegal moonshine are produced and consumed on PEI. Here is an example of the laws restricting you from owning a still in Ontario, Canada. However, further distilling the mash to produce spirits is illegal. Running Stills with Electronic Controllers, Must be mashed, distilled, and aged in Canada, Aged in small wood for not less than three years, Must contain not less than 40% of alcohol by volume, Possess the aroma, taste, and character generally attributed to Canadian whiskey, Must be manufactured in accordance with the requirements of the Excise Act. How To Solder, Braze And Weld Stainless Steel To Copper – In 5 Easy Steps! Moonshine was originally a slang term for high-proof distilled spirits that were and continue to be produced illicitly, without government authorization. The law that requires you to obtain a permit for distilling spirits in Canada is the Excise Act (2001), it basically states that you cannot produce sprits or operate a still in your home without a federal permit. It is a richly flavored whiskey which was, in the past, made from rye grain mash. Is it legal to brew your own beer in Canada? Distilling such spirits outside a registered distillery remains illegal in the United States and most countries around the world. Know Your Rights - Moonshine Laws Unless the thought of digging ditches with chains around your ankles is appealing, you better read this article on the legalities of making moonshine very closely. Just thought I’d share with my fellow Canucks.”. "Home distillation is de facto legal in Canada," says Smiley, who has repeatedly asked the Canada Revenue Agency whether his business steps on any toes or is likely to land him jail time. Brewing beer and distilling spirits is an age-old culture in many countries. We craft a traditional 100 Proof Moonshine, a Maple Moonshine and a growing catalogue of flavoured moonshine. In addition, Section  R.S.O. indictable (roughly equiv to felony) offences, and summary offences (roughly equiv to misdemeanor) .. a few offences are hybrid .. can be charged either way. From what I’ve been able to gather from the online community is that if you distill at home for personal consumption not much will come of it as long as you don’t sell it! Learn how your comment data is processed. Did you like this article? If you’ve found a case such as this in Canada please share it in the comments section. Required fields are marked *. The Toronto Distillery Co. has just released its … 1990, c. L.19, Section 47(1) provides that “A police officer may seize any thing, including liquor, if, (a) he or she reasonably believes that the thing will afford evidence of an offence under this Act;   (b) he or she reasonably believes that, (i) the thing was used or is being used in connection with the commission of an offence under this Act, and (ii) unless the thing is seized it is likely that it would continue to be used or would be used again in the commission of an offence under this Act…”. You may also have to apply for Provincial permits depending on the province you live in. Undercover officers purchase illegally produced alcohol from the bakery. To be clear, it’s illegal to make moonshine without a license from the federal government. What about ice beers and ciders. A modern DIY pot still. Mounties executed a search warrant Wednesday on a home in the 12500-block of 70th Avenue and located five large barrels containing about 200 gallons of “moonshine” in various stages of fermentation. If you order moonshine or a moonshine cocktail Investigators also found another 30 containers of distilled spirits. I wan’t to keep updating this post with correct info for you guys so if anyone else can way in or correct mistakes I’ve made please leave me a comment. Good news for liquor-loving locavores: you can now buy organic, made-in-Toronto moonshine. All ingredients and equipment at Danny’s Wine and Beer Supplies are sold for fermentable alcohol for personal consumption, water distillation and/or essential oil extraction. As outlined in the Canadian Food and Drugs Act, the requirements for producing Canadian whiskey (or Canadian Rye Whisky or Rye Whisky) are that it: For this reason, a variety of Canadian Whisky is currently being produced with most being blended to fit the requirement of the character of Canadian whiskey apart from a few brands like Alberta Premium which contains 100% Rye grain with no additional flavors. Is Making Moonshine Legal? He is not aware of anyone that has ever been charged for distilling alcohol for small amounts of personal consumption, however he wanted me to be aware that it was quite possible. Your email address will not be published. Time.com: Moonshine Is Growing in the U.S., and Big Whiskey Wants a Taste Read more: Moonshine Is Growing in the U.S., and Big Whiskey Wants a Taste TTB.gov: Distilled Spirits FAQ Cornell University Law School Legal Canadian Home Brewing Forum The Canadian Homebrew Forum is an online community for home brewing, beer making, and wine making at home in Canada. The following will … Please drop us a line in the comments section! Found this on Reddit which is pretty interesting : “I spoke to a friend that’s an officer regarding distilling, and he recommended that I call my local department. You couldn’t sell it but after 1985 could brew and drink it yourself, no license required. Other people use “moonshine” to refer to a raw Can someone post the Rules(1985 changes) were it says it’s OK to make beer and wine at home for personal consumption. I’ve attached this document that will guide you through the process. However owning a still for the purposes of distilling your mash is illegal unless you have a permit to own that still. This new breed is fast at mastering the art yet still creative in its own way, something that will see the rise of not just special but also high-quality whiskey production in the coming years. This, therefore, means that making alcohol is legal. The Excise Act is tax law, and the goal of it is to limit people cheating on their taxes. Yes moonshine is very illegal in Canada I'm surprised that anyone has to ask this question because this law against moonshine was put in place on February 19 … "When moonshine was made, it wasn't easy to make money on the farm," said de Groot. The same thing also use to be true of fermenting beer and wine – it was only legal to do if you got a Federal license before starting. I would The stringent feeling in your mouth is not as harsh, and it doesn't burn going down. Once it gets in your stomach you start to feel it getting warm. I think the legal limit on beer, mash, wash, etc., is 21.9% ABV. Hey thanks for that Adam the law’s surrounding all this are very difficult to understand. Still, the government of Canada has outlined the regulations for preparing all the spirits used to prepare Canadian whiskey. A Surrey man has been arrested after RCMP found “moonshine” liquor and an illegal still at a Newton home. Moonshine distilling,, let Broken Oar Distilling Equipment help. Click here to read about the legality of distilling and brewing in the US. Anything higher than this is considered distilled or “hard liqueur”. After that, any adult was allowed to brew as much beer and wine for personal use at home as they wanted. Prohibition — production and packaging of spirits 60 (1) No person shall, except in accordance with a spirits licence issued to the person, produce or package spirits. Lets read about legal process for. It’s just that it’s really expensive and a huge hassle to get that license. He recommended that I do not distill alcohol because it is technically illegal, but above all, don’t be a dumbass. "So, instead of being embarrassed about how hard it was to … Let’s revisit Canada. Share it with your friends! Making ethanol at home for fuel use is also perfectly legal, as long as you have a TTB permit. You can produce essential oils, perfume or distilled water without a license. Depends on what you mean by “moonshine”. According to him, there is no enforcement of Canada's ban on home distillation, and most people in the government don't even know it exists. I asked him, realistically, if someone filed a complaint with the police department, would it be investigated…. South Carolina Moonshine Laws Is it legal to own a non-alcohol producing still (for water purification, etc.)? How does the law in Canada address this issue ? When it comes to the The act of making a mash thus making alcohol is not illegal. His answer surprised me a little. 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