OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> In article >,
> "jacqui{JB}" > wrote:
>
>
>>"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
>>
>>
>>>On eBay I've seen glass distillers, Italian
>>>copper distillers (advertised as fully functional
>>>but for decorative use only, whatever the heck
>>>that means),
>>
>>They have to say that because it's generally illegal to distill your own
>>spirits. It's a taxation issue.
>
>
> No it's not.
> You are allowed to brew a specific amount of alcohol per year for
> personal consumption only. You just cannot legally sell it without a
> liquor license.
>
> http://www.happymountain.net/the%20law.html
>
> Hope this helps?

No offense, but did you actually read the link you sent?
In the US, if you produce alcohol, even as a by-product of another
process (such as distilling essential oils) it's illegal, period.

You can homebrew beer and wine, but you can't distill it. You can
distill other things, however.

Some other countries, Austriala for one (I think, any Aussies here?),
you can distill small amounts of alcohol for personal use.


>
>
>>>Before I blow $$$ buying a totally unsuitable
>>>distiller, I'd like any worthwhile free advice
>>>on the subject.

What does the original poster want to distill? The answer to that will
tell you if it's legal or not.

>>
>>rec.crafts.distilling used to have some worthwhile traffic, but that looks a
>>lot less hopeful today; ditto alt.alcohol and alt.alcohol.home-distillation.
>>(Bummer.) But this site looks promising:
>>http://www.homedistiller.org/ -- be sure to read the section on "legality."
>>
>>HTH.
>>-j