This may not be the appropriate place to post this, but I’ve caught wind that Illinois may be cracking down on homebrew at festivals.
Perhaps there weren’t many instances of this still going on, but in central Illinois there are a few yearly beer festivals that have allowed the local homebrew clubs to have a presence and serve their club homebrews along side commercially available beers provided by a distributer. I know that such annual festivals occur in both Peoria and Bloomington, and I presume elsewhere in the state.
This information is all third (or fourth) hand, but the Illinois Liquor Commission has evidently declared the serving of homebrewed beverages at such events to be illegal, so the clubs will no longer participate. The justification: "Illinois statute Chapter 235, Act 5, Article II, § 2-1 permits the making of wine, cider or other ALCOHOLIC LIQUOR by a person from fruits, vegetables or grains, or the products thereof, by simple fermentation and without distillation, if it is made solely for the use of the maker, his family and his guests."
Today I received official word from our homebrew club head that our club would not be allowed to serve our homebrew at the Peoria festival next month. It’s quite a bummer, as our club members really looked forward to this event every year. I’d estimate that at least at the Peoria festival, a good 10-20% of the total beers available were homebrews.
Anyone else from the Illinois region heard anything about this? |
Sorry to hear that. You’re not the only state feeling the pinch of antiquated or neo-prohibitionist beer laws. Time to organize a grassroots campaign to change the law.
I think Oregon had a setup where it was legal to make homebrew, legal to have homebrew competitions, but not legal to transport homebrew to competitions. I believe they got that fixed, although several idiotic rules around Oregon beer festivals still remain. |
That sucks! I hope to see you still in Peoria this year as we have yet to meet and share some beers. |
Michigan went through the same thing, they finally got it fixed, sort of back in November.
(d) A micro brewer, brewpub, or on-premises licensee from allowing the sampling and consumption on the licensed premises of beer, wine, mead, honey-based beer, or cider produced by 1 or more home brewers at a meeting of home brewers, or a club composed primarily of home brewers, under the following circumstances:
(i) The sampling or consumption is for the purpose of exhibitions or competitions involving home brewers.
(ii) The beer, honey-based beer, or cider is served in portions that do not exceed 3 ounces. The wine or mead is served in portions that do not exceed 2 ounces.
(iii) The beer, wine, mead, honey-based beer, or cider produced by the home brewer is only consumed by the home brewer, the home brewer’s family, a club member, a judge, or a guest speaker and is not sold to members of the general public.
(iv) The participants in the sampling or consumption otherwise comply with applicable state and federal law and applicable regulatory provisions of this act and rules adopted by the commission under this act.
(v) The participants in the sampling or consumption are not charged for the sampling or consumption of the beer, wine, mead, honey-based beer, or cider.
(9) Before a micro brewer, brewpub, or on-premises licensee allows an event to be held under subsection (3)(d), the micro brewer, brewpub, or on-premises licensee shall enter into a written agreement with the home brewers or home brewers club stating all of the following:
(a) The date and time the event will be held.
(b) The location of the event.
(c) Either of the following:
(i) A statement that the micro brewer, brewpub, or on-premises licensee acknowledges that it is not in control of an unregulated alcoholic beverage at its establishment and agrees to assume liability under section 801(3) for the event.
(ii) Proof that the home brewers or home brewers club has obtained a bond or liability insurance equal to that required under section 803(1). |
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home brew has appeared at UK festivals. but the key thing is there NOT allowed to charge, they could hand it out, but not sell it |
Our homebrew club also has notified us that there were no longer going to be homebrew clubs serving their beers at the peoria fest. We all looked forward to it, so its a real disappointment this year.
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Originally posted by darkcrow
Our homebrew club also has notified us that there were no longer going to be homebrew clubs serving their beers at the peoria fest. We all looked forward to it, so its a real disappointment this year.
That was the main draw for me for the Peoria fest. Looks like I won’t have to drive down there this year. |
Originally posted by GraniteSkunk
Originally posted by darkcrow
Our homebrew club also has notified us that there were no longer going to be homebrew clubs serving their beers at the peoria fest. We all looked forward to it, so its a real disappointment this year.
That was the main draw for me for the Peoria fest. Looks like I won’t have to drive down there this year.
Well, the festival was last month. Maybe they will have the law cleared up by 2013 (yeah, right) |
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Originally posted by JMerritt
Originally posted by GraniteSkunk
Originally posted by darkcrow
Our homebrew club also has notified us that there were no longer going to be homebrew clubs serving their beers at the peoria fest. We all looked forward to it, so its a real disappointment this year.
That was the main draw for me for the Peoria fest. Looks like I won’t have to drive down there this year.
Well, the festival was last month. Maybe they will have the law cleared up by 2013 (yeah, right)
wasn’t there always a big one later in the year?
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