A new bill in the Alabama Senate not only would legalize home production of alcohol but also would allow the makers to transport their products to competitions in other states and legalize these contests in the state.
Sen. Larry Dixon, R-Montgomery, who is the sponsor of Senate Bill 492, said he anticipates the legislation will pass out of the Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee during the first week of April.
The bill would permit production of home-brewed beer, mead, cider and wine for personal use, as well as display at organized tasting and judging events.
Both Dixon and a home-brew advocate group characterize this legislation as a move to let law-abiding citizens pursue a hobby and participate in competitions with other home-brewers. However, Joe Godfrey, executive director of Alabama Citizens Action Program, offered a different perspective on the issue.
Godfrey said those who want to legalize home brewing compare themselves to those who compete in barbecue competitions.
“My response to that is that I’ve never heard of anyone being killed while under the influence of barbecue,” he said.
Godfrey said all this bill really does is remove the illegality of making alcoholic products in one’s home. He fears the situation could get out of control if the alcohol produced is not licensed. The matter of licensing is not covered by the bill.
“When you manufacture alcohol, you have to have a license. There’s no control over [home-brews],” Godfrey said.
He also expressed concern that this legislation would make alcohol more accessible to minors.
“We would have no idea of who’s drinking this. This is another reason we need to discourage home brewing,” Godfrey said.
Dixon explained that he introduced the bill after members of the Auburn Brew Club approached him during the Legislative Tourism Bash on March 10 in Montgomery. The bash is an annual event sponsored by the Alabama Tourism Department in which individuals and groups highlight foods and attractions available in different areas of the state.
“These people from the Auburn club came, and they had different kinds of beer. They were giving out little samples,” Dixon said.
According to John Little, a member of the club, home-brewers in Alabama just want to participate in a hobby allowed elsewhere. Currently Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky and West Virginia prohibit home brewing, he said.
Little said home-brewers enjoy studying beers produced in other countries and attempting to recreate them. From there, the brews are entered into competitions in which they are rated by judges who have completed a certification program in analyzing the products in terms of flavor and aroma.
“We enjoy sending off our beers, wines, meads and ciders to these competitions to get feedback and try to do better next time,” Little said.
He stressed that the bill would not allow anyone under legal drinking age to make home-brew and would not permit distillation of liquor.
“It only has to do with beer, mead, cider and wine,” Little said, noting the home-brews “cannot be offered for sale at all.”
In other news:
- House Bill (HB) 735, sponsored by Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow, D-Red Bay, is pending action in the House Tourism and Travel Committee. It would allow Alabama wineries to sell wines at festivals and wine tastings in the state. Morrow is a member of First Baptist Church, Red Bay, in Franklin Baptist Association.
- HB 175, sponsored by Rep. Jimmy Martin, D-Clanton, passed the House on March 12 and is pending action in the Senate. This measure would allow municipalities that have a population of 500 or more and are located in “dry” counties to hold a wet/dry referendum. Currently a municipal population of 7,000 or more is required to hold such a referendum. Martin is a member of First Baptist Church, Clanton, in Chilton Baptist Association.
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