Zealand, the number of still-related fires was so small in comparison to other types that it was statistically insignificant. Here in the U.S., cooking is the leading cause of residential fires. That number spikes significantly at Thanksgiving, when turkey deep fryers see their annual use in driveways all across the country, sometimes resulting in garage fires. Even though the U.S. population is much larger than NZ, inattentive home cooks are still likely to be the cause of more fires than home distillers.
Legislative Updates The Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2015 (S. 1562) is a bill that in addition to reducing federal excise tax to a manageable level for small distilleries, will also legalize home distilling on a limited basis. What does "limited" mean? As long as you do not sell your booze, an adult (either 18 years old or the age at which you can buy liquor in your home state, whichever is greater) can produce 24 proof gallons each year, and own and use one 15.5-gallon mash container (the size of a beer keg) to do so. While that may not sound like much, that is quite a bit of hooch, not to mention the amount of time and effort that goes into making a batch. "This is the natural 'next step' in the distilling industry, like it was for home brewing and winemaking," hobbies that have been legal to pursue since 1978, emphasized HDA’s Morris. With 1400 members nationwide, the HDA has been working hard to raise awareness of the lack of alcohol parity with the country’s legislators, hiring their own lobbyist from funds raised through membership and Morris’s own company, Brewhaus.
Rising Tide Lifts All Boats If someone is thinking of opening a distillery, they may be testing their recipes at home already, despite the risk involved. While there is a big jump from making your own 15.5-gallon batch at home to making a 500-gallon batch at a distillery, some of the basics are the same. Understanding fermentation and the distillation
process are skills that can translate to a larger operation. With more home distillers, finding new employees with at least some distilling knowledge may not be as hard as it has been in the past. A shorter learning curve getting your new assistant distiller up to speed means a faster increase in your productivity. Home brewing is often cited as the basis for the boom that the craft brewing industry is experiencing. Not only are more brewers opening commercially, but an entire wave of enthusiastic fans has been created. The same could happen for craft distilling: more people introducing their friends to craft spirits who will then visit your distillery. For more information on HDA or to contact Rick Morris, visit www.HobbyDistillersAssociation.org. Victoria Redhed Miller’s awardwinning book is available on Amazon.com.
Footnote 1: www.nfpa.org/news-and-research/fire-statistics-and-reports/fire-statistics/fire-causes/appliances-and-equipment/cooking-equipment
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