What Are The Laws About Making Moonshine In Missouri?

1/1/2015 last updated

Not only is it legal to own a still in the state of Missouri, it is legal to produce up to 200 gallons per year per household of moonshine for personal use and not for sale. This also means basic usage of a still for distilling water, vinegar, essential oils is also legal.

I could not find details on transportation of distilled spirits for personal use but because it is illegal to sell moonshine it could be likely they could consider transporting moonshine to be an attempt to sell it so it is advised to not transport bottles of moonshine since the fine is $10,000 dollars for the first offense, $25,000 for the second, and $50,000 for the third offense.

Section 311.055.1 No person at least twenty-one years of age shall be required to obtain a license to manufacture intoxicating liquor, as defined in section 311.020, for personal or family use. The aggregate amount of intoxicating liquor manufactured per household shall not exceed two hundred gallons per calendar year if there are two or more persons over the age of twenty-one years in such household, or one hundred gallons per calendar year if there is only one person over the age of twenty-one years in such household.

Any intoxicating liquor manufactured under this section shall not be sold or offered for sale Missouri alcohol and tobacco control Since there are no restrictions of owning a still legally the production of ethanol for use as fuel should be legal, but the production of ethanol fuel still requires a federal license for production Missouri distillery licenses Missouri has only a standard distillery license and no micro distillery options.

The license costs $450 per year, as well as a tax bond. There are several licenses you need to request to legally manufacture spirits. Below are the federal licenses only. Additional state requirements will need to be followed as well. You must submit a request for a license to manufacture spirits: TTB 5110.41 Basic permit,

This license only allows you to produce spirits. You also need a license for the distilling equipment / distillery: TTB 5100.24 Distilled spirit plant For manufacturing ethanol fuel you will need to submit a request for a TTB 5110.74 for a federal license, Legally you can manufacture your own spirits for personal use up to 200 gallons per year.

Selling spirits though carry heavy fines, and even transportation could be considered an attempt to sell.

First offense is a $10,000 dollars fine, no prison sentence. Second offense is a $25,000 dollars fine, no prison sentence. Third offense is a $50,000 dollars fine, no prison sentence.

Current federal laws allow citizens the right to own a still and operate it for non-alcohol production. This means legally you can:

Can you distill your own whiskey in Missouri?

How Whiskey Is Made – There are four components to the whiskey production process (which, I can attest from experience, will be hammered into your brain more solidly than your own address should you ever decide to take the WSET Spirits Certification course ). Sampling some of the grains as they are being cooked at Tuthilltown Distillery in New York Once you’ve got a big barrel of sugary liquid, the next thing to do is to add yeast and allow the liquid to ferment. This process can take a couple days, and the end result is that the sugar in the mixture is used by the yeast to multiply and grow.

The three results of that process are heat, carbon dioxide, and alcohol. The tricky thing here is keeping the yeast happy — too much heat and they die off (which is why commercial distilleries have water jackets around their fermentation tanks: to take away the heat produced as part of this process).

But in the end, at some point the yeast finishes their feast and what’s left is a mildly alcoholic beer. Up until this point, if you want to do this at home you are 100% in the clear from a legal perspective usually. I am not a lawyer, none of this is legal advice, and you should consult your own counsel if you have any questions. The smaller pot still that’s used for testing new ideas at Still Austin in Austin, Texas. The process of distilling the mildly alcoholic beer into liquor is the regulated step in the process. This step is all about concentrating that mildly alcoholic liquid (usually about 10% alcohol by volume) into something much stronger using a still.

Because alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature than water, if you heat your beer and condense the vapors coming off of it you can selectively capture the alcohol rich portions which is your “new make” whiskey. Here in the United States, there is no way to legally distill alcohol for personal home use without a license,

See 27 CFR § 19.51 : A person may not produce distilled spirits at home for personal use. Except as otherwise provided by law, distilled spirits may only be produced by a distilled spirits plant registered with TTB under the provisions of 26 U.S.C.5171.

1. All distilled spirits produced in the United States are subject to the tax imposed by 26 U.S.C.5001.
2. For those looking to go the legal route here, it gets complicated and expensive real quick.
3. Still sites require licenses, bonded operators, and incur taxes as soon as the whiskey starts rolling out of the condenser.

Record keeping is required for every drop of liquor produced, and federal regulators check and monitor those operations to make sure the right amount of tax is being paid to the government. And due to the complexity of the regulations, the difficulty in obtaining the licenses, and the other considerations (like zoning laws, etc) that go with them, the bar for operating your own still is set so high that almost no one besides well funded distillery operations can even consider giving it a try.

• There are some who just simply ignore that whole section of the law, making moonshine (illegal whiskey produced “by the light of the moon” to avoid detection) in the back woods, constantly running from the ATF and selling their product on the black market.
• We here at 31W do not recommend breaking the law and, obviously, do not condone y’all trying this at home.

So, the legal implications of distilling alcohol pretty much put the brakes on any home distillation practices. But there is one last component to the whiskey making process, and that’s one that you can absolutely do legally in your own home. Advertisment

Is it illegal to make moonshine in Kansas?

1/1/2015 last updated

Residents of Kansas can own a still and use it for non-moonshine related activities such as distilling water, essential oils, etc. The production of ethanol or personal use or resell is illegal. Kansas also does allow the manufacture of non-fermented alcohols such as beers, ciders and wines for personal use.

• An. Stat. Ann.
• §41-104 No person shall manufacture, bottle, blend, sell, barter, transport, deliver, furnish or possess any alcoholic liquor for beverage purposes, except as specifically provided in this act, the club and drinking establishment act or article 27 of chapter 41 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, except that nothing contained in this act shall prevent: (a) The possession and transportation of alcoholic liquor for the personal use of the possessor, the possessor’s family and guests except that the provisions of K.S.A.41-407, and amendments thereto, shall be applicable to all persons; (b) the making of wine, cider or beer by a person from fruits, vegetables or grains, or the product thereof, by simple fermentation and without distillation, if it is made solely for the use of the maker and the maker’s family,

Kansas ABC website I could not find any information about ethanol fuel licenses but there are several producers in Kansas so licenses seem to be available. The Microdistillery license allows the manufacture and storage of not more than 50,000 gallons of spirits per year; the sale of spirits manufactured by the licensee in the original unopened container to be consumed off the licensed premise; and, free samples provided on the licensed premise and at special events monitored and regulated by the ABC.

pay the license fee and the registration fee in full; or, pay half of the license fee plus the registration fee with your application and pay the remaining half of the license fee plus a 10 percent surcharge within one year from the date your license was issued. Note: If you do not pay your remaining license fee and the 10 percent surcharge when it is due, your license will automatically be cancelled.

There are several licenses you need to request to legally manufacture spirits. Below are the federal licenses only. Additional state requirements will need to be followed as well. You must submit a request for a license to manufacture spirits: TTB 5110.41 Basic permit,

• This license only allows you to produce spirits.
• You also need a license for the distilling equipment / distillery: TTB 5100.24 Distilled spirit plant For manufacturing ethanol fuel you will need to submit a request for a TTB 5110.74 for a federal license,
• Being in possession of or transporting moonshine in Kansas regardless of if it is only for personal use and not for resale is illegal.

Current federal laws allow citizens the right to own a still and operate it for non-alcohol production. This means legally you can:

Can you drink under 21 with a parent in Missouri?

Missouri Alcohol Law – Frequently Asked Questions What is the legal drinking age? The legal drinking age in Missouri is 21. It is against state law to consume, purchase, or possess alcohol if you are younger than 21. What will happen if I am caught drinking as a minor? Illegal consumption, possession, or distribution of alcohol by a minor is a misdemeanor.

If convicted, you may be fined up to $1000 and/or imprisoned for up to one year. In addition to fines, you will need to pay court costs and attorney fees. If I am under 21, can I get in trouble for being drunk in public? Yes, Missouri law and a Warrensburg city ordinance in state that if the police have reason to suspect that you have been drinking and you are under 21, they can charge you with “minor in possession by consumption.” This means that even if you are not holding the alcohol container, but have consumed alcohol, you can be charged with an MIP (Minor in Possession).

Missouri’s Good Samaritan Law (, effective August, 2017) If you experience or witness a drug or alcohol overdose or other medical emergency, this law provides protections or immunity for persons who actively seek medical assistance (call 911 or otherwise seek help).

1. This means that the person seeking assistance or experiencing the medical emergency may not be arrested, charged, prosecuted, or convicted.
2. This applies to the following laws, possession of a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia, imitation controlled substance, sale of alcohol to a minor, possession of an altered ID, minor in possession of alcohol, maintaining a public nuisance, violation of a restraining order, and violation of probation or parole.

UCM Emergency Amnesty Policy () The University also offers an amnesty similar to Missouri’s Good Samaritan Law for protection against disciplinary action for students that seek immediate help and for the person experiencing the medical emergency. Again, you must seek immediate help by calling 911, Public Safety at 660-543-4123, or contacting a CA, etc.

What about drinking and driving? Anyone who drives while intoxicated can be charged with a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated). Under the “Zero Tolerance Law”, anyone younger than 21 with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of,02 or greater could lose their license. With a BAC of,08 or more (at any age), the arresting officer will take your license on the spot, often resulting in restrictions of driving privileges.

The vast majority of people charged with driving under the influence are convicted and face thousands of dollars in fines, increased insurance premiums, attorney fees, and criminal records. If an accident is involved, civil litigation against the driver is also common.

• Depending on the offense and campus policy, the student may face university sanctions. Be smart.
• If you drink, use a designated driver, the Night Ryder bus, or take a cab.
• Eep in mind that a designated driver is a person who has had no alcohol to drink.
• What is Keg Registration? When a keg is confiscated by police at a party at which underage persons have consumed alcohol, the purchaser of the keg can be identified and arrested or fined for supplying alcohol to underage persons.

Penalties include a fine of up to $1000 and/or a maximum of one year in prison. If a keg is returned to the place of purchase with a missing or defaced ID tag, the deposit is forfeited. In addition, it is illegal to sell alcohol without a license and penalties include up to a $500 fine and/or 90 days in jail.

Is it a big deal to have a misdemeanor on my record? A misdemeanor can be on your record for life if you are convicted or plead guilty. You could be responsible for revealing this information on any job application and applications for many advanced degree programs (such as medical school and law school).

Yes, it is a big deal. How can my driver’s license be suspended or revoked due to drinking? What is known as the “Abuse and Lose” law and the “Zero Tolerance” law can affect your license. Abuse and Lose results in suspension or revocation of a driver’s license when a person under 21 years of age is guilty of any alcohol-related traffic offense (possession, consumption, or use of alcohol while operating a motor vehicle), possession or use of any controlled substance, or the modification or misrepresentation of a driver’s license.

• Zero Tolerance means that if you are found to have more than,02 BAC then you are guilty of a misdemeanor and shall have your driver’s license suspended or revoked.
• What about off-campus parties? If you host an off-campus party with alcohol and charge admission, the person accepting the money could be charged with selling alcohol without a license.

Sentences for this violation involve up to two years in prison and/or fines of up to $1000. If alcohol is served to a minor, the person could also be charged with supplying alcohol to a minor and child welfare endangerment. Police respond to off-campus parties when there are noise complaints or parking problems.

Undercover officers also routinely check private parties for compliance. ID’s are checked if police have reason to suspect that minors have been drinking. You risk your arrest as well as the party host’s arrest if you drink at a private party as a minor. What are the new laws about house parties? Any owner, occupant or other person with a lawful right to the use and enjoyment of any property who knowingly allows any person under 21 to consume alcohol on their property or who knowingly fails to stop a minor from drinking on their property shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

: Missouri Alcohol Law – Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make bourbon in Missouri?

To qualify as ‘Missouri Bourbon’ or ‘Missouri Bourbon Whiskey’, and to be labeled as such, a product shall be a spirit that meets the following conditions: (1) The product shall be mashed, fermented, distilled, aged, and bottled in Missouri; and (2) The product shall be aged in oak barrels manufactured in Missouri.

Where in the US is it legal to make moonshine?

Where is Moonshine Legal? – Even though there is a federal law against moonshine, there are several states that still allow it. it. In Alaska, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Missouri, you can produce moonshine for personal consumption only. Arizona requires a permit to produce your own moonshine.

Massachusetts mandates that moonshine is consumed on your own property only. Any transporting will be seen as an attempt to sell, which will result in steep fines. Missouri puts a 200 gallon per year on the amount of moonshine that can be produced. North Dakota has an interesting law regarding the production and consumption of moonshine.

State law makes it legal to produce personal-use moonshine with one limitation; people can only produce up to the federally allowed number of gallons. Since the federal law bans moonshine production, this means people could produce zero gallons.

What is the blue law in Missouri?

Bob Mitchell: Remember the Blue Law? It would be a wonder if many people today remember the Blue Law in Missouri, or even care so far as that is concerned. The law prohibited the sale of certain items on Sunday. Missouri was once one of the few states in the Union that hung onto the Blue Laws that had come out of the deep past. The Democrat, at the time, took the stand that there was nothing wrong with limitations to what could be purchased or sold on the Sabbath. The common practice was to put these particular items in one place in a store where they could be covered on Sunday, or the store would simply close on that day, which their employees certainly enjoyed.

1. In memory is one drug store in Cassville that sold liquor on shelves at the entrance to the store.
2. To comply with Missouri Blue Laws, that section of the shelves had a convenient cloth cover that could be lowered to cover the stock of whisky being offered for sale.
3. This didn’t prohibit backroom sales of liquor or any other item on the negative list, which was frequently a note of contention between the buyer and seller.

Missouri, and others discovered about this time a good revenue source was a small tax on about anything that crossed a counter, it was the sales tax. Adopted in Missouri in 1934, a general state sales tax was collected via a small percentage of the selling price of each item, it was called the “millage” tax.

Missouri first provided paper “mills” that were quickly determined unsuitable due to wear and becoming absolutely filthy after a short period of use. Then came the metal “mills,” that, if people desired, they could carry around and use in making payment. This tax method worked awhile until those making the laws discovered the public would accept a penny just as easily as any other amount.

This was well and good for emergency needs, but had no ending date in the proposition, or was so far out in the future it was quickly forgotten by those bearing the cost. Not all that long ago, on some TV program, a person had a rather large amount of the metal sales tax tokens from some state and was trying to sell as antiques.

They were not valued sufficiently enough to carry to the program. Wonder if that is called “deflation?” Soon every government entity would get in the act of having an emergency and needing a sales tax to pay the bill. There are situations and levies on the books today that are buying equipment that could bring questions from administrators or lawmakers of today.

Then there are others that once a need is completed, the sales tax needs to be once again examined as to need. The original Barry County tax is typical, passed when this level of government was broke and much needed courthouse repairs were a necessity.

But now, it is being used partly so the salary commission can determine payment to office holders either directly or substituting for other sources. Not the original intent of any of the taxes accepted, some many years ago. There are any number of services provided for people today that naturally need to have a financial support behind them.

Some folks choose to label this socialism. It’s really paying for government to do for the person that which they desire. Take fire protection as a good example. Today, population growth makes it obvious the needs of an all-volunteer fire department. One or two outdated pieces of equipment or other needs, even additional stations become a necessity.

1. Lake communities discovered this first and did a commendable program providing this service to their widespread residents.
2. Schools have found an acceptable answer today.
3. Administrators use valuation growth in their district to fund desired projects, not requiring a tax levy increase.
4. Always present in these situations remains the question, “What would the levy stand without the project?” This isn’t pro or con on any pending question, simply pointing out how some taxation of the people falls upon them.

Like stated previously, the needs of people coupled with their desires will determine how the money will flow to pay for what issue might come before them. At this point, they can either accept or refuse taking on the price to be paid and over what period of time the cost will be on their shoulders.

Quite often, administrators rely on their future based on past performances and number of projects, department building or even equipment expansion, often beyond actual needs. That is what they often use to move to greener pastures. Bob Mitchell is the former editor and publisher of the Cassville Democrat.

He is a 2017 inductee to both the Missouri Press Association Hall of Fame and Missouri Southern State University’s Regional Media Hall of Fame. BOB MITCHELL OZARK VIEWS & COMMENTS : Bob Mitchell: Remember the Blue Law?

Can a 21 year old sleep with a 17 year old in Missouri?

Those 13 years old and younger cannot consent to sex with anyone (§566.067).14, 15 and 16 year olds cannot consent to sex with someone who is more than 4 years older (§566.071) or who is 21 and older (§566.034).17 year olds can consent to sex with anyone 14 years or older (§566.034).

Can an 18 year old kiss a 16 year old in Missouri?

In Missouri, there’s an exception to the age of consent if the two people are over the age of 14 and under the age of 21. This exception is often referred to as a ‘Romeo and Juliet Law.’ Provided that the contact is consensual, and the two people are between 14 and 21, then the behavior isn’t criminal.

What alcohol is Missouri known for?

History of Missouri alcohol laws – Nicknamed the “Show Me State”, this tendency always has been readily visible with regard to the state’s alcohol laws. Missouri’s laissez-faire approach to alcohol regulation also stems from its position as the leading alcohol-producing state in America, well known for wine production in the Missouri Rhineland and for beer production in St.

• Louis by Anheuser-Busch, which produces Budweiser,
• Anheuser-Busch is the principal advocate of keeping Missouri’s alcohol laws as lax as they are.
• These laws have generally always been this way.
• During the height of the temperance movement in the late-19th century and early-20th century before nationwide prohibition, Missouri never implemented its own statewide prohibition.

On the contrary, the voters of Missouri rejected prohibition in three separate initiative elections in 1910, 1912, and 1918. When temperance crusader Carrie A. Nation entered a bar in Kansas City in April 1901 and began to smash liquor bottles with her hatchet, she was promptly arrested and fined $ 500 ($12,926 in 2010 dollars ), which her judge stayed as long as she agreed to leave Missouri and never return.

The Missouri General Assembly did ratify the 18th Amendment in 1919, but only after it already had received enough previous ratifications to become part of the Constitution. During Prohibition, political boss Tom Pendergast ensured that the national prohibition law would not affect Kansas City’s liquor industry and saloons.

Kansas City’s federal prosecutor, who was on Pendergast’s payroll, never brought a single felony prosecution under the Volstead Act, Effectively, thanks to Pendergast, prohibition did not affect Kansas City. This atmosphere led the editor of the Omaha World-Herald to remark, “If you want to see some sin, forget about Paris,

• Go to Kansas City.” An 1857 Missouri statute left all liquor regulation to localities, including the question whether to go dry, except the collection of licensing fees.
• As a result, despite the lack of statewide prohibition, by the end of nationwide prohibition in 1934 half of Missouri’s counties had gone dry.

Immediately, though, Missouri enacted its first Liquor Control Law, which repealed and superseded those local laws. This was the first time Missouri had any statewide control of liquor. Today, Missouri has no dry jurisdictions whatsoever. Before state alcohol regulation began in 1934, many Missouri cities, including both St.

Is bourbon and moonshine the same?

Moonshine: From Woods To Whiskey Throughout its storied past, moonshine has been called many things: shine, white lightning, hooch, fire water, white dog, or bathtub gin. Without regulation, there was no standardization to the methods or monikers of “moonshine”.

1. Currently, to be called “moonshine”, there are some loose qualifications the spirit must meet.
2. Ultimately, moonshine is grain alcohol at its purest form.
3. Moonshine was originally made in secret during the prohibition era and, to contemporary purists, it’s not considered “moonshine” unless it’s clandestine.

However, most distilleries now legally produce moonshine, regardless of whether they bottle and sell a product labeled as “moonshine.” Whiskey, prior to aging, is moonshine! So, What is Moonshine? Moonshine is defined as a homemade, un-aged whiskey, marked by its clear color, corn base, and high alcohol content (sometimes peaking as high as 190 proof).

Traditionally, it was produced in a homemade still and bottled in a mason jar. For most of its history, moonshine was distilled in secret to avoid taxes and alcohol bans (specifically during the Prohibition Era). The term “moonshiner” was popularized in the 18 th century, where individuals deep in the woods of the Appalachia attempting to avoid being caught by police distilled under the light of the moon.

How it’s Made Moonshine consists of:

Corn Barley Wheat or Rye (optional) Yeast Water

While distillate or moonshine can be made from pretty much any type of grain, it originally was made from barley or rye. Moonshine at its purest form, is whiskey, or bourbon distillate. It is un-aged, high in proof, and clear in color. During the Prohibition Era, if grains were unavailable or too expensive, moonshiners would use white sugar which still gave them that alcohol “kick” they were looking for, but with a sweeter taste to it.

Making moonshine has two main steps: fermentation and distillation. Fermentation is the process of yeast breaking down the sugars in the grains to produce alcohol. Once the fermentation process is complete, the “moonshine mash” (fermented grains and yeast) is sent to the still. As the temperature rises in the still, the steam is forced through the top of the still into the worm box.

The worm box is typically a barrel with cold water flowing through it and a metal coil pipe down the center. Alcohol vapors flow through the coil pipe where they cool and condense back into a liquid. The last part of distillation is the spout or valve that leads from the worm box to a bucket or steel drum.

Typically this would be sent through at least one filter, but potentially more. The “XXX” label, that has been popularized in moonshine imagery, was originally an indication of quality; each “X” represented a time that it had been distilled. Moonshine Today Moonshine has changed quite a bit since the backyard bottlers of Prohibition.

In 1933, U.S. alcohol production became legal, as long as you paid the appropriate taxes and had the correct permits. While this makes moonshine legal, you are still prohibited from distilling some at home. Why is this? Mainly for safety reasons. Distilling is a very precise chemical process that, when done incorrectly, can create a dangerous environment or produce a toxic libation.

1. Governmental regulations are not just for tax purposes, but to protect the consumer from drinking something that could cause serious health issues.
2. Unlike other spirits, legally produced moonshine can be made with any source material, at any proof, can have coloring and flavoring added – the works.
3. There are no rules for its classification,” said Colin Blake, director of spirits education,

With such a loose classification of this grain alcohol, many different flavored products can still be considered moonshine! At Jeptha Creed, we offer a high-proof original moonshine highlighting the traditional flavor profile, but made with modern distillation processes.

All of our moonshines start with the same four grains as our flagship bourbon, featuring our heirloom Bloody Butcher Corn. If you’re less interested in this pure un-aged whiskey flavor, we have expanded into the modern spectrum of moonshine with a naturally-flavored lineup. Delicious moonshine flavors like apple pie, blackberry, cinnamon, and lemonade represent our ode to the history with a focus on the future.

Our moonshine is even sold in mason jars as a “hats off” to the non-regulated history it came from. Our line of moonshines are a far cry from the potentially deadly spirits that used to flow from homemade stills. Representing its full integration into the contemporary alcohol industry, moonshine now even has its own holiday! National Moonshine Day is on the first Thursday in June (June 2 nd of 2022).

Why can bourbon only be made in us?

Bourbon : It’s about as American a drink as apple pie is a food. For the well-known liquor to earn its name, it must be composed of 51 percent corn, aged in a new charred oak barrel, bottled at 80 proof or higher, and — this part is important — produced in the United States.

• The country of origin distinction came from a 1964 congressional resolution that declared bourbon whiskey as “a distinctive product of the United States that is unlike other types of alcoholic beverages, whether foreign or domestic.” Ever since, it must be made in the U.S.
• In order to legally bear the name “bourbon.” But how, exactly, did the U.S.

history of bourbon become as rich as the beverage?

Can whiskey be shipped to Missouri?

Is alcohol delivery legal? – Yes, alcohol delivery is legal in the cities and states Minibar Delivery serves. We’ve been helping local stores deliver wine, spirits, and beer for over five years!

Can whiskey only be made in Kentucky?

Bourbon’s Origins – The true origin of Bourbon’s creation is a vague answer. The invention of Bourbon is generally credited to Rev. Elijah Craig, coming up with the idea of aging corn whiskey in charred oak barrels back in 1789. However, historical facts that support this story can be tough to come by.

Corn distilleries existed in Kentucky prior to 1789, so it’s possible that Craig was one of the many distillers who helped transform corn moonshine into the modern-day Bourbon. In the end, Elijah Craig is the man who’s received lasting recognition for inventing Bourbon. There is an old saying that Bourbon must be made in Kentucky, however, this is a common misconception.

“Kentucky Bourbon” is only produced in the state, but Bourbon in fact can be made in any of the 50 American states. Once the overall standards for Bourbon are met, it’s Bourbon. It does not matter in which state it’s produced. Bourbon production is similar to the processes of other whiskeys in that Bourbon improves as it spends more time in the barrel.

Whiskey is forced in and out of the barrel’s wood as temperatures fluctuate. This imparts vanilla-like flavors and makes the whiskey have a more complex taste. The layer of charred oak inside the barrel also gives whiskey its dark brown color. This process cannot go on forever. Because of evaporation, there is less whiskey left in an aging barrel every year.

Eventually, the barrel would become empty. If Bourbon spends too much time in a barrel, it can create an unpleasant and woody taste that makes drinking the spirit unfavorable. The key is to figure out when a barrel has matured to perfection without it aging too long.

Can you distill alcohol at home in Utah?

Homebrewing is a legal hobby – Utahns can produce up to 100 gallons of beer, wine or hard cider annually, for every person who is 21 or older in a household. With that much booze in the basement, you’re likely to get invited to a lot of parties. But homebrewers and producers can carry only 72 ounces of beer or one liter of wine or hard cider outside their home at any one time.