Liquor laws are screwed up, and that's the truth.

Back in 1990, we had a good-sized homebrew supply shop in CA, with mail-order customers all over the U.S. That's when I retired from the county, left our first branch shop out there, and moved the main shop to MO.

We didn't sell any alcohol, but we sold the makings. As soon as we moved here, we started getting questioned about the legality - and a couple of local churches got upset about our business. They complained to the cops, trying to get us shut down. Back then, "customers" kept trying to get me to sell homebrew to them - and darndest thing, those were the "customers" who drove guv'ment fleet cars. I ain't that dumb, but I was afraid trouble was coming.

I found out the state Liquor Control Board is partitioned into several districts. I located the enforcement agent for our district in Joplin and called him. He said making beer and wine for your own use was legal, but first you had to post a $1000. bond with the state.

I called the guy in West Plains. He said making unlicensed beer or wine anywhere in Missouri was a felony, and if he found out about it someone was going to prison.

I called the guy in St. Louis. He said, hell, he's a homebrewer himself, and it's not a violation.

Fortunately, soon after that, homebrew shop owners statewide got together and with the help of brew clubs like the St. Louis Brews we got specific Missouri legislation passed that legalized making up to 200 gallons of beer or wine per year for personal consumption. That's the same as a Federal law that was passed in 1978.

HOWEVER - making hard liquor or possession of an unlicensed still is still a felony under both Missouri and Federal law. I've had lots of chances to tinker with that, and I might even know a feller who knows a feller who knows how to do it - but it's not worth it. You really don't want to mess with the B.A.T.F.