#OHIO HOMEBREW HOW TO#
#OHIO HOMEBREW PROFESSIONAL#

Allows a homebrewer to serve homemade beer or wine for personal consumption to the home brewer’s family, neighbors, co-workers, and friends on private property, and at certain events without a liquor permit.Allows a homebrewer to brew or ferment homemade beer or wine without obtaining a liquor permit if specified conditions apply.Contact Editor David DeWitt for questions: Follow Ohio Capital Journal on Facebook and Twitter.With the Governor’s signature, Senate Bill 102 has become law (effective March 23, 2022) and represents a significant win for Ohio homebrewers.Īlthough the legislation addresses a variety of alcohol issues, those relevant to home brewing include the following: Ohio Capital Journal maintains editorial independence. Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Senate sends homebrew legislation to governorĭecemSenate sends homebrew legislation to governorīy Nick Evans, Ohio Capital Journal December 16, 2021 “I mean, you can buy alcohol six days a week in Ohio and in many areas, you can buy it seven days a week if they’ve gone through the process of having it on the ballot, so this really truly isn’t that huge of an expansion.” “I don’t think that’s that significant,” she said after the measure passed the Senate. Roegner, though, doesn’t make much of the Sunday sales changes. “If the legislature grants Sunday sales to all permit holders, the result will be not only lost sales for the Ohio companies who have it, but more dollar stores popping up as they become more profitable,” Young wrote. Young also argues lowering the bar will primarily benefit out of state dollar and drug store chains. In written testimony, Save Sunday Ohio chairman Bob Young complains that this is the third time in two years that lawmakers have tried to ease Sunday sales restrictions.

#OHIO HOMEBREW PROFESSIONAL#

“One of the clubs I belong to, I think there’s eight at last count, that have come out of this club that have gone into the professional brewing industry.”īut a different provision, making it easier for retailers to sell alcohol on Sundays, has raised objections.

#OHIO HOMEBREW HOW TO#

“You become a homebrewer, you get your feet wet, you learn how to do it, you learn how to make good beer and then you take it to a competition somewhere and let judges evaluate it, and then you get an idea whether you can do it or not,” Steingass said. Steingass, meanwhile, argued supporting homebrewers means supporting the state’s growing craft beer industry, because so many craft brewers started out at home. Stein also referenced the “missed opportunity” for economic benefit that could flow to the state from events like the AHA’s annual convention called Homebrew Con. “I don’t know if you’re aware but it’s technically illegal for us to give a couple bottles of wine in a basket to anyone and have them raffle that off at an event. “You may occasionally be asked to bring a gift basket for a silent auction at your local political affiliation or maybe some charity organization,” Stein said. Dick Stein, R-Norwalk, brought up another change related to raffles. House lawmakers rolled in a number of additional changes before approving the measure, including expanding the size and number of districts where local governments can allow people to carry open containers. “The AHA said that they didn’t want to take a chance on coming back to Ohio again because the possibility that we would get permission to have such an event in Ohio, and then at the last minute not be able to get a permit would be prohibitive,” Steingass explained. He described how in 2008, the last time the American homebrewers hosted their convention in Ohio, opening the doors required a last-minute mad dash for permits. “So that’s kind of why we started working on this is to bring the Ohio liquor laws into compliance with what is permitted under federal law,” Steingass said. Federal law allows homebrewing, but because Ohio law is silent on the matter, it hasn’t always been clear what is and isn’t allowed. The core of the proposal codifies the right to brew beer or ferment wine in Ohio without a liquor permit, so long as it’s for personal consumption or to share with friends and family. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, sponsored the measure which passed the Senate easily Wednesday on a vote of 30-1 after the House tacked on a number of additional provisions. Steingass sits on the American Homebrewers Association governing committee, and he’s been pushing for this legislation for four years.

Mike DeWine’s desk would clear the path for homebrewers and fermenters to host events showing off their latest batch.

That’s because homebrewing falls into a bit of a grey area under Ohio law. It’s going to be tough to get a taste, though. Elmer Steingass’ friends call him Goose, and his brown ale took home a gold medal at a recent homebrewing competition.