[Al Gator]

Ok, here's how it works.

You are allowed to BREW up to 200 gallons per year per household.

Brewing means adding yeast to sugarwater and letting it ferment. Basic brew. If you use designer yeast, you might possibly get 20 ethanol.

That is legal.

Now, if you attempt to separate the water from the alcohol in that brew, you will be arrested.

It isn't the equipment you use, (yes, the fedgov does confiscate stills) but it is the PROCESS of separating the water from the alcohol that is really, really bad.

Put a can of beer in the freezer, you are using a process called "jacking", which is illegal.

The operation to create hard liquor starts with brew, or mash or whatever. Then it goes to the separation phase. You begin the process of removing the water from your brew. The most efficient way to do this is to add heat via a distiller.

You need a license from the fedgov to do this.

[Al Gator]

20 ethanol = 20% ethanol

sheesh

[nomorelurker]

Thanks for the info on "jacking" always wondered if that was legal here. I have read/been told that it is very common for people in Europe to do that with wine. They even 2 stage it i.e. freeze the wine once pour off the unfrozen residue and freeze the residue once again pour off and strain and you have some stiff and crude brandy.