Distilling for personal use...

little rascal

Senior Member
It’s the crack heads and druggies you sold it to. When they get caught they rat you out for a better deal. You gotta be real peculiar who you gonna sell to. If I make some aint nobody gonna know, even the wife. That way they aint in the know. Used to u could make it and if caught, misdemeanor. If caught distributing,
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
It doesn't say they were arrested for just the possession of the still...I'm sure there is more to it than that.
You can own a still to distill other things besides likka. Read my previous post about legal in Georgia to own a still.
In a lot of places, there are restrictions on the size and capacity of a still that you can legally own for other than liquor-making purposes. Often around a gallon capacity or so.
 

C.Killmaster

Georgia Deer Biologist
It doesn't say they were arrested for just the possession of the still...I'm sure there is more to it than that.
You can own a still to distill other things besides likka. Read my previous post about legal in Georgia to own a still.

It's a fine line if someone wanted to push the issue. If you have a still and any other materials that could be associated with distilling (yeast, sugar, grain, etc.) you could be in violation of state law even if you didn't actually distill any alcohol. These ancient laws need to go.

§ 3-10-12. Raw materials or substances, fixtures, implements, or apparatus used or intended for use in unlawful distillation or manufacture of distilled spirits declared contraband; property rights in contraband; governing procedures for seizure and forfeiture
(a) Any raw materials or substances, including, but not limited to, sugar of any grade or type, and any fixture, implement, or apparatus used or intended for use in the unlawful distilling or manufacturing of any distilled spirits are declared to be contraband.
(b) No person shall have any property right in or to any contraband specified in subsection (a) of this Code section.
(c) Whenever any item used or about to be used as specified in subsection (a) of this Code section is found or discovered, whether in transit, in storage, or at a site of unlawful distillation or manufacture, by any law enforcement officer, it shall be subject to the following dispositions:
(1) When found or discovered at a site of unlawful distillation or manufacture, it may be summarily destroyed and rendered useless by any law enforcement officer without any formal order of the court or, in the event any of the raw materials or substances are fit for human consumption or if any of the fixtures, implements, or apparatus are of any beneficial use to the educational authorities of the county for use in any of their educational programs, they may be delivered to the public schools of the county in which seized for use in the schools. When any of the foregoing items are delivered to a public school system, the officer delivering the items shall obtain from the appropriate school authorities an itemized receipt detailing all items delivered to the system and report such information as provided in subsection (g) of Code Section 9-16-19. In the event any of the foregoing items are destroyed by a law enforcement officer, the officer shall execute an affidavit of such fact in which all items destroyed shall be listed. The receipts and affidavits shall be maintained by the officer and shall be open to inspection by the public upon request; or
(2) When found or discovered in transit or in storage by any law enforcement officer, the items shall be seized by the officer and forfeited in accordance with the procedures set forth in Chapter 16 of Title 9.
 

ryanh487

Senior Member
Just like anything else, do what you want, don't tell the wrong people and don't post about it online.

The ATF ain't gonna waste time on some random guy with a 2 gallon pot still that makes a few gallons a year, doesn't brag about it, and isn't selling it. But if they have another reason to visit you, that charge will definitely be on the list.

There are entire forums of hobby distillers you can find fairly easily on Google.
 

Doug B.

Senior Member
Two men stand charged with possession of a moonshine steel apparatus and possession and use of drug-related objects. The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office reports that on May 29, 2020, an investigation was opened and arrests were made. Arrested on the charges were 33-year-old Samuel Mark Hopkins of Tiger and 38-year-old Sean Ostas of Tiger. They were booked into the Rabun County Detention Center on the two charges.

I guess it was false arrest as far as the still ??
I remember that! Actually there is a pretty good sized still that don't get used for anything in the old Persimmon schoolhouse.
 

Gbr5pb

Senior Member
I might or might not have made a friend of a friend 2 apple brandy stills 30+ years ago when working in the cryogenic industry. One was about 5 gallons and the other maybe 20. Stainless steel copper lines and silver solder. Looked good and very clean. He sent me a a quart of very clear must have been 190 proof because it burnt all the way down.
 

greg_n_clayton

Senior Member
Just like anything else, do what you want, don't tell the wrong people and don't post about it online.

The ATF ain't gonna waste time on some random guy with a 2 gallon pot still that makes a few gallons a year, doesn't brag about it, and isn't selling it. But if they have another reason to visit you, that charge will definitely be on the list.

There are entire forums of hobby distillers you can find fairly easily on Google.
LOL....complete with video and detailed instruction !!
 

GTMODawg

BANNED
Most deputies around here don't mind if you make a little to drink or share with buddies. Not saying there may not be some dip stick that will get you, but most of them have more important things to go after.


This. If you ain't selling it and only making a couple of gallons a year and don't do so in a tract house development how is the man gonna know??? He certainly don't want to know...he is too busy writing tickets and harassing folks on the side of the road to go about the county looking for some old boy with a small still making a couple of gallons of liquor a year. The same is true of pot....who cares if you have a few plants on your place??? No one. As long as they ain't coming to the house for other reasons the state ain't got the time, resources nor the inclination to be out and about looking for small stills and a couple of pot plants. Now go in the business of selling either and you could find yourself in a heap o trouble....because you'll be stepping on the toes of some well heeled donors like big pharma and big alcohol....they are interested in limiting the competition and will insist that their muscle (the state) be utilized in keeping it as limited as possible....
 

GTMODawg

BANNED
. I've never tried making moonshine, but I've tried it a few times. Too strong for me. Seems like a lot of work also.

My grandpa taught me how to make liquor and it is waaaaaayyyyyyyyyy too much work and too expensive to do so for any reason other than tradition. Its also barely fit for human consumption even when it is as good as it gets....there will be those who will debate this but if it weren't so clear liquors would be worth more than aged liquors whether they are bonded or not. Making and consuming moonshine is all about tradition. It is hard work, it is excessively expensive and even on a small scale represents some risk to one's being arrested, all for a product that wouldn't, at best, fetch more than a few bucks a pint at a liquor store were it bonded and legal.

There is, however, a lot of value in tradition LOL. Thus it is possible to for those bent on doing so to make a little money in traditional manners. A lot of people are willing to pay $50 a gallon for liquor that wouldn't sell for more than $12 a gallon at best simply because it is hard to get, comes with some risk and is traditional. I knew an old boy years ago who did just this with cheap bonded vodka LOL. No one EVER called this son of a gun out even though most of his "customers" knew he was to dumb and lazy to build a fire, let alone operate a still. They wanted to believe and thus they did....when word finally got out that this was what he was doing there were those who would not accept it...in fact there are still some who insist that he was indeed making moonshine.
 

GTMODawg

BANNED
Two men stand charged with possession of a moonshine steel apparatus and possession and use of drug-related objects. The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office reports that on May 29, 2020, an investigation was opened and arrests were made. Arrested on the charges were 33-year-old Samuel Mark Hopkins of Tiger and 38-year-old Sean Ostas of Tiger. They were booked into the Rabun County Detention Center on the two charges.

I guess it was false arrest as far as the still ??


It seems that the state is accusing these gentlemen of possession of a moonshine still which is categorically illegal. However, owning a still is not illegal. Plenty of legitimate reasons to own a still...distilling water, for example. The state could only make an arrest like the one above IF they thought they had or could come up with enough evidence to prove that the suspects were indeed making liquor. The state is prone to arresting folks and charging them with a pile of crimes knowing the suspect will cop to any real wrong doing when faced with defending themselves against an array of crimes. These 2 were also arrested for possession and use of drug related objects. I will bet a coca cola that those charges stick and the moonshine still gets dropped....
 
Top