Beer Forum

I'd be interested to hear stories any homebrewers have regarding encounters with Law Enforcement. What we're doing is perfectly legal in most states of the US, but not all Law Enforcement Officers are aware of that. Further, some of the equipment set-ups we use might look suspicious to LEOs. I'd like to hear about any problems other homebrewers have had with local LEOs, and how it turned out in court, if it ever got that far. I'll start:

It was bottling day. I moved a 5-gallon batch in its carboy to my counter in the kitchen, and had the bottling bucket ready. I needed to dissolve and sanitize my priming sugar so I started a little over a pint of water boiling in a saucepan, boiled it, added about 4-oz of corn sugar, and brought it back to boiling. While I waited I became involved in other activities online and forgot about the saucepan boiling away on my stove. Since I was a 2-pack-a-day smoker at the time I didn't notice the smell. While I was working online the saucepan had boiled away and the sugar was burning. By the time I noticed it all of the smoke alarms in my house were reacting, including the one tied in to my home security system, so the security system called out. I tried to cancel the alarm at the security system console, but it kept re-activating. When the security company called for confirmation the phone cut out, probably due to the security system itself calling out again. Eventually I had officers from the local police department and the local fire department at my door. Finally the security system company called on my cell phone (their second call number), while I've shut off the stove and am trying to clear the smoke, and still repeatedly entering my code into the security system console.

Well, the FD guys were just waiting for an all-clear from the alarm company, and the police officer is wandering around in my home uninvited. Eventually it all gets cleared up, but lingering in my memory is the police officer asking what I was cooking. Well, like any normal citizen I basically think it's none of his god-damned business and say simply I was cooking something on the stove and forgot about it. When the air clears and the security console finally accepts my code everyone leaves.

It's quite a while later that I wonder what the cop thought about the carboy on the counter, the assorted homebrew paraphenalia -- I figure he think's I've been cooking meth or something. So, am I now on some local PD watch list?

Time will tell...

yes, yes you are

No stories here. Yet. But I'd certainly like to read up on others.

A couple years ago I was brewing out on my front porch. The old lady across the street called the police to report that I was making meth. They didn't believe her but they knew they had to check it out or she would raise hell with the mayor and the city council. Anyway half the local police department showed up (2 officers, it's a small town ) to check it out.

They thought it was pretty cool and asked all sorts of questions about the brewing process. When they were done I gave each of them a bottle of barleywine to take home with them. (I assume they waited until after work to drink it.)

After that they always waved and smiled whenever they saw me. A month or so later one of them stopped me for speeding (something like 45 in a 25 zone) but he only gave me a warning and told me that he really liked my beer and certainly wouldn't mind getting another bottle of that sometime soon. Taking the hint I gave him another one that night. Police corruption in a small town!

Wayne

I had an encounter with LEOs about two years ago. I was brewing on the drive way sitting back enjoying a brew when a police car drove by. I noticed the LEO rubber necking my way and he turned around and pulled up in front of my house. As he walked up the drive I could tell by the look on his face that he had no idea what the hell I was doing.I asked him if I could help him and he asked what I was doing. I told him and thought he might be interested at first. He then started looking into my garage and told me what I was doing was illegal. He then started towards the the door leading into the house and asked if he could take a look inside. I told him NO. He was a bit surprised by my answer and went back to his cruiser. He came back and told me that he was wrong about brewing being illegal but that he could give me a ticket for drinking in public. He then left. I never knew it was illegal in any state and looked it up on the web. I guess it's good to now the laws in your area and to know your rights. A good friend of mine is a LEO and he told me once to never let a LEO into your house unless he has a warrant.
It's crazy to think brewing is illegal anywhere in America. I do remember seeing a methlab bust on the news and thinking that all those giant chem flasks would sure make good fermenters what a waste.

Cheers
Deadeye

ON my way home from buying my first homebrew kit I stopped at the police station to pick up a night parking pass. Above the counter was a big poster "How to Spot a Neighborhood Meth Lab". In my car I had at least half of the items on the poster, now I probably have nearly all of them.

My two front rooms in my house are both full of brewing equipment and ingredients and are located right on a busy sidewalk. I used to think it would be funny when the inevitable police visit happens but now I am nervous about the time I will be sitting in jail while they test every one of the hand labeled: "DAP", "Magnesium Chloride", etc. It won't help when they see the stash of various circuit board projects immediately next to it on the same workbench. I imagine a DEA task force followed by a bomb squad followed by some sort of bullshit trumped up legal charges to cover themselves.... Window shades stay down all the time nowadays.

BTW I have had a LEO ask me if I had a beer in my gun.