Home distillers rejoice as US Supreme Court considers whether to finally legalise moonshine

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Congress had the power to outlaw home distilling, a ban dating to 1868. Arguments are set for early next year, with a decision possible in the summer of 2027. A win for challengers could put homemade spirits on the same legal footing as home-brewed beer and wine, according to BBC.

Plaintiffs argue Reconstruction-era lawmakers overreached when they restricted distilling to raise revenue. Government lawyers counter that the measure was valid and needed to keep producers from dodging taxes. Lower courts have split: one struck the prohibition down, while another in a similar case upheld it. Anyone caught distilling in a private home risks as much as five years behind bars, a $10,000 fine, or both.

Robert Alt, the plaintiffs' lawyer, calls the statute absurd and unconstitutional. Plaintiffs include Rick Morris, founder of the Hobby Distillers Association, and Ohio aerospace engineer John Ream. Wyoming hobbyist Geno Stecks, who makes coffee-flavored liquor, hopes to stop hiding his pastime.

Courtney Armour of The Distilled Spirits Council of the US objects, warning that distilling carries risks of explosions, burns, fires and poor-quality alcohol, endangering neighbors as well as producers.

Summarized by PolitiKool from BBC’s reporting. Read the full story at BBC →