Mead and hops

[Terry]

I read somewhere that if you have a federal liscense to make mead (wine) that you cannot have hops on the premises as it is used for making beer and that is a totally different license. Yet I see that B. Nektar meadery makes several drinks that include hops such as there IPA mead.

Do you know the real story on this?

Thanks, Terry

 

[TAKeyser]

I read somewhere that if you have a federal liscense to make mead (wine) that you cannot have hops on the premises as it is used for making beer and that is a totally different license. Yet I see that B. Nektar meadery makes several drinks that include hops such as there IPA mead.

Do you know the real story on this?

Thanks, Terry

You can use hops, you can't have grain on the premise which is why Paul and Brad have yet to make a Braggot. They do need to come out with the next Mead in the Alpha Series, which Paul said may be released on Mead Day.

 

[Terry]

So you couldn't have malt, which I assume is what Braggot is made from, yes?

 

[TAKeyser]

So you couldn't have malt, which I assume is what Braggot is made from, yes?

Correct, the use of malt/grains puts it in the beer category (legally speaking).

 

[jpog]

Why are there differnet licenses for beer and wine?

 

[TAKeyser]

Why are there differnet licenses for beer and wine?

Because they are taxed differently and the government needs their money.

 

[Chevette Girl]

Because they are taxed differently and the government needs their money.

And as I understand, prohibition was lifted one product at a time, and when they were re-legalized, they handled it differently each time.

 

[akueck]

Yeah, different government agencies handle the wines and the beers. So you get different rules for each one and they really don't like it when you mix things without paying the piper, and then the other piper. The different wine and beer re-legalization is what made home wine making legal in the 30s but home beer making was illegal until the 70s. Go government!