§ 6-36 — Homemade brewed beverages

(a) No license or permit is required under this Act for the making of homemade brewed beverages or for the possession, transportation, or storage of homemade brewed beverages by any person 21 years of age or older, if all of the following apply: (1) the person who makes the homemade brewed beverages receives no compensation; (2) the homemade brewed beverages are not sold or offered for sale; and (3) the total quantity of homemade brewed beverages made, in a calendar year, by the person does not exceed 100 gallons if the household has only one person 21 years of age or older or 200 gallons if the household has 2 or more persons 21 years of age or older. (b) A person who makes, possesses, transports, or stores homemade brewed beverages in compliance with the limitations specified in subsection (a) is not a brewer, class 1 brewer, class 2 brewer, wholesaler, retailer, or a manufacturer of beer for the purposes of this Act. (c) Homemade brewed beverages made in compliance with the limitations specified in subsection (a) may be consumed by the person who made it and his or her family, neighbors, and friends at any private residence or other private location where the possession and consumption of alcohol are permissible under this Act, local ordinances, and other applicable law, provided that the homemade brewed beverages are not made available for consumption by the general public. (d) Homemade brewed beverages made in compliance with the limitations specified in subsection (a) may be used for purposes of a public exhibition, demonstration, tasting, or sampling with sampling sizes as authorized by Section 6-31, if the event is held at a private residence or at a location other than a retail licensed premises. If the public event is not held at a private residence, the event organizer shall obtain a homebrewer special event permit for each location, and is subject to the provisions in subsection (a) of Section 6-21. Homemade brewed beverages used for purposes described in this subsection (d), including the submission or consumption of the homemade brewed beverages, are not considered sold or offered for sale under this Act. A public exhibition, demonstration, tasting, or sampling with sampling sizes as authorized by Section 6-31 held by a licensee on a location other than a retail licensed premises may require an admission charge to the event, but no separate or additional fee may be charged for the consumption of a person's homemade brewed beverages at the public exhibition, demonstration, tasting, or sampling with sampling sizes as authorized by Section 6-31. Event admission charges that are collected may be partially used to provide prizes to makers of homemade brewed beverages, but the admission charges may not be divided in any fashion among the makers of the homemade brewed beverages who participate in the event. Homemade brewed beverages used for purposes described in this subsection (d) are not considered sold or offered for sale under this Act if a maker of homemade brewed beverages receives free event admission or discounted event admission in return for the maker's donation of the homemade brewed beverages to an event specified in this subsection (d) that collects event admission charges; free admission or discounted admission to the event is not considered compensation under this Act. No admission fee and no charge for the consumption of a person's homemade brewed beverage may be collected if the public exhibition, demonstration, tasting, or sampling with sampling sizes as authorized by Section 6-31 is held at a private residence. (e) A person who is not a licensee under this Act may at a private residence, and a person who is a licensee under this Act may on the licensed premises, conduct, sponsor, or host a contest, competition, or other event for the exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, or sampling of homemade brewed beverages made in compliance with the limitations specified in subsection (a), if the person does not sell the homemade brewed beverages and, unless the person is the brewer of the homemade brewed beverages, does not acquire any ownership interest in the homemade brewed beverages. If the contest, competition, exhibition, demonstration, or judging is not held at a private residence, the consumption of the homemade brewed beverages is limited to qualified judges and stewards as defined by a national or international beer judging program, who are identified by the event organizer in advance of the contest, competition, exhibition, demonstration, or judging. Homemade brewed beverages used for the purposes described in this subsection (e), including the submission or consumption of the homemade brewed beverages, are not considered sold or offered for sale under this Act and any prize awarded at a contest or competition or as a result of an exhibition, demonstration, or judging is not considered compensation under this Act. An exhibition, demonstration, judging, contest, or competition held by a licensee on a licensed premises may require an admission charge to the event, but no separate or additional fee may be charged for the consumption of a person's homemade brewed beverage at the exhibition, demonstration, judging, contest, or competition. A portion of event admission charges that are collected may be used to provide prizes to makers of homemade brewed beverages, but the admission charges may not be divided in any fashion among the makers of the homemade brewed beverages who participate in the event. Homemade brewed beverages used for purposes described in this subsection (e) are not considered sold or offered for sale under this Act if a maker of homemade brewed beverages receives free event admission or discounted event admission in return for the maker's donation of the homemade brewed beverages to an event specified in this subsection (e) that collects event admission charges; free admission or discounted admission to the event is not considered compensation under this Act. No admission fee and no charge for the consumption of a person's homemade brewed beverage may be charged if the exhibition, demonstration, judging, contest, or competition is held at a private residence. The fact that a person is acting in a manner authorized by this Section is not, by itself, sufficient to constitute a public nuisance under Section 10-7 of this Act. If the contest, competition, or other event is held on licensed premises, the licensee may allow the homemade brewed beverages to be stored on the premises if the homemade brewed beverages are clearly identified and kept separate from any alcohol beverages owned by the licensee. If the contest, competition, or other event is held on licensed premises, other provisions of this Act not inconsistent with this Section apply. (f) A commercial enterprise engaged primarily in selling supplies and equipment to the public for use by homebrewers may manufacture homemade brewed beverages for the purpose of tasting the homemade brewed beverages at the location of the commercial enterprise, provided that the homemade brewed beverages are not sold or offered for sale. Homemade brewed beverages provided at a commercial enterprise for tasting under this subsection (f) shall be in compliance with Sections 6-16, 6-21, and 6-31 of this Act. A commercial enterprise engaged solely in selling supplies and equipment for use by homebrewers shall not be required to secure a license under this Act, however, such commercial enterprise shall secure liquor liability insurance coverage in an amount at least equal to the maximum liability amounts set forth in subsection (a) of Section 6-21 of this Act. (g) Homemade brewed beverages are not subject to Section 8-1 of this Act.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 98-55, eff. 7-5-13; 99-78, eff. 7-20-15; 99-448, eff. 8-24-15.)