The practice of making homebrew in Kansas is allowed by federal law but regulated by the state. Kansas allows its residents to make wine, beer, and cider at home with vegetables or grains. The state regulations are easily accessed on the internet.
Anyone over legal age can make and consume beer, wine, and cider at home and serve it to family members who are not underage. Kansas law limits the consumption to family members, which means home brews should not be served to friends. It is illegal to sell any of these beverages that contain alcohol. There are also regulations for which ingredients may be used and how much may be produced.
Wine can be made from almost any plant material, cider is made from apples, and beer is made from grain or starches with hops added for flavor. All of these beverages have been made for centuries by home brewers. Early laws, like the Code of Hammurabi, contain laws regulating the sale of beer.
Simple fermentation, using yeast or other cultures to transform the sugars in the basic ingredients to alcohol, is allowed. It is illegal to distill a home brew. Distillation produces hard liquor, like vodka and whiskey, and results in a higher alcohol content. Home brewing by fermentation generally produces beverages of less than twelve percent alcohol.
Once the art of home brewing is mastered, the process is not difficult. Over the centuries many methods of brewing have developed in all regions of the world, but there are basic rules which can be followed by beginners even when working alone. There are books with step-by-step directions, instructional videos, and internet sites which have all the tips you need to get started.
Everything you need to begin brewing at home can be gotten online, whether you want to get equipment item by item and shop around for ingredients, or whether you prefer to start with a complete kit that has everything you need as well as directions. Supply houses sell everything from kits to books covering this fascinating subject.
Homebrew in Kansas is alive and well, and the laws are easily found online with a simple search. You can also look for specialty sites by finding a niche search engine that focuses on this subject.
Homebrew Pro Shoppe Inc. offers supplies for people seeking to make a homebrew in kansas. They have been providing a wide range of homebrew supplies, winemaking supplies and expert advice since 1994. They have a many wonderful brand name tools as well as fruit bases and grape juice concetrates to choose from. (http://www.homebrewproshoppe.com)