StillSmart

Let\'s face it this hobby has taken of big time in the UK now, which means there are a good number of enthuiasts breaking a civil law. We all know the the law is archaich and was never intended for small scale distilling as practised by home enthuiasts. The government could actualy implement a simple license system to permit small levels of home production and charge a sensible annual fee. This would actualy increase revenue to the government as the current situation yields no income from home enthuiasts.

The problem is no one wants to stick their head above the parapet and become a target for HM Customs. But perhaps there is away that the case could be lobbied to our MPs, I\'m not sure how but perhaps by actually starting this thread we might get enough dicussion going to bring out some \"sensible\" ideas. As I understand it the situation was similar in NZ once and they resolved it and also increased the sale of proprietory brands of spirits in the process as home distillers bought branded spirits to compare with. We\'re in the 21st century now lets try moving with the times.
Opus 27

Our government wont do anything but smack massive tax\'s on the ingredients if we tried anything like you are proposing.

Sorry.

I know a number of cops that are doing this and they say they turn a blind eye to the whole thing unless somebody makes an official complaint.

Have to agree with Andy, the British government (any of them) would tax the air you breathe if they thought they could get away with it.
I think it’s a case of if it aint broke then don’t try to fix it.

Bloody Government bleeds everybody dry to the point of non-existance.

If you are not selling the spirit, why on earth should the government have any input to what hobbyists are doing. If they are fair dinkum, they should lower tax & exise on the stuff so the average person can afford to have a drink after a hard days work. We all make the stuff basically for the same reasons, its just too damn expensive to buy.

Our Government here is a joke & now the opposition leader announces that not everything he says is the truth. We know that anybody in Government tells a pack of lies to get votes near an election & I am amazed at how many people believe what they say is the truth. I get my name crossed of the roll at election day & just walk out. No one is worth voting for.

They may just invent another tax to slug us eventually.

I for one won\'t be payin for it.
Brian

the opposition leader announces that not everything he says is the truth

Like we didnt already know

I get my name crossed of the roll at election day & just walk out

I have done the same for last 4 elections
Smokes up 25%, I am giving e-cigs a go

[quote]Smokes up 25%, I am giving e-cigs a go
A work coleague of mine has got one of these. Had the courage to bring it in to work & choof on the thing in front of the boss while explaining how they worked. Supposed to be pretty good for the smokers out there. Thank god I aint one of them.
Brian

I wish I never took it up.

Kids will be kids and its now time to kick it once and for all.

I just hope the gov dont get wind and ban or tax these little wonders to death.

I wish I never took it up.

Ditto.

Kids will be kids and its now time to kick it once and for all.

I just hope the gov dont get wind and ban or tax these little wonders to death.

Hope it works for you. My way of stopping was inadvertant, I had a collapsed lung a year ago, nearly died, never smoked since & don\'t miss them at all.

I tried the e-cigs, they didn’t do it for me, I ended up with liquid nicotine in my mouth most of the time so it has pride of place in my draw, in between the half packet of Nicorette chewing gum and part box of NiQuitin patches. But good luck with it though we are all different.

I never had the smoking issue in mind when I started this thread and can\'t quite get my head around the connection. As for \"Not Broke Don\'t Fix It\", It is broke thats why so many of those in the hobby do so with great caution and in semi secrecy. As for the morals, virtues and integrity of our MPs thats something for another thread or better still another Forum. I don\'t have any quick fix solutions but it has to be worth serious discussion. Someone may have a plausible idea you never know if you don\'t try.
Opus 27

In Italy they sell bottles of 93% alcohol from the ordinary aisles in a local \'Spar\' type shop, not even behind the counter. The bottle says \'make sure you dilute this before drinking it, perhaps in a nice fruit punch\' but that\'s as far as the involvement goes. Can you ever see that happening in the UK? Someone would blame the downfall of western civilisation on it.
I am curious to hear people\'s views on this - if there is a lot of feeling on it then I\'m happy to make enquiries on behalf of everyone, see what\'s what.

Wow jimmy,that is crazy!Would never see that even here in NZ.

Im gobsmacked!

Might have to talk to my boss about getting some for our shop.

I work at Spar in Yamba.
Brian

Metho and a loaf of bread LOL

I had some rather nice brandy in Italy not long ago for 3.99 euro per 70cl bottle. Also in Italy, there is no age restriction on drinking and you can buy alcohol from the shop at any age too, although in some public places you have to be 16. There is far less of a problem with binge drinking than we have over here too, I wonder if they are connected.