Homebrew Wedding

Ask them for the recipe, that would give a better idea. How much abv? How many ounces hops per 5 gallons? Typically IPA recipe that is ~6% abv should cost about $45 in ingredients + shipping if they buy ingredients online. Brew day most likely 6 - 8 hrs of time as well. Most every homebrewer I've ever met doesn't charge for labor though, they get paid in feedback and people talking about their beers.

 

Yeah, it's nice that you're offering to pay them for labor, but I would never take any more money than the cost of ingredients.

Probably some legal issues with paying for labor as well.

 

Beer instead of cash...is there really any other answer for a wedding present? : )

 

$0. It would be illegal for them to take your money.

 

If they won't take money buy them something homebrew related. For example when I brewed for my brothers rehearsal I refused to take money. So when he was ordering the bottles, 500ml Pliney style, he ordered me a few cases for myself and a couple growlers. They were all being shipped to my house anyway so I had no way to refuse this.

 

Reimbursement for the cost of ingredients is not illegal.

 

Get them each a give certificate at a local home brew store or an online retailer then they can use it for home brewing stuff of their choosing.

 

Excerpted from Title 27, Part 25, Subpart L, Section 25.205...
"(a) Any adult may produce beer, without payment of tax, for personal or family use and not for sale."

Note that it says sale. Not profit.

 

I would just go with them and buy the ingredients to avoid any confusion about costs if possible?

 

How about if you just buy each of them a case of their favorite beer, or a mixed case of beer from their favorite brewery. That seems like a fair trade-off.

 

If they are brewing 5 gallon recipes (2 cases), about $40-$50 bucks. You could reimburse them for that. Ask them what they paid for the brews.

 

You're reimbursing them for their time and overpaying for their ingredients. That'll cost an average of $25 to $30 per batch and each batch is at least 4 hours of labor. More like 8 if they're bottling and 5 if they're kegging.

 

The product is not for sale.
The beer is made for personal use.
'Use' includes personal consumption as well as consumption by others

When a product is 'for sale'...the producer makes or offers something of value with the expectation there's a 'market' for the product.

Clearly...this is not the case.
Why?
Because no one offers a product 'for sale' without the expectation of profit.

---
OP buys the ingredients.
Someone else processes the ingredients into a malted beverage.
No harm. No foul.

That said...PA's ABC laws are totally whacked.

 

I would pay for the ingredients and get them a gift for whatever else.

 

Just ask them about it. You have a long time to hash out the details.

 

How much are you asking each friend to brew? I got married recently and had 10 corny kegs + one case each of red and white wine. No liquor. 120 people. The amount of alcohol was right on. YMMV.

Most homebrewers don't have that many kegs. (I only do because of the wedding.) If I were you, I'd give them a gift certificate for $50 per keg that they brew. They might need to buy more kegs, a spare regulator, co2 tank, whatever, just for the wedding and I'd imagine they'd like to pick that stuff out themselves. I'd find out who their LHBS is too.

 

I can assure you there are businesses that do exactly this.

 

Why don't you sit in with them on brew day. You can pay for all the ingredients. Maybe you can make multiple batches and your friends keep some for themselves. This would probably circumvent any legal kerfuffles (which I think would be highly unlikely, but the idea of gifts or payments for homebrewrendered definitely skirts the spirit of the law, and probably the letter of the law). The biggest benefit is you would begin to dabble in homebrewing and join our ranks. Just be warned that homebrewing can have an impact on marital harmony - sometimes it helps, sometimes it hurts, and sometimes it doesn't matter.

 

Kind of a wash on my end. She's very happy to have a pretty constant supply of beer, but is always frustrated by the mess and often by the taking up of a weekend day. The beers win out though.

OP, if I were to be doing this for you/other betrothed friend, I'd probably just have you go in half on the ingredients and try to get you to hang/help out on brew day.