Oregon

Updated: 3/2012

Status: Permitted

Statute

Oregon statute Title 37 Chapter 471 §471.037 and §471.403

471.037 Homemade beer, wine and fermented fruit juice exemption from liquor laws. (1) As used in this section and ORS 471.268:

(a)(A) “Financial consideration,” except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, means value that is given or received directly or indirectly through sales, barter, trade, fees, charges, dues, contributions or donations.

(B) “Financial consideration” does not mean any of the following:

(i) A tax deduction or credit for donating beer, wine or fermented fruit juice to a nonprofit organization.

(ii) An event admission charge or club or organization dues, if the amount of the admission charge or dues is independent of the amount of alcoholic beverages to be provided or consumed at the event or through club or organization activities.

(iii) A prize awarded at a state or county fair or other organized judging, tasting, exhibition, contest or competition at which consumption of a submitted beer, wine or fermented fruit juice is without charge and only by the entrants, submitters, judges, exhibitors, contestants or competitors.

(iv) Homemade beers, wines or fermented fruit juices made by other persons.

(v) Beer, wine or fermented fruit juice ingredients.

(vi) Wages and salaries paid by an educational organization for teaching brewing, winemaking, fermentation science or fermentation processes.

(b) “Homemade” means made for noncommercial purposes.

(c) “Noncommercial” means not dependent or conditioned upon the provision or receipt of financial consideration.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, the Liquor Control Act does not apply to the following:

(a) The making of homemade beer, wine or fermented fruit juice, if the total of beer, wine and fermented fruit juice produced during a calendar year does not exceed:

(A) One hundred gallons in a household having one person who is 21 years of age or older; or

(B) Two hundred gallons in a household having two or more persons who are 21 years of age or older.

(b) The keeping, storage or transportation of homemade beer, wine or fermented fruit juice.

(c) The possession of mash, wort or wash, for the purpose of making homemade beer, wine or fermented fruit juice.

(d) Except as provided in ORS 471.268, the noncommercial consumption at any location of homemade beer, wine or fermented fruit juice.

(3) Subsection (2) of this section does not exempt any person from ORS 471.410, 471.430 or 471.432. [2011 c.12 §2]

471.268 Homemade malt beverages and wines at licensed premises. (1) In addition to any other privilege granted to a licensee under this chapter, a licensee may conduct an organized judging, tasting, exhibition, contest or competition of malt beverages and wines produced under ORS 471.403 (2) and (3) or homemade beers, wines and fermented fruit juices, or related events, at the premises described in a full or limited on-premises sales license, off-premises sales license, brewery-public house license, brewery license, winery license or warehouse license of the licensee. However, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission may restrict the portion of the licensed premises that may be used for the judging, tasting, exhibition, contest, competition or related events and may restrict or prohibit sales of alcoholic beverages on the portion of the premises that is being used for conducting the judging, tasting, exhibition, contest, competition or related events.

(2) In addition to any other privilege granted to a licensee under this chapter, a licensee may allow malt beverages and wines produced under ORS 471.403 (2) and (3) or homemade beers, wines and fermented fruit juices to be stored at the premises described in a full or limited on-premises sales license, off-premises sales license, brewery-public house license, brewery license, winery license or warehouse license of the licensee. The malt beverages or wines and the homemade beers, wines or fermented fruit juices must be clearly identified by owner and kept separate from the alcoholic beverage stock of the licensee.

(3) A licensee may not acquire any ownership interest in malt beverages and wines produced under ORS 471.403 (2) and (3) or homemade beers, wines or fermented fruit juices stored under this section. However, this subsection does not prohibit a licensee from using malt beverages and wines produced under ORS 471.403 (2) and (3) or homemade beers, wines or fermented fruit juices in conducting an organized judging, tasting, exhibition, contest or competition of the malt beverages and wines or homemade beers, wines or fermented fruit juices, or related events, if the malt beverages and wines or the homemade beers, wines or fermented fruit juices are stored with the licensee for that purpose. [2011 c.12 §3]

471.403 License required to produce alcoholic liquor; exception. (1) Except as provided in this section, a person may not brew, ferment, distill, blend or rectify any alcoholic liquor unless licensed so to do by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.

(2) The holder of a brewery-public house license or a brewery license may allow patrons to brew malt beverages not to exceed 14 percent alcoholic content by volume if the brewing is conducted under the direct supervision of the licensee or employees of the licensee. Malt beverages produced under this subsection may not be sold by the patron.

(3) The holder of a winery license may allow patrons to make wine if the winemaking is conducted under the direct supervision of the licensee or employees of the licensee. Wine produced under this subsection may not be sold by the patron.

(4) A person may make homemade beer, wine and fermented fruit juice as authorized under ORS 471.037. A person may provide assistance to another in making the homemade beer, wine or fermented fruit juice, if the person does not receive financial consideration as defined in ORS 471.037 for providing the assistance. [Formerly 471.205; 2007 c.414 §1; 2011 c.12 §4]

Special Provisions

The Oregon homebrew statutes are highly detailed spelling out specifically what can be done with homemade beer, wine and cider. Activities authorized by the Oregon statutes include donating homemade beer, wine and cider to non-profit organizations; charging admission for events where homebrew is served; charging dues for homebrew club membership; awarding prizes for homemade beer, wine and cider competitions; receiving pay for teaching homebrew classes.

The definition of “homemade” as “noncommercial” means there are no limitations on where homemade beer, wine and cider can be made, so long as the maker does not receive any financial benefit for the beverages he/she makes.

Oregon homebrewers are subject to the same annual production limits as the federal statutes.

The Oregon statutes specifically allow for establishments licensed under Title 37 (breweries, wineries, restaurants and bars) to host events such as club meetings or competitions where homemade beer, wine and cider are served.

State Alcohol Beverage Control Agency

• Oregon Liquor Control Commission
• 9079 SE McLoughlin Blvd.
• Portland, OR 97222-7355
• Phone: 503.872.5000

Note: The information presented here is to the best of our knowledge and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice specific to the laws of your state.