building a still

[bradocaster]

My brother and i are in the process of getting licensed. we would like to start construction of our still. is it legal to build a still? we would like to do some testing ahead of time with water if possible. can this be done?

Thanks for any input.

[Paul Tomaszewski]

it's in the TTB regs, but the bottom line is you can make your own still (as long as you assign it a serial number) and you can run water through it to test/clean it out, just make sure you're not distilling a drop of alcohol.

[swb]

Don't forget to check with your state. In my state, it is illegal to own a still without a permit, and with start-up distilleries, a state 'pending permit' must be in place before you can own a still.

[upinthehills]

Even the production of vinegar is regulated ( it is done in a still ), so you should be cautious about that too!