Home Brew for Charity, Would this be legal? Options

[bob_the_botanist]

Hey brewboarders,
My friends and I all homebrew. We make a lot of decent beer and don't really have any problems getting rid of it by having big college kegger parties. This is great and all, but it feels a bit hedonistic and shallow sometimes. We want to branch out and have a keg party for a charity cause, but we don't know how to go about doing this legally. It seems like there would be a ton of hoops to jump through to pull this off, but we really want to do this thing legally. The best thing I can figure is have the party, collect money and ID check people, then cut a personal check to charity of choice. We live in North Carolina if that matters. Please only respond to this if you know what you are talking about. Information that you think is right, but might not really be correct might lead to trouble for us in the long run. We just want to use our brewing skills to help other people, but don't want to go to jail while doing so. Thanks guys for helping out.

[mach5]

I think it would get sticky if you started advertising that you are throwing the party for a specific charity, especially if they didn't agree with the drinking part. If you are just advertising your party by word of mouth or invitation then I wouldn't think it would hurt to tell the people you invite that you are donating the money to a cause. Then just do a personal donation as you mentioned. Just keep things on the down-low, I don't think a charity would turn down your money.

I forget who, but someone on the board does a "Mugs for Jugs" fund raiser that I think is for breast cancer.

[bdub]

Call A.L.E office and see what they say.

[bob_the_botanist]

what is A.L.E office?

[relaxnhere]

Why not just have a party, let everyone in free, once they are feeling good ask for donations?

[Hokieborn]

Hey brewboarders,
My friends and I all homebrew. We make a lot of decent beer and don't really have any problems getting rid of it by having big college kegger parties. This is great and all, but it feels a bit hedonistic and shallow sometimes. We want to branch out and have a keg party for a charity cause, but we don't know how to go about doing this legally. It seems like there would be a ton of hoops to jump through to pull this off, but we really want to do this thing legally. The best thing I can figure is have the party, collect money and ID check people, then cut a personal check to charity of choice. We live in North Carolina if that matters. Please only respond to this if you know what you are talking about. Information that you think is right, but might not really be correct might lead to trouble for us in the long run. We just want to use our brewing skills to help other people, but don't want to go to jail while doing so. Thanks guys for helping out.

I spent a good bit of time on the phone with representative from the NC ABC Board (both in their liquor license department and their legal department). While it was not in reference to a charity event but the brunt of it is going to be the same.

You CAN NOT provide any alcohol to people that have to pay to be there - without a license. That also means that you can't charge for entrance to "something else" and then "give away the brew." Licenses are not that hard to obtain, however the license is for a location not a person / entity. In order for that location to receive the license it has to be completely seperate from any living quarters. if you wanted to do it in a basement, it would have to have it's own entry from the outside, and the door to the rest of the house has be locked from both sides.

I can not speak to the idea of not charging admission and accepting donations. Although you would have to serve anyone who showed (and was 21) donation or not.


To that end I can't say you would necessarily get in trouble, as I am sure many folks on this board have paid their 5 bucks (or charged 5 bucks) at the door for all the beer they can drink at a college keg party, without getting in trouble. You wanted to the know the legal portion of it, and based on my personal conversations (not anecdotal, or assumed) with those in the know at the North Carolina ABC board (those folks giving out the licenses), I don't see how you could do it.

[Connie]

Yeah...you're gonna have to set it up as 'Donations' to the charity. Maybe add a raffle in...buy a beer for $1.50-$2.00 each and you get a ticket for a cool beer stein or other drinking paraphernalia at the same time. At the end of the night...draw for the prize or prizes. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/smile.gif)

It sounds like a great idea though. Maybe with Christmas coming...you can do a feed the homeless...but maybe that's a bad idea...making it an alcoholic event...I dunno. You could sell it as a way to make alcohol work for the homeless.

Good luck!

[bdub]

what is A.L.E office?

Alcohol Law Eforcement. i imagine theyd say no way, no how. If I were you, Id keg the beer, throw a party, charge 5 bucks for the cups, then whatever you collect donate it or buy toys for tots or blankets for the poor, etc.

[ewanzel]

May want to talk to the KC crew about how they swing Mugs for Jugs...a different state, but there has to be a a way around it, and they would be the ones who may help you out the most. It's a great idea and I wish you the best of luck

[HorseInMay]

Yeah...you're gonna have to set it up as 'Donations' to the charity. Maybe add a raffle in...buy a beer for $1.50-$2.00 each and you get a ticket for a cool beer stein or other drinking paraphernalia at the same time. At the end of the night...draw for the prize or prizes. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/smile.gif)

good idea, except that you can't sell homebrew.

I think the only way you can get away with this is to accept all comers, and put out a donation jar, and hope everyone is feeling generous. Like someone else posted, you can't charge to get in and then give the beer away, and you can't turn away anyone who doesn't want to make a donation, otherwise you are technically "selling" the beer.

[ChefLamont]

" I am really glad you enjoyed our free homebrew! If you would like to consider making a donation, please discuss your donation with our generosity coordinator."


(IMG:http://by-expression.com/images/tipjar.jpg) (IMG:http://imagecache2.allposters.com/IMAGES/54/039_8514.jpg)

[Monster Mash]

I make up 6 packs and donate them to a charity raffle once a year. We also have a tasting booth and ask for ice donations but anybody that is of age is welcome to try the beer for free.

[werper]

How do beer tastings work? Couldn't you set it up as a homebrew beer tasting for charity?

[malkore]

try contacting some local charities and see if there's a way they can have you serve the beer at one of their upcoming functions where there isn't an admission fee. like charity auctions or something.

me, i'm a hedonist (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/wink.gif)

[buckethead]

We just did one in PA. Basicly, we had the support of the chairity and booked a venue, sold tickets as "Donations" (all money needs to go to the chairty) and let er rip. However, each state has its own regulations and many times municipalities have their own too.

A way of doing this in your state is to find another fundraiser that serves alcohol. Look for wine tasting or beerfest and analyze what they did and talk to the organizers to find out how they did it. Also, find a venue and inquire about past chairity events there that provided alcohol. Usually places can give you all the info you need on how to keep legal.

The cardinal rule is not to "sell" alcohol. The event is to come donate, eat food, listen to music, bid on auction items but is limited by space and you allow only so many people to enter based on giving a donation.

We raised almost $10k for CF and had a lot of fun.