The below is not meant to provide authoritative or legal advice. It simply represents some of the things we have found in working with ABC.
When in doubt, seek a bonified expert, or legal representative, or contact ABC directly.
Purpose and Mission of the ABC​
To regulate and govern the sale and taxation, production, and distribution of alcoholic beverages within the State of California. ABC does not make the legislation, it enforces it.
​Pre-Fermentation vs Fermentation
The Critical Line
There are two ways to create alcohol:
-
natural/biologically through fermentation (yeast)
-
chemically through adding chemicals
​​
Both methods alter sugars to make alcohol.
Remember above, when we described the malt/grain-based sugar-water and called it "wort"? Wort is pre-fermentation (no yeast has been added) and is not regulated by the ABC.
​
The moment you add the yeast, you also add the ABC.
Someone is likely saying, well what about bread, or cheese, or other things that have yeast? True. And they too are regulated, just not by the ABC.
​
Why all this regulation?​
Governments have been regulating food since the Romans. Then, regulation was primarily about tax/revenue (which is part of ABC's mandate). Then regulations became about dealing with scarcity. Starting in the 1500s (including the Reinheitsgebot of 1516), it became about "quality." In the 1900s it started to focus on public health.
Prior to many of these food regulations of the 1900s, food-borne illnesses were still the major killer of human beings.
California State Department of
Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC)
Contact Information
ABC, like many government agencies, subdivides itself. Here the key division is between retail units (which are based out of the district offices by county) and the state-wide non-retail unit.
​
If you intend to sell, distribute, or otherwise profit from alcohol, then your contacts are at the district offices.
​
If you are a club, or hobbyist, or will not sell, distribute, nor profit from alcohol, you are considered non-retail.
​
​
​
​
Personal vs Commercial Production
If you are brewing for personal or commercial purposes, you are regulated by the ABC, simple as that.
If you are a homebrewer you can brew up to 200 gallons a year per household of 2. There is no license or permit required. And unless you start serving it to people <21 or selling it, you should be fine.
A few easy tips:
-
Keep a brew log of the brews you make, can be handwritten, or electronic or there are programs that assist with this that run about $30.
-
Record brew dates, Alcohol by Volume (ABV) and ingredients
-
Record the yield (the final amount you produced)
-
Most brewing programs give you an easy way to do this, but again even handwritten works. The important thing is to be diligent, then if there is a problem, you can easily prove your production levels and outputs.
-
Labeling is a good idea. It gives that extra touch to your beer and allows you to state: the beer name, production/bottling date, ABV, and include somewhere "Homebrewed in Your Town, CA. This also makes ABC happy. Keep a recipe log, like the above. Most electronic programs do this for you.
Responsible Beverage Server (RBS)
RBS is a certification now required for anyone serving alcohol in any formal capacity. If you work in the hospitality industry or catering, you should have one.
The rules become a little more vague if you are pouring at a homebrew club or such. ABC seems to prefer someone there to be RBS certified. Check with your representative.
​
The RBS certification lasts 2-3 years and is gained by registering on the ABC website, taking a 2-hour video course, and passing the ABC required test. You can find these online.
IMPORTANT: Register with ABC first, since you need to provide your "server number" before you take the ABC test to get credit.