Ohio homeowner seeks Supreme Court review of 150-year ban on home spirit distilling
John Ream, an Ohio resident, is asking the Supreme Court to hear his challenge to a federal law that makes home distillation of spirits a felony.
Ohio’s John Ream, who operates Trek Brewing Company with his wife Kristin, is challenging a federal statute that criminalizes the production of distilled spirits at home. Represented by attorney Robert Alt, Ream contends that the law, rooted in tax policy from one outlet century, unlawfully restricts a personal hobby. The Sixth Circuit upheld the ban, while the Fifth Circuit recently struck down a similar restriction, creating a split that has been appealed to the nation’s highest court.
Ream’s case raises questions about the extent of congressional power to regulate private, non-commercial activity. The government maintains the rule is necessary to protect excise-tax collection on spirits. A Supreme Court review could determine whether home distilling becomes a legal pastime. The dispute has drawn interest from the home-brewing community and industry groups alike.
Why it matters
A Supreme Court ruling could legalize home distilling, altering long-standing federal alcohol regulations.
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