Disclaimer

24x7.beer and Brew Notes are a hobby site. Please read this before you brew anything from it.

Information only

Everything on this site is general information shared by hobbyists, including recipes, guides, calculators and forum posts. It is not professional, legal, medical or safety advice. It may contain mistakes. Check important details yourself, and use your own judgement.

Safety

• Hot liquids and glass. Hot liquid can crack cold glass. Full carboys are heavy and slippery when wet. Use a carboy handle or crate, and never lift a carboy by the neck.
• Pressure. Bottles can over-carbonate and burst ("bottle bombs") if there is too much sugar or fermentation hasn't finished. Use bottles rated for pressure. Store them in a covered box while they condition.
• Gas. Fermentation gives off carbon dioxide. Ferment in a ventilated space, never in a sealed small room.
• Chemicals. Use cleaners and sanitisers exactly as their labels say. Keep them away from children.
• Hygiene. Sanitise equipment. Throw out anything that smells or looks wrong, or that grows fuzzy mould.
• Allergies. Recipes can contain gluten, sulphites, nuts, honey and other allergens.

Alcohol and your health

Home brew can be stronger than you expect, and its strength varies between batches.

To reduce the risk of harm from alcohol, the Australian guidelines say healthy adults should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day. The less you drink, the lower your risk. People under 18 should not drink alcohol. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, you should not drink alcohol. If you are breastfeeding, not drinking is safest for your baby.

Never drink and drive. Never give alcohol to anyone under 18.

For more information and support, see health.gov.au, the Alcohol and Drug Foundation or DrinkWise.

The law

• Selling. In Australia, you can make beer, wine and cider at home for personal, non-commercial use without an excise licence. You must not sell it, or offer it for sale, without the right licences.
• Distilling. Distilling alcohol needs an excise manufacturer licence, whatever the size of the still. Licences are not issued for personal use. Owning a still bigger than 5 litres needs permission from the ATO, even if you never use it to make alcohol. See our distillation page.
• Elsewhere. Laws differ in other countries and states. You are responsible for following the law where you live.

Liability

You brew at your own risk. To the extent the law allows, we accept no liability for any loss, injury or damage arising from using this site. Nothing here limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. See our terms of use.