Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-24
REVENUE ruling
|FTSbAN ON CIDER
AND FRUIT JUICES
Brew for Home Consumption
May Be Stronger Than
1-2 of | Per Cent.

Drinks brewed at home. for home
consumption. may contain more than
one-half of one per cent alcohol. by
q ruling of the Bureau of Internal
Revenue. just made public.
The ruling virtually lifts the ban
on cider, fruit juices and 'non-in-
toxicating" beverages by stating that
mon on-intoxicating" means non-intox- :
less than one-half of one per cent of
alcohol, as provided in section 1 and
3. title II, of the national prohibition
act. ss,.A1sss s. -
Bifeau's Deeision.
The decision of the bureau follows:
+ Section. 30 of Title IL of the ma
tional prohibition act provides that
against the manufacture of liquor
without a permit shall not apply to
person for manufacturing non-in- :.
toxicating cider and fruit juices ex-
clusively for use in his home. but
such cider and fruit juices shall not
he sold or delivered except to per-
sons having permits to manufacture
vinegar.
"The bureaus Interpretation of the
foregoing provision is as follows; ANY
person may, without permit, ana with
out giving bond, manufacture nonin-
toxicating cider and fruit juices. and
in so doing he may take his apples or
fruits to a custom mill and have them
made into cider and fruit juices AFTER
such Misunderstanding cider and fruit
Juices are made. they must be used
exclusively in the home. and when SO
means Misunderstanding in fact. and not
necessarily less than one-half OF per
cent of alcohol. as provided in sec
tion 1, of Title II. of the said act.
May Sell Such Cider.
"Or IL the nersons making such
cider and fruit juices desires to do so.
he may I'd sell such cider and fruit
Juices at any time to persons having
permits to make vinegar; this he may
do under the provisions of said sec
tion 90. (2) If he preserves such cider
and fruit juices at the time they are
made, he may sell same to the public
in general; this he may do under the
Of section 4. of Title IL. OF
said act. CD Or he may sell said cider
and other fruit juices so long as they
contain less than one-half of 1 per cent
cannot use or possess the same after
they contain more than one-half of l
per cent of alcohol; this he may do
under the provisions of sections l and
3. of Title II. of said act.
THE cider in the home may be al
lowed to turn to vinegar If the owner
desires. provided he adds no sugar or
other fermentable substance to the
cider or fruit juices to increase the
alcoholic content thereof, inasmuch as
such practice is held to constitute a
mash fit for distillation within the
provisions of section 1882. Revised
Statutes; he may sell said vinegar to
any one who may desire to purchase
It; this he may do under the provisions
of section of title Ii of said act.
This regulation is not intended to
cover the commercial use of cider and
fruit Juices. but merely the use of the
same as applied to the home and as
provision is made in section % of title
II of said act"
Ruling BrinEs Problems.
The ruling above. it is expected.
will result in a number of problems.
the solution of which may prove very
to the students. For in
stance, it is held that one may buy
fruit, have it made into cider and
fruit juices. which he may consume
at home. The cider, for instance. may
be allowed to turn into vinegar. pro-
or other fermentable substances.
Now ii is known that cider, il al
lowed to stand. will turn to vinegar
without the aid of sugar or any other.
substance. 1t also is
known that there is certain stage
Of natural fermentation between cider
and vinegar. when the brew is suf-
ficiently hard" to produce interesting
results if taken in large quantities.
Now tha tthe ban against cider con-
tanning less than one-half of one per
cent Of alcohol is lifted. who is going
to prove whether this brew is mon
in fact? The sentiment.
II is believed. will be to prove that 1t
Is intoxicating-aS q fact.