# Can water be formented? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 7, 2002, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-water-be-formented/141105 "2002-12-07T06:54:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Blown\_Injected](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@Blown\_Injected](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blown_Injected)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-water-be-formented/141105/41 "2002-12-11T06:38:15Z")
but my explanation for why “anybody would do it”…it was my own comment that I was referring to - a few week ago in another thread I was talking about what one could do with “sugar wine” and the thread was closed. did not mean to imply that you guys were discussing any illegal activity. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-water-be-formented/141105/42 "2002-12-11T06:59:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blown & Injected \* > \*\*did not mean to imply that you guys were discussing any illegal activity. \*\* My post was more a message to the Mods. Nothing illegal going on here.🆒 ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-water-be-formented/141105/43 "2002-12-11T07:30:26Z")
**Lemur866** “But no organism can live in it’s own poop.” You’ve never raised pigs apparently.😃 I know lot’s of folks who make their own hootch…legal here as far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-water-be-formented/141105/44 "2002-12-11T11:28:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bibliophage \* > \*\*Home distilling is illegal everywhere in the U.S. \*\* What about the kits I see in catalogues for distilling small quantities of brandy for personal use? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-water-be-formented/141105/45 "2002-12-11T15:42:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shoshana \* > \*\*What about the kits I see in catalogues for distilling small quantities of brandy for personal use? \*\* They can sell the kits. It’s how you use them which would be illegal. A person can buy bongs too. Doesn’t mean it’s legal to use them to smoke dope. Fact is, without prior BATF approval, it is illegaL to distill any alcohol. There is no “personal use” amount. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-water-be-formented/141105/46 "2002-12-11T17:13:09Z")
Go here: [http://www.atf.treas.gov/alcohol/info/faq/genalcohol.htm#g1](http://www.atf.treas.gov/alcohol/info/faq/genalcohol.htm#g1) if you wnat the straight dope on making alcohol at home. It tells you the amount allowed w/out paerwork for beer and wine (200 gals./year) AND what forms to fill out so you can LEGALLY distill your own alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Blown\_Injected](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@Blown\_Injected](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blown_Injected)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-water-be-formented/141105/47 "2002-12-11T22:52:48Z")
the kits i have seen start with wine to make brandy. there is noway anybody could make more than “personal use” with one of these things. but that does not seem to matter - damn shame. the ads speak of the kit like it just slightly changes the flavor of the wine, but it is a tiny still - still illegal ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-water-be-formented/141105/48 "2002-12-12T00:29:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by t-keela \* > \*\*Go here: > [http://www.atf.treas.gov/alcohol/info/faq/genalcohol.htm#g1](http://www.atf.treas.gov/alcohol/info/faq/genalcohol.htm#g1) > if you wnat the straight dope on making alcohol at home. It tells you the amount allowed w/out paerwork for beer and wine (200 gals./year) AND what forms to fill out so you can LEGALLY distill your own alcohol. \*\* I’ve looked into what it actually takes to legally distill spirits. It is a monster pain in the ass, with huge flamming hoops to jump through, and 100% not worth it even if you can get through all the hoops. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-water-be-formented/141105.md?page=2)