[Abathar]

So what, as long as he was making it for himself and not selling it. My grandfather made the stuff his whole life, there is a limit but a few gallons is no big deal.

[Hurricane Andrew]

Apparantly, in MN, it's illegal (per the article). I agree though, that it shoudln't be a big deal. Homebrewing beer and wine is a growing hobby around the country. As long as it's not done with the intent of selling, it shouldn't be a big deal.

[Oberon]

Unless I'm mistaken (and it's quite possible), there is no legally-permitted amount of liquor that may be distilled without a federal license. If you do not have a distiller's license, you may not make your own distilled alcohol, period.

Your grandfather, like thousands of other good people, simply never got caught.

[L98Fiero]

He's a chemical engineer. There is a good possibility he may be working on alternative fuels, trying to get rich. More power to him, I say!

[DBrow]

"So what, as long as he was making it for himself and not selling it."

Ah, but BATFE prohibits the distillation of ANY quantity of ethanol for ANY reason! Look on their website. Yo can do it, but you need permission and a license and registration and taxes must be paid.

If I wish to distill flower essences for perfume, there are some that are ok, but there is a flower whose essence contains ethanol, and according to BATFE, I must get permission and register my still and get inspected, since collecting that flower essence involves distillation of ethanol.

You can get a special permit to make ethanol from garbage to be used as fuel, but you must first get permission, and the ethanol must be denatured as it is distilled.

There is no limit for distilled spirits (no amount you can distill without a permit, permission, and license), but you can make 200 gallons of beer and 200 of wine, but if you take a batch of wine and distill it to brandy you are a bootlegger and felon facing stiff penalties.