Hospitality Law Blog

Circuit Split Puts Some Shine on ‘Shine Ban

For over 150 years, federal law has prohibited the use of home distilleries. The essential purpose of the ban is to facilitate the taxing of distilled spirits, which has long been a font of government revenue. In fact, distilled spirit taxation was the original revenue source for the federal government (see “Whiskey Rebellion”).  For just as long, there have been attempts to thwart these tax collection efforts, and the ensuing give and take have left a profound stamp on American culture, such as the creation of NASCAR from moonshine runners evading those pesky “revenooers.” More >