Brandy: don't get stuck with a plum

Brandy: don't get stuck with a plum

I have a beautiful plum tree in my garden and I'd like to try making brandy from part of my harvest. A friend told me that making your own alcohol is forbidden in Switzerland. I thought the days of prohibition were long gone! But is it really true?

B.

Your friend is right: in Switzerland, private individuals do not have the right to own, acquire or use distilling equipment. The Federal Law on Alcohol (LAlc) defines the legal principles applicable to the manufacture, import and export, sale and taxation of distilled beverages. However, this law does not apply to alcoholic products obtained solely by fermentation with an alcohol content not exceeding 15% by volume (e.g. mead) or to natural wines obtained from fresh grapes with an alcohol content not exceeding 18% by volume.

It is therefore not forbidden for a private individual to produce fruit brandies in the traditional way, using raw materials from their own garden or natural harvest. However, once the fermentation process is complete, the distillation stage cannot be carried out at home.

In fact, only professional distillers who hold a licence - issued by the Federal Customs Office - are authorised to distil alcohol, in other words to transform the must into a spirituous beverage. In the canton of Geneva, there are currently three licensed distilleries, according to the list provided by the authorities. These distilleries must use equipment approved by the above-mentioned Federal Office.

Private individuals wishing to produce their own eau-de-vie must pay not only the production costs invoiced by the chosen distillery, but also a tax of 29 francs per litre of pure alcohol. For a litre of fruit brandy with an alcohol content of 40%, the tax amounts to 11 francs 60. The distillery responsible for this operation will send the appropriate form to the Federal Customs Office, which will then send a tax slip directly to the person who issued the distillation order.

In the event of unauthorised distillation, the LAlc provides for penalties in the form of fines. In particular, anyone who, without having the right to do so, acquires, installs, maintains or modifies a distillation apparatus can even be fined up to 20,000 francs. This is the kind of plum you'd better avoid if you want to enjoy your new hobby with peace of mind...