Supreme Court to Consider Legality of Federal Home Distilling Ban Amidst Conflicting Appeals Court Rulings
John Ream, an Ohio engineer, is challenging a nearly 160-year-old federal ban on home distilling, seeking the right to produce his own spirits. Ream, who has experience in home-brewing beer and wine, desires to experiment with rye mash for whiskey. His case, along with a similar one from Rick Morris, founder of the Hobby Distillers Association, is likely to be heard by the Supreme Court. This comes after two federal appeals courts issued contradictory rulings on the ban's legality. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, citing its necessity for tax collection, while the Louisiana-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals deemed the ban unconstitutional, arguing it actually reduces revenue by prohibiting the activity it seeks to tax. The Justice Department is defending the ban, emphasizing its historical role in preventing tax evasion, which was rampant before the 1866 and 1868 prohibitions on home stills. The Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to take up the issue aft... 
