Are you familiar with H.R. 1337? It was signed by President Jimmy Carter only four decades ago, in 1978, and contains the following amendment:
Allows any adult (formerly only heads of families) to produce wine and beer for personal and family use and not for sale without incurring the wine or beer excise taxes or any penalties for quantities per calendar year of: (1) 200 gallons if there are two or more adults in the household and (2) 100 gallons if there is only one adult in the household.
After House Resolution 1337’s exemption went into effect, home-brewing became common practice, and microbreweries and brewpubs flourished, which of course led to craft beers’ ubiquity.
Production of craft teas, on the other hand, has always been legal at all levels of governments – federal, state, county, district, municipal, township, private household. At Smorgasburg Downtown LA, the all-natural sweetener company, Popdup+, proudly specified “Craft Tea” on the booth banner as one of their specialty concoctions. Plainly named after the ingredients such as rambutan and gooseberry, the teas were made with equal amount of liquid and solid components. I took my Hibiscus Agave home in a jar, and closely examined the content before savoring the first sip.
What ingredients will you use to brew and blend a cup of black-tea-based Hibiscus Agave, or Pomegranate Lavender?
Images provided by author.
I would like to see some rose petals in my favorite green tea. With it’s delicate flavor, I think green tea would be a great base for lots of interesting fruit teas.