Am I allowed to brew beer and wine at home in Norway?
Yes — you can brew beer, wine, cider and mead at home for your own use without a licence. Under the Alcohol Act private individuals may make alcohol that is not spirits, meaning up to and including 22 per cent by volume. Home distilling of spirits is banned — anything above 22 % is spirits, and private distillation is illegal at any strength. Here is the trap people fall into: even owning a still for producing spirits is a criminal offence, that is, before a single drop has been distilled. Adding pure alcohol to take a brew above 22 % turns it into illegal spirits. You cannot sell what you brew; it is for your own use only, and to sell it you need a sales or serving licence.
📋 The rules
- Legal to brew beer, wine, cider and mead for personal use
- Up to and including 22 percent by volume without a licence
- Home distilling of spirits is banned
- Owning a still is punishable
- You cannot sell what you brew
🔓 Exceptions
- Selling or supplying for payment is always illegal without a licence
- Adding pure alcohol over 22% makes it illegal spirits
- Having or acquiring a still for spirits is itself punishable
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Illegal home distilling and unlicensed sales can bring a fine or imprisonment, usually up to 6 months and more in serious cases, under the Alcohol Act, and the equipment is seized. What people do not see coming is that the preparation alone is punishable: having or acquiring a still for spirits is a breach in itself, so the police do not need to find anything already distilled. Selling is the other trap — giving away your brew in return for payment is an unlicensed sale, and then it makes no difference that the alcohol was lawfully made for your own use.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Can I brew beer and wine at home?
Yes, for your own use and up to 22 per cent by volume, without a licence. You can brew beer, wine, cider and mead, but anything stronger than 22 % counts as spirits and cannot be made privately.
Can I distil spirits at home?
No. Home distilling of spirits is banned at any strength, and even owning a still for producing spirits is a criminal offence. The preparation alone is therefore a breach.
How strong can I brew?
Up to and including 22 per cent by volume. Anything above that counts as spirits and cannot be made privately — and adding pure alcohol to cross the line turns the brew into illegal spirits.
Can I sell what I brew?
No. Home brew is for your own use only, and selling requires a sales or serving licence. Giving the brew away in return for payment also counts as a sale, whatever you call it.
What is the penalty for home distilling?
A fine or imprisonment, usually up to 6 months and more in serious cases, and the equipment is seized. The punishment also reaches someone who has merely acquired a still.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I brew beer at home norway”
- “home brewing 22 percent”
- “home distilling banned”
- “brew wine personal use”
- “still illegal norway”
- “sell home brew”