Legality of mead and Hard Cider

[maxwellbrewer]

I am wondering about the legality of brewing mead and hard cider under a malt beverage brewing license ( standard brewery op. license). We are in Pennsylvania. thanks

[Charles S.]

You can't brew mead or hard cider with a brewery license in PA. But you can follow the same rules that the malternatives follow under the ATF minimum guidelines for the definition of malt brewed beverages. I don't have the specific ATF doc handy. Some brewers may have the minimums for hops and malt contents. The balance can be honey or cider to produce a near hard cider or meadlike product. But I know specifically that you can't call it mead or cider, these are wine products.

[Ted Briggs]

To be a malt beverage by TTB you must have 25% of extract be from malt. This allows for the high adjunct brews the big boys make, but slips in a loophole for braggot and other mead types. The new ruling for malt alternitives Limits added alcohol after fermentation to 50%, so I dont think that applies here as 100% of the alcohol would come from primary fermentation.
The feds also say you need to use a whopping 1 pnd of hops per 100 bbl to be considered beer. Thats not going to bitter your braggot.... You will have to call it a Honey beer and not meade.
Ps- contact Chris L @ the General Layfette, they have been doing this for a long time and could confirm.