(a) Location, construction, and arrangement

(1) General

(A) The premises of a distilled spirits plant shall be as described in the application required by section 5171(c). The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations relating to the location, construction, arrangement, and protection of distilled spirits plants as he deems necessary to facilitate inspection and afford adequate security to the revenue.

(B) No distilled spirits plant for the production of distilled spirits shall be located in any dwelling house, in any shed, yard, or inclosure connected with any dwelling house, or on board any vessel or boat, or on premises where beer or wine is made or produced, or liquors of any description are retailed, or on premises where any other business is carried on (except when authorized under subsection (b)).

(C) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter relating to distilled spirits plants the Secretary may approve the location, construction, arrangement, and method of operation of any establishment which was qualified to operate on the date preceding the effective date of this section if he deems that such location, construction, arrangement, and method of operation will afford adequate security to the revenue.

(2) Production operations

(A) Any person establishing a distilled spirits plant may, as described in his application for registration, produce distilled spirits from any source or substance.

(B) The distilling system shall be continuous and shall be so designed and constructed and so connected as to prevent the unauthorized removal of distilled spirits before their production gauge.

(C) The Secretary is authorized to order and require—

(i) such identification of, changes of, and additions to, distilling apparatus, connecting pipes, pumps, tanks, and any machinery connected with or used in or on the premises, and

(ii) such fastenings, locks, and seals to be part of any of the stills, tubs, pipes, tanks, and other equipment, as he may deem necessary to facilitate inspection and afford adequate security to the revenue.

(3) Warehousing operations

(A) Any person establishing a distilled spirits plant for the production of distilled spirits may, as described in the application for registration, warehouse bulk distilled spirits on the bonded premises of such plant.

(B) Distilled spirits plants for the bonded warehousing of bulk distilled spirits elsewhere than as described in subparagraph (A) may be established at the discretion of the Secretary by proprietors referred to in subparagraph (A) or by other persons under such regulations as the Secretary shall prescribe.

(4) Processing operations

Any person establishing a distilled spirits plant may, as described in the application for registration, process distilled spirits on the bonded premises of such plant.

(b) Use of premises for other businesses

The Secretary may authorize the carrying on of such other businesses (not specifically prohibited by section 5601(a)(6)) on premises of distilled spirits plants, as he finds will not jeopardize the revenue. Such other businesses shall not be carried on until an application to carry on such business has been made to and approved by the Secretary.

(c) Cross references

(1) For provisions authorizing the Secretary to require installation of meters, tanks, and other apparatus, see section 5552.

(2) For penalty for distilling on prohibited premises, see section 5601(a)(6).

(3) For provisions relating to the bottling of distilled spirits labeled as alcohol, see section 5235.

(4) For provisions relating to the unauthorized use of distilled spirits in any manufacturing process, see section 5601(a)(9).

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Terms Used In 26 USC 5178

  • person: shall be construed to mean and include an individual, a trust, estate, partnership, association, company or corporation. See 26 USC 7701
  • Secretary: means the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate. See 26 USC 7701
  • vessel: includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water. See 1 USC 3