Home Brewing in Mexico: Legal for Personal Use with Registration Requirements

Yes, home brewing is legal in Mexico for personal consumption, under the General Law on Alcoholic Beverages (Ley General de Bebidas Alcohólicas) and regulations by the Tax Administration Service (SAT).

Conditions

• Personal Use Only: Cannot sell, barter, or distribute commercially.
• Registration: Equipment (fermenters, stills if distilling) must be registered with SAT. Small-scale beer/wine typically exempt from still registration but check current thresholds.
• Volume Limits: Implicitly limited to household consumption; large batches may trigger scrutiny.
• No Tax Evasion: Cannot circumvent IEPS (special tax on production/services) on alcohol.

Practical Reality

Home brewing is a growing hobby in Mexico (craft beer boom). Authorities rarely enforce registration for small beer/wine batches, but distillation (mezcal, tequila, rum) is strictly controlled — unregistered stills are illegal and dangerous.

Join a local club (e.g., Cerveceros Caseros México) for guidance and community.