The Spirits Regulations 1991

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, applying to the manufacture and measurement of spirits in the United Kingdom, come into force on 1st January 1992. They replace the Spirits Regulations 1982 and Part IV of the Spirits Regulations 1952, and revoke all remaining parts of the 1952 Regulations.

The principal changes introduced by the Regulations are:

(a) the requirement to make entry applies only to premises used in the manufacture of spirits, not to plant;

(b) the table for determining the original gravity of wort or wash by the distillation method is replaced by a revised table;

(c) a second method for determining the original gravity of wort once fermentation has commenced is included;

(d) provision is made for the Commissioners to approve the use of distiller’s own business records in place of the official entry book;

(e) the frequency for distillers to submit returns to the officer is reduced to quarterly; and

(f) within 5 days of the end of each distillation period, distillers of fermented liquor are required to carry out the attenuation charge calculation and to notify the officer if the attenuation charge applies.