Howdy,
I just got curious about homebrewing in other countries. I know when I set up the homebrew supply store database, I found hundreds of supply stores in Australia. There are a bunch in Canada also I know. I'm just wondering what the situation is with brewing in other countries. Is it legal? Illegal? Where do you get supplies? Should I add other countries besides Australia and Canada to the homebrew supply store database?
Matt

So long as you're just fermenting and not distilling alcohol, it is %100 legal in Australia. However, Brewstores will also sell you anything you need to make spirits, stills included. The reason is that it legal to use a still to distill essences (for cooking, making soaps, et cetera) and it is legal to ferment a %20 blank alcohol that you can add stuff to to make a weak imitation of a certain spirit. So really it's not regulated at all.

Living in Melbourne (Australia) I have two specialty Homebrew stores within a 20mins drive of my house. But if you're not fussed about the quality of what you're making you can get cheap ingredients from most supermarkets (ie. bottlecaps, Coopers brand cans of Wort, and something they call brewer's sugar - but not hops) and this is what most kids who start brewing go for because you can do 21lts for less than $20AU. I go for more expensive ingredients from the specialty stores. I usually spend around $50AU for a batch, but I know exaclty what proportions of what types of sugar/malt I use, plus whatever hops and yeasts my heart desires. I guess this is probably the same in most brewing countries??